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Quick mundano question...

Ive got a dilemma. My lovely semi-restored Celica GT4 is in a bad way currently - clutch plate failed and box needs swapping but I dont have the cash for the clutch at the moment (150 for a cheapo one and since the car is mildly tuned I'm not sure it'll cope very well) really and the 20mpg hurts quite a bit! I've been offered an M reg mondeo estate (TD) for ~300 quid and I was considering SORNing the celica and transferring insurance and tax to the mondeo. Ive rebuilt the celica on my own from the ground up but I know nothing of fords (other than fix or repair daily!) and I wondered whether the mondeo would be more of a money pit than the celica. Its got full service history and apparently nothing wrong with it currently. Can anyone give me failure points and details like average Mpg of the TD?

Much appreciated! James

Reply to
Coyoteboy
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Failure points:

Front lower track control arm bushes every 30,000 miles.

Rot areas around rear arches.

Heater control only working on hot because the pollen filter hasn't been changed resulting in the thermal fuse for the blower speed controller failing as it sits in the fresh air feed vent.

Should get in the 50's if you drive carefully. Performance is flat though.

Reply to
Conor

Costly?

Right, will look out for that then.

Easy fix :)

Now THAT is attractive, being used to 20mpg it'd make a change! I expect most things to feel flat in comparison with my 250hp toy so im not too worried, its only for trundling to the beach and work in really.

Thanks for the info!

Reply to
Coyoteboy

Clutch is a big big job on these. Make sure it's alright as they're expensive to replace.

And make sure it drives right, because if the clutch has been changed on the cheap, the suspension geometry can be totally out (changing the clutch involves removing the front subframe).

Reply to
Doki

Under £20 a side for full arm including balljoint from motor factors. Easy DIY job.

Yeah...spreads into sills.

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Reply to
Conor

About 40 quid for both sides. That's the entire arm though, not the bush.

Reply to
Sandy Nuts

Excellent, thanks for the tips - looks like its a lot easier and cheaper than my celica to work on then! I can weld the sills/arches myself and I'm handy with electronics so I'm sure I can sort the heater stuff now i know where to find it! Much appreciated!

J
Reply to
Coyoteboy

Thats the kinda money I like paying!

Reply to
Coyoteboy

On the Celica? Yeah thats why im considering the mondeo - the celica is an engine-out job (can be done with engine in but takes a lot longer and more fiddly) and since i need to replace the box with the spare i have its a little more complex but I'm not scared of that one (2-3 hour job to whip the engine out) - its the unknown of a Ford that im scared of!

J
Reply to
Coyoteboy

I miss clutch jobs on astras, piece of cake. And old saab 900's - take about

30 minutes.....
Reply to
john

Nope, on the Mondeo it's a whole front subframe out job. And you *have* to get it aligned right when you put it back or everything feels wrong forever afterwards.

Reply to
PC Paul

LOL Thats me missing the point totally then :) I getcha. Yes I'd rather not have to do another clutch :) Cheers

Reply to
Coyoteboy

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