im a pre-owner of a 98' model contour svt (totaled 1 month after purchase, DAM* montero!!!) and i just wanted to raise the topic of the cars themselves vs. eachother and also SVT team vs. SRT team. Obviously the srt is a stronger car and has many more mods available but as far as durability and all around pleasure how do ya'll think the SVT compares with SRT. ive been having thoughts of getting into another contour due to lower insurance and no car payment

 

no matter what it is, no car payment > having a loan. but i think you summed it up with the srt having lots of parts out there. SVT is ford, SRT is dodge. nuff said

 

I've never driven an SVT anything so I cannot compare them as far as all around pleasure goes, but I know from my performance junkie standpoint that the SRT-4 is by far the more pleasureable to drive. I have driven T-bird turbo coupes, which are pretty peppy, and beat them as well as all other SVT's and SHO's I have been challenged by. As far as durability goes, most every Ford product I've known of has fallen under the stereotype with them breaking down all the time, but I also know of an '88 Mustang GT convertible still running strong with over 260,000 miles on the original motor. It's all in how well it's maintained and treated.

 

the only svt worth it is the mustang. the older sho's are sick with the yamaha manifold, but everything else they've put out has been a disapointment.

 

A friend of mine had a contour SVT and we auto-crossed together. Stock to stock, my neon r/t was quicker for autocrossing. We were always real close, time wise, but I've gotta humble myself and admit I feel he was a better driver than me, so I say the neon is quicker on a tight road course. I would venture a guess that the SRT-4 will smoke it in a drag race.

As far as durability, I popped the syncro gears in my trans, $1200 to fix, 85,000 miles ago. It was caused by my abuse, too many 7200 rpm power shifts. I don't do that anymore.
He went to a Ford only track event and popped the motor on his contour. He admits to $5000 to repair and it was never the same again, mostly electrical glitches. It was what ultimately caused him to sell it.

 

drove an SVT Focus (fukus)... not impressed at all!!! I hated it with a passion! I know, I know... not a contour... but...

I like SVT Mustangs ;-) those silly ones with the snake on them... hehehe...

 

i can tell you all that the contour is nowhere as fast as the srt by any means, but it's a very pleasurable drive. the handling is far superior to a stock srt, and from a personal standpoint i think that the svt is much easier on the eyes fresh out the factory. however they are both fun as the funk to drive!!! i did have a little problem in the csvt at 80k my water pump went out and that cost me around 200$ to fix. if the $ was no issue i would definately stay in my srt, but at 23 years of age im being raped on insurance as well as payment. one main problem off the top of the head right now is the fact that the svt forum sux, so that being said if i were to get back into another csvt would you guys still talk to me....J/K!!

 

I would have to go with the srt4, I have driven cars that handle well, but what is the point when you have to accelarate out of a turn. My brother had a Mazda MP3, the limited edition Protege. It handled a lot better than the srt4, but as soon as the curve turned straight it was over with for the MP3.

 

trust me. if money wasnt an issue then there is no way that i would sell my srt. but unfortunately my job doesnt pay what i need it to. ive been looking at contours and i know that if i find one then i will have to have it shipped to me. this makes me very very nervous! i wont be able to test drive, inspect, etc... ill just have to cross my fingers and hope for the best. has anyone out here had any experience with purchasing a vehicle in this manner. if so please tell me how it turned out!!

 

I had to take a buddy with me to texas so he could pick up his new used car. He lived 400 miles away, so he just seen it on the net. This was at least three years ago and he never had any problems with it. He got a montero with 70,000miles on it. But it wasnt a sports car either.