is mondeo reliable?

I am thinking of getting a used Mondeo. could anybody give me some idea how reliable is this car?

Reply to
Michael
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I had a '98 Contour V6 5-speed that I bought new in Oct. '97. In 150k miles I had two problems:

  1. Water pump failed at 78K. The vanes are plastic and they broke off. Car would overheat but no leak of coolant.
  2. Wiring harness burned out at the junction box at 145K. There was a problem and recall for this on older models that was supposed;y fixed by the '98 model. This can be expensive.

I also had an oil consumption problem, but could never find a leak or sign of burning.

I will add that in 40 years of driving this was my favorite car of all time, and I have had 2 BMWs, 3 Volvos, an Alfa Romeo, and 3 VWs among those cars.

Larry

Reply to
LarryLarry2003

How would anybody in a NG possibly know anything about the car you are considering? Have a local mechanic examine the vehicle for you and follow his council, WBMA.

mike hunt

Michael wrote:

Reply to
DustyRhoades

The OP was referring to a car model, not a car. Big difference.

Reply to
FanJet

How could anyone else's experience, good or bad, possibly reflect on any particular car like the one he is looking to purchase? Fifty people could tell him haw 'good' their car like it was, but how could anybody in this NG know how the ONE he is considering has been used or abused, or if it was properly maintained or not?

mike hunt

fan-jet wrote:

Reply to
DustyRhoades

If a car model has a reputation for being unreliable in the first place, then the condition and history of any particular one of them doesn't much matter, does it ? You are likely to take a pass on it and find another model.

Reply to
GCB

The same way "Consumer Reports" or many other automobile reviewers review the problems or reliability and repair frequency of a particular model, and not a specific car. They ask previous owners about their experiences with that model. OK maybe CR wasn't the best example of unbiased reporting ;-(

Reply to
I Care

Even if what you believe to be true, were true, surely you don't believe that every Toyota, for instance, has a sludge problem as apparently some do since Toyota has extended the warranty on the engine to 8 years, unlimited mileage. Surely you don't believe that every Honda has a brake problem or a head gasket problem as do some? Why should one pass up a perfectly good edition of a particular Honda simply become some others had those problems with the ONE they owned? For every one who has a problem with any vehicle there are literally hundreds or even thousands that do not ever have that problem, or any other for that matter. How can anyone in a NG know what problem that particular vehicle may or may not have? Some suggest one stay away from the Taurus, yet I have seen thousands over many years in fleet service, run to

300K trouble free. Have a tech judge the ONE you are considering, still WBMA.

mike hunt

GCB wrote:

Reply to
DustyRhoades

Does the fact the CR suggest they happen to think a particular new or used car is a good buy therefore mean a particular buyer will never have a problem with their car? Hardly! Did the fact CR recommend the Toyota with a V6 prevent buyers from having the gelling problem for which Toyota had to extend the warranty? Hardly. will CR now suggest one not buy a Toyota? I doubt it. The experiences of others, good or bad, is exactly that, THEIR particular experience with their ONE vehicle. That experience can or can not indicate what you may experience on the ONE you decided to purchase new or used, period. Someone in a NG can never know how any particular used vehicle had been service or not, or how it was used or abused.. IMO If someone buys a vehicle or not based on what they read in CR of a NG they are foolish

mike hunt

I Care wrote:

Reply to
DustyRhoades

I don't recall CR suggesting that because a particlar model of anything is reliable, that every single one of that thing will be reli table.

I disagree. If you buy a vehicle that is a model that has a history of running a long time, your chances of having that vehicle run a long time is higher than if you buy a vehicle from a model that has a history of vehicle breakdowns.

I guess that is why the demand for AMCs is higher than that for Yugos.

Likewise, every person is different. Yet people are who are fat, don't excercise and smoke are more likely to get heart attacks than people who don't. I can't predict when you will die, but I can predict that a higher percentage of people who don't smoke, are thin, and excercise will live to a

100 than a people who smoke, are fat and don't excercise.

Likewise, I can predict that a Honda will last longer than a Yugo, even I would be wrong (perhaps the Honda gets in a crash).

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

If you are buying a vehicle that is similar to other vehicles that have a high break-down rate, you have a higher chance of breaking down.

If you are buying a vehicle that is similar ot other vehicles that have a low-break down rate, you have a lower chance of breaking down.

You can't. But if you buy a car that is not as durable as other cars, then the car won't be durable, even if the owner babied it.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

The OP didn't indicate he was considering a particuilar car, which is the point. Read the title of the post again .

Reply to
FanJet

PS I paid £500.00 for mondeo 2.00 Si

Reply to
Tealc

That may be your opinion but you are suggesting one rely wholes on probabilities, that does not mean they will get ONE of the good ones. When one gambles the changes of winning a lot of money are slim but people do on occasion win millions. You may just as easily get get one of the bad ones that was abused and poorly maintained. My advice to have the ONE you are looking at evaluated by competent tech, rather than the experiences of others in a NG or magazine who can't possibly know anything about the ONE you are considering, still stands as the best advice.

mike hunt

Jeff wrote:

Reply to
DustyRhoades

Never that they would get one of the good ones. However, they are more likely to.

Depends on where. If you play blackjack and can count cards, the odds are actually in your favor. The lottery, one the other hand, is like a voluntary tax.

Absolutely.

Excellent advice. I would never disagree with this.

But, you are more likely to buy a long-running car when you buy a model that is known to run a long time vs a model that is known not to run too long.

You're wrong about people in a newsgroup or magazine not knowing about the car someone is considering. For example, if someone is considering a 1997 V6 Contour, then you also know that the car has a relatively high risk of a water pump failure (if it hasn't been replaced). And if one buys an old Windstar with the V6 that has head gasket problems, than one is more likely to have a van with head gasket probelms than another model. Even if the Contour or van passes inspection. Clearly, the newsgroup or magazine should not the only factor (in fact, newsgroups are notoriously bad for surverys, because of self-selection bias). But they can be a valuable guide. Nothing more.

This is stacking the odds in your favor.

You are better off with a Ford than a Yugo or AMC Pacer, even if the Yugo or Pacer is in perfect mechanical shape (not that is possible with a Yugo -- I mean they were reported to come broken from the factory).

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

Mike - you are right to a point. Definitely have THE CAR you are considering checked out by a knowlegable technician. However, If you are THINKING about a particular MAKE and MODEL of car, it is very smart to know what their repair history, collectively, has been. If, for instance, the first 2 years of a particular model production had a particular problem, which was remedied the third year, and replacement parts have been updated at that time, buying either a 3rd year production vehicle or one that has had the problem repaired since the third year, makes a LOT more sense than buying a year1 or year2 production that has not had the "upgrade" done.

Also, knowing, for instance, that a given Toyota or Chrysler model has had oil gelling or coking problems, might make you wary of that model

- but if you found one with documented service records showing superior maintenance, you might buy it with a lot less worry. The old "for-warned is for-armed" is VERY true when shopping for used cars.

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