If you don't believe anything Ford states, then why the heck do you even own one?
The oil companies get rich from high octane sales. People will claim that your engine will blow up, but who ever has had this happen and can prove that it was 87 gas? Ask a real car technican, not a zealous Contour enthusiast about what gas to burn.
BTW: This thread bleongs to the Stang guy, go to an oil company chat room to sell 91 gas.