Sierra

look for a sierra with air con, there are some about. otherwise move to something like an avensis

Just out of interest, why are you not keen on a Mondeo?

Rob Graham

Probably for similar reasons to me, overhyped POS and they don't even drive nicely, a classic case of the kings suit or whatever it was called. and don't get me started on all the bits that fail or fall off. For a more reasoned explanation just read the Honest John section on them and look at all the faults, then guesstimate how much they cost to fix.

I ask because I have one and it's an excellent car (02 diesel). The only problems have been the DMF (expensive) and the cambelt tensioner. It drives well and holds everything I want to put into it (well, almost)

Rob

Exactly my point, the two failures you have experienced, on what to me is a very new car are completely unacceptable, the cost of those two failures is more than I would expect to pay out on a car including purchase and maintenance for years on end.

I meant of course the story of the king's new clothes. !!

My 04 plate has 123,000 miles on the clock, 50,000 less than my other car which is 5 times its age thus proving age is irrelevent.

Go & try sitting in a few, comfy seats are very much a personal question.

The pressure cap + restriction of thermostat creates about 2bar pressure in the head. Without the pressure cap you get about 0.9bar. boiling temp of water at 2bar is 135°C, at 0.9bar it's 119°C. You have reduced temp margin that prevents localised boiling at hot spots in the head by 16°C.

Cylinder head metal temps can hit 200°C around exhaust ports.

K Seal has a good reputation but head leak does have to be big enough for the active part to get expeled into hole. Unlike other block/gasket sealing products it mixes with antifreeze, can be left in forever and doesn't require flushing of engine.

Why not just DIY the head gasket? They're not hard.

Had a v6 mondy for 10 years - apart from a new aircon rad, it's been fine.

So, what do you rate instead?

I've had my Mk2 2.0 mondeo for 8 years now. Barely been serviced, let alone repaired. I've had a broken spring, new cat because the mot man caught it on his ramp, an overgreased fuse box, (don't ask!), and recently a MAF and a TPS. Plus the usual tyres etc.

This doesn't make Mondy's perfect, but they're not bad. Not one spot of rust anywhere, either. Crosses fingers.

Your one must have been a monday car !

Anything japanese is superior in quality.

My wife has a Honda Cr-V. Tinny, rough, uncomfortable and far less economical. Honda, 25.8mpg, Mondeo 31.7.

My niece's hubby might have a laugh at that - his 8 year old Subaru failed an MOT and was going to cost more to repair than it was worth. Average mileage too. Superior quality may be fine - but if it means very superior prices for spares sort of defeats the object.

They're not unusual failures on any new car though. DMFs are going on all kinds of stuff, my last A6 suffered from DMF failure and I've seen plenty of different cars all with knackered flywheels. Why single out the Mondeo as the one car it's unacceptable on?

Cambelt tensioners, dearie me. Mondeo ones are pretty tough compared to the crap Alfa Romeo fit...

I like the Mondeo, I also like the Sierra. If I had to choose between 'em I'd probably go for the Sierra as long as it was a 4x4. Mondeo 4x4s weren't much cop at all.

I'm not a fan of Jap cars. Yes they're reliable, but they're dull as anything to actually be in.

I've driven a few Honda Legends this month, nice engine, quiet, comfy, reliable, reasonably quick, well equipped etc. Totally underwhelming in every way. I'd rather walk than own something as truly depressing to own. White goods. Lexus LS400 is equally tedious.

There's a very short list of Jap cars I'd own, and most of them I'm unlikely to every buy just because they're so clinically dull inside. MX5, RX7, Skyline GTR, Impreza Turbo, Legacy Turbo, Toyota 2000GT.

At the moment I'm selling a Galant / Legnum VR-4 for someone, full spec,

Some of us* feel that way about almost every car built within the last n years. Or everything with plastic bumpers.

Honda Z600?

• OK, just me then.

I still miss my trusty old 82 2L GL Estate . I had it from new (when it was my company car), bought it off them when I was made redundant and it was 10 years old [1] for £25. I ran it for another 13 years and to 100,000 miles. It was still road legal and going well when I broke it.

The estate roof and Thule roof bars allowed me to carry some pretty long stuff (inc the dinghy mast and 5m lengths of steel). It towed well (dinghy, goods trailer, folding caravan) and with the back seats down could eat a wardrobe. Proper rear_wheel_drive and in 23 years only actually let me down once when the cambelt snapped. Even that was sorted within the hour and for 12 quid. ;-)

Never had any problems with the central locking, electric windows, alarm, power steering, air-con, ABS or air bags etc (as it didn't have any). ;-)

About the only thing that I prefer on it's replacement, a £100 92

T i m