1998 Ford Contour SE review from North America

A few too many recalls.

Handbrake linkage slips occasionally. Dealer won't even acknowledge this as being a problem.

Engine pinged on hot days. Dealer couldn't find the problem on three occasions and brushed me off. This problem was solved at 100,000 km when I had the plugs changed by a local mechanic.

Wheel bearings went at 115,000 km.

Replaced driver's seat at 120,000 km because it literally broke in half. Found a good seat at a scrap yard instead of paying $3,500 CDN for a dealer to part one out and assemble it for me.

Spark plug wires had to be replaced at 139,000 km.

Ford dealer service is absolute crap. If you approach them with a potential warranty claim, they almost treat you with contempt.

Other than the above, the car is a joy to drive. The V6 sings to red-line and pulls at any speed. This is a stoplight demon which has surprised many a BMW driver. The handling is wonderful, especially doing almost-highway speeds on short-radius cloverleaf on-ramps.

Considering the frequency of minor problems that have popped up over the life of the car, and considering the same from people I know that own domestic vehicles, I probably won't consider buying domestic for my next car (Except if it's a pickup).