Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General who still plays with pre 98 contiques??

I'm a pre98 guy. Converted from my first taste of the Contiques with my '98 Mystique Zetec ATX. I traded up to a '95 Contour GL Duratec MTX,and later added a '95 Contour GL Zetec MTX to the mix. The '95s are built well,designed better,have better interiors,drive better and the seats are better. I wouldn't go back to a post98 even for an SVT. My '98 was a lemon for my aunt and uncle when they owned it and after I bought it from them I didn't have any major problems with it. Then I bought my Duratec Contour and it's been a lemon since day one. My Zetec is much better,but it's in storage and I'll be fixing it up to sell it in the spring and my Duratec is getting traded in for a Cobalt SS.

If I were to do things over again,I would have gotten rid of the Mystique and never gone back to Contours. I'm on my 3rd one in 2 years and can't say I'd buy another one. As good as they are to drive,the maintenance on them is a pain and they have so many quirky little problems. My Duratec car has suffered from every single commonly mentioned 'pre98 problem'. Granted,I have almost 300 000km on it,so that's a testament to it's durability,and there's no rust on the body for an 11 year old salt-belt car. Gotta say,it's well built. Within 4 years,my Mystique was gathering rust around the rear fenders and rocker panels. My Contour is spotless (rust wise),and I haven't washed it since November!