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There seem to be good deals to be had on mondeos at the moment (old shape). I am looking at the ghia x or the titanium 2 litre petrol and possibly an automatic. What are the pros and cons?
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Quite a lot of comment here recently concerning rust problems on the bottom of doors.
Clk Sec
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Pros: All the aspects that accompany all Mondeos, space, driving ability, ride, build, equipment.
Cons: The Japanese do better petrols (esp 2.0) such as those in Accord, 6 and even Avensis.
I personally would find it difficult to turn my back on the TDCi's.
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I had new rear doors on my 2002 Mondeo under warranty, problem sorted on more recent cars.
Cons: The Japanese do better petrols (esp 2.0) such as those in Accord 6 and even Avensis.>>
Basically the same 2.0 in the 6 and Mondeo. Nothing wrong with the Duratec motors though the 1.8 is a bit torque shy, the 2.0 is more gutsy and as economical. The V6s are superior to Japanese equivalents though.
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Good cars - I've done 56,000 miles in mine over the last 30 months. I think you might be wise going the petrol route though. Mine's a TDCi, and whilst the fuel economy is excellent I'd always be concerned about the ocst of a breakdown if it were my own car (not that its broken down yet).
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The Dealer is the main issue - You are very likely to have recourse to take your mondy back during the time you own it for warranty repairs, even if it is for something minor.
Before you buy one, check out all the Ford dealers in your area (net, word of mouth, hanging around service depts etc). If there is a good one, then go for it, but give it a good test drive before you part with your cash, there are some lemons out there. Look out for power steering noises, brake groans,excessive smoke with diesels, twitchy rear end suspension, make sure you drive it hard up a fast hill and through a twisty route. A "bad" dealer may make you drive it around with a groaning moaning fault until it fails completely. A good one may change the component straight away. 2.0 litre petrols have been known to suffer from timing chain rattles, so check that out as well.
Saying all that the number of faults reported on Mondeos are roughly "mid table" according to several surveys, and it does corner well and is a good motorway cruiser .
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What about the automatics which interest me. I know that one should avoid Ford autos, but are they really that bad, and only good for 70k or so. Anyone had a real Ford auto experience?
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Buy cheaply, avoid the auto.
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Mondeos, cheap, cheap ,cheap, get the newest, lowest milage for the money with warranty still in place.
You will not get a Jap for the same money ,and all cars are worthless in the end , pretty well.
the 2l Durate seems fine to me, I have one, an estate and it really has room in it , incredible and comfort in higher spec.
Economy is fair unless thrashed
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