HANDLING ...POWER...USED PRICE

REAR SEAT ROOM

GREAT CAR...ROOMY FRONT ..FAIR REAR SEAT GREAT 0 - 40 GREAT BRAKES GOOD SIZED TRUNK GREAT ON GAS FOR A V6

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CHEVY MALIBU...= GARBAGE

the V6 engine is great. good power and accelration. Mileage is great. trunk space a plus.

parts are expensive, mostley exclusive dealer parts.

I now have over 100K miles on the carwhich has definitely taken me to places. But the car has also cost me some money. since owning the car I've had the transmission rebuilt at around 90K, had the Catalytic converter done, the passenger front window has been stuck for 2 years now and i refuse to spend money on it. The cup holder broke within a year. The check engine light has a bad habit of turning on every so often and then turning itself off. i've had the water temp sensor changed. Also has a bad habit of not opening the gas door from the front. i always have to open it manually through the trunk. Shifting does jump and make a loud clunking noise as mentioned in another review. I ecpect this car to ast a lot longer but it seems like everything isstarting to break down. The 100 K before tunes up is a lie. I've had it done twice already and replcaed all the wirings and plugs.

GREAT RIDE. DECENT MPG. GREAT POWER. DECENT CD SYSTEM. LOVE THE TRUNK SPACE.

ENGINE PINGS ALOT. FIXED BY REPLACING PLUGS AND COMPUTER. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. FORD DEALERSHIP SAYS IT NEEDS INTAKE GASKETS AT 70K?! COST $400. I JUST DISCONECT THE BATTERY TO TURN THE LIGHT OFF. I HAD THE INTAKE BOLTS TIGHTENED, LIGHT STILL COMES ON EVERY 5K OR SO.PAINT SUCKS.I GAVE THE CAR TO MY SOON TO BE X-WIFE. I BOUGHT A KIA. I LOVE MY KIA.

BAD, BAD FORD. SHAME ON YOU. MAKE THE CAR IN MEXICO AND SAVE FORD MONEY. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE, THE ROTORS AND FRONT BRAKES, ALL THE 100,000 MILE PLUGS AT 50K, THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN REPLACED BY FORD UNDER THE 80K/8 WARRANTY ON EMMISSIONS, MOST FOLKS DONT READ THE WARRANTY, A LOT IS COVED UPTO 80K BY THE FED GOV ON ALL CARS. IF YOU DONT SAY ANYTHING, THEY CHARGE YOU. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES REPLACED AT 36K AND AT 72K. THEY ARE BEING REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NEVER BY BF. GOODWRICH TIRES, THEY SUCK. THE PAINT ON THE BUMPERS ALWAYS PEELS. HAVE HAD REAR REPAINTED 4 TIMES, STILL PEELS. THEY PAINT RIGHT OVER THE PEELING PAINT, IT STILL PEELS. WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAINT THIS TIME. I HAVE HAD THE FRONT AXCLES REPLACED AT 70K.I LOVE MY CONTOUR. DOING MOST OF THE WORK MYSELF, I HAVE SPENT CLOSE TO $500 IN 2002. I ALSO REPLACED THE SPARK PLUG WIRES AT 60K.

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I LOVED MY FORD ESCORT 1993

engine gas milage aperance handling

cup holders

I would like to put in my 2cents and say that this is a nice car. For the 4 years i have had it, there have been very few probems. Had to have the trans (auto) replaced do to neutral droping to much, and the o2 sensor replaced. Past that the only thing that ford could of done to better the car (and i think every contour owner would agree with me) would be the cup holders. To say the least they suck. Other then that the engine (2.5 v6) has a respectable amount of power and with all 107k miles is still running strong. The handling has a nice tight feel to it.

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2002 taurus ses

Runs like a top. Good power, Never been in the shop(while iv had it) Very good gas millage

Cheezy cup holder, Gas door stuck shut and wouldnt open for a short while

From what I'v heard and read these cars are the most reliable at 100k miles and up. Mines exactly that and I'v never had a minutes trouble with it. I have the 2.0l four-cylinder with a five speed and its pleanty powerfull. Very good high millage car.

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none(I had a truck before)

2.5L V6 is a world class engine, despite the problems. Good torque and smooth. Ride quality in the GL Sport is great for a medium size car. Nice conservative styling.

Fuel economy High vehicle noise level (road noise) Too many problems Terrible transmission calibration/brakes

I've had my '97 Contour 2.5L V6 Automatic since new off the lot and now have 65,000 miles. I've had a tremendous number of problems with the car so far which I will share with you. Ford needs to put more money and effort into building a higher quality product than this. Problems I've had: Hooting noise from the air system on decel from 2000 rpm down to idle often leads to stalling or engine dying. There is a Ford Technical Service Bulletin on this which suggests replacing the rubbber intake to the throttle body with one that won't resonate. This fixed my problem. $75 for parts. This should be a recall but wasn't. Check engine light has come on and off every few months for 6 years now. HEGO sensor was replaced once. Check engine light returned a few months later. Engine coolant light comes on and off every so often for 5 years, doesn't appear to be an issue otherwise. Driver side window motor failed in the DOWN position on a cold winter day. $350 to repair at dealer. Lost one of the coil-on-plug inductors just out of the 3 year warranty and lost a cylinder. $350 to replace. Highest Fan speed setting on the heater/vent control died after a horrible burning plastic smell for two months. Replaced under a recall. Also replaced light switch and brake system pressure balancer under recalls. Car would lose power steering or stall in a corner when going through a water puddle with the passenger side front wheel. This is another TSB to install a plastic water shield in the wheel well to prevent water from hitting the belt and slip. This fixed 90% of the problem but this should have been a safety recall in my opinion. Steering wheel rubber dampening to isolate engine vibrations wore out at about 15,000 miles. Caused jerky steering wheel response until worn out, then fine but vibrates with engine a little now. Plastic strap on gear shifter (PRNDL) cracked and split at 40,000 miles. Now gear is always in Reverse. Set it by feel for gear. $200 to buy whole assembly to replace this plastic strap. Should be a recall also but is not. Transmission will decouple from engine in 4th gear or 3rd gear (locking torque convertor) as soon as gas pedal is let off. This makes the vehicle slow down extremely slowly with no engine braking, requiring hard braking with your foot to slow the vehicle down and faster brake pad wear. Brakes are very poor and lock up quickly in wet. Car is very touchy on ice/snow. I often drive in 2nd or 1st gear slow on any snow. Engine calibration needed to be updated once to smooth out the engine for control. It was too touchy and jumpy before the new calibration was put in the computer. Much smoother after this. Transmission sometimes goes "clunk" and is harsh when shifting now. I haven't changed the fluid yet which may help this. Loud "rrrwwaaaackkkk" noise from the back when going around corners. Suspect springs in the back spare tire area making noise. Try the Ford dealer for the TSBs I mentioned above if you have these problems.

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Mercury Tracer, Honda Accord, Mazda 323

-control -looks -price(sometimes) -good on gas

-Bad on ice -Few fault products(gas door, trunk) -Uncomfortable seats -Small space

This car seems like a very nice speedy car when i first got it. Then I started to have problems with it. It was missing two engine mount bolts and one was broke off. The trunk wouldn't open, even with the key. The gas tank door wouldn't open. Hard shifting at times(automatic). But it has a few good things though. Good control, nice look. but seems to small and is terrible on the ice.

Powerful, reliable, inexpensive. Terrific handling, Really no problems to speak of, although that pesky "Check Engine" light does come on occasionally.

Wife doesn't like the comfort and fit of the fromt passenger side seat, Also, the dashboard has a bit of a chintzy, plastic-y look and feel to it. Cupholder is sub-par

What a great car! I have the 5 speed with a V6 and its one of the fastest cars I've ever owned. Runs great, handles beautifully. Leather seats, good sound system, etc

Powerful, reliable, inexpensive. Terrific handling, Really no problems to speak of, although that pesky "Check Engine" light does come on occasionally.

Wife doesn't like the comfort and fit of the fromt passenger side seat, Also, the dashboard has a bit of a chintzy, plastic-y look and feel to it. Cupholder is sub-par

What a great car! I have the 5 speed with a V6 and its one of the fastest cars I've ever owned. Runs great, handles beautifully. Leather seats, good sound system, etc

Unbelievable car when it works.

Terrifying when it doesn't work. And since you never know when it's going to happen, you drive around terrified. Since the problem won't go away the dealership's service station has become more and more distant - won't return phone calls, ignores my emails and faxes. They know they sold me a LEMON.

The car is a dream when it works. When it doesn't is a nightmare! More than 10 times I have brought the car in for the same DANGEROUS problem: When driving the car will accelerate on its own. I never know when it's going to happen. The first 8 times I would bring the car in and the dealership said they couldn't find anything. The head mechanic even drove the car home to see if he could get it to act up. Finally I took it driving with him. Well, it did it and it scared the hell out of him! After that they got it to happen a few more times. Well, they thought they fixed it by tightening the wire harnesses. Wrong! This time it not only accelerated on its own, it then wouldn't accerlerate at all and I was going up an on ramp to the Pontchartrain Expressway. I was really lucky no one was behind me or the back end of the car would have been in the front seat with me. On top of everything, this time it had to be towed in. Just like all the other times, they can't figure out what the problem is, but since it's not acting up anymore (according to them), they want me to take it home and keep driving it. Unconscionable! My car isn't even three years old! Based on what I've seen on this site, I've got even more horrible things ahead with this car. Anyone who owns a Contour should get a full refund. Oh, and one of the power windows is sticking and about to go, the rear window defroster has died, the gas gauge doesn't work properly once I get below a half tank and one of the back doors squeaks horribly.

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None. This is my first car.