Is there anything I can do to salvage your opinions of us at SVT? It certainly appears that many of you are angry with us and perhaps that can?t be changed. But I would rather put forth the effort and try to help than to sit idly by and watch everyone remain upset with us. I am personally interested in making sure SVT customers are taken care of, no matter which vehicle type it is, how much they paid, or whether they bought it new or used. That?s my job. No excuses, no smoke screen, that?s why I am here. That?s also why I am willing to discuss what we at SVT did and why. In order for me to do that though I need everyone?s help. But I think collectively we all can identify the main issues, and hopefully come up with some answers and/or solutions.

With that said, lets see if we can identify the issues.

Troy

Why has the SVT Enthusiast magazine been discontinued to current SVT owners? The only way to get it now is by joining SVTOA for an unworthy $40.

Regards


------------------
Michael Amisano
1998 SVT Contour E1 - Black 'n' Blue
5785 of 6535
New Engine: 09/00 @ 42K
On Order:

• MSDS Headers
• Pro-M 75mm MAFS
• KKM Air Filter

SHO-Shop Y-pipe (SOLD)
mamisano@optonline.net

My concern right now is how this vehicle is going to last.

I have had 2 Hondas that have combined almost excess 300,000 miles. The way I am taking my current SVT in, it is questionable whether or not it we realistically last more than 60000 miles. This is not taking away from the way the car drives and handles. In this aspect, it is in a class all of it's own. My only beef is that being an SVT, one would seem to expect some quality as opposed to quanity (i.e. performance).

Final Verdict: I will be buying a Honda Accord or some other import very soon.

Had the SVT but...Didn't last too long.

------------------


The point of the matter is....There is no quality in this vehicle. There is a very good reason they no longer make this vehicle....It does not and will not stand the test of time...

So sorry...literally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[This message has been edited by skiin007 (edited March 29, 2001).]

Troy,

I think the majority of the animosity stems from the Contour being virtually ignored in anything public. Rarely are there mentions of the car in the SVT enthusiast mag. there is no longer any SVT Contour merchandise available for purchase (at least not that we are aware of)
Recent things also aren't helping, like many who purchased 2000 SVT's and are supposed to get the SVT Enthusiast for a year receive their latest issue w/ a note telling them this will be their last one unless they join the SVTOA (and some still haven't received the issue in question, like myself). Some other things are involved also, I'm sure, but I don't remember them off the top of my head.
I personally am not livid w/ SVT like some of the other members here, but if you would like to contact me outside of this forum to see what we can do to resolve this situation, my home email is in my signature below, and my CDS ID is bphill24, and you should know the rest.
Thanks for the effort.

------------------
Uber Moderator!

2000 Contour SVT Tropic Green #1065 of 2150
K&N drop-in, B&M Shifter, Sony Xplod head unit, Polk audio speakers
My old Web Page
(To be updated as soon as my ISP's hosting site gets off their butt.)
bcphillips@peoplepc.com

Ok since you asked.

First off why is it that there are no performance parts offered for the SVT Contour? By this I mean why have you (SVT) not helped with securing sources or suppliers?
I am led to believe that you have direct contact with SVE, which is out of europe. so why did we not get acess to the european goods? i.e. wheels, suspension kitts etc.
I have many more but your about to be bombarded, so lastly I ask (and I have only been here six months or so) why is this your first visit? Why have we not had a rep from SVT come to this site to ask this before?

[This message has been edited by TLP (edited March 29, 2001).]

Troy,

First of all thank you for hearing our concerns and having the guts to come on here and listen to what we have to say. My biggest complaint is the total lack of support for the Contour SVT i.e., factory support, merchandise support, print support (magazines, etc.) just to name a few.

It is a big disappointment when I pick up the Ford catalog and there is not one thing, not even a pen, for the Contour enthusiasts to buy. I see Cobra, Lightning, Focus, but no Contour. This might seem insignificant but this is just the tip of the iceberg. I have a list of concerns that I have but I know everyone has there own concerns so I will keep this short.

It is obvious how we all feel about our cars, we just wish SVT felt the same way.


------------------
'98 T-Red Contour SVT
#2767 of 6535
DOB: 8/97

[This message has been edited by 98RedSVT (edited March 29, 2001).]

I'm thinking maybe you should remove the www.svt.ford.com link from your profile...we do not claim this site and we are no longer part of it...also the main page with the focus is an insult to us all...actually more like a kick in the nuts...."we at SVT understand you paid 20,000 for our car but that was last year...now it's the SVT Focus and ...OH! by the way we are canceling your subscription to your SVT mag even though we said we would give it to you for a year."
I used to work at a Ford dealership and I know how shady they can be but SVT takes the cake for sure. My father has been a GM at a Ford dealership for 18 years he's always had fords and so have I....but because of the disrespect shown to my contour by being booted from your site and given my outright release you can bet your ass my next car isn't going to be a Ford.
Just because the car is no longer in production doesn't mean it doesn't deserve the respect of being upheld on the site. You designed a great car and should be proud of it. Not toss it aside and forget where it has gotten you.

Troy, if there is ANY way SVT can make an appearence at Spring Zing 2001 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, that would be a big head start on the reparations that NEED to be made. There was a guy previously from SVTOA that chimed in here for a week or so, and seemed genuinely concerned for the SVT Contour and it's owners, but that was just the tip of the iceburg and nothing came of it but rants.

We are not as much upset that the CSVT is no longer being produced, as much as SVT's appearent disavowment of the Contour, it's "front-wheel drive flop".

I can only hope that this experience paves the way for some respect for the SVT Focus. I would love to see the number of people that actually new SVT made a Contour. Not too many.

When I purchased my Contour in 97, I bought from a dealer that recently lost their SVT dealer status. When I asked what happened, they stated that in order to keep that SVT status, and be able to sell Cobra's and Lightnings, they HAD to order a certain number of CSVT's. This dealer, and MANY other dealers, have lost their SVT status because of the Contour. You can imagine dealers anmosity toward the Contour as well.

The US public was not ready to use the terms "front-wheel drive" and "performance" and "domestic" to describe a car. It was dead before it hit the showroom floor. No matter how much the car mags praised the CSVT, it never made too many "best Buy" rates. Also, the death of the Contour as a whole platform was the lack of advertising. Sure, the Contour was a money loser to produce at times, and that might have killed it. There are several factors.

One thing that probably all CSVT owners would like to see is the same treatment as Cobra and Lightning owners. As you might see, we are pretty damn proud of the Contour, and its showcase SVT variant.

Long live CEG!

"I will not go quietly into that dark night..."

------------------
Chris Hightower
CEG Mod-Squad
CEG Keychainer
Contour WebChat
98.5 Contour GL Sport
Some mods... More to come.
Silver, V6, ATX, Moonroof

2001 Lincoln LS8 Fully loaded.
http://crush7.dyndns.org/

Troy,

Let me second the mention of there not being any decent aftermarket support from SVT for the Contour with regards to performance or asthetic enhancements. As far as quality issues with the car - I did not and do not expect it to be perfect considering the price that I paid for the car when new. My personal feelings are that there is/was nothing that compares to the performance, handling, and utility that I got with the SVT than was otherwise available IMO.

One final question that I have is with regards to the future. I know personally that I would buy a Focus SVT - if only it was offerred in sedan version. It may not be as popular, but most of the people that bought Contours in SVT trim probably did so because of the handling and 4 door utility. How hard/expensive would it be to drop the engine/suspension into the 4-door Focus?

But - I do love my SVT and it far surpasses what I expected of it.

------------------
Dave

99 Toreador Red SVT/Tan Interior/high flow res/K&N drop-in/painted grills/painted calipers
#2228

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Chris Hightower:
[B]Troy, if there is ANY way SVT can make an appearence at Spring Zing 2001 in Kalamazoo, Michigan,......


Best bring your body armour...slings and arrows and all that ..... Some of the issues brought up by the members here resonate if only because so many of us believe them .... $23000 may not be a lot of money to some people, but it is to those of us who spent it on a car with expectations of support similar to that the Cobra and Lightning oowners get ... jj


[This message has been edited by jjost (edited March 29, 2001).]

I can answer that..... Yes

-Mark

------------------
What do you see? Look Again. Do you see
Persaverance? Substance? Odds being trampled? Perspectives changing? Rules collapsing? Meaning? Look Again.
If all you see is a car...
Look Again

1998 SVT Contour.
Silver Frost
Mondeo Badges, KKM, OMP Cast Aluminum Pedals, Eibach Suspension, Flowmaster 40 Series Exhaust w/ 4-1/2" Stainless Steel Vibrant Tips (non-resonated single wall "Dragger Style" Tips), No resonator, Knauberized, B&M Pro Edge Shifter, Brembo Rotors, KVR Carbon Fibre pads, MSD Ignition, Vortech S/C, Hybrid Front Subrame & Suspension and more...
SVT/SHO Society of West
Michigan SouthWest Rep.
GTExtreme1@aol.com

I never recieved my certificate...

------------------
David Zambrano
svt_mondeo at yahoo dot com
CSVT E1 #4808
http://daplace.spedia.net - my homepage

"Cause life is just too short to be normal"

And to comment on jjost's comments...

If anyone decides to cause problems with any event sponsor they will be promptly escorted out of the event. I don't mind people expressing concerns or opinions, just don't let it get out of hand and to the point of attacking someone.

Spring Zing is an event that we ALL should enjoy, not something of controversy or bad press for the CEG.
-Mark

------------------
What do you see? Look Again. Do you see
Persaverance? Substance? Odds being trampled? Perspectives changing? Rules collapsing? Meaning? Look Again.
If all you see is a car...
Look Again

1998 SVT Contour.
Silver Frost
Mondeo Badges, KKM, OMP Cast Aluminum Pedals, Eibach Suspension, Flowmaster 40 Series Exhaust w/ 4-1/2" Stainless Steel Vibrant Tips (non-resonated single wall "Dragger Style" Tips), No resonator, Knauberized, B&M Pro Edge Shifter, Brembo Rotors, KVR Carbon Fibre pads, MSD Ignition, Vortech S/C, Hybrid Front Subrame & Suspension and more...
SVT/SHO Society of West
Michigan SouthWest Rep.
GTExtreme1@aol.com

It is a really simple answer.

Give the same support to the SVT Contour as you are currently giving to other projects such as the SVT variants of the Mustang, Lightning, and the upcoming Focus.

Others have said it before:

1. Factory supported performance parts. Toyota has TRD parts you can get installed without voiding your warranty. If Toyota can do this, there is no reason Ford can't do it. I'm sure you guys at Ford think you are better than the guys at Toyota, so why are they doing better than you here. Ditto Honda, moreso third party aftermarket, but it sure is there. It appears Ford is serious only about V8 performance, nothing else.

2. Quality dealer support. That is an issue for SVT and non-SVT products alike. Yes I know dealers are privately owned franchises for the most part. However, the name that is the biggest on the sign is generally Ford, so Ford has more to lose if a dealer is not treating a customer right. Return visits for the same repair should be the exception, not the rule. Something simple like a gas gauge shouldn't require two visits to the repair shop.

I believe that Ford knows more about how to make the Contour platform perform better. I would rather buy my performance parts from a company like Ford than a mixed bag of third party vendors.

Just because you are no longer making the car doesn't make the customers go away. I think this is where Ford/SVT is missing the boat. We are still out here, and in three to five years I'll need a new car.

How Ford and SVT treat me today will have a great impact on who's cars I look at.

I work in a service industry, so I know how to give good service and how to support products that are no longer made. My organizations values include the phrase "Customer First"

That is more than just words. I try to evaluate every decision I make about servicing a customers computer system by that tenet. Regardless of cost! Because I don't want them to become a competitors customer.

There are too many choices in the automotive market for Ford to write off a single customer.

But Ford/SVT must continue to earn that dollar every day. Because if you don't, there are other companies who are willing to. I do believe it costs more to earn new customers through expensive ad campaigns than it does to keep existing customers through great service.

The choice is yours.

TB

I would like to chime in, Troy.

I have a 2000 Contour SVT. It is my third Contour (96,98,00). I am the only one in my family that has bought Ford passenger cars in the past generation.

My complaints have to do with these:
1. The SVTOA Mag--will not send in the $40 for it. Also the complete lack of press in it. In fact, the mag in the current issue mentions in past tense how good the car was. Excuse me, but I just bought a 00 3 months ago and as far as I am concerned, it is quite current!

2. The lack of any SVT Contour merchandise. Excuse me, but the plethora of Lightning stuff makes me puke. Cobra I can understand.

3. Lack of product quality. Like others, I am quite concerned about the longevity of this vehicle. My 96 SE I kept to 126,000 miles. I don't think my SVT will go that long without a major repair. And maybe the extended warranty is throwing money down a rathole also. My car has 9,000 miles on it. Dealer demo. While the dealer had it (3,000 miles), the clutch, flywheel, pressure plate, and clutch bearing was replaced. Since I've owned it the transmission was replaced with a new one. Now I'm waiting for the engine itself to seize. And now I'm hearing this snap noise where the dash meets the windshield. I wonder if I'm getting the dreaded dash warp that many other cars is getting.

My SVT dealer does a good job helping me, but they know I make alot of money and could (would?) buy a BMW or Audi next time around. I also constantly remind them that I bought an SVT supposedly for the value and exclusivity of the vehicle. Not to mention that I expect to be treated better than your run of the mill Taurus or Focus or Escort owners. So they take care of me as best they can. My beef is with SVT and Ford, not any dealers.

SVT could take immediate steps to allow all current owners to receive the magazine free for their first year. And SVT could sell more Contour specific merchandise through their catalogue.

However, the build quality will haunt SVT/Ford in the future. I'm waiting for the press on the Contour tranny like I heard about the Cobra engine.

My car was one of only 2150 built in the 2000 model year. Yet the build quality is suspect. Why?

If SVT relies on word of mouth for advertising, I pray for SVT. There are many of us that are probably doing a good deal of damage by complaining about our SVT Contours. It didn't have to be this way....if only SVT would have done what they promised. The SVT Contour is not some ugly vehicle that can be pushed to the side (with their owners). We will stand up and be counted.

I bought into the whole ad stuff about this being an exclusive car with value and quality. My car drives great....when it is not in the shop getting some expensive repair on the company's dime. If I have more problems with it, I will probably get rid of it around 20,000 miles (while I can still get something for it). Then I'll buy something else, probably not from Ford.

I do appreciate your time to come onto this Board, but many of us bought into the ad language and yes, we have high expectations. Hell, my 87 Firebird squeaked less than my 00 SVT Contour. THAT is not progress.

Thanks for asking...

My one suggestion: help turn SVTOA into something of the caliber of BMWCCA or PCA - including a racing series. The few times I've done track events with my Countour SVT I've had to run with other Marque clubs.

FYI... my opinion of SVT is pretty good. Like the cars a lot.




------------------
John Coffey
johnc@betamotorsports.com

Troy,

Thank you for taking the time to visit. You have been the second Ford or SVT contact I have seen on the site so far, and I commend you for it. To be candid, though not rude:

Better late than never, or so the saying goes...

There has been a lot of animosity directed towards SVT and Ford recently with regard to the Contour SVT here, and from time to time mixed with high emotion, it tends to sound like the end of the world for some of us. Many of the loudest complainers often times turn out to be your most fervent supporters, but ONLY after a little TLC or attention has been turned their way, as well as a few basic explainations have been offered.

I think that the main issue has been one of actual and perceived abandonment, as it has been shown by certain moves that Ford/SVT has taken to the now-demised Contour. The disconnect, as it so often is found, may have been with the way the selling DEALER positioned the car and the "SVT" experience of ownership to the customer and the company "planned" support and service; in short, the dealer may very well have been selling a spaceshot to the moon when SVT from the start could only handle a halfway trip. This still doesn't excuse the lack of "enthusiasm" that Ford/SVT has shown the Contour in the past and present, and is well represented by the lack of even the smallest of nods towards the Contour SVT in many forms. Like Chris has suggested, any ideas that someone from SVT could possibly share at Spring Zing in Kalamazoo, MI?

I hope you realize that you can't and won't be able to please everyone all the time, but I truly believe that there are some diehard Ford and SVT fans here that would very much appreciate some sort of presence at Spring Zing. These are the people that you don't want to alienate, and showing a little concern and support to could go a long ways in maintaining their interest in what Ford and SVT put on the roads in the future.

Respectfully,

------------------
James Tompkins
Tulsa, OK
jaysek@home.com

99 Red Rocket SVT
#143/2760
Modded to Taste

00 Corvette Coupe
Modded to Haste

[This message has been edited by JaTo (edited March 29, 2001).]

Really I could care less about the magazine and all that. SVT products have always been and always will be, overall, great vehicles that are aimed at the enthusiasts. But here's my problem. SVT released a fantastic vehicle and then quickly forgot about it. Flipping through the SVT catalog I see plenty of stuff for the Cobra and Lightning, but absolutely nothing for the Contour. Where's my mug, where's my jacket, where's my cap!? We have practically no aftermarket support from Ford, whether it be from SVT or SVO, oops, I mean FRPP, with the exception of a set of plug wires (that technically is marketed for the Cougar). What little aftermarket we have is mostly there because people like us have *****ed and complained to companies until they decide to give us the support we deserve. They aren't reluctant to support us because of the relatively small number of SVT Contours out there (especially considering how many performance parts are made for the Cobra and Lightning, which are both limited production like the Contour), they are reluctant to support us because Ford and SVT have quietly buried our cars with limited recognition and PR. As soon as the SVT Focus was announced, SVT immediately began hyping it and gave it the support that it has always given the Cobra and Lightning, in addition to the 90% of the support that was missing from the Contour. If you're going to build and sell a car, it is your responsibility to support it, despite any problems that may come up (like "slow" sales or whatever). Instead what happened was SVT jumped ship on the Contour and immediately began to push the '99 Cobra and Lightning, and allowed the public to forget about the car that consistently garnered more respect from the media than either of the former mentioned vehicles. To sum this all up, we never got the respect that was given to the "other" SVT vehicles.

------------------
--Steve Bassen
Frederick, MD
2000 Black/Blue SVT #1972/2150 (born on 1/28/00)
Bassani (modded), K&N, B&M, MM insert
Lotsa stereo, asthetics and recontenting
For sale:
B&M shift knob and stock SVT shift knob
RIP - Ray "Old Fart Emeritus" McNairy

I think I can answer these two together. We have all along told our customers that we would give them a year of the Enthusiast. I apologize for anyone that didn?t get his or her Certificate and Enthusiasts. I have recently completely replaced the database system to make sure that doesn?t happen any longer. If anyone is interested in getting the issues they missed, e-mail me your VIN, name, and address and I will send them to you.



We are limited by the number of articles that are in each Enthusiast. Usually there is one larger article that highlights the most recent vehicle (which is generally the cover). There are then articles from both Tom Scarpello and John Coletti, which they generally talk about what?s up in marketing and engineering respectively. Then there is an article about an owner in the front of the magazine which we usually get from the mail (Volume 3 issue 3 has a Contour owner). We are always looking for ideas. What would you like to see written about? Keep in mind we can?t write articles about modifications and such.



Because we mainly deal with the development of the vehicle itself, we don?t usually get involved with aftermarket parts. But we have been trying to improve that. Our first efforts were with the ShoShop and I think they have done well with supporting the SVT Contour. It is very hard to convince a company to dedicate themselves to a vehicle with such a low production number.



Technically I have been for a while but only monitoring the site. Posting to a board is a new to us here at SVT, and I personally believe we should have started a long time ago. I am doing this here on my own and without any instruction to do so.

It appears that a couple of you are asking about apparel as well. We did have specific apparel for the SVT Contour, for almost two years. It wasn?t removed until recently and we don?t now because it didn?t sell. That doesn?t mean I can?t get something. What are you all interested in? Maybe we can get something made up if there is enough interest.

We are also working on an SVT history on the website. So, hopefully the SVT Contour will be back up there soon. Actually it never went anywhere if you know where to look

Troy

Troy,

I do want to thank you for visiting. Should I share with you my concern about there not being a suitable replacement for my SVT Contour when the time arrives?

I think you (Ford/SVT, not necessarily you personally) should consider what car all of the SVT Contour, as well as other Contour enthusiasts are going to buy when they wear out, grow weary of, or just want to trade their CDW-27 platform car.

I think you will agree that this crowd is not an SUV crowd, and not a TownCar or Mustang crowd either.

Personally, I will be looking for a 4 door sedan with similar or better performance numbers across the board, that I can shift and use the clutch.

Still want good value for the money, but value, to me at least, includes the support part of the equation.

Personally, I doubt a two door Focus Hatchback is going to be in the running here at Chez Boner. However, Subaru, VW, Audi and BMW to name a few do have some rides that we will consider. But currently, Ford has taken themselves out of contention if my SVT Contour is totalled or stolen. Not even the Mazda 626 had enough ZoomZoom to convince me to buy. There is nothing that I could buy NEW today. Perhaps a used SVT. (That is how I got my current one.) But even those are becoming fewer and further between.

So, to me, it appears that Ford/SVT has written me off as a customer.

So my question is, what are you (Ford/SVT) doing to provide me with the type of car I want to buy?

I do hope to meet with you face to face so we can have a friendly chat at SpringZing. We can sit down, share an AdultDrink and talk about how Ford is going to make the collective automotive lives of the enthusiasts here better.

Because, frankly, that's what we want. If we succeed and are happy with our cars, we will also be happy with Ford. So, we are more likely to buy our next car from Ford.

I think one of the problems is Ford is looking at ALL car buyers as APPLIANCE buyers. The people on this website did not buy cars as appliances. We are value conscious, but still enthusiasts non-the-less.

TB

------------------
Tony Boner
Candidate for ICBM Launcher
Personal: tboner@mvp.net Work: tony.boner@central.sun.com

Saving the computer world from WinBloze as Unix/Solaris/Java Guru * Sun Microsystems Rocks * http://www.sun.com
Goofing off with cars
******************
Duratec Vehicles
Now with Dyno Proven 159.x HP at the wheels with Baby Seat Mod
1998 Contour SVT E0 618/6535 Born On Date: 4/30/1997
2000 Mazda MPV (Yes 2.5L Duratec): Bone Stock

******************
Non-Duratec Vehicles
Daily Driver: 1987 Buick LeSofa^H^H^H^HSabre 3.8L V6 -- 150HP AND 215ft/lbs torque
Now With Cadillac Deville 16's and P225-55R16 Dunlop SP5000's

[This message has been edited by tboner (edited March 29, 2001).]

Sorry everyone I?m trying to keep up. If I miss a question I apologize.



We will definitely be there with a lot of support. I?m actually considering bringing my recently acquired SHO.

I see a lot of talk about equal treatment like the Cobra, Lightning, Focus, Etc. Can someone elaborate on this?

One major thing I want to add is nobody here at SVT thinks the SVT Contour was a flop. We are extremely proud of it. There are more Contours owned by people here than other SVT products. We did not want to see it go and it will me dearly missed.

Troy

Anything! T-shirt, hat, cup, pen, sweatshirt, etc., etc. You say you had stuff for the Contour for 2 years, and by that I'm assuming 98 and 99. Well as anyone knows it takes time for things to grow and the same goes with car clubs and enthusiasts. I do remember in 98 seeing a coffee cup and a sweatshirt and that was it. I tried to order both and was told that they no longer exist.

I have a feeling that the cobra and lightning stuff sold because those cars had a previous history with SVT and the contour was a new car to SVT. It was given 2 years to sell apparel and then yanked because of no sales.

All I'm saying is it would be nice to order a contour SVT T-shirt and not have to sit in front of the computer and make my own. I guess having 'stuff' for the contour is a part of supporting the contour and that is where I feel SVT is lacking.



------------------
'98 T-Red Contour SVT
#2767 of 6535
DOB: 8/97

Don't worry Troy, I usually keep my posts very objective.



Besides the obligatory mugs, jackets, caps, and key chains?

The SVT Contour was designed and marketed (albeit for a short time) as a road car, and "corner carver" as many magazines put it. So what happens when owners start getting seized engines from oil starvation? They get the runaround from Ford and (in some instances) get shafted on their warranty claims. Something as simple as a baffled oil pan and windage tray could have prevented most of those failures. Our cars are made to run at 6k+ all day long and pull .86+, yet no attention was ever paid to this. The 4.6 Cobras get a windage tray over the standard GT, why couldn't we? That problem's been going on since the SVT's introduction, yet it still existed when it ended production.

People have to baby the glass diff's in these cars due to fear of gernading them. Not a month goes by without someone else on this board runs across this problem. I'm not suggesting SVT should have upgraded the diff. to a Quaife, there's no reason I would expect a $1000 differential to be put into a production car. But there are cheaper l/s diff's out there, as shown in the SVT Contour "Puff", and that would have been an extremely practical solution to a problem that is still plaguing us.

-edit-
Damnit, I forgot about the 50k waterpump and bumper sag!
-edit-

When the 99 Cobra entered production it was down on power and had various driveline problems. Ford and SVT stepped up and worked hard, both privately and publicly, to address these issues. When the second generation Lightning came out there were reports of intercooler failures. The 2001MY Lightning now sports an improved intercooler (some would say that it's only there for more power, but somehow that would be a little too convenient). The two examples I have for the SVT Contour are only the two most significant complaints, and they were never acknowledged nor addressed by SVT or Ford.

As for the Focus. For $18k the SVT Focus comes with heated seats and mirrors, some pimpy cosmetic interior enhancements, a 6-speed (I'll let the slide since Ford didn't own Getrag at the time of the contour's run), 17" rims, huge brakes all around, oil pressure and temp gauges, and the list goes on. The Contour went for $23.5k and we got cars that were stripped down more and more every year they were made. Although de-contenting is more of a Ford issue, the lack of certain necessities such as oil pressure/temp gauges is a sin that should never have taken place.

As for the magazine. I realize that it's a small magazine, and is limited to a certain number of features a month. But a word here or there would be nice. Or at least a retrospect on the Contour when it ended production. It's just nice to be remembered once in awhile!


[This message has been edited by Steve Bassen (edited March 29, 2001).]

i have always been a ford fan,at least until
recently.i needed a car to get me to work and back and to replace my '90 five liter
lx mustang.i wanted to stay true to ford and
buy a ford product,so i figured i would purchase a svt contour.i liked the way it looked and it seemed to get good performance
reviews from some major auto mags.i bought my mustang used and i love it,i've done some major performance upgrades to it and it was just not practical as a daily driver.i was looking at some imported cars but the svt
was being sold at a good price at a dealer and i ended up purchasing a 2000 svt contour.
i believe for the amount of equipment it has it was a good deal.i make my living as a certified tech for mercedes-benz,so in a way since i drive these cars all day long i am a bit spoiled.however the more i drive my contour the more i notice how ill minded this car is put together.the quality is just not there.the materials are cheap,and it just feels like it put together by people who just don't care.my mustang,with 130,000
miles is holding up well,i dont think my contour will ever hold up the way its going.
i will always love fords,at least classic fords,and of course my lx.this will be however my last new ford.i will be buying and import next time around.sorry ford and svt,but even if it has a svt logo on it does
not mean that the car was built any better.

I wouldn't say the issue is with SVT in particular with many of these things, but Ford in general. I don't know how much influence your group has on Ford's general product development, but I'll make my statement anyway.

I frankly am not concerned with magazines or clothes or "stuff", though they are nice.

The issue is that Ford has completely decided to ignore a core automotive class in discontinuing and not replacing the Contour... the entry mid-size class. Then they have the audacity to think that the Focus fills the gap. Not to knock the Focus, but its a small car, lacking the size, V6 power and stature to wear the Contour's shoes. Interior room is only a small part of the deal.

That is the main cause of anger for many of us, we want V6 power and a larger package than the Focus (interior room not the issue), but don't want the familymobile Taurus.

SVT then seems to ignore us that like/need the stature and practicality of a 4-door sedan and only advertise a hot version of the hatchback.

Basically, we're suffering from neglect. Ford first discontinues our vehicle with nothing to adequately replace it. Then us remaining owners are treated as it would be preferable that we didn't exist.

------------------
I don't have a personality. I have an attitude

Ross 1998 E0 SVT T-Red

My biggest concern is my tranny. Can you explain to me why my car goes through a tranmission every 15-18k? Then after the second one was put in the dealer voids my warranty.. The reason? They say the car was raced! It has NEVER seen a track! Please email me for more details, I would like a resolution to this.
Thanks for taking the time for us.

------------------
-Steve
'99 T-Red SVT #102
http://65.3.243.95
sholland991@home.com
Moderator
www.svtperformance.com

Transmission Sucks Transmission Sucks, Talked with DAVE at SVT and he doesnt know why they put that trans in the car. Bad choice on SVT Part
Troy e-mail me

Chris9098@aol.com

Troy,

First of all, I would like to say thank you for dropping by the CEG.

Also, I would like to say that I'm absolutely thrilled with my car. I have put on 33K absolutely trouble-free miles over the past two years. This car has far exceeded my expectations and any other new car within 5K of my purchase price.

As for the goodies, I can't say that I'm too concerned. I do have a nice SVT windbreaker, but I'm more interested in driving than picking what to wear.

My gripe lies in the fact that Ford/SVT has done nothing to cure the 3 achilles (sp?)heals of this vehicle. They would be the 50K water pump, the non-baffled oil pan, and the weak diff.

I'm not saying that Ford should recall all of these vehicles and replace them. I think that a genuine compromise could be reached here.

Our only choices in correcting these potential problems are with very expensive, difficult to acquire aftermarket parts (well, the lsd and baffled oil pan anyways). Couldn't Ford offer these parts through the SVT dealerships at a discounted price? I'd gladly pony up some extra cash to make my car into the rock solid performer that it could/should have been.

Finally, and I would like to stress this the most... BRING THE MONDEO TO THE US!!!!!!!!

I don't care if you call it a Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury. Make this car into what the Contour should have been, a rightful competitor to the Bimmer's and Audi's.

Grab the AWD drive-train you developed for the X-Type, solve the aforementioned problems with the SVT's weak points, build a QUALITY car not a volume car, and start the pricing in the mid to upper twenties.

If you build it, I think you'd have people lined up to buy it. My name would be on the list.

Thanks,
-Colin

------------------
'99 SVT
Silver Frost/Midnight Blue

About as stock as they come these days.

"Drop a gear and disappear..."

Mark: my point was that there would be some VERBAL exchanges with SVT people... the body armour remark was ment to be a metaphor ..slings and arrows .. Shakespeare .. you know. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I was not and am not trying to incite ANYONE to do ANYTHING unpleasant. Just seems if SVT shows up they should know they are going to come across a few unhappy campers...... k ? jj



[This message has been edited by jjost (edited March 29, 2001).]

First off, big props to Troy for coming on the Forum and reading up, let alone posting to a bunch of cranky SVT owners

I think that the other members have articulated a lot of my concerns. I am not so concerned with hats, shirts, etc. but I can see where people who take pride in their ride would like such items.

You know the biggest problem that I have with owning my SVT is that I feel like I have zero support from Ford.

I have had horrible dealer experiences, including having some guy wearing more chains than Mr. T taking my keys, only to leave my car unfixed (needed a sensor, that will take 3 weeks) and helped himself to a few dollars of change that was in my car.

When I bought my first SVT Contour, the dealer asked me "you aren't going to tinker with this car, are you?" It's like "hell yeah buddy!" The dealer should be saying to me "Here's a copy of our SVO catalog. Inside you'll find some performance/custom parts to make your car just the way you want it."

I understand that the SVT Contour is dead because the Contour as a whole was nixed. That is a whole other discussion on failed marketing, decontenting, etc.

What I don't understand is how a bunch of performance tuners can pride themselves on having the highest HP/liter of any North American automobile and how the intake is extrude-honed, then when everyone's transmission blows up, its like "huh?"

Ford can make good with a great deal many SVT owners, and turn a lot of last time buyers (possibly me included) into repeat buyers by doing the following:

1) Create a Ford-approved upgrade kit for the transmission. It should include a locking diff, heavy duty gears and synchros, as well as any needed improvements with the bearings, etc.

2) Offer this upgrade kit at a reduced cost to all SVT Contour owners. Perhaps for people who have had to go through a few trannys (I am on my 2nd) offer it to them for a greater discount

3) Admit there is a problem with bumper sag. Come up with a fix, and issue a TSB so we all have straight rear bumper covers.

quote:
---------------------------------------------Because we mainly deal with the development of the vehicle itself, we don?t usually get involved with aftermarket parts. But we have been trying to improve that. Our first efforts were with the ShoShop and I think they have done well with supporting the SVT Contour.

Maybe Ford needs to start thinking like a car company and not like a bunch of departments. If Ford is going to build a tuner-performance car, then the SVT guys need to pow-pow with the "we make aftermarket parts for Ford" guys, and they need to offer a comprehensive package. Has Ford EVER offered an SVT without offering SVO parts that will work on it? No.

I don't care that the production number is low or not. Don't sell cars that beg to be tweaked, then not sell parts to tweak them. If you do this again, you will find a lot of people going to other companies who go the full distance when offering a specialty vehicle.

The ShoShop involvment is a nice gesture, but that is about all it is. You see, the problem is, when I pull into a Ford dealer with a ShoShop Y pipe on my car, or a ShoShop 3L conversion motor, the dealer is going to tell me to take a hike, because I've tinkered with my car like some meddling youngster. When someone takes a Toyota Solara with a TRD blower on it and a TRD suspension kit in, the dealer welcomes them.

When you combine all of the issues discussed in this thread, and factor in the general consensus that Domestic manufacturers pale in comparison for customer service, product quality and resale value, it becomes readliy apparent to me that a German or Japaneese car will do me more right than another Ford.

If I buy another Ford it's likely to be an old 5.0 that will never drive near a dealer lot (except to buy parts...maybe!)

If more people like yourself took genuine interest, you really could turn this whole thing around. I'd like to see your big man come on this forum and put his money where his mouth is. He seems to do it well when he's on Motor Trend TV pulling a holeshot in a Lightning.

Thanks again for your concern & see you at SZ!

Andrew
99 SVT

Holy !@#$ that was a long rant

jjost - wasn't trying to make it personal, but your comments just reminded me to lay some ground rules thats all.
-Mark

------------------
What do you see? Look Again. Do you see
Persaverance? Substance? Odds being trampled? Perspectives changing? Rules collapsing? Meaning? Look Again.
If all you see is a car...
Look Again

1998 SVT Contour.
Silver Frost
Mondeo Badges, KKM, OMP Cast Aluminum Pedals, Eibach Suspension, Flowmaster 40 Series Exhaust w/ 4-1/2" Stainless Steel Vibrant Tips (non-resonated single wall "Dragger Style" Tips), No resonator, Knauberized, B&M Pro Edge Shifter, Brembo Rotors, KVR Carbon Fibre pads, MSD Ignition, Vortech S/C, Hybrid Front Subrame & Suspension and more...
SVT/SHO Society of West
Michigan SouthWest Rep.
GTExtreme1@aol.com

The magazine thing really got me mad because of the broken promise, and thats only alittle thing, what happens about all the BIG promises? Next I wanna know why theres no factory backed performance items like with the Subaru WRX? By the way if I could buy both cars right now I'd buy the WRX, even with its UGLY tailight Finally you are only 1 person so I'm not ever going expect you to make a differnce here, but the SVT Focus buyers better beware Oh yeah I love the way my car rides, handles and performs for what it costs. as a matter of fact I rolled alot of money into this car from my last car, I hope it doesn't let me down or I'm into an Import next time!

Roger R
2000 SVT
#1253 of 2150

Well , I guess I've gotta add my 2¢ -

Thanks for taking the time to come here Troy ! Hopefully you take to heart all the things we say ! We didn't buy our SVTs to be grocery getters , we bought 'em because they're a great handling , mid-sized ENTHUSIAST car with PLENTY of room for groceries (or kids or whatever) .

First off with the SVTOA issue & the magazine & all ...
I bought my SVT on 1-24-01 and was told I will be getting the magazine & whatever for a year . It only 2 months later , I went to the dealer (grrrr) to get a copy of the SVT ENTHUSIAST magazine and it says I must pay $40 to get the mag from now on !! What the hell ? I know it's not THAT quick of a decision to change something like that . I talked to SVTOA about maybe getting a complimentary 1 yr. subscription since I JUST bought my car ... NO LUCK ! Only CURRENT MODEL YEARS get the 1 yr. comp . I realise it's a 2000 , but I just ponied up a BUTT LOAD of money for this car ! And YES , the 20+ thousand dollars is a hell of a lot of money to me ! The least you could do is grandfather in the NEW SVT owners into the new plan !!! I went into this thinking it'd be cool to get this too ... only to be dissed 2 months later . I mean , what could it possibly hurt Ford/SVT to do that to keep future customers ?? I mean , my future with new Ford or SVT cars is hanging in the balance here !

As for the SVT merchandise ...
Why should I suffer by having no Contour SVT merchandise to buy to show off my Contour SVT pride ? Give us NEW SVT owners a chance ! Also , many used SVT owners are popping up realising now that Contour SVT's are a great car ! Maybe THEY want to show off THEIR pride too . Up until 2 months ago , I was driving a '95 SE Contour , why would I buy SVT merchandise when I didn't even have the car ? Or even the body style ? Yea well , I guess SVT ignored SVT Contours there too ...

All the P.R. hype for this new SVT Focus makes me wanna HURL ! The car is HALF the car that the Contour is , you know it , & I know it . The Contour is a great car , with pretty much room , and a TRUNK ! What the hell is that in the back of the 2 door Focus ?? You couldn't fit a deck of cards in the back of that thing ! The nice trunk in a mid-sized car is part of the reason I bought my '95 , luckily Ford didn't decontent part of my trunk in my '00 trying to cheapen up the car . The decontentented everything else ! I realise the decontenting isn't all you fault , but c'mon look at the stuff you're giving the Focus ... heated seats , fancy pedals , cool shift knob , oil & temp gauges , 17" wheels & so on . Why no effort to go over the top like that for the Contour SVT ?? Why no 17" wheels for the Contour SVT ?? You're putting 17 inchers on a pipsqueak car like the Focus ... do you realise how those help a mid-sized car like the Contour ? Maybe you do ... then why not do it on later ones ? Didn't want to put the effort into new wheels on a dying car ?? Figures !

Why no improvements on weak or failing parts on the Contour as in other SVT products ? Others have brought this up , so I'll et them speak . Why didn't the SVT Contours have a stronger tranny put in it ? Why no Limited Slip Diff in the SVT Contour ?? That would've really helped the car & it's handling & stuff . They even had LSD's in Nissan SER's for god's-sake ! And SER's have similar performance numbers for almost half the cost of the Contour SVT ... WITH AN LSD !

There has been lack of love for the Contour SVT from the get-go at SVT ... you can tell me what you want ! It got no respect (as Rodney Dangerfield would say) .

If you're proud of the Contour SVT ... then PROVE IT ! DO THE RIGHT THING ! AKNOWLEDGE US ... WE WILL NOT GO AWAY ! We love our SVT's , but it's hard when Ford & SVT don't even make note that we existed ! You guys at SVT made a hell of a car in the Contour SVT , it's a shame Ford dropped the ball & screwed the Contour out of existance .

You say the SVT Contour will be dearly missed at SVT ... YEA , RIGHT ! We'll always be the red-headed stepchild you wish you never had . Or else you would've hyped the Contour SVT like you're doing to the Focus . You jumped ship on the Contour when times got tough ! That shows how much SVT cares for the Contour . I feel abandoned ...

Man , that's quite a rant ... sorry ! But it's how I feel (you asked !) Thanks again for your time !


------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Allen
Go Redwings !!!

2000 Contour SVT Black w/ Tan #2137 of 2150 / built 2-4-00
Mods : ~ Factory DRL mod ~ "Powered by Ford" seatbelt covers
~ OF's TH fix ~ Audi A-6 Side Repeaters ~ Highs in Lows Mod
~ #885 foggies ~ K&N filter ~ Mondeo ST200 Badging & Shiftknob
Very Soon : ~ More "Mondeo-izing" and a ton of RE-contenting ~
My old 95 'Tour
Our new SVT

In a recent motor trend article there is the FR200 Focus VS a corvette Z06 in the article ford says the parts on this car will more than likely be sold through its Ford racing performance parts catalogues why wasn't this done for the contour, i think very little thought went into this car, Now the SVT focus has a hell of alot of thought put into it Heated seats, & mirrors, 6 speed Tranny ,17 inch wheels, CD changer ETC...
I am happy with my car i just wish it had a little respect and more notice from SVT Ford.
I would love to have an SVT Magazine sent to me.
Whats your direct E-MAIL address?

------------------
99 SVT Amazon Green,#151
Born on 10/07/98
Adopted 7/15/00
K&N drop in,00 spoiler,
Sho-Shop Y pipe
Mobil 1

[This message has been edited by slim shady (edited March 29, 2001).]

Troy,

I'm gonna be nice here, especially since someone from SVT finally took the time to address some of our concerns.

1.) First and foremost, when you are leaving out SVT Contour owners in terms of support, publicity, parts, and overall respect, you(SVT) is really shooting itself in the foot. This car is owned mostly by 21-34 year olds who are just coming to, or will soon be at the heigth of their earning potential. These people will be in the market, SOON, to by a fun automobile to grace their garages. Will that car be an SVT? Not if you don't address some of concerns especially:

A.) Developing an implimenting (at no cost to SVT Contour owners) a permanent fix for our inheritly weak transmissions. This would be a GREAT start.
B.) The waterpump issue...
C.) Very important! Address the improperly baffled oil pan that has caused so many costly engine failures.
D.) Lastly, give us some respect. We really enjoy our cars, even throughout all the hastles that have developed with them. These people are true enthusiasts and for some reason that we are still trying to figure out, loyal to SVT. This will quickly disappear if something is not done soon!

P.S. Please remember, V-8's are NOT the performance engine of choice in the future. The import type performance craze is here to stay, adjust your marketing focus accordingly lest you be left out in the cold while Honda, Toyota, and Mitusbishi, steal away all your yoounger buyers.

------------------
98.5 Toreador Red SVT
KKM intake
Tsudo custom exhaust
JSP GTR wing
Eibach lowering springs
Koni Adjustable struts
Engine mounts
Autometer shift light
Bosch Hi-Pro wires
Bosch Platnium plugs
Audi A4 sidemarkers
Fog light mod
Th/Moosing fix
Rear dome light mod
Lighted moonroof switch mod
Glovebox light mod

I'll make it quick and simple.

My bumper sags and the dealer said there was nothing they could do after having my car for two days.

I'm afraid that one day i might actually use my car as it was intended (spirited driving) and upon takeoff, realize my diff. is busted.

Texas heat scares me when i hear of waterpump failures.

I get a "special" car that i am afraid, at times, to drive hard and i can't even buy an authorized item, be it a shirt or hat.

That's it from me, so far.

Well I guess I will chime in. In the first 6 months of ownership the car was at the dealer at more than 15 times, and to no avail. I still have the problem and they wont do anytime more to attempt to fix it, they just claim I must have done something. I have paid over $500 and the problem persists to this day. I consider the problem a safety concern and the back end sways right and left on right bends at highway speed, I can also get a large feedback if I jerk the steering wheel to the right and I get nothing when I do it to the left.

Above and beyond that one major thing I'll chime in on the tranny problem that my dealer wont do a thing about. I get grinds shifting into 3rd and it is tough to get into gear upon startup.

For the most part I love my car, I am 21 and this is my 4th car. My first was a 96 contour se, which unfortunately was stolen 3 weeks after I bought it, I also had a 99 cougar, but the same as this one I loved it but the same problems just kept coming up, and I had just had enough and sold it. I am now looking to purchase a 01 VW GTI as it feels alot tighter and my mother has had a vw for 2 yrs without 1 problem at all, and my brother has had 2 over 8 years with the same results, not 1 unscheduled trip to the dealer. I wish I could go 2 months.

I agree with what many of the others have already said. The problems with the car are due to Ford more than SVT, but if you are going to slap on the SVT emblem...why not fix a few things that are broken?? Just makes sense to me. Kind of like how SVT didn't come out with a Cobra for the year 2000 because they didn't want to put out a product like the '99 Cobra out again.

I'd probably buy a SVT mug and maybe even a shirt. If by chance there was SVT Contour shot glass I'd buy that in a heart beat. I've started a shot glass collection and would love to have a SVT shot glass. No drinking and driving though.

I'd really like to see some things from the Mondeo come to our shores. I'm more into go than show, which is why I love my car so much. Very subtle exterior changes in my opinion that can leave you guessing about the car. Then you rev the engine and its pure bliss.

Thank you for your time Troy. It is much appreciated from everyone here at CEG. If SVT makes an appearance at Spring Zing, they are sure to make many happy. I just wish I could go to see it happen. I'll just have to settle with everyone telling great stories instead.

I've been at this site for a long time. I've seen a lot of posts....So.....

1- FIX THE BUMPER SAG!!!!!!!!
2- FIX THE WEAK TRANS / WEAK DIFF!!!!!!!!
3- GET US SOME GEAR *shirts, hats, etc.*

Thanks.
jf
ps had to be quick leaving the house.

Troy, thanks for coming on board and talking. That is thoughtful and respectful.

Issues that I think need to be addressed Transmission first off. I am on my second transmission. First feels like the second and every mile I put on it just makes it worse. This problem still is a concern now that I am up to almost 30k on my 99 SVT.

Second issue is involving the oil problems. These were already listed above but still a concern of mine.

The last one is can we some gear we can buy? Even if it says "SVT". I would like the Contour in that still.

Troy, thanks again for coming to this board and hopefuly you can help us understand and or help problems. I don't really hate or hold SVT in vein, but I have to wonder what the heck Any questions, email me at hph213@gvi.net

Sincerely

Merlin



[This message has been edited by merlin (edited March 30, 2001).]

4-fix the paint!!!!!
u said it all bro!i also have to say that i am very pleased w/ my car!i have 56,xxx miles and not one thing has broke(except that the damn sunroof gets stuck all the damn time but to me that aint no biggie.but i will be replacing my water pump very soon!(u guys got me scared!)
but thanks again 4 stopping by.hope we dont scare u away!
ps:can we stil get our certificates?



------------------
anthony
98 black svt
#630 of 6535
b-day 5-1-97

MY Turn...
Women and children please leave the room...

Ok seriously. I will be cordial.

I'm the Proud, but worried owner of a 2000 SVT Contour (12/2/99)

The biggest questions are:

You mention the SVT Contour was such a low production run (only 11,445) that SVO/SVT/European Parts were not worth bothering with in it's 3 year run. What about the other 300,000 cars built on the same platform. You don't think only SVT vehicles use those "special" parts do you? Do you?

What about all the problems Ford has to know about but won't lift a finger to help. (And don't you even try to tell me Ford with it's billion dollar R&D programs can't figure this out but our site of 3000 member can)

This is just the big stuff

A transmission that is revised every month because of it's faulty design to begin with. (They revised it mid model year 2000, then again this year 2001 and guess what! They're revising it again for model year 2002. Go Figure! They know it's a problem - Why won't they help us?)

A transaxle that can't handle the torque of a weed wacker. (What a Joke! I have no words to describe the fear I get when my car experiences wheel hop! It's like a mild heart attack worrying if that wet road just trashed my diff)

A water pump that fails in less then 40k miles. (Not only that, but normally takes out the plate behind it and contaminates the entire cooling system becuase it disintegrates, not just stops working! Oh Yeah. No real warning signs either!)

Known! Oil starvation issues (How many Warranty Motors does it take to cure this problem. Do you know? We haven't found out yet.)

Con Rod failures (lest do some quick math. 2000 SVT 10.25 to 1 Compression, DOHC and 7k redline. Powdered Rods! Doesn't take a rocket scientist does it?)

Bumper sag (Man! Took my SVT about 2 mos to get the droop. No cure! The early models did it too over 3 years ago. This is Not a new problem)

A sunroof that the manufacturer has told me is a defective design and they have NO fix for... (If they Know, you're damn sure Ford does too! hmm?) This one hit me. I still don't understand how this didn't get recalled. Cable operated electric sunroof. When the temp gets above 90 degrees, the cables can flex and bind the motor. This normally burns the motor out. I went to the dealer (3 different ones) about 7 times last summer over this. I have since done a mod myself (surely voiding my sunroof warranty no doubt) and seem to have it cured.

Man I could go on...

However; Don't get me wrong. I truelly love driving my Contour. There is nothing like it out there. But I can say I hate the thought on owning it very long. It's like a running time bomb.
I'm sure some of us think this is why Ford and SVT ditched it and ran for cover... What are we suppose to think? All theses problems and Ford just trying bandaids or outright warranty denial... Eventually there will too many of us to ignore. I sure hope it's soon!

Hey Troy can you please give me a email at SVT_MONDEO@YAHOO.COM or if I could get your email address?

thanks,

David Zambrano

I'm sure you're still reading Troy

Good to see some interactive involvement, I've called SVT lots of times asking for VIN #'s and build numbers

I'll keep mine short

make another SVT model that is a 4-door and I'm sure we'll all be much happier....

if BMW, Audi, Subaru, Nissan, Toyota, etc can do it - why not Ford?

------------------
Toadster - Todd Christ
toadster_ca@hotmail.com
1998 Silver Frost Contour SVT
#1037 of 6535 built, Built May 16, 1997
Moderator: CEG Northern CA Forum
Toadster's SVT Roundup - home of the Contour SVT Owner's List
MODS: KKM Intake , TH-Fix , Synthetic Oil , 18% Llumar tint , 9006CB Headlamps , TBD....

I can't post anything new that hasn't already been touched upon. But you asked, so I'll answer:

Let me state that I feel that I might have a ticking time bomb on my hands, like many other SVT owners have stated. All the horror stories of waterpump failure, transaxle/transmission failures, paint, sunroof, alignment, bumper sag, etc. Just have me wondering when, not if, this will happen to my car. I have a black 1998 E0 SVT with almost 36k miles.

My whole life I vowed I'd never own a Ford product-- because of the various horror stories I've heard my whole life about Ford "Quality" from other Ford owners. But when the SVT Contour debuted I weakened my stance a little and said that was the only new Ford product I would ever buy. I based this decision on many aspects of automobile ownership. From reliability, dealer service, to performance-- I thought the SVT Contour could and would provide all these. I must admit I was really taken with the styling of the SVT. Very understated, and tastefully done.

I kept reading how the Contour was Ford's "world car" and how the SVT is a delightful handling car (which it is). So I figured it had to be reliable and made from high-quality parts since it's the "world car" that Ford was supposedly basing its future upon. I then figure that it's a "poor-man's BMW" in the performance aspect. This is exactly what I've wanted in a car: reliability and performance for a reasonable price-- with the 4-door utility and fwd for winter/rain. I also thought maybe owning an SVT vehicle might get me some extra "respect" from the dealer if I ever had to bring it in for service.

to get to the point:

I find this website after I get my SVT, and come to discover the myriad problems with not only SVTs but Contours/Mystiques in general. It is true that all cars have their own idiosyncrasies and unique problems, but many of the SVT's could have been avoided. When I (and other SVT owners) were getting into these cars, we were expecting special vehicles with special, high-quality parts. Not just worked over extras from the parts bin (as seems to me to be the case).

• Why should we worry when (not IF)our waterpumps are going to fail on our SPECIAL SVT-prepped Duratec engines?
• Why are my "understated and tasteful" body parts sagging?
• Why mate a brittle, fragile transmission to a high(er)-output engine if it's already known to be weak?
• The LSD issue was raised already, but it would have been nice in separating the SVT from a normal Contour-- and well worth the extra money it would have cost to every SVT owner on this board.
• Why skimp on the wheel/tire combo? 17 inch wheels should've been standard.
• Why does my 1998 Ford Contour SVT 4-door sedan rattle and creak worse than my 1979 Pontiac Firebird Formula, or any of my nine (9) previous supposed "rattletrap" sports-cars did?
• Why doesn't my SPECIAL SVT-prepped Duratec V6 have a proper lubrication system to deal with the wonderful handling this car was designed with? Oh, I can only take high-speed left-hand turns, not right-- don't want to blow my SVT-prepped Duratec.
• Why no oil pressure gauge??? For a high(er)-output engine, you'd think this is a must?
• The 6-speed? would have been nice, but I understand none were available at the time. That's not SVT or Ford's fault. It only would have helped the rev-happy Duratec, imo.

In closing-- I do love my brief experience with my Contour SVT so far. Perhaps if I found this site before I went looking for Contours, I would have chose another car. Perhaps not... Only time will tell if it was worth it or not, I suppose. I did purchase an extended Ford warrantee for 3 years/36k miles in December 2000. Here's to hoping I won't need to use it. Or that it covers whatever is bound to happen?

Sorry if this kinda turned into a rant, but I hate that feeling wondering if I got screwed or not... Especially when I really like what this car should have been and what it had the potential for.

Best Regards--

------------------
zero
www.prilly.org
1998 Ford Contour SVT E0 black 1993 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX white

[This message has been edited by zerosvt (edited April 01, 2001).]

This is more of a Ford comment than an SVT comment, but I agree with Toadster and take it a step further.

I wonder why Ford in europe sees fit to include the Ka, the Focus, and the mondeo there, but will only keep one small/midsize line here in the states.

I would also If like to see a midsize SVT station wagon. Since the Mondeo Estate comes in a ST200 with a manual, why can't they make something like that here either?

------------------
1998 LX Sport
Black

Troy, glad were finally getting some involvement with the SVT crew!

I agree with pretty much everything being said. My tranny is gone, no reverse and goes to the shop on Monday. A Mercury dealership. Ford gave me April 10th as a date they could fit me in.

I just want some support and for Ford to recognize the problems and work to get them fixed. All cars have problems but we have no support and we all love our cars dearly.

Christopher
San Jose,CA

Exactly in a nutshell!
Unfortunately so far you have proved my foresight & experience all too well. They say hindsight is 20/20, but all my foresight see's now is major repairs and worries and no solutions in site...

So all in all this is my first and last Ford and everyone I talk to get's this same attitude (I work in the automotive aftermarket industry too. Imagine how many people I turn off Ford just because of my experience! Now imagine it times just the 3000 members here! What about all the people that don't come here too?)

No this isn't targeted at you. Just let others see our comments as well. WE ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS! Losing customers is always bad for any company.

I hope you guys know this TROY GUY is a joke/troll!
Come on think about it,do you think SVT just thought they would post here for no reason,and for a dead car?
Come on guys someone is just hyping us up for another let down.I wouldnt go for it If i was you.
Let him prove himself first before he wasts our time and gets our hopes up!
Im sure its one of those past trolls we pissed off by pissing on there "i beat an SVT Contour" stories.
Hey Troy prove to me your from SVT headquarters and Ill appologize.

Weak transmission/differential - why design a high performance car using the same tranny
that goes onto a 130hp 4 cyl.? Transmissions are not "one size fits all". And it really
should have had a LSD standard, if it was really meant to be a serious performance car.
Ditto with the baffled oil pan (my '88 Mustang GT had one, for Pete's sake!). Okay, what's done is done, but Ford/SVT could (should!) have the guts to stand up and say "okay, we screwed up on these things, and we're going to make it right with our customers. This, of course, would have Dearborn bean-counters jumping out of windows, so I don't expect to see it happening! Look what it took to get them to admit there was a problem with the
Explorers....

The decontenting, and poor assembly and quality of materials. You would think on such a limitied production run, and marketed as possessing "elclusivity and value", a lot more care would have been placed on build quality. My '00 SVT now has 6k miles.... My tranny was replaced at 2500 miles. The screws that hold the passenger airbag hinges weren't even finger tight, and caused an awful rattle from day one. When that was opened to fix it, it was discovered that my airbag had no straps holding it in place - they weren't even there! It was just flopping around in there, and I dread to think what might have happened to my passenger if it had deployed. The weatherstripping around the doors isn't lined up the same way on both sides. SVT fitted special gauges and leather seats... why doesn't my passenger get lumbar support and elec. adjustment, too? Just cutting corners to save a few bucks. Couldn't they have had a run of some better quality dash pieces produced? These low-rent materials were one of the main gripes from both owners and the press. A glovebox light, variable speed intermittant wipers and heated mirrors - some things that could even be had on lesser Contours - were left out, which is unthinkable if you're targeting the likes of
VW, BMW and Audi. Oil pressure and ammeter/volt gauges would have been nice, too... And decontenting the little support brackets for the front spoiler?!? What did that save them, $1.89 or so? It's this kind of piddly, nickel and dime crap that irks owners too, not just the big stuff. Ford's mistake here, as someone pointed out, was thinking SVT buyers were no different in mindset from basic transportation buyers. We are VERY different, and expect much more. Mr Coletti is always going on about how no one area of the car is supposed to stand out, or left lacking. The rental-car interior (apart from the drivers seat) is severely lacking. I would have gladly paid an extra $500-1000 for a quality interior.

Yes, it would be nice if Ford's performance parts division turned out a few pieces for us. And their market would not be limited to just SVT's, either. There are a LOT of
Contour/Mystique owners that would love this, and buy. Just look at all the mods in a lot of the sigs here...

And I don't really care about the merchandise (shirts, hats, mugs, etc.), but I guess it
would be a nice gesture. Not nearly enough, but a nice gesture. Or the magazine, for that
matter - it has shown itself to be nothing more than marketing propaganda up to this point. And it will probably still be available in SVT dealerships because of this. But the magazine and the SVTOA are part of what has cast Ford and SVT in such a bad light in my eyes. I feel like I have been lied to and duped by the "SVT Ownership Experience" that was implied, and in some ways promised. The magazine, discounts, track events and the like were promised to us as benefits of being SVT owners. Now Ford has changed their minds, and we have to pony up
$40/year if we want the things we supposed to get free. Let's face it, despite pleadings to the contrary, SVTOA is just a PR tool Ford has farmed out to an outside party to make us feel better about our purchase, generate excitement and promote sales of future SVT products. If Ford wants to run such a public relations excercise, fine - but we shouldn't have to foot the bill for it. It was also implied that we would be treated well, and have a good "ownership experience" at the dealership, because we were the "special kind of customer that buys an SVT vehicle". This hasn't seemed to be true, either from my experiences, or many that I have read here on CEG. These promises did indeed infulence my decision to buy my SVT. It is this reneging by Ford and SVT that has really put a sour taste in my mouth (and I believe many others here). I love my SVT, but right now I'm not so crazy about the company that sold it to me. I hope to drive it for years (if it holds together - I won't baby it!) to come. But unless something drastic is done by you guys, I will NOT be replacing it with another Ford.
Thanks for listening. I doubt that Ford will do anything, but thanks for listening.

------------------
Zilla
2K SVT Contour
#1441 of 2150 - D.O.B. 1/11/2000
green/tan
-= everything on it =-

[This message has been edited by Zilla (edited March 30, 2001).]

I have a 98. I have not had the problems that others have had. I have had a wonderful experience with my car and would not trade it for anything short of a M3 or S4. However I do have issues with the paint on my car. A lot of people do. I wash my car once a week and follow some pretty grueling stuff to keep my car looking good. But it is tough to fight an up hill battle. Good job on a great sleeper. But it shouldn't stop at the point I drove off the lot. I called for my certificate but no word and the second time I called I was told that because I bought it used I couldn't get anything. Any help my VIN is:

1FAFP68G1WK183003

Any help that you can give would be great. This is the way that I look at it. I could have bought a Cobra. I could have bought a Z-28. I could have bought a slightly used BMW(maybe not an M3 but) Yet I found out what a great car the Contour is and I am proud of it, don't you think you guys could be the same way.

------------------
Mike C.
1998 T-red SVT
Bnoon HVAC
Three gauge Pillar

I love this car BUT...

1) Poor shift quality even after tranny replacement and new gold synth fluid. Weak diff and lack of a limited slip. The damn SVT Focus got a different gearbox - why not the SVT Contour!

2) Oil starvation problem has stopped me from taking my car out lapping at the track and even taking it fairly easy on highway ramps! This fix should have been done at the factory before the car shipped. The lessons of the Bonderant school seem to have been ignored.

3) Decontenting and SVT should have been given more special driver oriented features, like extra guage package a la SVT Focus.

4) New SVT Focus ignore the fact that some of us need a 4 door sport sedan. There is nothing you currently produce that I can consider as a replacement. Bring us the new Mondeo in SVT trim! Otherwise my next car will be BMW, Audi, Lexus, even if I can only afford used.

The SVT vehicles should be considered brand flagships like the M cars or AMG.


// Chris Root
// '99 SVT


[This message has been edited by Chris Root (edited March 30, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Chris Root (edited March 30, 2001).]

Thank you, Troy, for taking the time to read these things.

I own a 99SVT, #2725 of 2760, 18,000 kilometres on the odometer.

More often than not, I cannot engage first gear or reverse without pushing so hard on the lever I fear something will snap.

On the highway, fifty per cent of the time, I have to force the lever into fifth.

The dealer has changed the transmission fluid, with no appreciable improvement. I am told "they all do that."

Twice, while rounding long, sweeping highway curves, the oil warning light has come on. I keep my fingers crossed that no permanent damage has been done.

These are obviously major design flaws.

The engine lubrication system is inadequate, and SVT has mated a very weak transmission to a very strong engine.

I can live with the squeaks and rattles; it's not a BMW, and I did not pay a BMW price, but I do expect a car marketed as a performance sedan to be able to tolerate being driven like one without breaking.

It seems SVT ran out of time or interest in the project when it came to details like choosing a suitable transmission or ensuring adequate lubrication for what is otherwise a delightful motor.

For those reasons, I would consider the SVT Contour project a failure, and my decision to purchase one a costly mistake.

I really do not see Ford offering to install upgraded transmissions or oil pans in our cars, and I cannot imagine any other solution.

Sorry....mostly for me.



------------------
Craig
99SVT black/tan
2725 of 2760

ditto to what the others have said, mainly on the fixes for the mechanical problems that are so well known.

One thing that I want to hear an explanation on is the new SVT service policy that I saw in the last Enthusiast Mag that I'll ever get. Why is it that, if SVT and Ford think that SVT owners deserve a free loaner for life and all that other stuff, why is it only 2001 and later owners that are worthy? Seems to me that if the 2001 Focus is worth it, why isn't a 2000 Contour? I imagine the other types of SVT owners would be even more pissed, if a 2001 Lightning gets it, why wouldn't a 2000?

That exact service program is the kind of thing that Ford and SVT should have had from the very start, along with a lenient approach to modifications and warranty voiding. For chissakes their TUNER cars, people are bound to TUNE them! We shouldn't get hassled because we have an open-air filter on it when we take them in.

Thanks for the time and interest, hope some of this is making an impression.

Addendum:

I've the same tranny concerns that have been voiced here, ad nauseum. There's a reason they've been going south faster than a drug dealer with a warrant out on him, and there's a fix, too (call Quaiffe on the details).

I just wanted my voice heard on the transmission issue as well, since my Contour SVT will be going BACK into the shop for transmission issues in the next couple of weeks.

My mail is in my sig if you would like to contact me further.

Thanks again for your time and consideration.

------------------
James Tompkins
Tulsa, OK
jaysek@home.com

99 Red Rocket SVT
#143/2760
Modded to Taste

00 Corvette Coupe
Modded to Haste

TROY IS NOT A TROLL!!!
Troy does work for SVT! I spent enough time on the phone with SVT yesterday and through many e-mails with SVT to know who Troy is and I am 100% sure that he isn't a fake!!
-Mark

------------------
What do you see? Look Again. Do you see
Persaverance? Substance? Odds being trampled? Perspectives changing? Rules collapsing? Meaning? Look Again.
If all you see is a car...
Look Again

1998 SVT Contour.
Silver Frost
Mondeo Badges, KKM, OMP Cast Aluminum Pedals, Eibach Suspension, Flowmaster 40 Series Exhaust w/ 4-1/2" Stainless Steel Vibrant Tips (non-resonated single wall "Dragger Style" Tips), No resonator, Knauberized, B&M Pro Edge Shifter, Brembo Rotors, KVR Carbon Fibre pads, MSD Ignition, Vortech S/C, Hybrid Front Subrame & Suspension and more...
SVT/SHO Society of West
Michigan SouthWest Rep.
GTExtreme1@aol.com

Although I am not saying anything new here, I want Troy to be aware of as many of us as possible. Anyone with an SVT who is reading this thread should be counted. My concerns mirror those of the others. Here is the order of importance to me personally:

[*]tranny
[*]water pump
[*]oil pan
[*]rear bumper sag
[*]lack of merchandise support

Troy, I appreciate you coming here and letting us rant. I hope that this produces some valuable results. We LOVE our cars, that's why we're all here. Could you please give us a direct email address so that we can contact you with personal situations and to alieve concerns that you are a troll. Thanks.

------------------
Ben
Castle Rock, CO
1998 T-Red SVT #4406/6535
fast80svt@myfirstlink.net

well, just about everything that one could possibly take issue with regarding ford/SVT vs. SVT contour owners/CEG members has already been raised, but.....

i love the car, love the exclusivity, love the performance, the looks, etc.....but i HATE the rattles, squeaks, decontenting, etc. i agree w/ above posts about being somewhat sickened by the level of support the focus is receiving as compared to what the contour got, but it's understandable....ya gotta hype stuff to sell it to the import/hot hatch crowd. if it ain't honda/mitsubishi/etc., they're not gonna look at it. ergo, the media push.

water under the bridge, as far as i'm concerned. as are the added features of the focus (17" wheels, 6-speed, extra gauges, etc.). that stuff would've been nice to have, but i certainly don't expect ford/SVT to go back and retroactively try to appease we SVT contour owners w/ tranny upgrades/diff ugrades/baffeled oil pans, etc. would be nice, but i don't expect it.

i'm concerned about longevity of my car. i bought the ESP premium care warranty and haven't used it yet (i'm at 43k mi.), but it wouldn't surprise me at all, based on the experiences of others, to have a tranny, diff, or entire engine replaced before it expires at 75k.

i'm also VERY concerned about a replacement car. as others have stated, the focus SVT is a great little car, but i've graduated past the point in my life where i can make do w/ an econo-class-size car as my primary daily driver. performance and other appeal aside, the focus just won't suit my needs. i might get a cobra or a bullitt mustang, but i have to say that my faith in ford reliability/build quality is not very strong. thus, unless ford comes out w/ something (like the new mondeo) in the near future, i'll probably be trading my car on a 3-series BMW, lexus IS, or audi A4.

i do *sincerely* appreciate and applaud your visit here. oh, and journie - shut up. quit w/ the "troll!" crap. everyone around here is so quick to pull the trigger. give it a rest already.

anyway, thanks for your input and your willingness to subject yourself to some of our rants and raves, and i hope our input and insight give you something to take to the rest of SVT and maybe make use of it somehow.

------------------
blake
98.5 E1 SVT #4910, silver frost (b. 02.28.98)
- KKM/SHOshop pulleys/borla exhaust
- 35% tint/momo shift knob/A6 sidemarkers/some audio

Hey Troy !!!!!!! Your a great guy!!! I am sure we all greatly appreciate you concern with the most respect.....

LISTEN HERE ok I personaly Like the Cobra and Lightning alot !!! But in my mind they are just apples and oranges, if you will...

Think about this , those two have been around for awhile. They have been know as fords fast vehicle's. Focus on the other hand hasnt been around for awhile So people dont really know what to expect from it anyway. NOW THINK OF THIS YOU HAVE TAKEN MOMMY + DADDY'S, OR GRANDMA + GRANDPA'S CONTOUR, AND TURNED THAT THING WHICH EVERYBODY SEES AS A FAMILY SLOW NON-PERFORMANCE CAR, INTO THE BADDEST , SLICKEST PIECE OF ALL AROUND MACHINERY( all cars have their own ups and downs) THAT THE YOUNG BUYING CROWD CAN BUY... I LIKE TO THINK OF IT THIS WAY AD A LIL DOSE OF "SVT" AND BOTTA BOOM BOTTA BING YOU GOTTA PERFORMANCE MACHINE!!!!! I KNOW FOR FACT WHEN I START TO IMPRESS THE OLDER CROWD WITH MY 2000 CONTOUR SVT THAT THERE IS TRUELY SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY ABOUT IT...(the Contour would not be apples or oranges it would be a Lemon if you taste what im givin you)I see fast mustangs all the time, doesnt everyone. The lightning well we all love it those are still a sight to want to see. Take advantage of the "SVT" power it still has and build a family with respect and continue to build a name that will be acknowledged as a beautiful thing and not just soem cheap A!! way of selling a car like Chrysler and their "RT" , hahhahhahhaaa OMG LMAO they are a joke except for the dakota, which is living up to it old name .


2000 Silver Bluish SVT
#1000 out of 2150
Mods Yes , tell you, NO.., sorry

Guys, I have spoken to Troy on the phone as well to get my SVT certificate. He's for real and was very helpful, so I'm not surprised to see him here acting concerned.

I, personally, have had NO PROBLEMS with my 98 EO SVT except the sunroof and it has 39.5K miles. I love this car and have owned many Fords over the years. I'm on my 3rd F-150, and previously owned 2 Mustang GT's before the SVT. I have also owned numerous other mainstream foreign enthusiast cars:
TR-7, 2 RX-7's, an MR-2, a Honda Civic, and Sentra SE-R. I truly believe the SVT Contour is on par in quality with anything else I have ever owned. I love it more than any car I have ever owned. But, at 46, I am considerably older than almost everybody on this site. I also suspect I got a good quality production version.

Troy, if you have been monitoring CEG for a while, then you know that other, especially later model SVT Contour owners have had many problems. They are mostly under 30, have very large incomes for their age and the potential to earn much more down the pike. They are very well educated so when they speak to others about their experiences with Ford, it is likely to hold creedance. If Ford discourages them now, then they are losing a very lucrative future market and are gaining negative word-of-mouth.

I own a small business and know it is much easier to keep current customers than to gain new ones. But I also know about the bottom line and the need to contain costs. If SVT were to develop the transmission fixes, oil baffle, and water pump solutions outlined here and provide it for free to owners still in warranty and at reasonable cost to those outside of warranty it would certainly improve Ford's chances of keeping their current SVT Contour customer.

I had a problem with my 97 F-150's V-6 engine. It went bad at 55K miles and the replacement also knocked and was replaced 10k miles later. Ford replaced both motors for free. Despite the fact that I was livid at the time about these motors going south so early, I leased another 2001 F-150 (V-8 this time) last month because I felt a certain LOYALTY to Ford and the dealer who took care of me before. Get the picture.

Anyway, appreciate your concern and we hope to hear from you and other SVT guys who own SVT Contours more often on this site. Thanks.

------------------
Kickimus Maximas Buttimus
98 EO SVT Toreador Red
01 F-150 W/ 2 horse/habit

[This message has been edited by SVTCole (edited March 30, 2001).]

Damn. You guys are scaring me. My '99 SVT Contour has never had to go back to the dealer for unscheduled service in the 2 years and 25K miles I've had it (and I got it with 3 miles on the odo). Tranny shifts smoothly, no oil light coming on at autocrosses (of course, from years of driving British sports cars, I habitually let the engine warm up and trans warm up before going anywhere...), sunroof works fine, rear bumper fits nice, fewer rattles than my ex-roommate's '99 Jetta GLX (or prtty much any of the hundred cars I've owned in the last 20 years...).

Am I doing something wrong?

What's scaring me is that these problems won't show up until it's out of warranty...

Yes, if these things are common issues, then a fix should be made and dealt with. And yes, it would be nice to see Contour stuff in the catalogs along side the other SVT products. But it's obvious that enough people need serious issues resolved first.

Troy, Ford and SVT have a large, and very vocal, group of enthusiasts here who could really help future advertising at a cost considerably less than a TV spot just by fixing the issues on the SVT Contours. The negative publicity that this large a group can generate would cost Ford and SVT more...

------------------
While I may be new to this board, I'm not new to the automotive scene...

Troy and others....
First off Troy let me say it's a stand up move of you to come in here and solicit opinions of us. Especially of your own free will. It proves to me YOU are an enthusiast. Kudos to you!
I am not an SVT but rather a 95SE owner. To see why, look through all these other posts. Troy, I suggest you subscribe to the list as well. I have been subscribing to the list and reading all these things(performance wise) about the SVT since 1997 when I bought my current 95SE just a few months after the SVT Contour was released. Ever since I have had "svt envy" until about a year ago when I realized that my 95SE is better put together than any SVT out there. What the heck good is all that scrumptious power if the diff is made of glass? Plus, I absolutely HATE cable shifters. I admit they have their benefits, but I prefer the rod my 95 has. And how about heated mirrors, lightup door handles, a locking glove box with a light, and a clock in the dash??? I point you to one car; the Volvo S40. Not near the handler the SVT is, but that can be fixed with little effort. It has the motor, the doodads and the luxury the SVT should have had, and as far as I can tell from the people I know that own them - the reliability as well(and it's 22,900 base price is in line with the SVT's-albeit without leather). I have driven every year SVT(contour) built, and not you not ford not thier owners, could pay ME enough to own one(shame too because I love the green and tan color combo). Is it fast, hell yeah. Is it an awesome handler, hell yeah. Will I ever own one, hell no. I cannot tell you how much this breaks my heart to say. I am Ford family; my father worked for ford for 20+ years in the buffalo stamping plant as an electrician, and was proud of the work he did, as well as believing in the company he did it for. He must be turning over in his grave with Ford's conduct lately. The explorer scam, the Cobra fiasco, and the contour debacle? We have owned nothing but fords my entire life(good cars- every one), and I will continue to buy ford products (rather ford owned products) for as long as is reasonable. But I tell you this, I won't buy another contour, and I won't even think about a cat. So where does that leave me? Outside the brand turning to volvo, bmw, audi, VW, etc. I have to admit, I love to wind my car out, I love to hand grand ams and accords their pride at lights and in curves, and I love the fact that my car went 45K miles without 1 single problem (when the h20 pump went at 82K) I got lucky with my car, no doubt. But I feel nothing but sorrow for these poor SVT guys. They have rippin cars, but have to be more careful with them than I do with mine(of course, I don't believe in wheelspin, either ). My seats are more comfortable, my interior feels nicer, and after 85K miles, the only rattles are my teeth when I drive on lovely rochester NY roads. Both ford and SVT should be ashamed of the way they have treated SVT owners, and in my opinion should right the wrongs of the car. I'm not much into tuning, my thoery is buy the car you want and leave it alone w/the exception of stereo mods, so I can't really say SVO needs to put parts out for the SVT Contour, but I do think there is a market for it. Aside from tshirts and pens and the go fast parts, both ford and SVT need to make good on the bad h20 pumps, the bad tranny's and diffs, and for god sakes the crappy oil pan designs but we all know it will never happen. Carving pennies or dollars here or there is a stupid way to do things. SVT is one of the few mature names in performance left. I here integra Type R and I think ricey kid car. I here SVT Contour or SVT Cobra, and I think well thought out, mature performance driving machines(The M class of Ford, if you will). Those days are numbered. Cobras with bad intakes, contours with bad trannys, diffs, and crappy interiors, that's a recipe for losing customers. I figure the damage that has been done to ford by itself with these cars will take well more than a decade to correct. Assuming they don't pull out the shotgun of stupidity and shoot themselves in the foot some other way. Aside from recalling all SVT contours and replacing saggin bumpers, crappy trannys and diffs, and fixing the oil pans, there is nothing you can do. But I can offer some advice, go over that focus with a microscope. Put an adult interior in the thing and make sure it can take being driven the way you're advertising it can be driven(i'll be happy to test one for you if you like ). At 16 grand, it has stiff competition from the protégé, GTI, sentra crowd and ford and svt will take a soaking in that market if the car turns out to have and oil pressure problem going around turns a 5k rpm that cause the engine to digest itself. If SVT and ford won't fix the problems of the past, at least learn from them. And again, kudos to you for opening yourself up to what you had to know to be a powder keg of angry ford owners

--chris Hirtzel
95SE mtx

My main concerns are with the basic treatment from SVT.

Unlike some of the others here, I have not had any issues with the tranny, oil starvation, shifter, sunroof, or anything...I will state though, I do have some bumper sag. All in all, so far the car has been a complete joy.

My complaints are with how SVT looks at their customers. I would expect 'no contact approach' had I just purchased a Ford, but I bought the SVT. Other than a couple magazines that have nothing in them for Contour owners and get this, hardly anything that just says SVT...everything has Lightning or Cobra plastered on it , a few issues of SVT Enthusiast, which is now gone (I however did see a Contour article in one...thanks), and a certificate, you guys are non-existent. In my fifth year of owning a Saturn (just your basic run of the mill car) I was receiving invites to Spring Hill, Tennessee, ball game tickets, booklets from SPS Racing (an invite to the aftermarket world), notifications on events in the area, pamphlets on up and coming cars....things I think SVT should be doing, not sending a "This is your last copy" magazine ?unless we get some cash?...and giving it to SVTOA, the site we needed to fight to get recognition from...

No offense, but I get about the same contact from Ford in buying my Explorer...pretty sad to say huh?

If this vehicle is truly Special...we as owners should be treated as if it really is, from the people we trusted when buying it.

Thanks for listening Troy...I am already getting a better opinion by just venting my frustrations


------------------
Joey
2000 SVT Black
#1811 of 2150

MODERATOR
www.svtperformance.com


If you're in a war, instead of throwing a hand grenade at the enemy, throw one of those small pumpkins. Maybe it'll make everyone think how stupid war is, and while they are thinking, you can throw a real grenade at them.

Troy,

Good to see someone from SVT here. I can only speak to my own ownership experience so far. Other than a sticking throttle and a noisy rear suspension, I've had zero problems with the 99 SVT after 47500 miles and climbing daily. Yes, the interior certainly doesn't match up with some of it's competitors and road noise stinks compared to the German/Jap rivals, but I enjoy the exclusivity of the SVT products, so I guess for me the exclusivity was more important than the potential quality issues.

I also recognize the the SVT Contour was SVT's first foray into the FWD performance sedan segment. So to a certain extent I would imagine that the SVT Contour was a "live and learn" experience for SVT just as much as it was for the CEG'ers here on this board.

I for one recognize that we cannot really compare the SVT Contour to the SVT Cobra in brand recognition or popularity. I completely understand why SVT jumped all over the 99 Cobra engine problema, the SVT Cobra is SVT's claim to fame, I would've done the same thing no doubt.

I see the SVT Focus and while it's not for me (have three kids/wife), I see that SVT has learned a thing or two from the Contour effort and I'm personally glad to see it. My only question is:

Is SVT considering an SVT version of any other Ford 4 door sedan at this point in the game?

I for one am trying to plan out what I'll be driving in a few years and I'd like to see SVT get another product offering in the high-po 4 door sedan market, especially since the SHO isn't around any more...



------------------
Regards,

Craig J. Baldwin
99 SVT Contour - Silver - #49/2760 - ES Front Motor Mount Inserts, Bosche +4's w/Magnecore 8.5mm Competition wires, RActive Racing Pedals, KKM/Pro-M 75mm MAF in the garage...

I would like to begin by stating the following things are what i love about my SVT:
-performance, performance, performance
-incredible exhaust note
-sleek european styling with just enough edge

But if the following items were taken care of, I would be a customer for life:

-tranny
-water pump
-oil pan

I have put 27K miles on my SVT in a little over a year and I love driving it, but hate owning it due to all the problems I have experienced. This is my 1st Ford and possibly my last if these issues are not corrected. The SVT Contour is an incredible machine but with some very large flaws. Without these, the car would be simply incredible.

Troy, thank you for taking the time to read thru all of our posts. I do appreciate your effort.

Thank you,

------------------
Mike DeLange
99 SVT Tropic Green

What Toadster said plus:

I love my Contour SVT.

Thanks for making such a great car.

Oh...one other quick thing...

Learn from your mistakes, there's still time, give the Focus a name!

There is a lot of information here, and I want to thank everyone for his or her input. It is good to see that everyone is open an honest with their concerns and I will try to emulate that to the best of my ability.
I don?t want to lead anyone on with empty promises. So, I think I should explain what I can and can?t do.

I think some of the issues that have been raised could be cleared up with an explanation of how a vehicle that has a common issue is found, researched, and resolved. If these steps are not followed, we could converse until our fingers fall off, get upset in the process, and be nowhere in the end. You have to follow a very strict procedure to eliminate the possibility of anomalies. This process is what is followed when a tech service bulletin is issued on a vehicle. When you take your vehicle in for a warranty claim at the dealer the problem and resolution is recorded. If the dealer has no reasonable resolution the contact the tech hotline. The tech hotline is an important component because they can get resolution to highly unique situations as well as recording the number of occurrences. If there is a consistency that shows up with the problem and resolution, it is passed then on to engineers to find root cause. The root cause of any particular problem could be anything from unique environmental conditions to, customer specific use, manufacturing, etc. Once a root cause is established a resolution needs to be made. The resolution could also be a number of things, such as anything from customer or tech education to a newly designed part. As you can see this is a lengthy process but it is necessary. If you concentrate on an issue that is nothing more than a strangely unique situation, you could easily be missing a real issue.

Lets start with the hard stuff first. It appears that the transmission seems to be the most common mentioned item. That makes sense, personally I think that it is the hardest working, most punished, part of the vehicle. Here is the honest part. The MTX 75 is overall a good transmission and has had very few complaints. That doesn?t mean I?m saying you each individually don?t have issues, or the fact that you may have common issues. That?s why I need information from anyone with a service concern. The things I need are VIN, how many visits, where those visits were, what was done at each visit, and a detailed description of what that issue is. There are obviously a number of you so I will also need your patience as well. Some of you are quite correct that I am not going to be able to single handedly convince Ford to give you new heavier duty transmissions, but maybe I can help some of you to your satisfaction.

For those of you that race your vehicles. First the 2.5 Duretec does have a ?windage tray?, so you are on equal ground with the Cobra in that essence. It is simply a piece of sheet metal that mounts under the crankshaft which prevents the crank from ?stirring? up the oil in the pan. Its primary objective is to reduce oil foaming and resistance caused by the crank rotating in the oil. It won?t though prevent oil starvation. The best resolution to that is a baffled oil pan or a dry sump. These are both very costly and are not needed in a daily driver or for that matter your typical weekend passionate drives. There is certainly no reason to worry about driving you vehicle day to day, this simply will not be an issue. But that?s why if you plan on racing a vehicle which accounts for almost all production vehicles you will need a baffled oil pan. This is precisely why the 2000 Cobra R which was designed for racing has a specially made, baffled, Canton oil pan. What I can do for interested parties here is look into any alternatives for the Contour. As soon as I get some info I will post it here for the group. Next as far as the differential is concerned, we were aware of an issue in the past. The engineer?s resolution was a hardened gear set, and a TSB. Again with the hard truth, Ford is not going to retrofit your Contours with a Quaife LSD. If you plan or racing a vehicle you need to appropriately out fit it. This is the same answer I would give someone if you had a, for example sake, 94 Cobra for drag racing. I would recommend a 31 spline 8.8 over the stock 28 spline. Does this mean the 28 spline is a bad design? Absolutely not, that just means in a particular use you may need to customize the vehicle to handle the added stress of that particular use. In the case of the Cobra 28 splines, they would be fine for daily driving or weekend AX, but go drag racing an add slicks and the probability goes up for axle damage. Anyone interested in particular parts should call Vadim Federovsky at the Sho Shop. We have provided them with some support, for example the project car he currently has was part of our effort to help promote aftermarket parts. Obviously, Vadim has done a great job promoting the SVT Contour and we are grateful. Also I would like to add the normal warning, any time you modify your vehicle you can potentially void your warranty. If the added components are directly a cause of the parts failure Ford won?t warranty it.

Now lets talk about some stuff that?s a little more fun to talk about. It appears that many of you would like to see Ford produce an equal car to the SVT Contour for you to transition into. Like the Mondeo etc. I couldn?t agree more. But unfortunately we at SVT have no control what Ford overall produces. In the simplest way I can explain it is we look at what Ford mainstream is producing and select the vehicles that best fit SVT. In the 2002 model year that happened to be the Focus. I know this vehicle doesn?t fit everyone?s needs in the forum. But I have been getting the same kinds of enthusiastic begging from the Focus fanatics since its arrival in 2000, that there needs to be an SVT version of the Focus. One of the most difficult things to do is predict the future, but that?s what we have to do. For instance development starts now for vehicles 4 years out. That?s 2006-7!

Also, let me reiterate that we would love to continue to offer a similar vehicle. I know this is hard to believe but I can?t stress it enough, we didn?t want to see the SVT Contour go. The head of SVT still has his 99. With all of the vehicles that Tom could have he has an SVT Contour. Hopefully that helps everyone understand that we are looking out for owners of this type of vehicle. It just depends on what available from Ford.

I can understand some people wanting the items we are offering in the future, like the premium service and the new features of the 2002 SVT Focus. Who wouldn?t? We try to improve the vehicles every year, and these are prime examples. The 2001 vehicles get the added service functions, because we felt it was the right direction to go. I don?t think anyone would disagree with that. But it is just as unreasonable to make it retroactive, as it would to give a ?00 Lightning owner the ?01 Lightning?s 20 extra hp. Would I love to do that? You bet. Does it make business sense? Not really. I hope I don?t anger anyone more I?m just being as open and as honest as I can be. At least the communication link is here and we can continue to talk openly.

Lastly, I want to stress if you are having an individual service concern e-mail me as much information as you have and I will get someone to help you out.

Thanks everyone

I?m sure I missed something

Troy

Thanks for your reply Troy.

FWIW, Tom Scarpello has his Contour listed for sale in our classified section, I thought that was kinda funny.

"The best resolution to that is a baffled oil pan or a dry sump. These are both very costly and are not needed in a daily driver or for that matter your typical weekend passionate drives. There is certainly no reason to worry about driving you vehicle day to day, this simply will not be an issue."

I want to add that THERE REALLY IS A CONCERN in daily driving about oil staravtion. Since this issue came up about 9 mo ago, we have had about 9 failures, related to oil starvation/spun bearings on SVTs, that 1) were low mileage (<50K), 2)5 of the 9 were in long hard R sweeping turns on the street, 3)All reported wbeing well maintained typically with full levels of Synthetic oil. When I searched farther back about 11/2 yrs ago about 6 more similar failures came up. Not counting cars with 100K + miles or race related failures. Ive talked to Roush racing people involved with Bondurants SVT, and 2 professional SVT racers & discovered that in addition to baffels, and dispite the windage tray oil aereation was occuring and required customs screens to break it up. The Blue Oval News was/is doing a survey on Duratec failures. Please check it out. Talk to people involved in authorizing replacement engines & see if the numbers look high. If SVT can varify a problem exists it would be a big help. I would even pay for a replacement pan if it WOULDNT void my warranty. I realize that this (like the tranny problems) is really more of a general Ford Contour (as opposed to SVT) issue, but Im asking you/SVT to help as I hold out little hope for a Ford intervention.

Troy, appreciate you comming by, I was a little angry about the "priciple of" discontinuing the SVT magazine & offering the newer SVT products a better warranty deal (very important with the somewhat marginal service that some dealers offer). But, I am an avid fan of what SVE did to the Contour- its a truly excellent car & I enjoy it a great deal. I actually would buy another SVT product if it fit the bill as well as the Contour did/does.

Sincerly,
Dan

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Dan
99SVT - Tropic Green
#554/2760
Stock - except minor intake, exhaust, & motor mount enhancements

Probably a good idea .. jj

PS: Just spoke with my Focus driving FocalJet member brother .... not sure if I should post this ...now... Ford Performance is a "sponsor" of Focal Jet.
Would be nice to get a few $ from Ford to help with the upgrades at this site, eh? jj

So where exactly should we email any details about tranny issues?

// Chris Root
// '99 SVT Black / Midnight blue (#2743/2760), new engine @5000Km, revised tranny @20000Km!
// B&M Edge Shifter w/ Mondeo ST200 knob, KKM pedals, K&N, Ray's TH Fix, Fog Mod
// Mobil 1 Synth 5W30, Ford "Gold" MTX fluid, 885 fogs, 50W Halogen reverse lights
// recontents: dash clock, Mystique rear dome light, front bumper braces

Yeah...and his area code and phone number exchange put him in Ann Arbor. Cool.

For me to help at all I need more information than this. It?s not that I don?t believe you, but you have to understand I need a more concise explanation. At the very least I need each VIN, name, service history, and all details about (honestly) when and where it happed. As I stated before the concerns we get are raised through dealer service and the tech hotline, if they don?t exist there then the process never starts. We can?t react without details on what happened. I say this because I personally got deeply involved with a similar concern, after a lot of effort on my part as well as a couple of engineers it was found the customer ran the engine out of oil on numerous occasions. That is why it is very difficult to see actual versus perceived issues. I will do as much as I can to help. Have those particular owners e-mail me and I will take it further.

Troy

troym@campbellco.com

Sorry, thought it would show up in my profile.

Troy

Guys,

Out of curiosity I called SVT to speak to Troy. Low and behold, a guy named Troy got on the phone! We had a very good discussion about all kinds of issues, with the tranny issue in particular (my biggest issue as a 'victim' of this problem).

He assured me that some SVT represntation will be out there at SZ, which is really cool.

He keeps asking us for detailed information on problems we have, including VIN, mileage, details on problems, etc. LETS GIVE IT TO HIM! Can't we put together some type of web-based form on the site? I would like to help out here if I could. I am a developer and could easily put together such a repository. I think that it should be on contour.org, or at least linked directly off of contour.org. If the latter is acceptable to all, I have the hardware up and running, and can put this together very quickly. I am looking for some direction here from the moderators, etc. I am really serious about this...Troy told me that the Tranny failures are not commonplace, and that the only recently started happening. I know if I can aggregate this data, we can prove otherwise. Perhaps we can use the data to make a difference and get some type of compensation, i.e. another TSB, etc.

Andrew

Comments/ideas to this one can be sent to me offline at ancosta speakeasy.org

I looked up you VIN and you are not registered in our database. What you or anyone else interested in a certificate needs to do is fax or mail proof of ownership. That would be any legal document that has you name, address, and VIN on it.

Fax 313-271-6196

or

mail to:

SVT
PO Box 490
Dearborn MI 48121


Troy

Troy,

Since you're reading these, just want to express my thanks that someone at SVT is looking into this. It has been a year since the complaints about these significant mechanical issues starting showing up on CEG.
Thanks again!

Thanx Troy for trying to help..

My SVT has been doing pretty good except for the paint. I know this is a Ford issue but what can be done about it? The color is black and the paint is trashed. It is chipping off and there is a type of spiderwebbing going on. Looks like little scratches in white all over the hood, roof, trunk and beginning to spread to the sides.

There was a post about 6 months ago that dealt with this problem and over 175 people responded. What can I do to get this fixed?

I am the second owner so I cannot confirm how it was taken car of before but my wifes 1990 Accord had better paint and it was 10 years old. No way should a car's paint fail so quickly. Ford should have just taken their cars to have them painted at MAACO; same quality.

If Ford could reimburse me for at least the cost of materials, this would be great. I do not want "Ford" to repaint my car.

------------------
Black E0 SVT #2239
K & N Induction/Res Replaced w/str8 pipe
Silver accented interior/White HVAC panel/Chrome painted front grills
Sony Explod Audio stuff
Koni/Eibach suspension on order...ooohhhh!!

Troy, have you heard about the bumper sag many SVT's have? I don't think anyone has found a fix. I took mine in just after i bought it and was told it was sitting right on all the mounting points and there was nothing else to do. So I was left with a 3/4 inch gap around the rear of my car.

Troy, the Silverfrost paint on my car is really not wearing very well. It looks thin, hard to explain but not a pretty site. I know Ford was looking into the paint issue, but what do we do in the meantime?
bwampler@home.com

1314 - someone posted on how to fix the bumpersag - I believe you have to loosen the rear bumper bolts - push up the sag and retighten....

do a search...

good luck

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Toadster - Todd Christ
toadster_ca@hotmail.com
1998 Silver Frost Contour SVT
#1037 of 6535 built, Built May 16, 1997
Moderator: CEG Northern CA Forum
Toadster's SVT Roundup - home of the Contour SVT Owner's List
MODS: KKM Intake , TH-Fix , Synthetic Oil , 18% Llumar tint , 9006CB Headlamps , TBD....

Troy,

You asked what we want in your magazine... How about some real tech issues being addressed? I would pay $40/year for a mag that was both informative and fun to read. Maybe some customer examples and some cool tech tips? Do's and Don'ts (sp?) things of that nature. I am sure you guys have taken the contour to the extreme in more ways then one... why not share the knowledge gained from that with us? Ways to eliminate wheel hop? Explain key concepts that most individuals don't understand... Give tips on what works and what doesn't work on the strip and on the track... which tires to run in which situations... parts reviews (ford or foreign design) We all have discussions that go on for days that could have been solved with a simple tech document explaining what a part does, if there was a way for svt to help us gather some more information about the cdw27 platform that would be great. I know my post is a little un-organized, but it's hard to express all the thoughts that have been pent-up for sooo long.

A couple things I do not agree with...

1) Why does ford sell svt parts to non-svt consumers? Shouldn't dealerships require a VIN/name to obtain svt parts? Sure that is not bullet-proof but i believe it is a general concern of all svt owners alike (chime in if you agree/disagree)

2) wouldn't you know it... my mind went blank, i will post my other thoughts once i gather them...

i think i have given you a large enough piece to chew on for right now anyway...

please do not take my post out of context, i am in noway angry with svt, just more dissapointed at the lack of effort a specail vehicle team has made to really make my vehicle special.

one more thing... i think we are lacking a contour that we can be proud of... something we can all look up to... i know those boys in dearborn could put together a bad ass little contour that would wax the floor with most of those rice burners... over in europe there are all kinds of mondeos running around that we certainly would be proud of, why not show us what our cars can really do? i feel "Puff" was a weak attempt at best... Nothing special there... we have a couple of member's cars that would eat that thing for lunch... how about building us (or at least showing us) something to be proud of?

I have to agree on the silver paint issue. I noticed where it is thicker on the bottom of the doors there are spots were it was peeled off. What can I do about this?? Anything?


------------------
Ryan
98.5 Silver Frost Contour SVT 5979/6535
Born: May 15, 1998
~Tweaked Airbox, SRP Racing Pedals w/SVT engraved, Saleen Dead Pedal, Fog Light Mod,B&M Shifter, Ford Door Sill Protectors~
**Mustang Dead Pedal on the Way!!**
84 Thunderbird 5.0
ex 93 Modded SHO

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