1998 Ford Contour SE Sport review from North America
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The first thing to go wrong was the alternator. We had to replace it completely twice; once 50,000km into us owning it. Next time was 25,000 km after that.
The second things to go wrong were the front brakes, struts, rotors. This happened around 60,000 km of owning the vehicle. This is usually just wear and tear, but after that we had to replace all the parts again. Usually around intervals of 15,000 kms. Dealer was unable to correct this.
The third thing that went wrong was the alignment. I tried to get the car aligned 3 times in one month, but the car still insisted on pulling to the right.
The last thing that went wrong before we sold this car was the back suspension. The back left was correct after the first visit to the shop, but the right back broke 3 times in two months before my mechanic could fix it completely. I will say I didn't have a problem with the back end after that.
The last thing that had gone wrong with this car was the transmission. Which really surprised me because we babied the hell out of the car after the first initial problems. I really thing the previous owner was really hard on it. I don't want to blame everything on the car itself, so I'm hoping I was correct on my thinking.
General comments?
Great ride, but a huge lemon. I do not suggest getting this car unless you have a lot of money to fork out for repairs.
I must admit though this car was very comfortable on the inside and it had some good looks.
If it wasn't for all the issues I had with this car, it would have been the one of best riding cars I've been in from the 90's.
The styling, in and out, really appealed to me.
All in all, I don't suggest anyone buying this car unless you're sure you're not going to have any problems with it.
Not also to mention it was quite fast, even for a 4 banger.
Recommended reviews
| 1998 - Contour SE 2.0 Zetec 125 hp Economic car with stylish body, and great hiway driving |
|
| This car makes me nervous |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5 litre 4 cyclinder Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 1 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 0 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 150000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 250000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Cavalier |
| Date of Entry | 29th February, 2008 |