Bonneville SSEi or older SHO?

[JC316]

That wiring harness problem is a BITCH on the 98 Contour. The cars are nice, great handling and fully loaded, but they are unreliable piles of shit.

[chevyhater01]

The cars are nice, great handling and fully loaded, but they are unreliable piles of shit.

Care to elaborate?

[DON SVO]

Care to elaborate?

Oil starvation and electrical issues. The 98s especially liked to set on fire.

[JC316]

Oil starvation and electrical issues. The 98s especially liked to set on fire.

All of that, plus the fans go out and cause overheating. The transmissions are sketchy at best. Seen a fair share of timing belt tensioner failure on the 2.5L. Never had an SVT coutour though, they might be better.

[Murph Tang]

Bunch of good info. I've been considering the same route. I just wish the SVT contours were a little bigger. I always had to have the seats moved way up to fit people in the back seat.

The contours SVTs are fun little cars. The only issue with them is if they were low on oil going around a tight corner will spin a bearing easily.

Alot of guys put the Vulcan 3.0L and have lots of fun in them.

[Denny]

As a multiple SHO owner I love them. However you would need to find one someone that did the maintenance otherwise they are a pain. I have one daily that has 200k and gets 26mpg. One I play with on road courses with 200k and loves to go around twisties. I have one I Lemons race with and I have one that loves to play with crotch rockets (then I get to relax in cold ac.)

Gen 1s 89-91 have more styling. Motor is what I love. Harder you drive it the more it goes. They after all are just big motorcycle motors.

PS: run on premium.

I've got to see this set-up one day.

[Murph Tang]

I've got to see this set-up one day.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/650972/1992-ford-taurus

[DON SVO]

All of that, plus the fans go out and cause overheating. The transmissions are sketchy at best. Seen a fair share of timing belt tensioner failure on the 2.5L. Never had an SVT coutour though, they might be better.

Like murph said, the oiling issue was a killer. Stories of the cars developing for knocks from spirited driving because of how poorly the oil pan was designed...

[Denny]

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/650972/1992-ford-taurus

Fuck me...

[Wicked98Snake]

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/650972/1992-ford-taurus

Awesome dude!

[Murph Tang]

Awesome dude!

Thanks. Its just a Tore-Ass though.

[Z06killinsbf]

What kind of maintenance is required on the SHO's? Also replacement items like struts and clutches? Is there any "hidden" costs when doing repairs? I know on my old contour that the strut bushings were $100/ea and needed 4. That's before you even bought the expensive ass struts and let alone drop springs.

[JC316]

The contours SVTs are fun little cars. The only issue with them is if they were low on oil going around a tight corner will spin a bearing easily.

Alot of guys put the Vulcan 3.0L and have lots of fun in them.

Think you mean the Duratec 3.0L. The Vulcan is the base assed 140HP taurus motor. The Duratec is the 3.0L DOHC 200HP job.

[Murph Tang]

Think you mean the Duratec 3.0L. The Vulcan is the base assed 140HP taurus motor. The Duratec is the 3.0L DOHC 200HP job.

ahhh yes Duratec. Sorry.

[Murph Tang]

What kind of maintenance is required on the SHO's? Also replacement items like struts and clutches? Is there any "hidden" costs when doing repairs? I know on my old contour that the strut bushings were $100/ea and needed 4. That's before you even bought the expensive ass struts and let alone drop springs.

Clutchmasters makes everything you would ever need. Strut choices are down to koni, kyb blues and stock. Alot of guys buy cargo springs (taxi) springs and cut them to drop. You can purchase the whole strut, spring, mount combo from Monroe which is nice...but its a stock type strut. I run this on my daily.

Most people are unfamiliar with the engine so they don't want to work on them but pretty much is like eveything else.

Parts are higher than a Mustang or Camaro buts its more of a specialty car. I can still get just about everything. Junkyards have lots.

Rod bearings are the big killer in the V6. Years of non changing Pennzoil type of oil wears them out. Plus the motor loves high rpms. Change the rod bearings is the first item to do. Then run Castrol and you'll be fine.

Just saw my buddy who has a 423k mile SHO that he beats on all the time. Oil changes and rod bearings every 150k or so. Sturdy motors.