1998 Ford Contour Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Overall it's a good beginner's car for those learning to drive since it's small which makes it easier to maneuver and park. It has just the right amount of power and acceleration for a beginner. The handling is surprisingly decent if you're into some drifting and messin around in the snow. The quality isn't the greatest we all know what FORD stands for. The appearance wasn't bad, the interior was fine. MPG was decent maybe 25mpg hgwy. It was a fun car to drive and mess around with some times it drifted not too bad.Dec 20, 2011

You wouldn't know to look at it, but this modest little sedan has a beast under the bonnet. The 2.5L Duratec V6 develops 170hp, which endows the car with some spirited acceleration. Brakes are responsive, linear, and adequately powerful, though I hate to see rear drums on a car that is branded as a sport model. Oh, well. The suspension gives a great balance between ride comfort and handling. It feels stable and planted in hard turns, though I admit I have yet to push it close to its skid pad rating of 0.90g. The shocks seem to be tuned for smoothing out irregularities in the road surface more than anything else; medium-to-large sized bumps can feel jarring. The interior is fairly quiet at speed, with minimal intrusion from road and wind noise. The engine can get loud at high revs, but you can't complain when it sounds this good! The exterior styling has stood the test of time well--it doesn't look as "old" as other cars from its model year. A sleek (but unfortunately nonfunctional) spoiler graces the trunk lid. The interior is a different story. Almost every surface is upholstered in soft grey fabric, which is nice to touch, but pretty boring to look at. Comfort-wise, the seats are supportive, and the driving position is perfect. Every power feature you could expect in a 1998 car is present (though buyer beware: most are options). Build quality is difficult to judge on such a young car (so far only 25k on the odometer). Suffice it to say it hasn't fallen apart yet. Gas mileage is good--wait for it!--for a V6--designed in 1993. I will just state it outright: 19 mpg city, 26 highway (my own figures). It is rated for 22/28, so perhaps driving very conservatively (and without that ice-cold air conditioning), one could do better. In any case, not a high point of this vehicle. Most importantly, though, this car is a blast to drive. The combination of power, responsiveness, and comfort is unparalleled for a car of this type. If you are looking for a cheap sporty car that is also practical enough to be a family hauler or daily commuter, look no further than the 1998 Ford Contour Sport.Aug 28, 2011

The V-6 with a 5 speed and a decent set of tires makes this car the premier vehicle for running from the cops with 3 of your friends. It will eat any stock Japanese 4 cyl in the straight line, and can out corner all but the sleekest of coupes. It's difficult to have more fun in a vehicle for as cheap as you can buy this car now. However, things will break, and they will be expensive. This car was the test platform for such things as a new power steering rack and a radiator that gets installed from the bottom of the car. 30 MPG Hwy / never less than 24 City/racingMay 11, 2010

timing isnt set right so im only runnin on 3 cylinders instead of 4........ my fan dont work so my car overheats...... my two back windows are only tinted and not the very back cause i screwed up tinting the back window......its got a big dent in the driver side back fender..... theres only one speaker that works.....its drives alright but bogs when u first take off and when ur trying to speed up out of town and u push the gas to quick it jerks.....Oct 22, 2009

This car was a last chance for transportation my last option.... And it has treated me fairly well Suspension has issues @ 138,000 miles any car will stiff suspension holds corners well but you can feel each pebble on the road's surface.... mediocre fuel mileage 19-26-ish mpg 0-60 around 9-ish seconds.... manual tranny "sporty gear ratios" means it revs like crazy but burns gas just as fast i started out hating it but have grown used to it's annoying problems like the squeeks rattles pops and snaps and the doors stick open and the locks stick closed 170bhp isn't too bad for a 2.5L v6 I'd say if it is in your price range and runs good get it..... but only with 4 wheel disk brakes the drums are horrible on the base models Dec 12, 2008

Parents had bought this car for a started car for me when I first started driving. Cant really remember the miles. about 83,000. Ran great, handled good. Never had a problem with the car, only brake line leaks in the rear. Pretty good on gas. Loved to drive the car. Car was considered totaled way before I was ready to get rid of it. All because of a rock that was thrown through the back windshield, hitting the roof. Cost of repairs was greater than vaule of the car. Hope they didnt scrap it!Sep 26, 2008

Bought the car in May of 2002 based on riding in a friend's vehicle once, and several reviews which likened it to a poor man's BMW 3-series. EVERYTHING broke on this vehicle within months of purchase. Water pump blew out the day I purchased it, followed by a thrown rod (new engine needed) and a broken clutch six months later. Soon after, transmission exploded catastrophically, and required yet another clutch. After THAT, the slave cylinder failed, and was replaced three times before working (somewhat) properly. Not to mention numerous problems with HVAC, window switches, headlights, brake lights, windows, and a broken seat (how does that even happen?). I spent more money in parts and labor fixing the car than I did when I purchased it (for $7000) Top it all of with poor fuel economy, an engine that bogged like crazy, a sloppy manual gearbox with a grinding third gear, and unimpressive looks. I am glad to be rid of this worthless money pit.Apr 07, 2008

First car was making a humming noise, then later it started over heating, now I have to turn the ignition on and off and pump the gas peddle for it to start. And white smoke was coming out of the exhaust tail-pipe? The temperature gauge always stays on hot. Am not sure how often i am suppose to put antifreeze in? But i keep having to put antifreeze in frequently?May 07, 2007