Okay..
I KNOW this is available by searching, but I'll humor you anyway.
a few notes, first off
The Contour was produced from 1995-2000. They are referenced in terms of Post-98, and Pre-98. (anything made 1998 and after, and anything made in 1997 or earlier.) The body changes within the post-98 category are minimal to NONE. (same for cars that are within the pre-98 category) The major change was from 1997-1998. Pre-98s have smaller headlights, and two, individual brake lights on the rear. The post-98's have larger headlights and a reflector that goes across the trunk creating a continuous red strip from one side to the other.
Also note that beginning in 1998 they made the SVT contour. (entirely different topic, too large to cover here...)
The car was offered with an inline 4 cylinder (I4) 2.0L called the Zetec, and a V6 2.5L (Duratec) Both engines were available as a manual or automatic.
Any combination provides near excellent gas mileage, with even the SVT (2.5/manual) providing near 24mpg city, and 28-30 highway!
Possible problems:
Any DURATEC equipped car 1998 or older came (at least originally) with a waterpump that was made of black plastic. This plastic impellar was found to have become brittle and shatter under extreme heat (like that of hot coolant that it circulates. This lead to engine overheating and warped heads (bad engine). In 1999, Ford revised the stock impellar to be out of a white plastic that holds up a million times better. If you have a 1998 or lower V6, you'll want to replace the waterpump asap. (60K or less is when they would go.)
Duratec's also suffer from an oiling issue that was, quite simply, of a design flaw. The heads do not drain oil back to the pan fast enough, and when the car is placed in a high-speed, right hand turn, can suffer from oil starvation, and a spun bearing (bad engine.. rod knock..) The fix for this is to run 6.5qts (instead of the recommended 5.8) and to simply take it easy on those TIGHT right handers (think:cloverleaf onramps at 3K rpm) This is not GUARANTEED.. though it would suck to play the odds and have it happen to you.
MTX-75 (the manual transaxle) has a common problem with synchro's (synchronizers) going out, causing a grinding when attempting to shift in to whichever gear has the bad synchro. (normally the 2-3 shift. though getting in to 1st from a stop or downshifting can happen too. The fix is to drop the tranny completely, and rebuild it with better materials. Fluid flushes will extend, or even remove LIGHT symptoms, and prolong heavier ones, though not FIX either one.
The CD4E (automatic transaxle) suffers from rough shifting, though normally from a cheap to replace sensor.
Other things to look out for, though less severe in nature:
bumper sag (rear bumper sags away from the trunk leaving a gap... correctable, though sore sight if not done..)
Hazing headlights.. it happens.. it will happen.. it has happened. There are cleaning methods WELL posted on this site. no biggie.
Post 98's (mostly 99 and higher) suffer from Dash Warping. a fix is available through ford, though requires a good bit of work to perform.
Keep in mind that ANY contour (even the newest) is at least 5 years old, if not 10 to 11 years old.. Typical squeeks, and rattles are to be expected. Look for the basics when testdriving:
uneven tire wear (can be a sign of an alignment or frame damage problem.
motor oil quality (not color.. black is not always a bad thing.. motor oil turns black, by nature) QUALITY: gritty, discolored, cloudy, etc.
Look for deposits at or near the radiator to indicate potential coolant leaks.
Ask for maintenance receipts.
Whatever you are going to pay for the car, look up the value, and also ask on here.. WE know the market for this car.. Not the KBB market.. the REALWORLD market.. we know what they are worth, and what they aren't. Get a heads up before you get hosed on a deal! These are WONDERFUL cars that can
surprise a bunch of the "ricer" crowd out there (if that's your thing)
haul an AWFUL lot of stuff
and your four friends
and do it in style
EXCELLENT HANDLING (.91-.92G's on a skidpad for the SVT!!)
better than average gas mileage (ESPECIALLY for the power you get)
cheaper insurance (4 doors, family sedan.. 5 star frontal driver, 4 star frontal passenger ratings!)
AND: best of all... THIS SITE.. you won't find more knowledgeable people, more resources, or better information than here.. anywhere.
Being a CEG member you get discounts in the 40-60% range (off of LIST price!!!) from two different Ford dealerships.
Think hard about it.. you'll love this car.. trust me.. drive one! (I recommend the duratec mated with the 5spd..)
Ray
