SVT Contour-Good Daily Driver?

[SVTPoke]

I hope several of you can give me your opinions? I am looking for a daily driver in order to keep some miles off the Cobra. I am thinking of either the SVT Contour or maybe a SVT Focus? Are the Contours pretty reliable? Are they easy to work on? Are parts insanely expensive? Thanks for your opinions.

 

[CLASSVT]

My SVT, and my other contour, have been very reliable. The issues to look for are minor IMO. The older models had a black plastic waterpump impellar which was prone to breaking However the later models have an updated white plastic impellar that works fine. There is also a NAPA replacement waterpump with a metal impellar. The other issue is oil starvation. Long sweeping high speed/rpm right-hand turns will cause oil starvation which can lead to spun bearings. The fixes range from an expensive Accusupm oil accumulator, to updating the oil pan and assembly with the redesigned assembly from the ford escape/taurus. My SVT, and my old SE, are awesome cars to drive. They are very comfortable, but they handle very well, and are a lot of fun to drive. Do some research on contour.org, and learn about what years had what features, as some things changed. For instance 99 and up have 5hp more rated, but 98 and 98.5(i think) have different brakes that some say were better. It would be a great way to save gas and not put miles on the cobra, but the mod bug will still bite.

Edit: My mechanics over the years have cursed my contours for being pains to work on. I guess the way the engine is mounted, plus the lack of space to work in, make it more difficult than other cars. I know header installs are supposed to be really fun on this car.

 

[Wease]

My '98 has been great, had 78K on it when I bought it last year, now it's got 92K and no problems. I average 24 - 28 MPG and it's just a fun daily driver. They can be hard to find now, ones that don't have high miles or have been beat on.

 

[00SVTC]

I hope several of you can give me your opinions? I am looking for a daily driver in order to keep some miles off the Cobra. I am thinking of either the SVT Contour or maybe a SVT Focus? Are the Contours pretty reliable? Are they easy to work on? Are parts insanely expensive? Thanks for your opinions.

I had my 98 for about 18 months, bought it with 109k, sold it with 157k. had to do an alternator, 2 wheel bearings, parking brake cables, and rear pads/rotors. I averaged 27 mpg.

I like the car so much I have had 4. I like them, like the 4 door aspect, and the torque of the v6 over the focuses zetec. The trouble will be finding one that isn't beat for cheap. Clean low mileage ones seem to be holding their value. I sold my 00 with 58k on it for $7500, you could be a lower mileage newer focus for the same amount.

 

[blowns281]

I use mine as a daily driver, had it for about 3 years, put about 50k miles on it, no major problems, I get about 27mpg

 

[4GTNSVT]

I love mine use it as a DD. Had to do wheel bearings O2 sensors and the water pump. Parts were not expensive. Got the car when it had 26,000 miles on it it now has over 113,000. I get about 27 mpg mixed driving and about 30 on the highway. Not as good as the focus on the highway. I don't plan on ever getting rid of it. As for an SVT Focus I love mine to. It runs great and it has been a great car handles extremly well for being all stock. Gets great MPG's and the 6 speed is fun. But I just love my contour more so thats why it gets driven more.

 

[SVTPoke]

So far so good. Keep up the opinions! I've got ads out on both cars now so one is going to win out. I'm looking at an SVT Contour with 62,000 miles on it. NADA is $4,900.00. Is that pretty accurate?

 

[Steve@TF]

if its really clean than that is a very good price. a clean sample with that kind of mileage can easily be found or quite a bit higher than that. up around $6-7k.

svt focus are great as well but are typically priced higher.

either car comes with a LOT of amenities for the money.

if you can find a 3 liter svt contour in your price range, than you'll have a kick ass daily driver! :rockon:

 

[00SVTC]

So far so good. Keep up the opinions! I've got ads out on both cars now so one is going to win out. I'm looking at an SVT Contour with 62,000 miles on it. NADA is $4,900.00. Is that pretty accurate?

I think clean low mileage cars a going for above book now. I just bought a 99 with 46k on it for $8000

 

[Wease]

I paid $5K for my '98 with 78K on it, all stock, adult driven, stored winters. I think I got it for a great price. It's in great shape, except a rock went through my grill and now I have a big hole in my grill...

 

[LilCe98]

I love my 98.5. When i bought it, it spun a bearing but after replacing the engine it hasn't given me any major problems. I would look on Contour.org if you don't win that auction. There is always a few on there for sale. Also find someone on there in your area to help with any repairs because mechanics hate to work on these cars. Also make sure you get the updated oil pan and waterpump. It would save you trouble later on down the road

 

[SVTPoke]

Why do mechanics hate working on these Contours? Also, does the 2000 SVT Contour have the updated oil pan and waterpump?

 

[BlownBayou]

I must have had a bad one (98.5).......Mine was trouble from the first day I bought it. 100k miles with a new motor....... I later passed it on to the wife and every time she called me, I hated picking the phone up. Seemed like something else broke on the car.

Let me try to remember the troubles:

Fog light fuse blew (not major but it gives you a battery light on your dash and you get NO CHARGE to the battery....hence thinking alternator).

While looking at the mega fuse (see first problem......) to troubleshoot, the wire harness just fell apart in my hand and BARE WIRES were showing. Every time I tried to fix, more would come off (like walking on thin ice).

I then get a cam sensor cel due to the wire harness...I call FORD and they basically tell me it is on me (wire harness recall).

Front power seat goes out so I replace it with a manual adjustment seat

Sunroof motor just stops working on it's own. I had to pull the cover and remove the motor. Reinstall motor and the thing would work...WHO KNOWS WHAT WAS UP WITH THAT.

Driver Side window had some issues

The IAC had to be replaced THREE TIMES before the idle got right

Alternator craps out and I finally give up...Buy the wife something different and trade the Contour in (with cel and crapped alternator) for a good 2,000 smacks.

When I was driving it...it was a fun car and hopefully my problems are not across the board on these cars.

Parts are a little high but you are in a car that was made to compete with the BMWs and Mercedes Benz.....

Good Luck on your search

 

[Charley13]

Mine has 163k and only minor problems, gets about 26mpg and a blast to drive. They are a pain to work on though because of the tight motor fit. A mechanic I know says you could throw a handful of dimes under the hood and none of them would hit the ground LOL

 

[timpryor]

i've been thinking of finding one as a DD, all the ones i am running across are like 120k miles and 3-4k, i know my cobra is getting to need a rebuild with only 109k miles, i just dont want something thats unreliable as a DD, especially since gas is getting to $4 and change for premium since apparently thats what you have to run the the svtc

 

[CSVTDEMON]

Why do mechanics hate working on these Contours? Also, does the 2000 SVT Contour have the updated oil pan and waterpump?

Because they are too much motor not enough room to work around,have you changed then probably no!oke:

 

[CSVTDEMON]

Why do mechanics hate working on these Contours? Also, does the 2000 SVT Contour have the updated oil pan and waterpump?

Because they are too much motor not enough room to work around,have you changed then probably no.

 

[nolo900]

I'm trying to sell mine right now if your interested, it's a 2000 with 117k, it's been my DD for the past 4 years and has worked out nicely. Fun, good on gas, comfortable, sucks I have to get rid of it. PM me if you want more info.

 

[CLASSVT]

Why do mechanics hate working on these Contours? Also, does the 2000 SVT Contour have the updated oil pan and waterpump?

Oil pans were never updated on contours. Ford stopped making them before they figured it out. It's not an emergency to have it changed out. I've driven mine with the original oil pan for five years with no spun bearing/oil starvation issues.

 

[Ryan]

Oil pans were never updated on contours. Ford stopped making them before they figured it out. It's not an emergency to have it changed out. I've driven mine with the original oil pan for five years with no spun bearing/oil starvation issues.

Actually, IIRC, they did. It changed the baffles in the pan. The issue with oil starvation is the lack of oil drainage from the 2.5L heads. Oil can't get to the pan quick enough, especially in long RH turns.