1996 Ford Contour GL review from North America
"Faithful commuter car with few problems"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Front wheels have been making a thumping noise.
Engine runs extremely hot.
General comments?
The car has been great. It is reliable and is pretty powerful for its size and style of car.
But, no one can figure out why the front wheels make a thumping noise at all speeds, nor has anyone fixed the engine running temperature. It just started to burn coolant at 108,000 miles, but has never fully overheated, although the temperature meter runs at the high end of the normal range or even slightly into the red. Forget about running the A/C when driving in town or while parking since it will push the temperature even higher.
Does anyone have an answer to these two issues?
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? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 62000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 108000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 28th August, 2003 |