Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Message to all SVT owners

Well, I will say the SVT Contour did not have direct competition, but the non-SVT Contour fit right in the center of the entry-mid-size market, against Stratus, Sebring, Grand Am, Malibu, Sonata, Galant, Altima, and the like. It presented a top-grade offering at a reasonable cost.

Ford is merely shooting themselves in the foot by ignoring that market segment.

That the sportier variant of the SVT is a currently unoccupied niche makes all the more reason to have a product here. Yes, us current owners are aspiring to something more (well, I'd be happy with a newer SVT Contour design one more time around), but there are a LOT of people with lesser cars that would aspire to the SVT Contour if it were there to aspire to.

Seriously, I get a lot of comments from people that are pissed that Ford stopped making the Contour (and especially SVT variant) because it is the car they really wanted to own.

Also, there are a lot of us that want a car of this size and performance that just don't want to (or can't) spend the $35,000+ that replacing, much less outgrowing, the SVT Contour would cost us.

Ford needs to look for the long term of their company, not just the next few quarters.

True, although I always thought GM had too many similarly sized cars too. I think they could maximie profits cutting down a platform or two.

Contour is no doubt different than the Focus and Taurus left. But I think what the majority of consumers want can either save money with a Focus, or get a bigger car for the same money in the Taurus. The Focus is prety big inside. I'd rather sit back there than my Contour (6'4"). I cannot blame Ford for optimizing profits. The key problem is that I, and I suspect you, are not in the majority of customers.



I agree that the Contour would be a great step that many people aspire to. It might cause a good number of people looking to upgrade to head elsewhere this time around. But the market for used now makes it even more of a bargin (in my mind). The Ford loyal will find good qualities in the remaining models. Heck, maybe Ford will even sucker them into buying more expensive models. The others that float around with brands, should be wlling to come back to Ford if they bring back a similar model or the comsuner has different needs for which Ford has a model to compete.

I understand the rest of your statements.

I totally agree that GM has too many platforms, and wasn't saying Ford should do that...

However, I think we view the average consumer differently. I think the consumer has a segment in mind when they decide to buy a car, it's price versus other segments is largely irrelevant. I may be misquoting you, but you seem to be saying that price is the primary driving factor. I just don't see people going into dealer saying, "I want a $20,000 sedan, what can you offer me."

In price, I'll agree, the Focus and Taurus meet pretty close, but I think in style and personality, there's a major gap. I don't see a buyer looking at Stratuses and Grand Ams willing to consider either car, though the Contour was ideal.

Of course, if I had my way, the stripper line Taurus (which nobody buys anyway) would be history, leaving a nice $3000 gap ($17K-20K) for the Contour.

I do not think Ford is maximizing profits by not selling an entry-midsize car. Maybe for a few quarters, but in the long run, you want to have the cars there for when the people wish to buy them, and I'm sorry, NOBODY can time the market and have a car ready to produce to meet these needs, so you have to always have them available.

There is no reason Ford could not have the Contour as well as all their present models with the overcapacity in the automotive world, and the level of cash assets Ford has available.

To put it short, I am a Ford fan, and LOVE my SVT, but I will be stuck going somewhere else for my next car, as Ford isn't making anything I want. Yeah, maybe I can go up $10,000 to get something else, but I REALLY don't want to spend that much.

Troy,

I have put an ad on this board to see how much I can get for my SVT contour. If I cant get enough, I will keep it and live with it. Its a neat car, just wish it was a little faster. I see people writing about headers, and intakes that add a few horsepower,here and there, but other than supercharger, not much you can do with it. I have been looking at SS Z-28s and just started looking at the WRX. The real turnoff for me is not so much SVT, I don't give a crap about your silly little magazine. I care about dealership service, and dealers around cincinnati suck! I can get something quicker for about the same price and be treated better. Subaru for sure, GM will probably be just as bad.

TB,
Thanks for the plug!! Tape is posted in misc. for sale section of classifieds.
Mark

I like my SVT and like how no one knows what it is in a way. It makes it more of a sleeper. Even though a person hear's contour and thinks of a grandma's car. But I don't care, I like the car. I think SVT should issue a thing to all the dealerships that any SVT Contour with bubmper sag should be fix for free. Bumper sag is ugly!

Peace

Hi Troy, I've been reading the replies from fellow Contour SVT owners with great interest. I agree wholeheartedly with what is being said about how much or rather how little Ford/SVT cares about us as a group. As for the magazine, keep it, there was never anything in it about the Contour SVT anyway.

With that said, my biggest complaint is the rear bumper sag. Ford/SVT has to have known about this since the beginning. It is a slap in my face that nothing has been officially said on this issue. For over a year I've read about people contacting your organization about with substantiating documentation (not that you need it because you all know the problem exists)and still no acknowledgment or attempt to rectify the situation. Why? Is it like most of the responders say, that Ford/SVT doesn't care about us as a group anymore? Ford/SVT stood up and did the right thing with the Cobra exhaust. There is a gentleman who on his own came up with a fix, albeit rudementery, to make the bumper sag less noticable. Why, with all the resources available to you folks at Ford/SVT, could you all not come up with something substantial and of quality to fix the problem? I'm sure it could be done with minor impact to your budget. I wouldn't mind paying for it in the least.

And here's where you should be concerned. Whether you like it or not this product says something about Ford and SVT. Most people don't pay a second glance to to your everyday Contour or Mystique. But they do to a Contour SVT because as a whole the car has very attractive lines in the SVT form. And what do they see - a poorly engineered rear bumper cap. What do you think that is saying about Ford. Does the competition have this problem? Not that I've seen.

The telling tale is how, out of the total production run of Contour SVTs afflicted with this substandard quality engineering (I'm guessing around 80%), we have been ignored by Ford/SVT.

After all of this I must say that I enjoy my Contour SVT very much inspite of the bumber sag and creaky dash. However, when I'm compiling my short list of options for my next vehicle purchase you will have to work very hard between now and then to get me to take a second look at any of your SVT products.

Troy, I give you my respect for signing on here on your own and taking some rounds for your organization. It's too bad they won't do it on their own, but we'll take what we can get. I'd be very interested to hear what outcome, if any, takes place as a result of this online ventilation session. I wish you well and challenge you to go forward and do good things for us stepchildren of Ford.

Well can I say that hasen't been said. RELIABILITY!! Go look at the Problems Forum. How many SVT owners had water pump failures, most at under 50/60K miles. Is Ford putting garbage part on their cars? Is a plastic impeller cracking every 40-50K miles Fords' way of getting money out of us? I had a 93 Thunderbird with nothing but problems (power windows, headlight switch, head gaskets, ac, etc...) I figured it was a 93 so what can i expect. Went to a 98 SVT Contour and the water pump goes bad. Where have you seen a Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord forum where people complain about problems with their "fairly new" cars? We also own a 95 Toyota Tercel, has not seen the inside of a repair shop (other than tune-ups) since we took it off the lot in 95.
Now for SVT. Troy, is Ford even sure they created the CSVT. SVT has no merchandise, no support, no aftermarket parts. I think i'de have a better chance of getting an SVT Contour shirt if I went to www.thisistoyota.com, but oh well what can we do, right? All our complaints, and questions will just go unanswered, why? Because we're to busy getting ready for the ALL NEW 2002 Ford Focus. A good idea would be to listen to everybodys car problems, get ahold of Ford Motor Co. and start issuing recalls. Oh by the way

LONG LIVE THE SVT CONTOUR!

WOW! 3rd post and on an Enthusiasts forum too!!! :rolleyes:

Damn talk about digging up old/dead topics... So what was the point in digging this up? It is OLD dead water under the bridge. I keep thinking about some saying about the grass being greener on the other the other side??? :rolleyes:
Granted CSVT has it issues and problems, but it is a damn fine automobile when compared the other choices stateside! :p

The CSVT isn't perfect, but NO car is....

Cheers,

Volcano God

BTW, you have a much better chance of being struck multiple times (Depending on which state) by lighting than you do hitting ANY LOTTO. If you are playing powerball the odds are not even worth mentioning.... Something like the odds of winning the LOTTO and being struck by lighting at the same time!!!!