[atomicalex]

I went out to lunch today with some co-workers and rode to the place in a 96 Contour.

Whoa. Now I really wonder why anyone complains about the prices of Golfs and Jettas. This thing was noisier than my Rabbit, was less-well screwed together, and had a nastier interior. I'm comparing it to a car that 14 years older than it, too. When I think of our 95 Golf (comparable to the Contour), I wonder why on earth anyone would ever buy a Ford.

In fact, I wonder why anyone would even compare a Jetta to a Contour. The 96 Jetta not only was better looking, but the interior was two levels up from this piece of trash. The seats were cheap, the dash was shiny plastic (imagine the glare off that!), and the door panels seemed to be made out of cellophane. Contrast that to the Jetta, which came with a (sort of) soft touch dash, seats with rear pockets and enclosed rails, solid doors, and NO THREADS HANGING off of anything. Admittedly the car was 9 years old. But I'm comparing it to our Golf, which we sold at 9 years old, too.

The 96 Ford Contour: Redefining shitbox!

 

[JakeFrep]

My condolences.

I can't believe I test drove one of those things in 96.

:nervous::nervous::nervous:

And apparently the Contour isn't the only vehicle that suffers, quality-wise...

http://www.autoextremist.com/page2.shtml#Rant


Edit: to add artice link.

 

[Elias]

I can’t stop laughing…

I’ve been with my company for many years and have traveled all over the US on business. At every airport there was always a silver Contour, courtesy of Hertz, waiting for me. Sometimes I swear it was the same car following me around. Aside from the jet fuel smell permanently soaked into the interior, they were all as you describe!

Back in 95 I drove a Mondeo in Europe and was very impressed. I came back and actually contemplated a Mystique with a 5 speed.

 

[scotty_passat]

but did you drive it? not a bad handling car...v6 5-M was a decent combo. they did cut too many QC corners though.

 

[Medrosje]

I wonder why on earth anyone would ever buy a Ford.

watch it! don't make me come back out to the Detroit Metro area.

 

[Antoddio]

but did you drive it? not a bad handling car...v6 5-M was a decent combo. they did cut too many QC corners though.

Yea, my bro has one...held down pretty solid as we pulled up to 110 mph. Decent in the twisties too. Of course his cheap plastic dash has a nice wave to it. It's not bad if you drive it on a smooth road. I am guessing it is not nearly as expensive as the Jetta, so expect some compromises.

 

[Altair 4]

There is a black-on-black SVT Contour in our building parking lot even as I type this. It's heavily tinted, so I can't comment on the interior, but the exterior is pristine (and frankly, not bad looking, IMHO).

 

[passaturbonium]

There is a black-on-black SVT Contour in our building parking lot even as I type this. It's heavily tinted, so I can't comment on the interior, but the exterior is pristine (and frankly, not bad looking, IMHO).

Yea they look nice...

My friends father has one....or should I say had one....its been sitting in the driveway for over a year now. Not sure whats wrong with it...

Its a V6, and when you open that engine bay......it is stuffed. I would hate to work on that car. When it ran it was much slower then my stock Passat (at the time). His father has an AUTO.

Interior is just redicules....beyond bad IMO.

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[Syncroq5]

Sometimes I swear it was the same car following me around. Aside from the jet fuel smell permanently soaked into the interior, they were all as you describe!

I can't stop laughing at this.

All this time I thought the Contour and Focus (sans sedan) were the best Fords available

 

[Antoddio]

Yea they look nice...

My friends father has one....or should I say had one....its been sitting in the driveway for over a year now. Not sure whats wrong with it...

Its a V6, and when you open that engine bay......it is stuffed. I would hate to work on that car. When it ran it was much slower then my stock Passat (at the time). His father has an AUTO.

Interior is just redicules....beyond bad IMO.

Its V6 has 170 HP and uses regular gas, and less of it. Also if its timing belt snaps, you just have to put on another one...not rebuild the engine. Sounds like better technology than my VW V6, which is only +20 HP.

 

[Syncroq5]

I have a co-worker with a V6 mystique who tells me he gets only ~20 MPG. Then agian he is a BIG man.

 

[mark_j]

I have a co-worker with a V6 mystique who tells me he gets only ~20 MPG. Then agian he is a BIG man.

Well, I weigh about 300 lbs and I get 21 city/28 highway in my 99 V6 B5, so I don't think being big has a huge effect on fuel economy. A Ford V6 that gets around 20 MPG sounds about right anyway.

I had a rental Taurus last summer, and I cannot imagine a worse car built within the last 5-6 years. The Contour must really be bad.

 

[scotty_passat]

This car *is* one of ford's best...as a Mondeo.

http://www.fordaustraliaforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59

I had a SVT (200 HP duratec aka ST200) for a while (purchased new), it got ~28-32 mpg highway and about 26-28 in mixed driving. cool motor (with a baffle pan or an accusump), excellent handling/steering/brakes, *crap* gearbox, questionable cost cutting/build quality (even the proudly made in Kansas city sticker fell off) and shitty dealer service (yes it *is* worse than VW, example watched the techs lift the car with a belly pan lift and crush the side skirts) = traded in after 1.5 years and 21k miles at a 40% loss from sticker.

If I was smart I should have gotten a mexican-built mystique or regular contour V-6 loaded with leather, moonroof, 5-speed, etc. after rebates they were about $15k new at the time (SVT was $21k with minimal negotiation room and no rebates "its a rare car" )

 

[Postman]

You people bad mouthing the Contours don't remember what it replaced.....the Tempo. Possibly the worst Ford ever. Pretty bad when the Contour is a drastic improvement.