SVT Contours?

I'm considering a replacement car for my '91 Miata. I'd like to stick with a compact(ish) car with good performance. At this point, it's a thought experiment, but I might move on something by the end of the year if I find the right car and get good and motivated.

I recently thought upon the SVT Contour. They're available all day long between $2000 and $4000, and I've always liked how they look. I'm curious as to whether they have some major, common flaw that makes them particularly undesirable. Also, are they competitive in any type of motorsport?

I'll also entertain suggestions. Something between a Miata and a Contour in size. Hatchbacks are a major plus. Escort GT and SVT Focus are already on my mind, though finding a good former is tough, and finding the latter in the only acceptable color combo -- orange with gunmetal wheels -- is also tough.

Anyone?

No, I don't want another Miata. It's been fun, but I'm ready for something different. And though I've managed to haul a lot of stuff in it, I could use a little bit of real cargo space.

I went from a '96 Miata to a '99 Contour SVT so I'm here to help... They will spin a rod bearing with sustained hard right cornering other than that they are pretty tough little cars, and that's just an excuse to drop in a 3 liter motor I bought mine with about 99k on it and ran it for 45k or so with no major problems, but it did need a water pump and a/c repair when I sold it.

Didn't know that the price range was so reasonable. So looking on CL, I found all of them but one in the 1000-4000 range. Wow.

Even found a 3.0l for $1500. Challenge car.

I've always wanted one of these...

But since it's not a hatchback, i'd also implore you to include the 1st gen Protege. (Same as EGT, but you knew that, just in sedan form.)

It's "The FWD Miata."

I liked mine. It did spin a bearing on a hard right hand sweeper. Aside from that 120,000 trouble free miles.

Are these oiling issues due to the sump design? Can you fix them with a baffled pan?

Tyler H wrote: Are these oiling issues due to the sump design? Can you fix them with a baffled pan?

And a related question: Does the engine need to come out to install a baffled pan?

I was going to say I bet an Accusump would help.

"Learn me SVT Contours" thread from 2009

pigeon wrote: "Learn me SVT Contours" thread from 2009

As I said in that thread, I loved mine. With the passage of more time and the additional perspective that it offers, I'd go so far as to say it's one of my favorite cars that I've owned. Fun, cheap, good mileage, and awesome seats.

For some reason this car and the SVT Focus are always on my curious list. I really want to try owning one because they look cool and sound good on paper, but every time I start to grab my wallet I read all the horror stories and get scared.

I've done the EGT, they're great fun. +1 on the Protege as well (had 2). MX-6, Probe Turbo, DSM, etc all good. Those are all getting pretty old though. If you actually want to move up in model years a bit, I'd say go for the SVT Focus (Orange or that wild metallic Blue). Other new-ish hatchbacks would be a last-gen Integra GSR, or a newer Focus hatch (is it the Zetec or the Duratec?) with the SVT suspension swapped on (I keep hearing about this one on the boards here, and it definitely is striking the "interesting" button...).

pigeon wrote: "Learn me SVT Contours" thread from 2009

I posted pics and info about my 2000 SVT contour in the thread above so I won't bore you with a complete recounting of my SVT history. Suffice to say, "It was fun in the beginning."

It was an interesting car that was really cool when it first came out but I was dissappointed with the quality. And after throwing tons of money at it, it was still just a contour.

I'm not an expert, but I seem to recall the very first thing done to them for any kind of performance was an aftermarket oil pan. Poor baffeling, oil starvation, destruction. Other than that, and the typical Ford build quality of the day, they were a nice little car.

Javelin wrote: Focus hatch (is it the Zetec or the Duratec?) with the SVT suspension swapped on (I keep hearing about this one on the boards here, and it definitely is striking the "interesting" button...).

Yeah its the duratec and it does push the interesting button since it's a lightweight hatch with good aftermarket support. This is a dyno http://s791.photobucket.com/albums/yy191/happyhands_photos/?action=view&current=Comparo.png comparing before and after a cheap knockoff manifold was installed on what I am guessing based on the before numbers a full bolt-on duratec 2.3

2003-2004 would be the years to look for :)

Sorry for the threadjack.

Add ZX2SR to your list, if you can find one. I had a '96 Contour SE, 5 spd. Almost an SVT. I ran a track day at Lime Rock, wich is all right hand turns. never lost oil pressure and drove the car for thousands of miles after. Not arguing, just saying.

since contours are not the least bit compelling to me, I will think of some suggestions...

For that kind of money you could get a pretty nice '91 318i 4dr.

Maybe some kind of SAAB turbo?

How about a G20?

pigeon wrote: "Learn me SVT Contours" thread from 2009

oh I remember that thread. That's the one that prompted me to start my own thread, asking if anyone had ever seen a dead nissan vq before. I still never have.

yes i have seen dead vq's 2 3.0 vq's in maximas both from broken chains. and 3 or 4 3.5's from poor maint. for 2 and the other 1 or 2 do not remember. any engine can be killed. as an example. my first experience with a mazda bp involved me calling it a pos cause it blew up with 64k on it, or well lost compression,

Dad used to have one. I had the luxury of daily driving it for a couple months when I was 18. That was an excellent car.

It's funny the completely different impressions people can have of cars. I remember when they were new, I got one as a trade-in at the saturn dealership where I worked. We all wanted to take turns giving it a thrashing. The owner of our store decided he wanted to go first. He came back after half an hour and declared it "faster than my S2000 in every way". He then proceeded to forbid test-drives without a salesperson present.

Alan Cesar wrote: I'm curious as to whether they have some major, common flaw that makes them particularly undesirable.

The wiring harness is pretty badtacular. Google search 99M03.

An acquaintance wanted to autocross his Contour, so I took him with me one week. First time on a course ever, and he spanked me by a second. The SVT moved pretty well!

I remember my friend's younger brother blowing three transmissions in his. He was a Mustang guy and liked to power shift so the car didn't have a chance. It seemed like a fun car though.

Reminds me of a friend, many years ago when we only had three speed transmission. He bought a brand new Ford V-8 . Went through 3 transmissions before the factory said no more. He liked to power shift . Even then.

back when i had disposable income, i cross-shopped the '96 contour SE (it was pre-SVT) with the 2.5L duratec and 5-speed versus a couple of integras (a '93 GS hatch and a '95 GSR hatch). i hated the shifter and the position of the power window switches in teh contour, so i bought the '95 GSR.

now i have an '03 Mazda6 with the 3.0L duratec and 5-speed with what feels like the same friggin' shifter that was in the contour. the Mazda6 reminds me very much of the '00 CSVT (or is it SVTC?) that i drove a couple of times when a good friend owned one. so if you want something newer, a little heavier, and a little less beaterish, consider a first-gen mazda6 with the V6/stick.