here it is april 14, 2002 11:09 am. i have been on this site since january 11, 1999 and all i can say is that it has been one of the most rewarding discoveries of my life. way back in january of 1999 i bought my 95 se mtx off of a car lot that was owned by a friend of the family. there were other great cars that i could have had my pick of. there was a mustang gt, a 3000gt, a camero z28, and a host of other go fast testosterone filled autos.
there was a light layer of newly fallen snow covering the lot. the cars were lined up 20 across. the contour was the last in line. i slowly walked by each car with the voice of the dealer ringing off how cool each car was in my ear. i said nothing. i just slowly meandered with the flakes of snow crackling under my feet. when something caught my eye i paused. i turned to the dealer and said, "i want to test drive this car." my finger purposely pointing in the direction of a little red four door. "that is not a car for you," said the dealer, which by now had a nose as red as the car. i recoiled yet kept my feet in place, " i want to test drive this one." my eyes now fixed on the side badge which read, 24V DOHC. he agreed and went and got the keys.
he returned with the keys to the mustang, and dropped them in my anxious hand. when i saw what he had done i shook my head in disapproval. "oh ok, here are the keys, but it is just a contour.",the dealer said hurridly. my eyes lit up as i saw the gleem from the overhead lights flash off of the shiney silver key as it fell into my awaiting palm. i unlocked the car and jumped in. the car received me with a warm hug from the tremendous side bolsters. they were like two powerful arms assuring me that the car would care for me as much as i would care for it. i started the engine. all six cyliders firing on time in a powerful symphony pounded on my chest. it ran with a confidence that was refined yet forcefull, unlike the mouth breathing muscle cars it shared a home with. i drove it off the lot.
by now the sun had started to set over the western horizon. the sky on fire with orange, yellow and red as if someone had painted it, and the newly fallen snow reflecting the colors trying to imitate the heavens beauty. it was a perfect backdrop. i drove the contour se with a spirit of a young boxer. i weeved and ducked, jabbed and hooked. the cars footwork was amazing. i drove the car to a open lot and stopped. i got out and walked around it talking to it. the sky refecting off of the electric red was truely a site to behold. i asked the car questions. and it gave affermative answers reassuring me that we were meant to be.
i drove the car back to its place amongst the now humbled two door beasts and parked it. i didnt shut it off. i walked into the dealer and bought it. not pausing one instance for any thought other than bringing this car home. i drove it home that night. the rest is not history rather it is the future.
i got on computer and found
www.contour.org that night and have not missed a day yet. even when out of the states in various third world countries, i always find my home here. i am amongst the most friendly, inviting, warm people i have ever met, and not met. sure there are disagreements here, but that is healthy for any relationship.
i welcome different ideas and different feelings. i welcome critizism and compliments. we are a small group of a vast community of auto owners. what seperates us from the masses? we are our cars. we are enthusiasts, we are contour enthusiasts.
ford put our cars to rest two years ago, but they will not, and cannot make us rest. we are the future of contouring. we will not let the contour die. thank you for your time. thank you for your story because we all have one. thank you for your ideas.
untill i sheared the shift tower bolt.. then its been goin downhill since then.. the steering is messed up.. they didnt do an alingment on my car after the re-installed the subframe and my front tires are shot.. and my new starter that they replaced becuse "the terminals broke off when they were trying to remove it" is going to complete crap.. its gotta a little cough and it dosnt seem to have the same spunk it had once i bought it.. it needs a lot of things right now.. i just need to buy them and have the time to change them out 
