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Grr..."when are you going to say enough with this car?"

I am currently dealing with this very delima. Right now my Tour is needing to have the trans replaced since the front roll resister tore a hole in the casing. I can still drive it fine, just not real comfortable with it and can't drive her hard liek I'd like to at times. Like most of you, I have so much into it just doesn't make sense to stop.

It has a completely new suspension, upgraded leather seats, SVT body kit, SVT engine goodies, 3 sets of wheels, remote start/alarm/keyless. It has 116K and if I find the right rebuilt trans for the right price I will attempt the swap myself. But that leads to delima #2, while I have the engine/trans out, why not swap in a 3L............ where does this end??? Oh and ATX's aren't cheap so dare I attempt a MTX conversion..... :crazy:

We are going to be getting a new vehicle for the wife in the fall and in her opinion I should skip the trans/engine upgrade and keep her Camry :barf: as it is more reliable...but it's still a Camry! And besides i'm not gonna get **** for the tour anyway!
 
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IRingTwyce said:
...As for when is enough enough? .... As long as the repairs can be done reasonably, it is still MUCH cheaper than a new car payment and the higher insurance payments that go with it. ...
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I just keep spending money on tools. :laugh: . Need some new tires before May. Have spent about $400 on tools and maintenance so far in 2007. But it is worth it as the car is my daily driver. I put 20K miles on it last year. Expect 24K or so miles this year. :cool:
 
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I feel sorry for you guys that have to justify spending your own money on what you want, lol. Definetly convinces me I need to stay single for awhile longer I tell every girlfriend I get that my car and truck nobody tells me what to do with, on second thought mabey that's why I am single???
 
My girlfriend thinks I'm crazy for owning two Contours. I just had a fuel line go on the 95, but I'm getting it fixed and keeping it on the road at least until the end of winter. If I sell it, I'll probably buy an older mtx Contour for the winter as I want to enjoy my SVT for as many summers as possible -- no one tell my girlfriend that! :p

I love these cars.. even if no one else I know gets it.
 
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Red99CSVT said:
I feel sorry for you guys that have to justify spending your own money on what you want, lol. Definetly convinces me I need to stay single for awhile longer I tell every girlfriend I get that my car and truck nobody tells me what to do with, on second thought mabey that's why I am single???
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You just have to find the right wife. I'm the one who can't part with my 12 year old Contour. Everything still works perfectly, even the A/C. It has started to leak a little oil, maybe a drop a day. My wife knows that I want a 350Z and she's been trying to talk me into it, but I love the Contour and I'm cheap. Maybe in a couple years it will be time.
 
Jeb Hoge said:
Grr..."when are you going to say enough with this car?"
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for a while I was dealing with this very delima...
but after puting in $1800 dollars in much needed repairs and upgrades, It would be dum to part with it...I've put too much time and $$$ in to it....it would have to be completely destroyed before i get rid of it now.

I've cleared every code but one....P715, which never gose away no matter what i do......So all that's left is a new paint job, so she'll be fully ready for SZ.
 
I have to admit I did not read all the posts. But back to the orginal title "When are you going to say enough"

I bought a 95 in Dec 94, a V6 manual. Drove it until I bought a SVT with 75,000 4 years ago. Gave the 95 to my son who drove it until 229,000 miles. He threw it out and bought a 98 V6 auto with 80K some miles on it. Trans is going and we think head gasket may be gone. Now has over 100k.

In the mean time bought my daughter 97 4 cylinder auto with 80k. Drove it for 20K. Blew a head gasket. Chaged the gasket but I screwed it up, clogged an oil port and spoun a bearing. Threw it out.

Bought my other daughter a 98 V6 auto with 70K for $1500. Needed water pump. Car ran great best deal ever. Looked great too. First daughter barrows car smashes it up.

Bought 98 V6 maual with 120K to replace for $1200.

So right now I have good running SVT with 124K. Decent running 98 SE V6 SE man with 130K. A wrecked 98 with the engine removed to put in my son's 98 SE.

It is almost impossible to find one with less than 100K miles any more and they are all apporaching 10 yeqars old. Great cars and I have had a great run, but it is coming to a close.

So my plan is to drive the Contours in my driveway until they drop. But that is it. I am getting something else for my self, probably a Lincoln LS (I am one of the oldest guys in the froum) giving the SVT to one of my kids and that is the end of the Contour saga.

It has been a great car but they are getting old and continuously need repairs.

Rich S
 
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richs .. I'm going nuts here .. is that six or eight Contours total owned in your family? :crazy:
 
SVT3391 said:
My wife has said that over 100 times.
First time, it was like in late 2004, when I had the 3rd synchro problem. I convinced her by not replacing the car, the $2500 (Ford rebuilt tranny + brand new SVT clutch) was a much better investment than having payments.

Then in 2005 my eyes were set on the Saab 9-2X. She was very generous and said go ahead, with the mutual agreement that this would replace the CSVT. After I got the Saab, I found myself very difficult to part with the CSVT. So again I convinced her that the CSVT wouldn't sell for more than $3500, so it may be as well just keep it.

Then in late 2005, I started to join the bi-weekly meeting of local CEGers. Well, one common scene in the meeting was people selling parts to other people. It marked the very beginning of me modding the car (besides the stereo and speakers -- for obvious reason). One thing leads to another, now the car has fully built 3L from FastCougar, HMS tranny with all goodies, brand spanking new suspensions, new rims/tires, etc., and I am currently drooling on the Burrita Turbo kit.

This has gone way beyond just regular repair/maintenance, and my wife got so sick to mention that again. Well, the compromise I am making, is that I am not entitled to another new car in at least next 5 years. In that sense, it might be just able to justify the cost. Well, at least it keeps me feeling worthy. :laugh:
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Nice story! Good thing wives are pretty similar that way. Keep them driving a nice car and they generally keep the comments about what you drive to a minimum.
 
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