Welcome to the site!
I'd usually be one of the first to sling an arrow in your direction, but since you seem to posess a sincere nature, I'll respond in like...
I challenge you to find a 4-door sedan built from 1995-2000 that has the HP/Liter, HP/weight ratio, fuel economy, 4-doors, handling abilities and looks that the Contour and Contour SVT does...
...all for under $23K.
It has a Porsche-developed engine, track-tuned suspension out of the box and a stick to boot. Reliability can be spotty (but preventative measures can help ensure a longer life of the major components concerned) and Ford's dealership service in most cases sucks beyond what even those damned to Hell should suffer through, but otherwise from a few quirks, it's still one of the best overall bargain 4-door fun rides you can get. It's just a damn shame that not ONE single automobile manufacturer has picked up the torch that was extinguished when Ford killed the CDW-27 platform, pricewise.
With around $7-10K in modifications (S/C or T/C, beefed-up transmission, suspension work, exhaust modifications, some minor engine work included, beefier brakes, etc.), you've now got a car that is back to hanging with cars that cost 2X as much.
There are faster cars out there. There are better handling cars out there. There are cheaper cars out there. However, there are NEXT TO NONE that have 4-doors and a combination of the above to the degree that the Contour does.
That's why this site is here and it's members rather fanatical about this little economical slice of 4-wheeled Heaven (and Hell sometimes, as you can probably tell from browsing the Troubleshooting forums).
Before I forget, a "troll" is someone that hits Internet boards for the sole purpose of stirring up trouble.
You seem to be the opposite...
In any case, browse the site, learn a few things about your car that you didn't know and maybe the Contour bug will bite. There's a lot of knowledge contained within these forums.
Enjoy!
