Ford Countour..Good or bad

[travlincub321]

Ok I found a really cheap, very nice, 99 Ford Countour to get me by until i get this mess with the malibu solved..Seems As if no one cares but the dealer

Anyway...

What can one tell about them?? Its a 99 V6 with 81K

 

[norgeway]

It is a Ford....

You cant go wrong!!!

 

[travlincub321]

LoL, i know..

Its $1,800.. and the more i thunk on the malibu the more i think its going to only get worse

 

[travlincub321]

Theres the car in question..Any opinion matters.. Im stuck and this is cheaper than fixing said malibu

Autotrader - page unavailable

 

[hoover1100]

Wow

It's a European Ford Mondeo. I didn't know they sold them in the US as well.

Interestingly marketed as a "compact" in the US, considered a large family car over here.

Matt

Ford Mondeo - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[bugsyjones]

Interestingly marketed as a "compact" in the US, c

It's just our American ways!

I do consider it a compact. I personally prefer full-size automobiles. There's something about the luxurious spaciousness of a big car that I love so much.

Now for practicality, if I lived in Europe, the Contour would probably be a decent choice in car.

I'm not a huge Ford fan, and for where I live, the Contour would not survive the winter commute.

I say, if it's in good shape, and it suits your needs, go for it!

~Tim

 

[sudsmaster]

Hmmm. 86K? I'd ask if the timing belt has been replaced. If not, it's probably overdue. Most modern engines will self-destruct if the timing belt breaks.

Better yet, have the car checked out by an independent mechanic. Before buying.

 

[travlincub321]

I will.. LoL, the mechanics who have my malibu are great

 

[whirlcool]

How long are they going to take to fix the Malibu? Buying a car to replace it in teh meantime is pretty expensive. I would say renting a car for a month will be cheaper than buying one.

 

[jaxsunst]

I had the '99 Mercury version of this car, and I have owned a Malibu. The Contour/Mystique is a vastly superior car. 81K is not bad for 99. I would ask about the timing belt. Some Ford engines have a chain driven cam that does not require replacing, I would ask about that.

 

[iheartmaytag]

My Sister-In-Law

Has a 1999 Contour. Only complaints they (My brother and her) have had is some of the cheap plastic parts tend to break, then they aren't cheap to replace. It cost $18 for a new oil dip stick when the top came off. Other than that, she just got back from St. Louis and thinks nothing of taking trips. In the last 10 years it has been a very dependable car.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Most Fords (notice I did NOT say 'all') have timing chains not belts on 6cyl and large engines, and I suspect this car is no exception. Most of Ford's recent SOHC and DOHC engines have had timing chains.

The V6 in the Contour is the basis for the DOHC Duratec V6 that has been so highly praised in Taurus, Escape, and other vehicles. It is a high power engine that is most durable if taken care of. We have several at work that have over 200k miles on them with nothing more than oil changes and spark plug replacement.

Definitely get a trusted mechanic to give the car a general looking over, but if there is nothing glaring, it sounds like a good deal.

I am a Ford guy here, so I admit some bias (Mustangs, Rangers, and an Explorer) but I have never heard much derrogatory about the Contour/Mystique line.

Gordon

 

[travlincub321]

The malibu needs THE ENITRE front suspension replaced and gm is willing to foot some of the bill.. I know it was a used car, but when 3 dealers, 1 independent front end shop AND sears all tell me that i needs tie rod ends, struts, steering shaft, ball joints, wheel hubs and such at $3,000.. You would scream too

 

[kenmoreguy64]

If GM is willing to pay even part of that bill, then there must be some significant fault on their part, otherwise they would not have any part of it in these times. How many miles does the car have on it?

 

[travlincub321]

68,000 miles... I am afraid of the damn thing now.. It snapped apart while i was driving and ughhh

 

[iheartmaytag]

Have you filed a report with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, or National Highway Traffic Safety?

There could be some secret fixes that GM would be willing to cough up for you, if enough complaints are made a recall could be issued where you would get your money back.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Yeah, I tend to agree. 68K is out of the regular warranty range, so if you had a catastrophic failure like that and they are willing to pay for a part of it, they know they have a flaw on their hands.

 

[scott55405]

Wow who knew so many people had this car. I too have a '99 Mercury Mystique, which I purchased new and which, by the way, does NOT have a timing belt. Mine is a 4 cylinder manual. I have 76,000 miles and it has been a wonderful car. It's had brakes, tires, battery and a new radio (CD player quit in pre Ipod days), and just this past spring a power steering pump. Other than that just the usual maintenance. The a/c works perfectly and it pretty much still looks like a brand new car. Even the headlights are still original. It gets great mileage and as long as it runs and looks good I will drive it. I've been in a Malibu. This is a Mercedes compared to a Malibu.

 

[j2400]

Interestingly marketed as a "compact" in the US, c

It's interesting how many cars are like that. For much of the world, a Honda Civic is a family car. Here, it's a small "second" car for many. And I think I heard rumblings once that VW made a special Jetta (larger) or was thinking of it for the North American market.

I've always bought foreign cars. One major reason is because I've always bought smaller cars. I have never had anything with more than 4 cylinders. Detroit's vision, historically, appears to have been that small cars were only for those looking for second cars, or those too poor to afford better. I think I heard that Henry Ford (the one in the 70s) even said "small cars, small profits." Meanwhile, the foreign companies take small cars seriously.

I will say that things do appear to be better with Detroit and smaller cars. I know nothing about the Contour, although it's got to be better than the 80s Tempo which it replaced. (The Tempo will go down in my personal history as being simply the worst driving car I have ever had the misfortune to drive.)

I recently rode a few times in a Ford Focus, and I was impressed by what I saw. I could see myself considering one...when, that is, it's depreciated out to my next-to-zero price range.