Considering getting a Mondeo II for my next car. I am downsizing from a Volvo S80 - see my other post regarding theft and recovery of this car!
Anyway, come September I am handing it back to the HP company, having achieved 50% of the payments. I want to replace it with something a little smaller, hopefully cheaper to buy and run, but with the luxuries like leather etc. I have become used to. The Volvo is a manual, but I'd like to switch to an auto.
Anyway, should I go for a 2.0 or 2.5 Ghia X Auto? Clearly, the 2.0 will be cheaper to insure and run, but is it underpowered with an auto box? I am looking to by a 12-18 month old (Motorpoint new ones are tempting, but I want to maximise my depreciation savings), so purchase price is likely to be within shouting distance of each other.
Or am I barking up the wrong tree with the Mondeo? Badge snobbery apart, what I have read indicates it is nearly as good a vehicle as the premium marques in the Compact Exec sector. Anyone disagree?
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You do realise Mondeo auto gearboxes don't have the best of reputations, and the V6 has had various head gasket/water pump/big end gremlins.
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The MondeoII V6 Auto is a very pleasant car but the 2.0 auto can seem underpowered at times. Mid 2002 V6 autos have a five speed Jatco box - I believe it is simillar to the autobox fitted to the Rover 75 V6.
The Motorpoint price is tempting so use this as a starting point and find a Ford Direct used car from the Ford network. All Ford Direct cars come with a 24month/unlimited mileage warranty which is as comprehensive as the new car warranty.
There is also a limited two year free servicing offer from time to time.
I managed the the Ford Direct market research from 1997 until 2002 and the Ford Direct offer was seen within Ford to be as good, if not better than the new car offer. By the way Ford Direct customers had the highest social-economic profile of all customers. I remember a Ford Direct customer at a focus group who said he originally was after a new 2.0 Mondeo but realised that he could buy a 9 month old Ford Direct V6 Ghia X for the same price. He said he would ever buy a new car again as someone had run the car in for him, sorted out the new car niggles and taken the first year 40% depreciation and the Ford Direct warranty would look after him for the next two years.
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The autobox saps alot of power from the 2.0, brings its performance level down to around that of the 1.8 manual, which I happen to own and it ain't no rocket that's for sure.
Apart from the badge its a fine car though IMO.
I'm a loser, baby....so why don't you kill me?!
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I think if he buys a 12 month old car from Motorpoint he will have the remainder of the 3-year Ford factory warranty anyway (2 years) - so the Ford Direct 24 month warranty is redundant. Incidentally, the Ford Direct prices don't look that cheap; is there normally any room for 'negotiation' with the dealers?
I've driven a Mondeo 2.0 Auto and I think its just fine. It robs a few BHP off the engine, but its quick enough. The CD4E 'box that Ford use is not the best in the world, but quite smooth enough. There was a lubrication problem with the box due to high-rpm pump scavenging, but I think they modified it from about 2000-on. I would change fluid every year if it were mine though.
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Can't speak for the new one but I ran a previous model V6 Ghia Auto R plate) up to 70k with no problems in 2 and a bit years. Spent a few days off the road due to damage by other road users but it was great fun. Averaged about 30mpg but went to about 22 when I was having a laugh.
Biggest problem with the Mondeo is the badge and the snobbery that inhibits people from buying one.
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Mondeos are good cars and I'll recommend www.pwmillar.co.uk again (where my parents bought their Focus from) as good people to do business with at big discounts.
On the other hand, there are always a few Mondeo V6s at sensible mileages needing new engines in AutoTrader. If you've got the money to go for a nearly new one, and don't drive particularly high mileages to be concerned about fuel consumption, then it's not a bad buy at all - but make sure it's sold by 5 years or 60k because I'd never buy an older one.
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I didn't read your full post; I don't know how much you've got to spend, but Motorpoint do seem to have very good deals on Mondeos. (I presume that they would have the remainder of the three year warranty unless they're imports, so I wouldn't be too hung up on FordDirect).
Of course, the problem is actually tracking down a low mileage Ghia X auto... it can be done but at least Ford Direct will have a good one for you available quickly.
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The Mondy auto box can't be that bad, unless they have got worse. My mate's 100,000 mile 94 1.8 Auto is still going very strongly despite heavy footed city abuse.
Consider asking about it at www.fordmondeo.org (hope that link is OK, please delete if not) There are many V6 owners on there who should be able to answer any specific questions. But be warned, they tend to have a fairly biased opinion! :)
Blue
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Hi DBCohen
Been looking at these myself.
One thing to note - the autoboxes are different on the 2.0 and the 2.5 now.
The 2 litre comes with the standard Ford 4 speed auto. The 5 speed from recently now comes with their "Durashift" 5 speed box which lets you change manually as well.
Looking at the brochure performance figures, the auto wasn't too much worse than the manual. Interestingly regarding the V6, the Durashift box only knocks a couple of mpg of the fuel figures - on the diesel it takes it from 49 to 38mpg!
The Ghia X looks like a nice motor but it is significantly dearer than the rest of the range and will probably not be worth much more 3 years down the line. A Ghia perhaps might be a better bet financially?
Dan
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Dan said:
The Ghia X looks like a nice motor but it is significantly dearer than the rest of the range and will probably not be worth much more 3 years down the line. A Ghia perhaps might be a better bet financially?
Yes, but as I am trading down from an S80 SE I want to at least have the creature comforts I am used to - Leather, Climate Control, Cruise etc. which means a Ghia X.
I am thinking about a two-year old one - Autotrader indicates some around at £12k.
I had looked at some of the premium larger cars, but I'd end up spending more for an older car.
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Fair play! The Ford Direct route is probably very sensible, the car already having had it's worse year of depreciation.
I reckon best thing you can do is find a dealer with a 2 and a 2.5 on his forecourt and give both of them a go.
One thing I do remember from posts gone by, and you'd be well advised to chat to HJ about this, is that the old model (not sure about current) V6 had 3 cats fitted to it! Extraordinarily expensive at replacement time. Like I say, not sure about the new one but perhaps a deciding factor?
Good luck with the car hunting...
Dan
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