I'm looking to get another Contour as well. My budget is a bit lower... 2k-3k. I'm looking for '95-'00 V6 MTX Contours, and so far I've found 4 near my area. Just need to sell my current car first.
I used to own a '95 V6 Contour GL with a 5spd manual, that thing was pretty quick, loved it... very good handling as well.