Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Contour fleet aging, interest waning yet?

I'm on my 2nd Contour/Mystique.

I bought a 98 Mystique zetec ztx last year from my aunt and uncle for cheap and it was a great car. I liked everything about it,except the engine and tranny,and after joining CEG soon discovered the wonderful world of the Duratec 2.5 and 3.0 engines. Just a few months ago,I got bored with the Zetec ATX and decided since I loved it so much,I'm going to go out and buy the car I want this time. Well,I didn't have the money sitting around to buy an SVT (but with the money I've spent on my car now,I actually could have bought one!) but I was able to find a V6 MTX dirt cheap in better shape than my Mystique.

I love my Contour so much that if someone came to my door right now and was willing to give me a stupid amount of money for the car,it would be tempting with the cash sitting infront of me,but I wouldn't sell it. Ok,maybe I would....but I'd go buy another one,but an SVT! haha. But no,I can't see myself selling my car anytime in the near future.

My car is a 1995 GL V6 MTX with almost 277 000km on the original engine. I've replaced just about every part on the car since I bought it on May 1,2005.

Current mods include:
SVT E1 rims with 225/50/16 Potenza RE730 tires (need replacing next season)
SE side skirts
Full set of Silverstars
tinted windows
Vibrant intake
Ford racing 9mm wires
Cleaned out TB
Removed resonator
Magnaflow high flow cat
Ractive muffler
painted engine bay stuff,grille,brake calipers and interior trim.

Parts replaced include:
Rear struts and springs
Rear brake rotors and pads
E-brake cable
Front brake pads
Tires
water pump and WP belt
Plug wires
Both drive shafts and front wheel bearings
transmission

So,in exactly 3 months,I've dropped over $4500 into my car. Next year it will be repainted,lowered and I plan to either do up my motor a little more or just go all out and do a 3L swap.

I just don't want to get rid of this car,and I think the Contour is one of the best relatively unknown platforms with so much potential inside. That's why I love these cars,because nobody expects to see what some of us have done to our cars. We are truly different. or nuts.

I think I'll be keeping the SVT for a long time. I'll fix or replace whatever breaks. I really want to keep it as my 2nd car when I get a new one in a few years which will most likely be a C5.

A friend of mine has a '98 Vette. It's a great car, LOTS of fun to drive (too bad his is a slushbox though). However I couldn't stand owning one because it attracts so much attention, most of which is undesirable. Cops follow you, people don't let you into traffic, people walking down the street yell "DO A BURNOUT!", and every jackass with a F-Body, Mustang, or Monte Carlo SS wants to race. You can't run to the store to get a pack of smokes without feeling like you're in some kind of parade.

Personally, a Caddy CTS-V would be more up my alley. Comparable (if not better) performance, without the "LOOK AT ME!!!!!!" styling.

It kinda take a little chip off the block from said comment.

I know I'm newb as far as cars go. But I've learned ALOT, possibly even more then I need to know about cars, in the year I've owned the Tour! And pretty much all of it is from this site! Everyone here is awesome in their wealth of knowledge.

And if my SE atx dies I'm going ISO of either an svt or an se manual. And depending how it dies I may keep it and use one for the 3L conversion.

My willingness to stick with my tour is probably a mix of economic sense and the fact that it's a pretty fun car to drive.

I've still got a year left on it, and I don't want another car payment for at least a few years. Plus, I've put around $3,000 into my car in repairs. So my options are few: sell it for the amount left I owe for it (I'd say I'd be safe selling it for what I owe on it--it has 103,000 and will need some scratch/dent repair) and buy a beater (which I might end up pouring money into anyway); trade it in and get a new car payment (not part of the plan!); or just drive it until it disintegrates in the street (while performing necessary mechanical repairs and maintenance, of course).

I think I'm just going to drive it as long as I can. There are worse cars you could be stuck with. My only thing is the car-guy in me always has the itch to drive something else, just for the sake of driving something else.

I've also been thinking about finding a cheap Contour or Mystique to use as a winter beater and then as a parts car come spring. My Mystique last winter was the best car I've ever driven in the snow,and this winter is the last winter (first winter I'll have this car) this car will ever see while I own it.