The forgotten Ford that should have been given more Love...

[oldcarguy]

1998 Ford Contour

The Ford Motor Company produced three models that followed the same lines. The Grandpa size Taurus, the Grandma size Contour, and the Child size Escort. Over the years I purchased two of each model for use by my children. One escort was a station wagon the second was a sedan. Both Contours were sedans. Along with both Taurus were sedans.. All but one were purchased new.

Knowing the Ford Built Quality that all three models have. About ten years ago, I was quick to snap up this 1998 Contour. It was owned by a nice elderly lady that was moving into a retirement community.  It was used for shopping and going to Sunday Church and had only 33,000 miles on the clock. She had just put on four new Michelin tires and muffler. I had no need for this car at the time. But added a key-less entry and remote starter.. Then drove it for several months and stored it for the next ten years...

The year 2023 was the year that I started thinning the herd.  And this Contour was the last to be adopted. It ended up being a fitting graduation present for his daughter...

[goodfellow]

Fantastic car the Contour. My wife drove a 1996 model with the 2.5 V6 engine and automatic transmission (I think it was a four speed in those days). It was a great driver, and about as reliable a vehicle you could get at that time. One of the great Ford middle class sedans. We often talk about the old Ford Contour because our daughter was just a baby and we made a lot of family road trips in that car. It's amazing that Ford has for intents and purpose forgotten their middle class customers these days.

[fatfillup]

Sweet car and man is it clean!

Have no knowledge of them but I bet it serves her well

[stokester]

Keep an eye on that Firestone doughnut spare.

This is what my daughter's looked like a number of years ago.  It was in her 2003 Saturn Ion.  I found out that you can't get just the tire and when I went to the salvage yard all the Firestone of that size looked the same but did find a Goodyear that looked OK. 

[john k]

That car is so clean it hurts.  They upped the game so much after the Escort, Tempo, and early Taurus.  Those cars kept the Ford mechanics busy.  I have radial tires on my Jeep that just passed 8 years, look good but have had a bunch of radials disintegrate by this time.  Low mileage cars like that dont happen often.