Faults:

The only thing I have had to replace on the car since I've had it was the water pump.

While replacing it I went ahead and replaced the timing belt.

General Comments:

The engine light on the car will come on every once and a while, but it only stays on for a few seconds then shuts back off. does anyone know what this could be?

Faults:

Head Gasket blew at 225,000.

General Comments:

I love the Contour LX. It's a great first car. It's very reliable I've only had one problem with it thow, but it have over 200,000 miles on it and it runs great!

Faults:

Springs are broken, but I can still drive it, it just sags in the rear.

Wheel Bearing went it was cheap to fix.

That's all!

General Comments:

I think this is a pretty good car. It's slow, but gets great gas mileage. around 28 miles per gallon.

It's decently comfortable and easy to drive.

I've been beating the crap out of it, powershifting, doing burnouts, even jumping the car and the engine still runs perfectly.

It's good in the snow, I've never gotten stuck.

It's very reliable. I've never been stranded or had any major mechanical malfunctions. At 120000+ it feels like it will run forever.

I've seen a lot of other reviews saying this car is unreliable, but I'm willing to bet previous owners didn't take care of the car. But I don't even take care of it and it keeps on running.

Manual transmission is a little sloppy, but easy to operate. There's a nice light clutch.

I don't have Anti-lock breaks and they have locked up on me a few times. Don't drive fast in this car.

Although the car is by all means slow it's no problem passing on the highway in 5th gear.

Faults:

Had to replace first alternator at about 95,000 miles.

Over the past six months I've had to replace that alternator five times.

Plastic gas cap latch broke off.

Have had to replace a shorted fuse.

Poor gas mileage even when I was gentle on the car.

General Comments:

I will never own a Ford car that is post 1979 EVER AGAIN!

One thing that is okay about the car is the semi-sport tuned suspension. For a gutless front wheel drive car it doesn't handle too bad.

Faults:

Timing belt pulley broke at 90,000 miles.

Starter & flywheel gone at 74,000 miles.

General Comments:

For those of you with starter problems with this car, I have a bit more detail about this issue. My starter and flywheel had to be replaced due to the fact that the flywheel was a metal disk with a metal band pressed into "teeth"; no solid flywheel construction here. My mechanic could NOT believe it; he had to show it to me. Cheap garbage straight from the heap. Quality is job #619 at Ford.

Faults:

My Ford Contour (1995) is a cute little car, but it costs more than it's worth though.

The up keep involved is too much of a hassle and the wiring in the car is shot.

Due to the wiring being so bad, the computer in the car is not as great as it could be, and it doesn't do well on gas.

I have to drive with two feet just to keep the car running due to the bad gas flow.

The interior is holding up great, but everything under the hood is slowly, but surely going under.

General Comments:

Maybe when this car (Ford Contour 1995) was first put together, it was a good investment; but if you're receiving it second or third hand, just say no!

My last car, a 1990 Buick Regal, was the best car I'd ever had. I still have it and it's still running great.