Dos_Box Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 I'm looking around for a new car ATM, and have set my sights on either a Mondeo (2006-ish model) or a VW Passatt running on diesel. You can get a very well specced Mondeo (alll the goodies) with about 56k on the clock for about £4000. For a Passatt of similar age and spec you can add 2k on top of that. I had a rental Mondeo for a feew several years back and was very impressed with it, particularly the milage I got, and so I'm just asking here if anyone has a similar age/milage one and can let me know of any faults or things I should look for when shopping around and test driving etc. as it would be of great help, especially if I have to factor in a new cam-belt for an initial service. Cheers. P.S. I also like the HUGE boot on the Mondeo!
pr1vate_piles Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 hi, a friend has a mondeo that he is looking to sell, ill have a word with him tonight and sort out some pictures or something for you.
laserblazer Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 Why are Mondeo bumpers always held together with gaffer tape?
Dos_Box Posted June 15, 2011 Author Posted June 15, 2011 Why are Mondeo bumpers always held together with gaffer tape? The older ones had a design flaw apparently.
LeMarchand Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 Why are Mondeo bumpers always held together with gaffer tape? Mine is because people keep backing into it and the design is awful: a thin hard (easy to crack!) plastic shell over some sort of crumple material (a bit like that stuff they use in flower arranging). The slightest impact and it's shot to hell and given the price of other parts I have had to buy (+ the size of the blasted things) I suspect replacement is a waste of money. Not to mention time. The huge boot is great, btw.
featured_spectre Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 nearly every mondeo I have seen (including newer ones 58/08/59/09 plates) have gaffer tape on the bumpers and mirrors...build quality is shocking on them! Go for a Skoda fabia or a hybrid if possible...most Honda's are hybrids now and are built solid!
Dos_Box Posted June 15, 2011 Author Posted June 15, 2011 hi, a friend has a mondeo that he is looking to sell, ill have a word with him tonight and sort out some pictures or something for you. It's going to be a few weeks yet. Once we have Philly out of the way I'll be looking around. Any offers are always nice though. PM me the car details etc. if you can.
Dos_Box Posted June 15, 2011 Author Posted June 15, 2011 Go for a Skoda fabia or a hybrid if possible...most Honda's are hybrids now and are built solid! A Fabia! And once I get the server-room-in-a-box in there, where am I supposed to sit? There is a reason I need a big boot y'know.
Domino Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 P.S. I also like the HUGE boot on the Mondeo! ....giggidy ;-) 2
featured_spectre Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 LOL!! ok. Well Honda's have big boots, the Insight has the same "space" (in terms of litres) as a mondeo.
PyROm Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 Might be also worth looking at the octavia mII which is the same car as the passatt/a4/seat but a bit cheaper.
Dos_Box Posted June 15, 2011 Author Posted June 15, 2011 The problem I have with Honda's is that they are so amazingly dull both inside and out. Great build quality and reliability, but dull, dull, dull.
DAZZD88 Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 Look out for the dual mass flywheel, they need replace around about 70-80k miles apparently. IIRC the cost is about £800 a time. 1
pantscat Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 I had about six mk2 mondeo lease cars: 1st one was a 2.0 Zetec petrol - which was great! 2nd one was a 2.0 Tddi Ghia X diesel... a bit tractor-y but great. Didn't like the "wood" on the steering wheel though - I found it slippery, but then maybe I just had sweaty palms! 3rd and 4th were 2.0Tdci Zetec-S diesels - both were great... but one was definitely faster because it was colorado red. 5th one was another 2.0Tdci Ghia X... which was made on a Friday afternoon and broke. A lot. Clutch went after a couple of thousand miles, it constantly stank of diesel and the turbo had issues. 6th one was a 2.2Tdci Titanium X and was my favourite! Lovely alcantara trimmed seats and just generally lovely. Quite brisk too... and economical... didn't get less than 42MPG no matter how it was driven!
Kitkatninja Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 I used to have a diesel Mondeo (now a Focus). One thing that I like about the Mondeo (not sure about the petrol version, but I believe it's the same) is that they don't use a Cam-belt, rather they use a "Cam Chain" - they're normally good to (and over) 100,000 miles -ken
sted Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 I used to have a diesel Mondeo (now a Focus). One thing that I like about the Mondeo (not sure about the petrol version, but I believe it's the same) is that they don't use a Cam-belt, rather they use a "Cam Chain" - they're normally good to (and over) 100,000 miles -ken all ford duractec engines and i believe the newer duratorque dervs are chains not belts
Flakes Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 (edited) see below, didnt mean to post twice, was warned that leaving the page would loose my reply, i clicked cancel and it must of sent the responce anyway :/ Edited June 15, 2011 by Flakes
Flakes Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 Hmm not a mondeo driver but the only two things i would definately check is the Clutch/Gearbox and the powersteering pipe under the bonnet they are known to leak power steering fluid if the pipe is damaged or worn, on my 2005 Focus i needed to replace the pipe after 55k luckily i was covered under the garage warranty period, i later looked at the pipe and released it was rather close to a particular moving part in the engine bay so i moved it away a little bit, no problems since. if you get a chance check the wheel arches particulary behind the mudflaps for rust, and a point just under the boot which gets a rust spot from some cables running through that area and "rubbing" against the paint work. Other than that dont think you can go wrong with a 2litre diesel mondeo, just make sure to get the Zetec or above for the better suspension which in turn will give you better handling(although it rides slighty harder cause its technically the "sport" suspension)
michael2k6 Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 I've got the new shape 2008 mondeo and it's genius. A little old man for my liking but its lovely to drive. I've had the odd issue with it but ford have sorted it out under warranty and not had any big problems. The support online for them is great too. I can't speak for the model before though.
john Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 I'm looking around for a new car ATM, and have set my sights on either a Mondeo (2006-ish model) or a VW Passatt running on diesel. You can get a very well specced Mondeo (alll the goodies) with about 56k on the clock for about £4000. For a Passatt of similar age and spec you can add 2k on top of that. I had a rental Mondeo for a feew several years back and was very impressed with it, particularly the milage I got, and so I'm just asking here if anyone has a similar age/milage one and can let me know of any faults or things I should look for when shopping around and test driving etc. as it would be of great help, especially if I have to factor in a new cam-belt for an initial service. Cheers. P.S. I also like the HUGE boot on the Mondeo! You know you want to sell the wife and children and get a Tiguan Just don't get it in black and the Sport model or it will look like we copied each other hehe. Serious note car auctions will be your friend for a VW Passat, an ex company car at auction will be a great buy for you I'm sure, @bossman has a great Passat really great condition and he didn't pay silly money either for it Go for a Skoda fabia or a hybrid if possible...most Honda's are hybrids now and are built solid! You do mean a Octavia really, Fabia's are Polos not Passats. A Fabia! And once I get the server-room-in-a-box in there, where am I supposed to sit? There is a reason I need a big boot y'know. In the driver's seat, its just where does ZH and Ric_ sit that is the question!
featured_spectre Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 John is right, I did mean an Octavia...lol...since Monday I've had about 8 hours sleep so I am not functioning properly!
GrumbleDook Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 Still don't see why you don't consider a SMART car Although the Hondas are dull, you can always get some bling for them ... and perhaps some fancy exhaust pipes ... and perhaps some of those snazzy fluorescent lights underneath (remembering to paint the car a scary orange or yellow).
john Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 Still don't see why you don't consider a SMART car Although the Hondas are dull, you can always get some bling for them ... and perhaps some fancy exhaust pipes ... and perhaps some of those snazzy fluorescent lights underneath (remembering to paint the car a scary orange or yellow). and if you go to the right website you can get some cool LED lights to put around the bumpers, sirens and flashing lights to put in the grill and make them Well Cool
PiqueABoo Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 (edited) We've got a 2006 2litre TDCi Edge which has been fine... 30-40 mins mixed trips gets me ~48mpg and it's 50+ on long M1 motorway trips etc.. No expert but I reckon the torque is pretty good given what I can easily breeze past up hilly slip-roads. Boot is handy. We don't have any gaffer tape, but I get the bumper flimsiness. Pains: Where I was situated when the EGR valve went (you're not going anywhere), the rear seatbelt locking thing you can get when you put rear seats down, size (I borrow t'other half's for nipping out and parking in very tight places/spaces), how long it takes the trip-thingy to decide that you've got 100+ miles left instead of that 25 it reckoned coz you were parked on a hill. Edited June 15, 2011 by PiqueABoo
robk Posted June 16, 2011 Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) A Fabia! And once I get the server-room-in-a-box in there, where am I supposed to sit? There is a reason I need a big boot y'know. You would get the srib in the boot of a fabia (with care) but you would end up with a back seat looking like a van.... I speak from recent experience.... Cheap and not bad to drive thou Edited June 16, 2011 by robk Typo
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