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Contour/mystique/mondeo

Found out "again" today the con-tiques are not a good DIY car - particularly a loaded V6. The tranny pan gasket was seeping pretty bad

- 3.5 hours later ON THE HOIST, it's done. Had to pull the battery, battery tray (8 bolts) and the A/C reciever/drier to get the pan off. Even then, it was a close call if I could get it out without draining the rad and removing two hoses - managed without damaging the hoses, but definitely not easy!!! I guess if you want to drive a nice handling euro-sport sedan you have to be willing to put up with some of the hassles involved (wife's car).

Reply to
clare at snyder.on.ca
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I miss my Contour (especially the seats & handling). My Letheared Grand Marquis LS is bigger, but I find the seats are not as comfy and supporting as the Contour. Handling is not the same (different eras, different phylosophy, different body-on-frame RWD vs Unybody FWD)

The Contour/Mystique was a great concept, but poorly executed... I've never had that much trouble with any other car. I Miss it dearly, but I do not miss the car's reliability...

They're bitchy to repair, but then again, working on a Bimmer is hell :)

Reply to
El Bandito

Wait until you have to replace the starter. You better have some Valium handy.

Reply to
Tom Adkins

You need to remember, dispite being built in St Louis or wherever, it IS a european car. I've owned a few and worked on a lot more that were more troublesome than my Mystique - but few that were more difficult to work on. (a Jag and a Rover come to mind - but even they were not as cramped under the hood as the 4 cam 2.5 Mystique!!!) Ours has the full load - sun roof, 4 wheel disks, leather, all speed traction control,15" alloys,CD, etc. The only other sedan I've ever driven that was as much fun to drive was my brother's '67 Rover 2000TC.

Reply to
clare at snyder.on.ca

About like changing the left front lower control arm. Manual says you need to remove the subframe - and they are ALMOST right. I managed without dropping the subframe OR detaching the engine mounts - about 1 hour per side. Kinda like replacing the clutch on an early BMC Mini without pulling the engine -------. Or retrieving the starter drive from the 200TC without pulling the engine - or removing the transaxle from a Renault R12 without pulling the engine. All possible, with a bit of ingenuity, but no thanks to the engineers responsible!!!!!

Reply to
clare at snyder.on.ca

I don't remember the LCAs being that tough to change. Maybe lower the front or rear of the subframe? I'm thinking rear, but my memory could be faulty. I really can't recall touching the cradle mounts to R&R a lower control arm on those cars.

Many repairs on the "con-tiques" totally sucked, but I don't recall this being one of them.

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Reply to
Tom Adkins

One of the bolts cannot be removed without separating the tranny from the subframe - which involves disconnecting the steering column, becuse the subframe has to come down - no room to lift the engine (V6). I cut the head off the bolt and put a replacement bolt in head down. The bolt needs to be cut to fit, or the enf hits the trans case.

Reply to
clare at snyder.on.ca

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