1998 Ford Contour SE review from North America
"Cheap fun basic family transportation"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Previous owner had some work done under warranty (I don't remember what) and replaced the water pump.
Since I got it, I've replaced the tires (after a bad alignment ate the old ones), brake rotors and pads all around, spark plugs and wires, various filters, an oxygen sensor, and the alternator.
General comments?
Pretty good car...
None of the things that have gone wrong are surprising for a car with 100,000 miles on the clock, and most were cheap and easy to fix (replacing the alternate was a pain the neck, though).
It handles fairly well, though the original suspension is getting tired, and it's got plenty of pick-up for dealing with San Diego freeways. I've even autocrossed it a few times! (No trophies, though.)
It's big enough to take a family of four on a weekend camping trip, but still small enough to be fun getting there on the twisty mountain roads.
Gas mileage is reasonable, depending on how hard you drive it (I get around 21 mpg for a mix of city and highway driving).
It's not the best looking car out there, but it at least its blandness makes it anonymous... and I don't worry about anyone stealing it.
Best of all, it was dirt cheap to buy and insure.
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| Costs too much to keep on the road |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | V6 Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 70000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 100000 miles |
| Previous car | Saturn SL |
| Date of Entry | 7th January, 2006 |