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Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - JonnyH88

Hey everyone.

So my 2016 insignia engine has died, it's been a long road wondering if I should pay to repair it, but I'm at the point where I just want rid. I'm now considering a newer 2017 model Insignia(new shape) or a 2015 onwards mondeo.

There are a few things in very specific about. One being it must have Xenon or Led headlights, as I can't go back to standard lights.

Does anyone have any advice for the new Insignia or mondeo? I've heard the 1.6 and 1.5 mondeo engines have had known issues, so I may be best sticking to the 2l engine. I'm also unsure about what mileage I should be looking for. The budget is about 8k, but I can stretch to about 11 or so.

It seems for my budget I'm looking at around 60k to 120k mileage on either. Is there any particular mileage I need to avoid or look out for in regards to part replacements? Work thay may need to be done shortly after buying? Or just best going for a 120k mileage, saving the cash but making sure the necessary parts have been done, skipping the issue altogether? Or is lower mileage but higher cost the way to go?

I've also seen a titanium x, FSH ex MOD owned vehicle for around 12k, with 25k miles. Does thay seem a bit too good to be true?! I'm so wary about such large sums of money!

Thanks!

Edited by JonnyH88 on 02/09/2021 at 13:15

Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - SLO76
What sort of mileage are you doing? Do you really need a diesel? The Mondeo is at its best with the 1.6 Yamaha designed 1.6 Ecoboost turbo in my opinion, there’s none of the reliability worries of the equivalent diesels. If you absolutely must have a diesel then the 2.0 is worth paying more for, the 1.6 is known for turbo failure. I’d go for a low mileage approved used example rather than a cheaper car with 70/80k plus. Don’t touch anything with the fragile Powershift gearbox.

I ask whether you need a diesel because you could have the excellent Mazda 6 2.0 Petrol Skyactiv for your budget. This will do 45/50mpg on a run and again it’ll be far more reliable than a diesel. To me derv really isn’t worth the extra money or risk. Avoid the Mazda 2.2 Skyactiv diesels.

I’d forget a diesel Insignia, I’m amazed you’d consider one anyway. The Fiat motor in these isn’t robust. The 1.5 petrol turbo is the one to have.

Of any option at this money I’d favour the big Mazda. It’s not fast but it’ll sit at licence losing speeds all day long, it’ll do 45mpg without effort, it’s great to drive and it’ll be reliable.

Edited by SLO76 on 02/09/2021 at 13:53

Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - Rerepo

Steer clear of Insignia and Mondeo. If you want a stress free life go for a petrol Mazda, Toyota Avensis or maybe Honda CRV...

Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - JonnyH88

I would switch to a petrol, I always did diesel as I was driving 40 miles a day to work,but work locally now.

The issue I have with petrol is the life of the vehicle. For the money oll still get the same mileage as a diesel, but I always thought diesels for outlived a petrol?

I also need the LED or xenon active lights. Do any of the Mazdas come with that as standard?

Edited by JonnyH88 on 02/09/2021 at 14:20

Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - badbusdriver

I always thought diesels for outlived a petrol?

Old and (relatively) simple diesels, maybe, but not modern ones. Too complex, and the repair costs should anything go wrong will wipe out the fuel savings.

I also need the LED or xenon active lights. Do any of the Mazdas come with that as standard?

Do you really?. Unless you spend the majority of your time on deserted and unlit country roads at night, I can't see it being a deal breaker. We have a Suzuki Ignis with LED's, but the van I use for my work, a 2010 Caddy, has halogen's (with uprated Philips bulbs). I spend much more time driving in the dark with the Caddy than the Ignis without it being an issue.

Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - Heidfirst

but I always thought diesels for outlived a petrol?

when they were simple beasts they did. Once they became turbo-charged, intercooled, common-rail with lots of emission controls they became a lot more fragile & with potentially very large bills to fix if they do go wrong out of warranty.

Albeit your engine has been lunched by something that could have happened to either diesel or petrol but is incredibly rare..

I would imagine that some grades of Mazda came with LED/Xenon lights - certainly Toyota Avensis did - usually the top grade with the second top maybe. What is your definition of "active" lights?

Edited by Heidfirst on 02/09/2021 at 14:43

Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - JonnyH88

Basically I don't see well in the dark. So I ideally want factory fitted Xenon or LED lights for any vehicle I buy.

So how long would a petrol povr these days, for the mazda 6 for example? I don't want to go nd spend £10k on a 80k miles car to find they die at 120k.

God I hate searching for new vehicles haha

Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - SLO76

Basically I don't see well in the dark. So I ideally want factory fitted Xenon or LED lights for any vehicle I buy.

So how long would a petrol povr these days, for the mazda 6 for example? I don't want to go nd spend £10k on a 80k miles car to find they die at 120k.

God I hate searching for new vehicles haha

How long’s a piece of string? A well cared for Toyota 1800 petrol Auris or Avensis could run to 500k plus but if neglected it could expire much sooner. The petrol motors are less complex, basically there’s just less to go wrong. Three words to remember when shopping for a used car, keep it simple.
Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - moward

I can confirm that my 2016 Mazda 6 has led headlights, and that yes they are absolutely fantastic. They come on range topping 'Sport' trim as standard.

Cant comment on longevity, mines only at 59k, but I've not experienced anything to get overly concerned over. In the three years I've had it now, I've had not even so much as a misfire, no lights on dash, nothing. Bodes well.

Edited by moward on 02/09/2021 at 16:36

Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - SLO76
“ God I hate searching for new vehicles”

Tell me where roughly in the country you are and I’ll take a look for worthy nearby options?
Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - expat

Basically I don't see well in the dark. So I ideally want factory fitted Xenon or LED lights for any vehicle I buy.

Get a set of after market spotlights fitted. That way you don't have to pass up on a good vehicle just because it doesn't have LEDS.

Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - SLO76

I would switch to a petrol, I always did diesel as I was driving 40 miles a day to work,but work locally now.

The issue I have with petrol is the life of the vehicle. For the money oll still get the same mileage as a diesel, but I always thought diesels for outlived a petrol?

I also need the LED or xenon active lights. Do any of the Mazdas come with that as standard?

You’re living very much in the past there. Modern DPF equipped diesels are far less reliable and long lived than equivalent petrol engines these days, there’s just too much to go wrong and it’s all much more costly to fix when it does. A Mazda 6 2.0 petrol will easily outlive a diesel equivalent. Don’t confuse today’s over-complex diesels with the bombproof old iron block dervs from the 70’s - 90’s.
Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - pd

The truth is it is rarely engine failure which kills a car these days. Tends to be something else. On the whole though petrols are simpler and if mpg is similar they probably won't suffer increasing emissions related restrictions in the future so a better long term bet.

Incidentally, from the number I have seen hanging around at auction with broken engines I'm not 100% convinced the petrol engines in the current Mazda 6 are as good as they were in the Mk 1 and Mk 2. IIRC they are direct injection and I've seen enough with knocking or missing engines to wonder if they are as good as the old ones (which were excellent). Time will tell I guess and this is purely subjective but broken ones are out there.

Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - Xileno

Ex Mod will be standard whitefleet probably arranged under lease by Babcock. Should have been well-maintained.

Regarding the Insignia, it's depressing that a 2016 car is effectively scrap. If you can be bothered I would make a few phone enquiries regarding value and then put it on ebay with that figure as reserve. There may be someone who has a good engine but accident damaged Insignia who can make the two cars into one decent example.

Ford Mondeo - New family car. Mondeo? Or insignia? - Deryck

I currently own a 1.5 petrol Mondeo on a 15 plate and it has be OK so far. I have also owned the 1.8 Insignia.

I was tempted to go for another newer insignia after my head gasket went but I just didn't have it in me to risk my cash even though I had had Vauxhall since 1992. The Insignia was the one car that cost me a small fortune to keep running one way or another.

The Mondeo is my first Ford and I had never owned one previously as my feeling is that Vauxhall have a better trim finish inside though this was slipping with the Insignia. Some of the trim is not top-notch in the Mondeo but is acceptable when compared to other manufacturers.

The 2.0 petrol Mondeo is only available in auto and is a bit thirsty. LED headlamps are an option unless you get the Titanium X paxk which I think are standard on this model togther with leather seats. Halogen lamps on mine are woeful but so were the Insignia - I pop onto main beam whenever I can just to get an idea of what is happening in front of me. Some are having issues with the LED lights on the Ford and are expensive if they fail (~£800 a corner)

There are probably better cars than both the Mondeo and Insignia - take SLO76's advice - but I am not a lover of Japanese cars

Edited by Deryck on 03/09/2021 at 09:06