So, the G20 may be going bye bye soon.

Yeah, so anyways. Today I was running around town, when I decided to stop in and test drive a 98' SVT Contour. I think I am hooked. If I am hooked, the G20 will be traded in, or sold. :o

noooooo.... dont cross that line!

the SVT Contour is a modded out granny mobile! :)

Originally posted by b-b00gie
noooooo.... dont cross that line!

the SVT Contour is a modded out granny mobile! :)

lol, :hehe: and the G20 isnt? :p

That may be true, but the SVT Contour will whip a stock G20 any day of the week. However; if i were you i'd research the Contour very carefully before you purchase. A friend of mine owns one (not the SVT model) and it has been nothing but problems since day one. If you're going to trade in the G20, i'd look at cars that will have good reliability while still being sporty, comfortable, and stylish. Hell, i'd take the SVT Focus over the SVT Contour. It's cheaper, can carry more cargo, has more go-fast parts, and is more reliable (at least, as reliable as a Ford can be).

-Grant

God I hate Ford. Just hope your tires dont blow out, your engine bay doesnt catch fire, an I hope you dont mind owning a unreliable POS.

Originally posted by kbslacker
Yeah, so anyways. Today I was running around town, when I decided to stop in and test drive a 98' SVT Contour. I think I am hooked. If I am hooked, the G20 will be traded in, or sold. :o

Has your employer drug tested you lately? :right:

I have a friend around the corner from me who parted with his 92 SE-R for a 98 or 99 SVT Contour. It's a POS. He's fed up. He's fed up. He's already replaced it with an Acura TL and is looking to unload that turd.

I can put you in touch with him if you want info or want to buy it.

Lol, please! At the VERY LEAST, DON'T GO WITH FORD!!

If you do.. well, my prayers are with you :rolleyes:

You know, I actually like Ford. If I was going to buy American, I would buy a Ford. In our family we've had nothing but good luck with our Fords, my brother has a 91 Mercury Cougar with 180,000 miles and it still purrs like a kitten, pardon the pun. And we've had 1 Explorer (my brother flipped it, and if you're thinking that it was the tires, it wasn't. That Explorer had Goodyears), 2 Mountaineers, the first a 97 which we put 60,000 miles on in 3 years was still like new when we got rid of it, and we now have a 2000 Mountaineer which now has 20,000 miles on it.

For possibly the only time ever I am going to agree with some G20 owners. :p

Kris you have taste! dont buy a damn reskined ford mondeo, the ultimate sales rep car!
Some body restrian him, before he ruins his life! :eek:

Originally posted by Moppie
For possibly the only time ever I am going to agree with some G20 owners. :p

Kris you have taste! dont buy a damn reskined ford mondeo, the ultimate sales rep car!
Some body restrian him, before he ruins his life! :eek:


LOL, I love the sig :silly2:

At least import a Cosworth for the love of God.

get the new G35, should be at dealers around March of 2002. I talked to the people at Infiniti in Monrovia. (CA)

:huh:

I can't even find a picture as obnoxious as this thread deserves... :rolleyes:

I think you know what i think of Fords KB :mad: :mad: :mad:

Originally posted by pRiMeRaCeR
get the new G35, should be at dealers around March of 2002. I talked to the people at Infiniti in Monrovia. (CA)


And how much are they going to run? Yeah, exactly. I dont want to be stuck in a car payment. If I sell the G20, and decide (yes, I am undecided) to get a SVT Contour, I could easily pay cash for it up front.

Originally posted by kbslacker
I could easily pay cash for it up front.

Followed by more large cash payments every 6mnths for the life of the car getting all those little things fixed that seem to be excluded from the warranty becuase ford knew about the faults before production began yet is to cheap to fix thier mistakes.

Why the hell don't you just go out and buy a Pinto, or an Explorer fitted with Firestones?

I always thought the Contour SVT was a pretty nice car. :confused: I wasn't aware of the reliability problems.

I'd stick with the G personally. While it wouldn't beat an SVT Contour stock for stock, I think there is more potential from the SR20.

kbslacker

Too bad the Contour was not imported properly over here. The Ford Mondeo is a pretty kick ass vehicle overseas. For some idiotic reason, Ford decided to swap out the engine, transmission, suspension and practically all other forms of European quality and put American parts into it.

Oh well.

Originally posted by kbslacker
Yeah, so anyways. Today I was running around town, when I decided to stop in and test drive a 98' SVT Contour. I think I am hooked. If I am hooked, the G20 will be traded in, or sold. :o

What unmitigated gall you possess to commit an act of such brazen betrayal!!! May you be struck with the curse of the G20 forum for the rest of your days!!! :D :toothless :silly:
Why not just use your hardearned cash to simply max out the performance of your G? Besides, the Contour isn't as reliable as the G20. My $.02

:coolguy: :coolguy:

Okay, all you people keep saying it is unreliable, and cheap. But yet none of you can tell me why, and how? Why is that? Is it just because you are assoiciating the Ford name with this car?

ahh go for it i say. if i could have a svt contour id take it too. ill take 200 hp over 140 hp any day. who cares if it ford. do as u wish :D

Originally posted by kbslacker
Okay, all you people keep saying it is unreliable, and cheap. But yet none of you can tell me why, and how? Why is that? Is it just because you are assoiciating the Ford name with this car?

Motor go BOOM.

My buddy with the SVT was without his car for several months while waiting for Ford to send a new engine. The engine on his two year old car croaked in a major way. But suit yourself. :D

Originally posted by P10DET


Motor go BOOM.

My buddy with the SVT was without his car for several months while waiting for Ford to send a new engine. The engine on his two year old car croaked in a major way. But suit yourself. :D



Well, I can name problems with 2-4 year old Nissans that I have seen as well. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by kbslacker
Well, I can name problems with 2-4 year old Nissans that I have seen as well. :rolleyes:

Two year old Nissan needing a new engine for a reason other than neglect? :rolleyes:

Sell your car and buy the SVT.

Originally posted by P10DET




Sell your car and buy the SVT.


Okay thank you daddy. :)

Just trying to save you some trouble in the long-run. We have a Ford, and personally, I think it is garbage can on wheels.

I know a couple people with SVT Contours, and they have had 0 problems with them. For the most part, newer Ford are most certainly not unreliable cars. Ford just got that image with the Pinto, Fairmont, Tempo, etc, all cars that were absolutely horrible and were unreliable. I think it's time to break that misconception, my car is just over 10 years old, has 115,000 miles, and has never had or needed any major work, just brakes (worn), and a tie rod.

Anyways, back to the Contour, it can't really be compared to a regular Contour. It has a special head and complete chassis massage, and is a very different animal. 200 horsepower with a 5-speed only in a car that size makes quite the mover. Stock it will do 0-60 in about 7.1 seconds, for about $10,000 -$13,000. I don't know much about G's, so I may be wrong, but I doubt you could get a 1998 G20 to do the same 0-60 for that price.

The Contour actually has a better safety rating, close reliability rating, and higher performance and comfort ratings on most major car info websites.

While the G20 is an awesome car, and has great potential, you have to invest quite a bit in order to match what the Contour gives you right out of the basket. I'm willing to bet that parts, if ever even needed for either car, would be a whole lot cheaper for the Ford. I'm not here to say that the G20 is a bad car, in fact, I love them. I'm just presenting the facts that the Contour isn't such a bad car either.

BTW, this is my 3000th post :eek::eek:

Originally posted by kbslacker




Well, I can name problems with 2-4 year old Nissans that I have seen as well. :rolleyes:

FYI, Ford has low quality standards. My buddy bought a brand new Mustang GT and within a year he notices that it consumes alot of oil. In a couple of weeks it would consume 1 quart of oil. He brought it to the dealer and they told him it's normal if the Ford uses 1 quart per 950-1000 miles. Under their standard it's consider normal so they didn't do anything. That means that before you do your regular 3000 mile oil change you could be 3 quarts low and it's normal :rolleyes: What really hurts is that my buddy baby that car like no other. If you want more examples I have more friends with Cobras, F-150 and I can tell you the trouble they have with Ford products....

L8r,
G20er

In the news a couple weeks ago.

http://chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0111060172nov06.story?coll=chi-business-hed

Under Nasser, Ford squeezed annual price cuts out of its suppliers, but quality slipped and warranty costs skyrocketed.

"When the profits go away, as a supplier you find ways of cutting corners, and the quality suffers. Every time someone has initiated something like this, the result is poor quality," Keller said.

Even the CEO of Ford admitted to a quality problem in the company. However the first part of fixing a problem is realizing you have one.

Kris, if you can get a good deal, go for it. I don't own a Ford and never have, therefore, I can only speak from what I've seen and heard. Maybe it won't be so bad.:cool:

Personally I'd give it a lot of research first. Don't take what a bunch of monkeys have to say about it second hand. Go right to the monkeys that know first hand. :D

if people want empirical evidence concerning ford's unreliability look no further than consumer reports. top rated cars. almost all honda, toyota, and nissan. used cars to avoid come from the detroit big 3.

yes, some fords last forever and some nissans end up pos's. but in the long run the big three from japan are better buys quality and comfort wise than the trio from detroit.

the g20 has been a perennial reliable car on consumer reports' annual auto mag while ford family sedans are used cars to avoid.

just like g-force's post (i read that article too) the dtwon big three could make better cars but they want quantity over quality.

ford-fix or repair daily
found on road dead.

the ford contour svt sounds like a nice car. edmunds picked it over the a4 and the g20 in a shootout. but alas its a ford.

do your research at the library with consumer reports.

Originally posted by G-Forces
In the news a couple weeks ago.

http://chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0111060172nov06.story?coll=chi-business-hed



Even the CEO of Ford admitted to a quality problem in the company. However the first part of fixing a problem is realizing you have one.


Well, I guess I will beokay then right? I am not buying a 02' Contour. I They dont even make a SVT now then do they? The one I am looking into is a 98'.

I understand where all of you are coming from, and I will say thanks for all your opinions. But I am not going to just run down and buy one because I want to. I am doing research, looking inot the known problems, the common problems, recalls, etc. I even know of a few good mechanics to take one to to have it checked out. This is not a fly by night deal I am looking at.

Besides, if anything happens, I still have by trusty, reliable Civic. :silly2:

i drove a 2000 svt before i got my g it maybe faster but i dont think it handles as well as the g's do and plus its a domestic the only domestic cars i buy are trucks

We have a SVT Contour owner on the boards. I'm not sure what experiences he's had with it, but I'll ask him to come in here and share his first-hand thoughts...

Originally posted by kbslacker
Well, I guess I will beokay then right? I am not buying a 02' Contour. I They dont even make a SVT now then do they? The one I am looking into is a 98'.
:confused: Donno, bad quality doesn't just happen overnight. :D

I was looking at a Mondeo before I bought the T4. The Mondeo's we get in NZ are ok ... just ok - unless it's one of the Paul Radisich (THE RAT) signature cars. They are supposed to be excellent.

If your wondering who "THE RAT" is - Paul Radisich is a Kiwi touring car driver who cleaned up the BTCC driving the Mondeo.

Originally posted by T4 Primera
If your wondering who "THE RAT" is - Paul Radisich is a Kiwi touring car driver who cleaned up the BTCC driving the Mondeo.

And before he starting driving tin tops he was quite the open wheeler. IIRC he was a Pro Formula Super Vee champ here in The States. I think he has Formula Atlantic and Formula Pacific experience as well. Come to think of it, I think he was Formula Pacific champ about 10 years ago.

Originally posted by G-Forces
Personally I'd give it a lot of research first. Don't take what a bunch of monkeys have to say about it second hand. Go right to the monkeys that know first hand. :D

I offered to put him in touch with a former SE-R owner who got rid of the SE-R for the SoVeryTerrible that needed a new engine after two years. BOOM

Originally posted by primera_gte
fix or repair daily
found on road dead.


First On Race Day

Nowadays The Rat mainly races the Shell team Falcons in the Australasian V8 Supercar series. The series consists of Ford and Holden V8 only, all others were regulated out after Sierras, GTR Skylines and BMW M3s made the V8 cars into moving chicanes. Aussies don't turn up to watch 'little cars' embarass their beloved V8s.

Anyway, THE RAT put his name to a performance version of the Mondeo which is, by all accounts, very much better than the normal ones. Sorry, I don't have the specs for it.

FWIW I think the Mondeo is a good looking car, better than the Primera.:flash:

no i think 2000 was the last year they were made

sleepy

I hope you guys don;t mind me joining your forums. If anyone has any questions about the SVT I'd think I would be of great help answering any questions. So let the Q's fly.


Thanks
Eric
1999 SVT #206/2760
too many mods to list

i too have a contour svt and would be willin to answer ANY questions you guys have


i own a 1998.5 Supercharged SVT....with MODS>>>

so ask away:cool:

It's good to see some SVT owners in here. Maybe you could put up your likes/dislikes about your car, and any known problems that you know of. Here are some of the things I have found out so far. The water pump tends to go out at around 65k miles. I guess some people are having a little problem with turning right very fast and spinning a bearing in the engine. Basically no one knows why, but it seems to happen when you are ½ or less on the dipstick, and revving hard around a long right hander. I guess there is also some slight problems with the dash warping? I heard that it was recall for that, but not sure. One person I spoke to said it was replaced by Ford. I am still looking to verify that. But all in all, I have not talked to to many actual SVT owners that have hated their purchase.

of course im a little partial, but i will try to be not biased....


ive heard alot about the dash warping, i have a 98 with 56000 miles and i have yet to have my dash warp

some ppl complain about sqeeks/creaks/rattles, same thing i have yet to have this complaint

the waterpump impellers are plastic, so they tend to go at about 60000 miles like you said....i still have to replace mine.....


as for oil starvation, and blown motors......i drive my car hard, no problems and i take many corners, both left and right..(since i have the ground control/KONI setup).........AND i have a vortech blower on my car, so it stresses my car even more than normal

any other questions, let me know

I own a 99 SVT with a 00 svt engine, I blew the motor because of my OWN mishap not the motor itself, plus it's nice having that extra 5hp..205 instead of 200 from the 99, and yes I have verified that. My dash did warp and yes it is under recall, I had mine replaced already. I'm still using the same water pump, it has 80,000 on it.

Dislikes First:
dated interior dash (radio, heater controls etc).
thats it...sorry G owners..

Likes:
OMG the engine in this thing is awesome..
car responds excellent to mods
handling is by far better stock vs. stock than the G-20
I know I sold both.
very strong top end
0-60 6.9 sec stock 15.3 1/4 stock
as far as the ford reliability issues go, I've had no problems with mine except when I toasted the engine due to my OWN ignorance, not the motors. Also I use to own a 93 Probe GT with 153,245 miles on it before I sold it. I can only speak from my own experiences. I think the G cars are nice cars but nissan seriously underpowered the car, other than that I would own one (G-20t) also.

Thanks
Eric

205 verified? huh? who verified that


the most hp they ever were was 200.........

Hey Corey, I use to work at Galloway Ford in Ft. Myers, FL. They are an authorized SVT dealership, use to sell cars there. Ford only left the 200 hp rating on the last spec sheet because they knew they were going to stop production long before the 2000 came out but had to change the displacment due to regulations. Well I don;t know if it is verification enough for you but the mechanics there at galloway who speak with SVT consultants...ala problems etc. have to give the mechanics exact spec..etc...so it was the mechanics (2) who told me this at the dealership.

Eric

ok cool:right: :)

KB: You know you're cool w/me, but that car isn't (no disses meant against those who have had good luck).

I've seen too many Fords (literally) blow up, go to crap, etc. to ever want one. :( And I'm not particularly partial for my G20... I would buy a number of other cars (although most are imports since they really do rate better in the long run: higher values as time goes on, better general consumer ratings for reliability, etc)

If you wanna ditch the G, find something else. Heck, tell me what it is you're looking for in a car, and I'll make you a list of "Tangie approved vehicles!" :p

Originally posted by saturntangerine
KB: You know you're cool w/me, but that car isn't (no disses meant against those who have had good luck).

I've seen too many Fords (literally) blow up, go to crap, etc. to ever want one. :( And I'm not particularly partial for my G20... I would buy a number of other cars (although most are imports since they really do rate better in the long run: higher values as time goes on, better general consumer ratings for reliability, etc)

If you wanna ditch the G, find something else. Heck, tell me what it is you're looking for in a car, and I'll make you a list of "Tangie approved vehicles!" :p

My mom's '88 Escort wagon died in '89 haha.

I think back in the old days 80's and early 90's the margin between imports and domestics realiability was BIG! But nowadays, late 90's, it has been reduced significantly. I strongly believe that Ford has some catching to do with things like fit n finish, but as far as engines go I think they are right up there. I'm seen my share of imports blow up myself, but I don;t let that create an image that all hondas and toyotas are like that. Actually I've seen more hondas blow up than fords...but I still believe hondas are more reliable. It is all in your perception.

Thanks
Eric

Oh, dear it turning into a Domestic versus import debate,
with only one small problem, the countor is not an American car.
Its simply a rebadged and slightly restyled Ford Mondeo from the UK/Europe.
The car is used almost exclusivly as a company car, and has about as much status as a company car gets, i.e. very little.
There were some hotted up v6 versions, (the SVT to you yanks) that were sold here under the radishe name as was mentioned earlier, but they still not really that special. With 200hp the SVT version is clearly a bit more modified, but Kris look at like this, underneath its still a very ordinary car, like my Civic depsite its agile handling and V8 killing power to weight ratio is still a littel shopping cart underneath.

At the end of the day your looking at buying a rebadged and repowered version of a car that uses early 90s tech, was designed to be mass produced to a very low standard, and will be remembered for very little, except maybe having one of the more attractive shapes for a company car.

But at the end of the day its your desicion, if you drive one, and like it, and think its better than other cars you've compared it to, and you think its worth the money then go get one.

"..........and will be remembered for very little, except maybe having one of the more attractive shapes for a company car. "



will be remembered for very little...... hes not lookin at buying a ferrari, its a contour:)

I read the post about a '93 Probe w/ 153,000 miles........what does this (simply a rebadged Mazda MX6/626) have to do with the Contour/Mondeo/Mystique. I'm sorry to sound rude, but that's like me saying Ford Trucks are great 'cause my ancient Ford Courier (aka Mazda B-series) was well-built.

Hey, I like Fords (especially the Merkurs/Sierras they stopped selling here too soon), admire greatly the SVT (my head swivels each time I see such a nice, understated Q-ship), but my heart is with Nissan now! Find yourself a nicely maintained, used G20 and go from there. Stout, punchy 4-cylinders beat porky, hard-to-work-on V6's!

Originally posted by northwestrally
Find yourself a nicely maintained, used G20 and go from there. Stout, punchy 4-cylinders beat porky, hard-to-work-on V6's!


I have a G20, and a Honduh. Its time for a change.

For less money than buying a new car, you have the option of making your G almost brand new with more turbo power.

Just my 2 cents.

Originally posted by p_r_i_m_e_r_a
For less money than buying a new car, you have the option of making your G almost brand new with more turbo power.

Just my 2 cents.


Ummm, no. You have the option of building the motor to be almost brand new, with boost. I would still have a 7 year old car.