Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General A Throwaway Car?

I have been meaning to post this because it'll make you guys seeth with anger, but here goes...

As you know I recently put a new timing belt and associated stuff in my '95 GL that had set dead on the driveway for 18 months.
A mechanic I met was VERY helpful with advice and I couldn't have completed the job without him. While he was giving me tips he commented, "Well ya' know... those Contours are just throw away cars." He went on to give his reasons for saying it. He commented on how they "won't idle right when you turn on the AC." "You can't expect them to last too long."

Well, my $16K (tax, title and license) ran for 168K miles before the timing belt tensioner broke! Oh yeah, I put two sets of front brake pads on it plus a set of rear shoes. The AC broke at about 150K.
SO.... NOT TOO BAD FOR A THROW AWAY CAR!!!!

I won't tell you his name though.
He drives a tough looking black, 1990 Vette.
I DID like the 'Vette though!

DB

Every one is entitled to their opinion. Given there low resale value I still say they represent a great value for the buck.

Its no more a throwaway car than any other. If you like it , thats all that fcking matters. What is with car salesman and mechanics telling people their opinions while they are working or selling their cars. You are supposed to be a professional , you dont state your friggin opinion. Especially about the same car that thsi person has , how stupid and how big of an ass can you be.

It seems to be an overall valid stereotype on the Contour, given the way depreciation hits these autos and certain "issues" that seem somewhat common and rather EXPENSIVE to cure...

It doesn't represent the overall my experience with mine, though. The depreciation, yes, but mine has held together quite well, and I don't baby my cars in terms of driving.

It really seems hit or miss with the Contour. Some folks have had an excellent run with them; others run screaming from them given their experienes.

Build quality could have been better, but I chalk that up to the accountants at Ford cutting corners ever since the car's inception and which day it rolled off the manufacturing floor.

"It really seems hit or miss with the Contour. Some folks have had an excellent run with them"
Maybe these guys owned other Fords and find the Contour's reliability acceptable.

"others run screaming from them given their experienes."
Probably Honda owners who don't expect their cars to break every couple of months.

"Build quality could have been better,"
Understatement of the year!

"but I chalk that up to the accountants at Ford cutting corners ever since the car's inception and which day it rolled off the manufacturing floor."
Accountants at Ford = Ford. Excuses, excuses.

Moron.

my pop has been a mechanic for 20+ years, he says

"ALL CARS ARE JUNK.....YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND THE BEST JUNK!"

So true......all cars no matter make and model has pro's and con's.....BTW my tour has been the best investment so far. (my 3 1/2 cents)

I think there is some validity in saying that ALL modern cars are becoming more 'throw away' than cars from the past. While newer cars are built better in many ways, the quest to reduce weight and increase fuel economy is taking its toll. I don't think modern transmissions are near as sturdy as ones from thirty years ago. Back in the 60's, you couldn't tear up a Borg Warner 4-speed or a GM Turbohydramatic 400 tranny. The old engines were cast iron, and if you overheated them, it oftentimes didn't do any damage.

Old cars used to be kept running with baling wire and duct tape. Nowadays, if the computer craps out, you have to shell out $1000 or else junk the car. I think the complexity of electronic fuel injection systems will cause many owners of older cars to junk them, rather than pay to have them repaired.

When you look around your house, virtually everything today is meant to be thrown away rather than fixed. When was the last time you fixed a TV, VCR, or refrigerator? Cars seem to be following the same trend.