Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Don't Take This The Wrong Way, But......

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!

A troll is someone who comes in to try to stir people up. Nobody yet has actually called you a troll.. I think the reason you may not love this car, is because you haven't really explored it's full potential, also depending on what options you have, yours may not really be that great. Watch for people on this site to meet somewhere, if you go, I'm sure someone would be very happy to give you a ride in there svt or something. Then you will understand. If you do own a contour with some good options like the stiffer springs, and maybe the v6 (the zetech can be very exiting too btw) run it through some curves, or really jump on the gas when you're getting on the highway. The Contours can be a very normal sedan, or it can be a riot, the rest is in your hands.

another thing i like: for a 4cyl, the zetec is very respectable, it can hang from with many cars that out power it (from a rolling start, aka highway driving), i've suprised many people with my 4 door ford. it's hard to get another vehicle that has everything the contour has to offer all in one package, especially one low cost package.

Originally posted by lsneo:

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first of all your not in the right forum. Second of all this car can handle really good compare to most cars on the road. You are like most ignorant fools that are around driving Hondas. They think the tour is ugly and that we have granny cars. But its not until you really drive the crap out of the car until you actually start loving the car.

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i couldnt agree more. i got the contour because it was the cheapest car at the stealership, the only one i could afford. when i got it i was like "eh, i guess its nice" but after having it for a few days it really grew on me. and does more so every day. its a great car to drive, its decently fast, and handles great (especially compared to my last car, a 91 buick skylark, my friends 00 blazer owned me on a twisty road lol) and i really like teh way it looks too.

Why do I love my car? Best bang for the buck. Hands down.
Contours have an almost cult-like following. Why do bad movies become cult classics? A bunch of people like all the little quarks. So, that's the contour, not to mention how fun it is to drive and its very practical, too.

I thought a troll was someone who posted on the site but doesnt own a Tour???? I could be wrong, I usualyy am.

In answer to your question, it's just the mod bug man. You come onto this site, you look at the things that people have done to thier cars, you tell yourself "That doesnt cost much, and it's easy", after one ortwo of those mods you move onto something bigger like an Intake.......Then you're HOOKED!
I love my car becuase it's my car. I realize it's nothing spectacular, but when people ask me bout the exaust, the intake, the stereo, the tints, or especially "Whats at www.contour.org" it's a good feeling to sit there and explain.
Find some easy mods to do to your car, trust me you'll be hooked like the rest of us.

Hi there, and welcome to the site. Now for my 2 cents:

I do agree with the questions of if you didn't like the car from day 1, why buy it? BUT, that's your decision, and in all honesty, you made a good one. If not for some strange reason. LOL.

Anyway, to let you know, before we got our 98 Tour.... 4 cyl, I had a 1986 Tempo, and a 94 Escort GT. While both were good cars, the Tempo was on it's last leg. My hub & I went to the dealer, I told hub I wanted a 4 door this time, BUT he wanted a 4X4. We ended up getting a 94 Explorer.
A year later, for a Mother's Day/Birthday pressie for me, we looked into trading the Escort in. Once again, since he "stole" the Explorer from me, I told him a 4 door, I will NOT settle for anything less.
We went to the dealer, did the credit check, and the salesman says "I got the perfect thing for your family" and he pulls around in a 98 SE, champagne, 4 cyl. First thing out of my mouth was COOOOOOOOLLLLLL. I love the look of it. We got it to test drive it. My hub got to be the one since I forgot my license. As he drove it, first thing he said was "I want this car!" I casually reminded him that it's MY car, unless he was giving up the truck. LOL. He refused to do that though.
We got this car at 27,000 miles, it was used as a rental by the dealer. It was in great condition, no dings or dents. We have had this car since May of 99, and the only problems I have had were had to get the tranny rebuilt because the torque converter went out in October, and now, I have to replace an Oxygen sensor, but besides an elderly gent hitting my back door after pulling out from a parking spot.
The car gets great mileage, handles wonderfully, and it safer than our Explorer. We have 2 boys, one is 10yrs old, & the other is 7 months. Since finding this site, & my 10yr old seeing all the cars on here, he loves Contours even more.

Originally posted by 98contour:

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As for the ignorant fool part you're not worth responding to

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Well you are extremely ignorant to post such a question on a site like this (being as you also state you read the posts all the time)

You don't like anything about the car yet you bought one. That is extremely ignorant as well!

Then stating someone is not worth responding to is yet again ignorant since you just did what you said you were not going to do.

That's 3 strikes in favor of your ignorance. I'd vote 4 being as you probably don't know the meaning of the term ignorance which is why you as so.

jeez, people need to chill out, take a deep breath and relax, so much hostility on this board, treat people how you would like to be treated. And contour98, don't take the crap personally, somebody could have been in a better mood when they reply to you and it would be a nicer comment, it just seems that people are always in rough moods around here.

Thank you so much!!! You hit the nail on the head. I am new to the board and just wanted to ask an honest question and get insights and other viewpoints. I didn't want to take anyones firstborn child!! I have been reading the posts the last few days and thought this was a great site so (after asking for help on the site a couple of days ago) I just put my question out there to get all these great people that own this car to tell me why they love it so much. I don't know anything about cars so I wanted to learn. That was my sole intention. It really seemed like a bunch of nice people were using this site so I felt comfortable and jumped right in. Well I sure learned my lesson didn't I?

I must add the last few posts have been very helpful and I am reading and understanding what they are saying. I really appreciate those who responded in a kind and informative way as that is what I was seeking. I am looking at my car in a new light.

As for the hostile ones maybe you might want to consider Prozac or something or review your life if you are getting that upset and hostile over some woman posting her question on a website (even if it was in the wrong forum!)

Thanks everyone else.