new Ford in the fleet....
 

Just puchased another Ford for our fleet. I puchased this 1998 Contour SE with the 2.5 L V6. This car has the 5 speed manual.
Of course there is a story and here it is...

I manage the inventory for the Ford dealership where I work and I ordered this car in early 1997. My boss about crapped when it showed up with a 5 speed. "People want automatics in family sedans" he exclaimed. I'm a car guy and I knew someone would be interested in it. In October 1997 my wife and I decided to get a new car, a Contour. I begged her to get this car but she insisted on an automatic so we puchased an LX Sport with the V6 engine. The 5 speed remained on the lot until the summer of 1998 when I sold it to a couple in their early 50's (go figure). I managed to keep track of the car through the service department. Finally, 4 years later, the customers decided they needed to replace the Contour. They traded it in on a new Taurus. The car only has 37,000 miles and it runs great.

Check it out from the link in my signature.

Cool deal man. I was worried you were gonna get rid of that killer Titanium GT of yours!!

Nice color. What do you think of the Contour overall. It got a fairly bad rap as being pretty unreliable. It, and the Mercury Mystique. They were axed out of the lineup really quick it seems. I can certainly say they are pretty dirt cheap.

Unit,

No need to worry about replacing the 93 GT, it is a permanent fixture.

As for the Contour (and Mystique), they aren't really as bad as they have been made out to be. The V6 engine is world class, designed by Cosworth with cross bolted mains, chain driven DOHC system, and split port induction. A larger displcacement is still being used in the Taurus (3.0L DOHC). The 2.0L 4 cyl is still being used in the ZX2 and the optional engine in the Focus lineup. Transmissions are still being used as well. The problems with the car were electrical harnesses and they are a little cramped for space under the hood making the unfriendly for the mechanics.

The thing that killed these cars, in my opinion, was the marketing. In 1994 you could get a 4 door, 4cyl Tempo for around $13,000. In 1995 a Contour equipped the same way was about $4,000 more. If you optioned it up to a V6, PW, aluminum wheels, etc you were just under $20,000. The car was smaller than a Taurus but priced too close to a Taurus. People either switched themselves down to an Escort 4 door or up to a Taurus.
The window sticker for my 1998 new was $19,615 with a 5 speed. An automatic would have added about $850. We knew the final nail in the coffin was placed when the Focus was introduced. It has almost exactly the same amount of interior space as a Contour.

As for me, I really like the car. It is the second one we have owned and it really runs. The 5 speed makes the V6 really unleash its potential. It is geared a bit agressively, 4.06 final drive puts you at 3000 RPM at 70 MPH in 5th. The upside, no need to downshift to pass, just press the gas.

Congrats! She looks like she's brand new, but I guess with that many miles she almost is. Old people are the best to buy cars off of.

Hope you enjoy her,
§am.

Great looking car, and it does look brand new! Only one problem I can see...its red...blah..but just my opinion.

Good luck with it.

Shibby:)

Thanks for your comments everyone.

Mach 1,

I understand completely about the red. Don't get me wrong, I like red but the last 4 Fords we have purchased are red. We still have the 96 Explorer (Electric Red), 1994 Tempo (also Electric Red), now the Contour (Toreador Red). We sold a 1991 F150 we had that was Bright Red. Oh well, at least we are consistent.