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Originally posted by KingDiamond:
First let me introduce myself. I'm 21 years old and I'm in Chicago, Illinois. I have owned a 1994 Mustang GT for 3 years and it now has 109,000 miles and is starting to be a pain in the neck. I need to spend about $200 on it every month just to keep it running, and I do most of the work myself. Also I am a guitar player and have just joined a band and I need a car that I can fit my big half-stack amp into. Also, gas is going up in cost, and I get 12 mpg in the city. The mustang is modified quite a bit and it is fast, but it is also loud and terrible in wet/snowy weather.
So I'm thinking about getting a Ford Contour SVT. I want to stick with Ford because I'm pretty loyal to it. I have had an Escort and Lincoln Mark VIII previously and both were great cars. So what I'm looking for is a sedan that's about $7,000 and gets good gas mileage and has room in the back seat in which I can put my amp. I think the SVT fits the bill. I have a couple questions though...
1. How reliable are these cars? Anything that usually goes wrong at a certain mileage?
2. Is it a bad idea to buy a Contour SVT with over 80,000 miles? I bought my mustang with 85,000 miles and it was fine until about 100,000 miles and stuff started breaking.
3. What octane gasoline do they use?
Thanks and I hope to purchase a Contour SVT soon, and if you know anyone that is selling one in Chicago please let me know.
Welcome to CEG! I am also new here and just bought a SVT Contour. I am also a guitarist with a half stack to lug around every once in a while and this is a great car for that. I can fit my cab in the trunk laying down but it would fit in the back seat too. Its fast and practical. The reliability has been mentioned in other comments so i wont add any more. Same with the mileage. The one thing that i will add that noone seemed to mention is that if you are that strapped for cash, the contour CAN use regular grade fuel (for those of you that havnt read your manuals, its on the last page of the SVT guide). You will get a slight loss of performance when you do switch though. I personally am using 91-93 because when gas prices are so high, the 20 cents more that premium costs is less of a percentage of the gas price then when gas is cheaper.
hope this helped
~Ryan
1999 T-Red SVT Contour
41k Miles #1701 / 2760
B&M, Custom Y-Pipe, Alpine HU, Pioneer 6x8's & 6x9's
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And I would strongly advise NOT using regular unleaded fuel in the SVT!!
Mark
2000 Black CSVT
3.0L Hybrid - 206fwhp & 195fwtq
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Originally posted by Y2KSVT:
And I would strongly advise NOT using regular unleaded fuel in the SVT!!
Mark
why not? explain...
~Ryan
1999 T-Red SVT Contour
41k Miles #1701 / 2760
B&M, Custom Y-Pipe, Alpine HU, Pioneer 6x8's & 6x9's
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simple explanation - it say not to use anything below 91 in the manual.
Hotter cams, higher compression, basically the motor was not designed for 87 octane.
1999 Silver Frost SVT
#609 of 2760
Quaife, lightened SVT Flywheel, SPEC stage II clutch, removed resonator, k&n drop in - various other goodies too.
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before you go off spouting that it CAN use it.. but will lose performance.. listen up:
The performance lost will not be negated by money saved on mileage (via the cheaper gas).. You will use MORE of the cheaper gas than you would if you filled with premium. You "saved" money is going to actually be MORE money spent on cheaper gas, because you fill up MORE often.
If you REALLY want to save <$2.00 a tank, go ahead.. don't come on here and start whining when your car takes a dump on ya.
Ray
'99 CSVT - Silver #222/276
In a constant state of blow-off euphoria.
Originally posted by Kremitthefrog:
I like to wear dresses and use binoculars to watch grandmas across the street.
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If you do want to get a C-SVT, take your time and find the best one for the $$. There are a lot for sale in classified ads here and be picky.
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8 SE, Code Red. '00 Tropic Green Ford Escort SE [Contour's little cousin]
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Originally posted by TGO:
simple explanation - it say not to use anything below 91 in the manual.
Hotter cams, higher compression, basically the motor was not designed for 87 octane.
i suggest you read your manual again. the last page says that regular fuel can be used and the knock sensor will adjust the engine so that it will run. so it CAN be used
~Ryan
1999 T-Red SVT Contour
41k Miles #1701 / 2760
B&M, Custom Y-Pipe, Alpine HU, Pioneer 6x8's & 6x9's
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I suggest you read my post above, again. I'd certainly LOVE stopping MORE often, to spend MORE money, and get LESS performance from it.. all just in the mindset of SAVING $2.00..   Ray
'99 CSVT - Silver #222/276
In a constant state of blow-off euphoria.
Originally posted by Kremitthefrog:
I like to wear dresses and use binoculars to watch grandmas across the street.
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why would it use more gas? that doesnt make sense at all. have you tried this? has anyone tried this? i think my next tank is going to be regular so that i can see how many miles i get on a tank versus the premium.
~Ryan
1999 T-Red SVT Contour
41k Miles #1701 / 2760
B&M, Custom Y-Pipe, Alpine HU, Pioneer 6x8's & 6x9's
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Actually, funny you should be talking about this. I am on my first tank of 87 gas. I have not noticed a performance differnce at all so far. The previous owner said he used 87 all the time and never had a problem. As soon as I bought it from him I put in 92 octane, but recently been reading how the svt will adjust and that it is not a matter really. Anyone care to speculate or share knowledge? Should I continue with 87 or 92? Oh, and just to comment, I dont think I am burning through the fuel any faster then 92 octane, milage is exact same so far at 1/2 tank. 
98 T-Red CSVT
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