I think the Zip Tie will hold for awhile, as the 'stress' on the component is horizontally left-to-right (i.e. no direct pressure on the Zip Tie). This is on my wife's Contour -- she doesn't shift hard or quickly.
Next time I'm at a Home Improvement store I'll look through their nuts & bolts department to find a suitable-sized locking E-Clip to replace the Zip Tie. From looking at the pictures in the other thread, I was surprised that the stock part didn't have a locking E-Clip on it. I won't bother ordering a replacement cable end if it doesn't include a locking E-clip.
The bushing I fabricated was originally intended as a bump-stop for a strut on my wife's former Buick. It already had a center hole in it -- I just trimmed the exterior down until it fit snugly in the white plastic cable end. The washer is about an Inch in diameter. I selected a Zip Tie that fit nicely in the groove on the metal post. Heat exposure in that part of the engine compartment is limited, so the Zip Tie should easily last until I throw an E-clip in there.
