Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Some interesting news

they don't do the research they are supposed to and don't have the incentives to know what they are talking about. one of the first questions i ask a salesperson is what *they* drive. if you're shopping for a nissan, and the salesman drives a toyota, you have to ask why. especially for dealers that dealwith more than one car marque.

The clock WILL be in your dash for the '98 model. They changed it for 1998.5. I'm confused however on my car. Same build date... but I've got drum brakes in the rear (it's an SE), and my build date is 11/97. I posted this very question a long time ago, and several people mentioned they figured the changeover was in 3/98. I thought too that the V6 was standard on the SE; am I wrong?

What split rear seats? I don't have them! My SE is, I believe, near the top of the line (keyless entry, alloys, V6, sport suspension, but lacking moonroof, leather seats, and split rear).

I think I'm going to go apply for a sales position and be the best damn salesman anyone has ever seen...

I too just recently got hit up by a less than particular sales guy when I walked on the lot. He told us the "new" V6 Mustangs were quick enough for anybody he knew. My girlfriend laughed out loud at him when I said " :rolleyes: O.K., pony boy, why don't you go get someone who can really talk to me about the new Roush stage III over there!"

Unless you are buying a Ferrari, Porsche, Bentley, or something along those lines. The person selling the car to you prolly knows less than you do about the car. My pops is a sales manager for Porsche and let me tell you, you have to know everything about those cars and have like 15 years+ experience selling cars before they will even think of letting you hit the sales floor.

isnt the "shaker" hood a dodge thing?

Rynn, it's a '98. I have almost the same car: SE, Zetec, drums , split rear seats, leather, etc. and my build date, if I recall correctly, is 8/97...

Do most people buying a car these days care if a salesperson can tell them all the tech specs about a car ? I think not.

If dealerships catered only to the knowledgeable "gearhead" types they would go out of business.

Most people buying cars are more interested in their monthly payment on the mininvan and how many cupholders they will get with the latest model.

Having said that, anyone with any love for their job would learn everything about it and use that knowledge as necessary. And it is funny to hear some of the BS salespeople try to pull off.

Both Ford and Chrysler (Dodge & Plymouth) had "shaker" type cold air intakes on several of their models.

Karl

On the subject of salespeoples' knowledge....My SVT dealer also sells Jaguars, so I wandered over to the showroom one day to check out the X-type (very nice, I thought).

Anyway...I was amazed at how much the salesguy knew, not only about the Jag, but about the SVT Contour...he was comparing curb weights, horsepower and torque numbers, how the Duratec V6 in the Jag differs from the SVT, and more.

I was very impressed.

"... but I've got drum brakes in the rear (it's an SE), and my build date is 11/97." "...several people mentioned they figured the changeover was in 3/98. I thought too that the V6 was standard on the SE; am I wrong?"

Fall 1997 is during the time when the 1998.5 "cheaper" SE's were built. 1998 brochures printed in 9/97 show later models. The factory chageover date is not clear, but it was around summer of '97. I also have an early 98 model brochure printed 1/97 for a spring introduction.

Looks like you have a 1998.5 SE with the standard Zetec. Equivilant to an older GL. Duratechs were std in 1995-early 1998 SE's.

It confusing yes, maybe one reason for Contour sales slide.

I remember seeing alot of 98 SE's that fall and thinking they were selling well, then I learned it was due to the model changes and these were rentals, not the "sporty SE's".