yeah.... i have similar problems, and i lost my full time job, so i don't have $$$ to fix them...
rear wheel cylinders leak, now rear brakes grind
ate 4 alternators, it's on #5 (1 month old now...)
ate a mega fuse
shorted out parking light fusible link (my fault, but they should have picked a better spot for it instead of with the wiper motor wiring...)
runs like sh*t. has a misfire. hesitates at take off (unless CEL is on), can't idle right (stalls all the time). can't run right, hold gas steady and car feels like you're tapping gas.
engine ticks real loud now. sounds like it's low on oil, everyone comes up to me and is like "dude, put some oil in it" and it's full.
alignment is wierd, car drives straight, wheel is cocked to right.
rear tires basketball down road due to bad struts.
sway bar link is broken, makes loud bang sometimes when i make a corner or hit a bump.
dash vents are broken in middle, not a big deal.
cupholders are totally missing, obviously broken before and someone just took them out.
latch for console is broken, not a big deal also.
front doors can't open from outside unless you push in while pulling up on handle.
if my car has them, both keyhole lights are burned out on front doors.
power locks didn't work when i got the car, no blown fuses, put power to the driver switch and they work fine, but they jam, not allowing entry/exit in rear without forcing lock open.
passenger window is gonna stop working, goes up real slow and falls forward about 1/2 inch.
spring loaded flap on glovebox is pissing me off, no obvious use for it, but it won't stay closed.
door handle light burned out on passenger side, has an intermittant short on driver side, unable to find the green bulbs to replace, might replace with blue LEDs sometime.
driver headlight keeps falling, have to get out and re aim it every now and then.
pcv valve allows oil to flow into air cleaner.
other than those problems, i love the car. i would buy another contour (possibly an SVT), but only when i can afford to prepare to fix it a lot.
