This post is kind of a bummer....I've driven Fords for years since my dad used to do taxes for a dealership. So it's really sad for me that I just got rid of my Contour on Monday (water pump failure caused mass engine trauma). I loved that car and took such awesome care of it...unfortunately the quality was awful, the dealers worse and the extended warranty a joke.
I wanted something fun to drive, four door, and stick shift in the $18k range - can you say import? None of the domestic companys make a car in that profile and even if they did I'd be taking a big gamble with quality again. Pathetic.