1996 Ford Contour GL 2.0L I4, teal clearcoat Metallic with premium alloy wheels. I have done quite a bit of stuff to the car so that it feels like 'mine,' and to make it stand out from every other car on the road. Here is a list of stuff that I have currently on it:
I wouldn't be anywhere with this car if it weren't for the guys in the Contour Enthusiasts Group. They seem to know everything about these awesome cars. Major props to them, and the mailing list.
New Tires and Wheels: The difference between 205/60-R15 and 215/50-R16 was very noticeable. The Comp T/A VR4's, while not the best performing tire in the world, made a huge difference in handling. Ride quality slightly deteriorated with the smaller sidewall, but it's a very good tradeoff.
Old Tires: The Dunlop D60-A2 JLB tires are nothing less than AWESOME. After replacing the stock Firestond FireHawk GTA's at 30k miles, these Dunlops make the car feel like a European luxury car in comparison. They handle much better in the dry & wet. The car seems to corner on a dime, especially while going through the north Georgia mountains.
Springs and Struts: Adding the firmer struts from the 95 SE model Contour and H&R springs made a tremendous difference. The car is really flat during cornering and brake dive is almost completely gone. I was very impressed. If I were to do it again, I would have the struts and springs professionally installed. Working on a car that was almost five years old at the time with stock suspension was a real pain in the ass.
Intake and exaust: Kurtz Kustomz Motorsports has put together a nice little package to give the Zetec equipped Contour a open air intake ala K&N filters. The sound after putting on the open air intake and replacing the muffler makes me think that there is actually an engine stuffed under the hood somewhere. Freeing up the system has given the car a good 10HP in the SOP dyno. The sound isn't loud and obnoxious like some of the rice-boy cars you see driving around, just a nice growl. Well worth the money for anyone with the four banger Contour.
Spark Plugs & Wires: I was having a little trouble getting the car to idle correctly after starting first thing in a very cold (for Atlanta) morning. Had the car's computer reprogrammed then replaced the spark plugs and wires. Car cranked up better with the computer reprogram, but the plugs and wires seemed to make a big difference. After things are warmed up, she seems to respond better to the pedal hitting the metal. Could be the placebo effect, or could have really made a difference. After 42k miles, the old plugs looked fine, but I figure it can't hurt to replace em.
Seems like the 97+'s use a different spark plug stock number than the one I listed above. Check with your dealer for the correct number
Sound System: The stock sound system was pretty pathetic. The very day I bought the car I threw a CD player in the dash, then added the rest of the stuff over the next couple of months. It doesn't boom, but it sounds great, and entertains me just fine. Who cares about the guy in the car next to ya at a stop light?
Fog Lights: They just look cool, and annoy the hell out of other people. They aren't aimed up at all, but the bright light is cool.
Strut Tower Bar: Makes the turn-in much better, and the car handles alot more crisp on twisty mountain roads. Still not as good as the SE or SVT, but alot better.
Battery: Batteries for the Contour are few and far between. The one listed in the computer at Pep Boys does not fit. I went to three stores before finally ending up with a Die Hard International battery ($$$). A bit expensive, but has a pretty good warranty.
