1996 Ford Contour SE review from North America
"Good performance, poor dealer support"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Many recalls. Minor, but required loss of the car one day per recall.
Tires wore out after 7,000 miles. No dealer help. Firestone no help.
Condensate in headlamp assembly. Warranty replacement after two trips.
Flimsy cupholder broke. $95 for replacement.
Repeated false coolant light - Made repairs, but with no resolution.
Transmission speed sensor failed at 52,000 miles. At dealer for two days without it being looked at yet (yes, I'm angry).
General comments?
My wife's car.
Dealer service is slow, not good, and with poor communications.
I really like the way the car handles. Too bad Ford service is so poor.
I'll never buy another one.
Recommended reviews
| 1996 - Contour GL 2.0L Zetec DOHC 16v Good handling car that's cheap to run, and a great gas sipping commuter car |
|
| Great road manners, great performance, expensive to maintain, and in the end, not worth repairing |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5L Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 1 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 52000 miles |
| Previous car | Mercury Sable |
| Date of Entry | 17th July, 2001 |