Okay, I've been been a real fan of my 'tour, researched the car for a year before I bought it (3+ years ago), but now I've had it. And here's why:
Been through 2 sets of rotors up front - apparently because Midas (pronounced "my ass" - d is silent) didn't torque down the lugnuts to Ford's persnickity 60 some ft-lb. Now running Brembo rotors and Mintex pads and a DIY job, and everything is a-ok.
Then the window regulator goes kaput and chews itself up. Another stash of cash in the hole.
Then we're on to "doing the right thing" by getting recall 01S23 on the coil springs "fixed". Now I have a car with a great ker-clunk every time I go over a speed bump. Yeah right, fixed. Gee Ford, you might want to teach your spring engineers a little primer on reliability, fatigue and corrosion. And until then, take some responsibility and replace the damn springs.
Then on to one of my favorites - chasing a leak. Wait, two of them. The oil leak is not the pan, it's not the valve covers. It's either the front cover or the main seal. Either or - another dealer visit. And then, while they're at it, they ought to go ahead and source my power steering leak. No, it's not the pump - or lines that I can tell.
Then finally, the last straw - or should I say - the nail in my "Ford loving" coffin. CEL code P0420. I just moved to 7300 ft. elevation from Atlanta (which is probably close to sea level). So you might think it's the thinner air up here doing it. errrrr. Wrong. It threw the CEL back in Atlanta. And guess when? Right after 80k miles, so forget it being covered. Who wants to guess that's an issue that came up in a meeting during the design of the Contour. You better believe it did.
So 3 years after buying a car that I thought could and would be the shizznizzle, I now own a car that smokes oil fumes to high heaven from 2 leaks, clunks over speed bumps, and is on it's exhaust deathbed. And I was looking forward to SCCA'ing it after I paid it off.
With that said, I must say that contour.org has been an invaluable resource, and I thank all of you for contributing to it. The people and the technical knowledge here are great, and I'm so glad that Lance brought it back when he was going to shut it down. It just blows arse that I got the lemon of the lot. Or did I?
So if you've suffered through this post (more like a rant), let me reward you with an interesting question. Would the CEL throw a P0420 because of a higher elevation?
P.S. If you want to reply and say "you just don't know how to treat/work on a car", go right ahead. Years ago before the family responsibilities kicked in, I completely restored a 71' Mustang and sold it for over a 100 times what I paid for it. That's a little more thorough that Yo-Dude y-pipe you had your uncle put on for ya.
