Mondeo purchase

Fred · 2011-08-15T07:40:43+00:00

Good morning,I am thinking about buying a Mondeo. I'm thinking perhaps an 08-09plate, as I can't afford anything younger ;)The principle reason for buying it is that there is plenty of space inthe back and boot for children, push chairs, etc.I have had a read on the internet and I think three quarters arediesels. The 2L seems to be recommended. I have test driven a 1.8L and2.0L diesel and found the 1.8 was ok most of the time but the 2Lseemed nippier when accelerating. Do you think this is the one to gofor? Or does anyone have experience of the petrol or automatic models?I quite like the idea of an automatic but I guess that would be at theexpense of higher road tax and fuel economy.I've had a look on Amazon and there is no Haynes manual for the Mondeoafter 2007. They have done one for all previous models, so I hope onewill be on its way soon. In the meantime, is the car similar to theearlier versions? Would an 07 book cover most things?The tyres on all the ones I have seen are 215/55 16 V rated, whichseem to be £120 per corner. Could be expensive if I need four at oncebut I guess that's true of all cars.Any hints or tips about the cost of running them and what to look for?I've seen a couple with dings on the doors. The garage says they willremove them before collection but I wish they would remove them now. Iwould be happier buying a car where I could see the dents had gone,rather than one where I am told they will be gone. They are not deepand the paint is not broken, so hopefully they will come out. Thereare one or two paint chips on the edge of the rear bumper though butthe salesman did tell me "it is a second hand car sir", perhaps I amexpecting too much.TIA

F

Fred 15 years ago

Sorry I haven't replied sooner. TBH I hadn't thought about a Passat. I do like the Ford heated windscreen, though I realise it only gets used for a few weeks each year, it is wonderful for those few weeks.

I'm not too keen on an estate; they look too big. I thought hatchbacks were more practical than saloons? I just need something big enough for the shopping and a pushchair or suitcase and pushchair.

Previously I had been choosing between a scratched 58 plate manual and an 08 automatic. In the end I bought neither. I went back a couple of times to have another look at the auto and it was never there; they said it was in the workshop, so I didn't want to buy something I could not see first.

The other garage told me they would get the dents out of the manual but they didn't, so I went home. Then they phoned to say they had got the dents out, so I went back. Some dents had been removed but just as many had not. They claimed the other dents were inaccessible and could not be knocked out, so I walked away. Then I had another phone call to say that miraculously the inaccessible dents were now accessible and had been knocked out but I was fed-up of being messed about by the garage, so never went back. Like someone said at the beginning of this thread, there are so many Mondeos about, you can afford to be fussy. I wish I had listened to that advice sooner.

Since then I have seen quite a few nice Mondeos and I have been spoilt for choice and unable to choose between them. The "sports pack" seems to add £500 to the price but as far as I can see, it only includes a spoiler and low profile tyres. I'm not sure it is worth paying for this. I imagine the difference is only cosmetic and I bet low profile tyres cost a lot more to replace. I looked up the size and they were £174 for a mid-price brand and over £200 per corner for Dunlop! I don't fancy paying 600-800 pounds to change all four at once.

I always thought locking nuts were to stop the alloys being stolen; now I'm wondering if it is to stop the rubber being stolen!

I did talk myself into paying more for a 59 plate, thinking I would pay a bit extra for a younger model. However I have now seen 08 plate models which have lower mileages than the 59s, so now I'm back where I begun wondering whether age or mileage is more important!

Fred.

Vote

F

Fred 15 years ago

I'm not sure whether there is/was a 165hp one?

I saw a 10 plate Mondeo and that had a figure less than 140; I can't remember what now. I knew they were in a lower car tax band and perhaps that's why? Perhaps they have tweaked the engine down to produce less co2?

Vote

C

Chris Whelan 15 years ago

[...]

Neither; it's condition that matters.

Chris

Vote

F

Fred 15 years ago

I have seen a couple of petrol models. I drove one of them but the 2L diesel was just as nippy as the petrol version. You are right that for the about the same price the petrol version was much younger and had done fewer miles (10 plate 7k miles, yes just seven) than the diesel, which was an 09 model and 30k miles. In fact the diesel was £500 more.

OTOH I guess if you buy the petrol the tax is twice as much as the fuel economy poorer, so whatever you choose, I guess you end up spending money. That's life!

Yes, that happened to me and my aunt in two different makes of diesel cars.

I was wondering whether to do nothing until Thursday. Will the prices fall £500 when the new plates come out do you think?

Vote

F

Fred 15 years ago

Sorry I may have got myself in a muddle. Perhaps I was thinking of the

1.8 diesel? The blurb from the garage says they are 125bhp compared to the 2L's 140bhp.

Vote

F

Fred 15 years ago

Yes, I suppose a low mileage car could have been used for many short journeys and could have been scraped against the walls of the car park. But I have seen cars with good interiors and bad exteriors, good exteriors and bad interiors, and that's just cosmetically speaking. Then there's the issue of the condition under the bonnet. No wonder I'm confused!

Vote

C

Chris Whelan 15 years ago

There will be cars out there that are immaculate inside and out, have been driven sympathetically, and maintained properly, However, how long do you want to spend looking?

From my POV, I'd rather something in as good a condition mechanically as possible, and put up with very minor body damage

It's been my experience with new cars, no matter how carefully you try to look after them, that they pick up scratches and door dings quite quickly. The first one is always really upsetting. After that, it doesn't seem to matter so much, so if you start with a car that's not cosmetically perfect, perhaps you won't be so upset when it deteriorates?

Chris

Vote

F

Fred 15 years ago

You are quite right and this is the dilemma I am facing. I'm pretty sure I have narrowed it down to two cars but I will wait a few days to see if they drop the prices on September 1st.

Vote

A

AlanD 15 years ago

This does NOT make good reading for Mondeo's. My 2004 Volvo V70 Diesel is now on 206,000 miles, and is still on it's original wheel bearings, battery, exhaust, DMF etc. Other than service items, in the last 60,000 miles it's had an alternator and front suspension bushes etc, as well as discs all round.

Vote