Ford Contour

Price Paid:  $15000.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
2001 Contour SE

Strengths:
* color (ocean blue)
* price was wonderful
* definitely the trunk space!

Weaknesses:
While the backseat is supposed to be suitable for 3, with a carseat in the back, only 2 (including seat) are really comfortable. Also, I must agree, the cupholders are in a terrible position.

Summary:
I Love It! The car is extemely sleek (outdoor and indoor). I ADORE the trunk space! As a single mom, I can get a monster stroller, groceries, plus many extras inside with no problem. I also noticed the minimal noise at highway speeds, but I still feel like I'm cruisin' in a BMW. It's sporty, and it gives me necessary room, being a mom of a toddler, without getting having to get a "family car" (I'm only 23!)

Similar Products Used:
Pontiac Sunfire---Contour wins hands down!
Hyundai Excel---Ditto!

Price Paid:  $18000.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
2000 Contour SVT

Strengths:
Looks great in red. The exterior styling is appealing. It sounds great and the steering has a silky feel. Handling is second to none in the small sedan class. Good power. Quiet interior, no squeaks or rattles.

Weaknesses:
There must be 500 lbs of glue holding the body together. Assembly was not the best in some areas. The cool looking wheels have large openings. This means they stay dirty. Maybe too much plastic in the interior. Where's the jack?

Summary:
This is an update to an earlier review. Since finally beating down the lousy dealer, I have enjoyed a very nice car. The SVT has a goodness about it that makes you want to get in and DRIVE. It handles well, rides smoothly and looks great from all sides. This car has a manual transmission and it shifts great. The engine makes a lovely growl above 3500 RPM. Good power. As I said earlier, the dealer that sold me the car wrecked it and wouldn't make good, but after complaining to Ford, they sent a product engineer to look at it. He authorized repairs and now it is much better. Thank you Ford. Note: if you want to find a good dealer, try checking to see if they won the presidents award. That "blue oval" award is just marketing.

Similar Products Used:
Acura integra, Honda Accord, Mazda 626, Mazda RX7, Honda Civic Si, Ford Taurus, Toyota camry. The SVT is comparable, but is more exclusive.

Strengths:
Looks, price, performance

Weaknesses:
back seat space is sort of cramped

Summary:
Purchased the 2000 Contour Sport SE on January 23,2000. I traded a 1995 Contour GL for this car. I wanted a car with more power, so I opted for a Contour Sport SE. I Paid 18,500 for the 2000 Contour Sport SE. I like the way the car handles. It also looks nice. I am very satisfied with this car so far. I did not have any problems with my 1995 Contour GL. I bought it used in 1997 with 28,600 miles on the odometer. I would recommend this car.

Similar Products Used:
1988 Tempo, 1995 Contour GL

Year / Model Reviewed:
2000 Contour SVT

Strengths:
Unique appearance, loaded - power everything, moonroof, 16" z rated alloys, leather, cruise, etc. Great engine rumble in the high RPMs. Excellent handling, great high end power, huge trunk. Euro-style sets it apart from any car on the road.

Weaknesses:
Disappointing low end torque, high speed cabin noise, "premium sound system" stinks, cramped back seat, poor resale value, cheap interior components.

Summary:
Trying to find a similar overall automobile would require going with a BMW or Audi, which will cost at least $4k+. At this price, no car can really compare. It would be diffcult to find a V6, 200hp, 2.5 liter DOHC, leather, moonroof, power everything, keyless entry, 16" alloys with z-rated tires. 0-60 around 7 seconds. 1/4 mile 15.1-4.

Great value, but unfortuntely Frod dealerships have a bad reputation as well as problems with quality. The discontinuation of the Contour may further increase dealership and quality issues.

So far I am extremely happy with my purchase. Test drove many cars that were similar packages - Honda Accord V6, Mitsubishi Eclipse GT, Acura Integra, Chevy Monte Carlo SS, Mercury Cougar. While many of these cars were nice, they had one or two things I didn't like about them. As well as the fact that they were all $3,000 + more than the SVT Contour.

Similar Products Used:
97 Honda Accord EX. The Accord seemed to have more of a "qaulity" to the plastic components in the dash. Decent ride, but for the price, I prefer the SVT for it's power, "uniqueness", handling.

Year / Model Reviewed:
2000 Contour Sport V-6 auto trans

Strengths:
Zippy acceleration, responsive handling, HUGE trunk, decent gas mileage considering the power, enough rear passenger room for my two pre-teens, and just darn nice looking!

Weaknesses:
Cup holders are very poorly placed - very difficult to reach while driving (I have to maneuver around the gear shift and under the dash, two obstacles that often knock my drink out of my hand), zero interior luxury, lots of road noise at highway speeds, and I can feel a lot of heat coming from underneath on long trips (making for some very warm feet, especially since A/C is panel only). For the price, however, I appreciate the emphasis on performance rather than luxury.

Summary:
I paid 19,500 for a loaded (except ABS) 2000 Contour. I decided on the Contour after comparing several models I've rented, and I was pleased with the handling, responsiveness, layout of controls, and (let's face it, I'm a woman) the nice looks of it - it fits quite nicely into my BMW-populated zip code. I bought the Contour as my first "grown up" car, having just graduated from the single-parent, sub-compact, manual transmission economy class (Ford Aspire, which was a fantastic little car for me for five years and 100,000 miles).

I'm pleased with the gas mileage I've been getting (about 23 around town, 29 on the highway), and the 15-gallon gas tank gives me good distance between fill-ups. One note in case any of the people at Ford are reading: I've got quite a collection of scars and scrapes on the index finger of my right hand - every time I remove the gas cap, unless I'm thinking about it and very careful, my finger gets scratched by the fuel door catch.

With 19,000 miles in 9 months, I've put my Contour to the test, and it passes with flying colors. I spend a lot of time on the road with my kids (daily commutes and weekend road trips up and down the west coast), and I can't afford any downtime. The reliability rating of the Contour is a comfort, and I've had no problems with it so far.

Similar Products Used:
Contour wins hands down to its Chevy, Dodge and Mitsubishi competitors I've rented.