2nd Jan 2007, 08:58

I bought my 1998 Ford Contour 15 months ago. As soon as I signed on the dotted line and drove home my problems started. I've had to replace my front tires twice, the brakes went, the check engine light stays on, my air bag and overdrive lights flash on a regular basis and now my car won't shift into 2nd gear. This car has cost me more in repairs than the cost of the car itself. Not to mention all the normal maintenance that has to be done. Every time I get into the car with my kids I pray I just make it back home. I will never buy a Ford again because if they can make one car with so many problems why take a chance on another one.

2nd Jan 2007, 14:18

Same type of experience with the Ford Focus POS I had. If Ford can't build its cars right after being in business for nearly 100 years, what makes them think I would ever want to trust them to build one right now?

18th Jan 2007, 20:50

I bought my 98 contour SE manual 5 speed from the original owner at 45K. It had been well maintained and I have continued this: oil changes at 3k, plus recommended checks...it's now at 88K and is just great. No problems & no maintenance to speak of except the tires &...o.k., recently, the battery - which is because I often forget to check if the overhead lights are correctly set to auto turn off. I love my Contour!

25th Jan 2007, 01:43

I have now 21 year old Honda Civic Hatchback (still running and in great shape). I have been reviewing everyones comments and I think I shall still go ahead and get my car. I came upon a 1998 Ford Contour SE and it had only one owner who took care of it. 158,000 kms, but everything works, it's been inspected and it looks great. So unfortunately I'd love a newer vehicle, but this is what I can afford. I hope it will get me a few years use anyways. It does make me a little apprehensive to buy it though...yikes!

3rd May 2007, 18:44

I have a 1998 Ford Contour and I got it for free and its been a great car. Until last week I've been having problems with the filler pipe for the gas and I can't figure out why I was just wondering if anybody has had the same problem.

2nd Jun 2007, 15:45

My son graduated from college in 1998 and I advised him to get a new car for work and being reliable. He traded in his Volvo and got a 1998 Contour. He had to change front tires over and over. The car was not reliable. I bought it from him for a tow car on our motorhome. I'm at 60,000 miles now. Check light has been on since he bought it. Radio is out, trunk light is out, and I had better get a timing belt on soon or I'll be in trouble.

Wife and I both have Explorers, Motorhome is a Born Free with a Ford diesel, 53 Jeep has a ford engine in it and want a Ford engine in my 37 Chev pickup restoring. Ford has made some mistakes with the Contour. If they had done right they might be in a better position. I expect Honda and Toyota, which my son and daughter went to, will wipe out our US market. It is sad to me that marketing is the whole program today. Not service or backing a product. As it stands now, I don't expect USA to make it to 300 years. Big business, lobbying, and trying to bring back near slavery will wipe us out. China and Japan are beginning to see this and prepare for it.

12th Jun 2007, 07:51

I have a 98 Ford Contour SE 2.5L engine. This car started to fall apart at around 55,000 miles. I had to change the front wheel bearings, alternator, starter, and the front axle's. I'm on my second transmission rebuild. I lost 2nd gear last week. This is the worst car I have ever owned. I have done all the work myself with the exception of the trans-rebuild. I have about $2500 in parts and counting. I didn't get the bill for the second rebuild yet. I can't wait to get up the money for a new car and you can bet it won't be a Ford product.

15th Jul 2007, 14:53

Got my Grandmother's 1997 Contour. 50,000 miles of Grandma miles.

What a pile of crap. I had a 1991 Integra with 237,000 miles on it and I think I would rather have that car than this one.

Issues:

Dampers are non-existent, this car cannot stop bouncing and jouncing over every little bump, it takes two oscillations to settle down. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. It is actually dangerous to drive here in MI, you can be thrown feet off course in the middle of a turn from this suspension. Amazing. To top it off, the body shakes like crazy.

The transmission will not select a gear without two or three seconds of indecision. I won't drive an auto again. Very irritating. I am pretty sure they cut corners with the diff because I can hear a lot of tire squeal in the parking garage. Maybe there is no differential.

The wrap no the steering wheel is made out of saran wrap or something, it flakes off and is super slippery.

The engine is rough and weak.

The driver's side window will not go down, this happened out of the blue on a hot day. Lovely.

My family has been a Ford family, Ford put a lot of people in my family through college.

I will buy Mazda, Ford lost a customer with this horrendous car. I can only assume they built this car with no thought and no money. It is garbage and feels very 70's-ish. I can't wait to get rid of it.

29th Jul 2007, 19:58

I bought my 98 contour SE (auto) about a year ago, cheap from a friends mom. It ran great until I ran over a 14" diameter pipe that rolled into the damn road. Luckily, I hit it with the frame. Two inches to EITHER side would have meant a ripped off front passenger wheel or bye bye to the exhaust manifold or whatever is there. Anyways. Now I only have two and a half gears (and I don't know how, but there IS a half), and my check engine light won't let me pass smog. It's, I believe, a P1409 error code referring to the EGR valve. EGR valves are about 80 bucks, but we'll see if that's the only problem. For a Sport, though, it feels like driving a boat. And all my power is gone. It's like it has 2 cylinders left. I have to downshift to the-engine-is-gonna-blow gear to get up hills. It's too bad though. It's a nice, comfy car. Though, a friends dad who is a Ford service manager, said he wouldn't touch the contour with a ten foot pole. Whatever... ciao.