Originally posted by RogerB:
You're asking me?

Mainly, I find it funny that the SVT and all other V-6 Contours are in GS, and that the I4 Contours are in HS. That makes it obvious to me that if you have a Non-SVT, V-6 Contour then you need to be in STS where you have a better chance at levelling the playing field with the SVT.

How heavy is the Probe?



Note - This is my opinion and is not stated as facts just as one persons opinion.

I thought the same when I first started but then I started looking at the specs on both a little closer. I am not so sure that the SE can't compete with the SVT. The springs are the same on both the V6 manual (98+) and the SVT. The SVT has better front shocks but you can replace them in stock class so no advantage there. The 95-97 (IIRC) SE has stiffer springs. The advantages the SVT has in stock class are.

1. Rims 16X6.5
SE has 15X6
2. Rear sway. If you have the early SE you have the same rear sway bar. You can change the front.
3. Brakes? not as much of an advantage as you might think they are also more weight.
4. more HP/higher redline. This will depends on the course. The SE gets max torque (165) at 4250 rpm while the SVT gets max (170) at 5500 rpm. I could not find stock dyno charts to look at the power curves. On most courses you find yourself digging out of corners more than you find yourself holding the rev limiter. Also some of the power would be from the exhaust that you could replace in stock class.

The SVT also weighs a lot more than the 2000 SE. The 2000 SE did not have the side skirts from the early SE's and was avaliable with cloth seats. It does not have the interior refinement of the SVT but it also does not have all the extra weight.

Just starting out I was about 4-6 seconds behind a guy running an SVT in stock class. He ran Victoracers and Koni's with an AutoX alignment. I ran MX's with stock 142,000 mile shocks and a standard alignment(in STS because of the short shifter) He started AutoXing before I was born and does good for his car/class.

Edmunds - 2000 SVT - 3126 lbs.
Edmunds - 2000 SE Sport - 2769 lbs.
Edmunds - 1995 Contour - 2769 lbs.
Edmunds - 1995 Probe - 2921 lbs.

Mostly it is decided by people writing letters about the classing citing reasons that this car or another car should be placed in whatever class. After the letter is written and sent it goes to the advisory committe. There it is either recomended or not based on what the committe thinks about it (IIRC) they are then put out for member comment so that other people who might know more about the cars can write in about them.

If you feel that the contour should be classed in HS go ahead and write letters. I just dont feel that it belongs there and while not competive where it is classed I think it is currently classed correctly. My opinion might change based on new cars being classed into HS or other car that get moved out of GS but that is my current opinion and I could be wrong.

Beaten - 2003 MazdaSpeed Protege 29K <- broken hearted Daily/Weekend Beater - 1990 miata 138K - AutoX every weekend = Adult driven on weekends