Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests Does It Bother Anyone That....

So true. People at work and my friends are asking what I bought when they hear about my new car, but most give me this dumb blank stare when I say "Contour SVT". I tell them its from the same division of Ford that makes the Cobra and Lightning, but they still have that tilted puppy dog look.

Now the car friends I have and my mechanics, they KNOW what the SVT is and ask a million questions about it. Also, I'll get a random compliment at the pumps or at the convenience, mostly from young kids who like the look.

Ford never publicized these cars enough.

Red, I hear what you and Davo are saying, but bear in mind, this isn't limited to the "import" car phenomenon, but sport compact cars in general. The J-Body cars and the Focus have become embraced by this community, chiefly due to the amount of aftermarket support. So while the "ricer" vibe is making it's way into the american car scene, whether we like it or not. Furthermore, even the European sports sedan scene has publications that cater to both current cars and late model cars that aren't sold anymore...

Not really. I mean parts are a b*tch to get but modding it makes it that much better. It feels exclusive. It also helps if you want that sleeper look.

i think the car has slightly more aftermarket than i thought...it is somewhat hard to come by but if you have the money you can get the parts

bottomline from what i see this car just isnt going to get respect without earning it and to me that means a good site like this one has to stay around and we and other contour owners do what we can to get the cars as good as they can be and kick ass...whether its sporty, raced out or bling bling we have to be damn good

we tie track success and modding etc to the ceg and the site will get us noticed and vice versa

once we start beating some of these others at their own game we'll start getting at least some props for the contour

stock for stock our cars hang pretty well with alot of **** and on many levels....properly set up to be better than the rest they'll have to notice

only downside is that at this point we are a used car and the mileage is getting high on the earlier models...at some point we will not be able to keep up with others in a way that we will always be noticed....but i bet u this...let ford bring the mondeo...everyone will know what it is

We actually did that at AIS in April. Someone overheard one of the GM guys saying to his friend in the staging area: "We have to do something about all these Contours." I think we had 3 of the last 8 cars standing in our class (one experienced guy - Andy W., one semi-experienced guy - me, and one complete newbie - SVT ST PETE). And that was after knocking half of ourselves out by running Contour vs. Contour in every one of our first round races. We got noticed for sure that day. Unfortunately, they probably won't take us so lightly next year in the team event.

My kill list that day: Contour (sorry), TA, Camaro, Impala SS, Impala SS, Camaro. Sure it was bracket racing, but a win is a win. Especially when both of the Impalas came right from beating a Contour.

The Contique has 2 things working against it in the sport/compact press:
1. it's a sedan
2. it's American
Personally, judging by some of the crap in those mags, I think we're better off

All the Contour's problems would be solved if they had never made it with an automatic transmission.

This of course would have eliminated the sound majority of its sales...but would make the owning the car much better...and maybe would have increased sales...but for another market.

90% of Contours I see are ATX Zetecs like mine, driven by women older than 30, driving 40 in a 45. Apparently they could not afford a Taurus and that is where the Contour market came from. But who knows, my Grandma drives a Civic.

Hey Giovanni....

not all of us "over 30 women with ATX-zetecs" bought them because we couldn't afford a Taurus. :p :p

More likely would be the possibility that we bought the ATX-zetec because the MTX's are rarer than hen's teeth.

ATX sux, IMO.

Well said.

Doesn't really bother me either. The car is out of production for almost 3 years now. Much like any "good" car it will never die...and what'll probably happen is 10 years from now, we'll see it on car and driver as one of those amazing cars that nobody ever knew existed....and interest and respect for it will be had, and I, whose garage the car will be sitting in , running or not, will have a big smile on my face.

So what not alot of people know waht it is, it's what makes the car. It's much more gratifying to me to look in my rearview at a red light and see a son pointing my car out to his father with a big smile on his face, and the father nodding in agreement....or the kid who stopped me, I mean stopped his car, and got out as I was walking into the mall just to tell me how great my car was....than to be driving around any one of the hundreds of camaros/mustangs/hondas/or firebirds I see every day....being driven by some kid who thinks rattly stereos and LED wiper nozzles qualify as performance mods. (No problem with a V8 or honda modded to make high HP numbers!)