my first week with my 1998 Ford Contour

[AMCRambler]

Also didn't help that they were the worst Fords built in 20 years.

I agree that Woode's is probably one of the few good ones, since it's ten years old and still going, but the vast majority were total junk piles. Recall after recall after recall, tons of other issues.

I don't think they're as bad as that. Mechanically speaking they were pretty solid cars. The brakes were good, the suspension was good, the Duratec v6 never gave me problems. The major issues I had with mine were the fuel pump going out and the gas tank straps rusted through. The car never left me stranded though. Even when the fuel pump was going out in the middle of a road trip my fiancee and I took out west. We had 15 miles to get to our destination and the fuel pump kept kicking long enough to get us there. It was giving reduced pressure to the injectors so I couldn't maintain 55 on the highway. Managed to do 45 and got us to our destination and to a dealership to get it fixed.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Looks like a sweet ride IW!

You have the 98, which is the first year with the improved water pump (metal impeller instead of the plastic one). I know because the water pump crapped out unexpectedly on our 97 and stranded my Dad (he drove it before giving it to my brother and I).

I hope you get many solid years out of it.

 

[Iron Woode]

Looks like a sweet ride IW!

You have the 98, which is the first year with the improved water pump (metal impeller instead of the plastic one). I know because the water pump crapped out unexpectedly on our 97 and stranded my Dad (he drove it before giving it to my brother and I).

I hope you get many solid years out of it.

I hope so too!

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

My mom had two different V6 Contours - one was quite nice and one was pretty crummy and short-lived. I hope yours is more like the former! FWIW I always enjoyed driving her nicer Contour, as well as her V6 Probe, which had the same engine.

 

[Iron Woode]

My mom had two different V6 Contours - one was quite nice and one was pretty crummy and short-lived. I hope yours is more like the former! FWIW I always enjoyed driving her nicer Contour, as well as her V6 Probe, which had the same engine.

I have been having a lot of fun driving it around.

The woman that owned it before me was told by another mechanic that the car needed $2000 - $3000 worth of work done. So she sold it to my mechanic and bought a used 2005 Echo from him. The Contour only needed a new high pressure steering line and an outer tie-rod which was done before I bought the car.

On Friday I will be getting a pair of snow tires on rims put on my car.

 

[Vetterin]

FWIW.....once upon a time:
The Contour and Mystique were on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1995, 1996 and 1997. Although Car and Driver staff wrote an article in 2009 apologizing for the inclusion of the Ford Contour on the "Ten Best" list, it was the only car the staff did not outright recant from the list, but did cite that, in hindsight, the car should have been considered too small for its price range to properly meet criteria, and that this is the likely reason for the car's failure to achieve widespread appeal.[4] The Contour was also named as an Automobile Magazine All Star for 1995, 1996 and 1997. For the SVT trim, Edmunds.com named the Contour SVT the most wanted sedan under $25,000 for the year of 1999.

 

[DivideBYZero]

The current Gen Mondeo also gets very good reviews. It's a shame you don't get them, but as more Americans get their head around the idea of more fuel efficient and sharper handling machinery then maybe it's time will come again?

 

[Iron Woode]

The current Gen Mondeo also gets very good reviews. It's a shame you don't get them, but as more Americans get their head around the idea of more fuel efficient and sharper handling machinery then maybe it's time will come again?

we got the Focus.

 

[DivideBYZero]

we got the Focus.

Well, only just. You still get shafted with the 1st gen unit. The Second gen is a vast improvement. I heard you'll get the 3rd gen almost right away, so there's that to look forward to I guess.

 

[Zim Hosein]

It's good enough for you to pick me up at the airport I believe!

 

[Iron Woode]

It's good enough for you to pick me up at the airport I believe!

LOL

and it has AC for summer cruising.