Help choosing a mondeo

D

daveccork

Registered User
Messages
97
Hi Guys,

Hoping people can give their views on mondeos. I am currently looking to purchase one and was wondering how people find them

a) to drive
b) cost to service
c) reliability
d) fuel consumption

More specifically I am considering whether I should purchase a 1.8l petrol or a 2l diesel. Again, any opinions welcome.

In the 2l diesel class i have seen 2 cars which i am considering, a 2003 car wit 80k miles for approx €12,750 and a 2002 car with 100k miles for €10,950. is this high for a mondeo diesel? mileage appears to be lower on the petrol versions unsurprisingly.

thanks in advance
 
They are good to drive. Pretty reliable too.

Service costs are fine. Fod dealers offer fixed menu servicing.

Choice of petrol vs diesel depends on your likely mileage. 20k+ miles p.a. suggest diesel.

Value. The best value will be had by importing one. No doubting that. For a good idea of real value have a look at the VRT calculator on www.revenue.ie.

Good hunting.
 
Excellent car, very good to drive and well made. People in Ireland aren't aware how good the cars are that Ford are making these days. Diesels (known as TDDi and TDCi) are more expensive due to bigger demand, petrols can be had for virtually nothing though. I'd advise going for a Zetec, I hear they are hard to come by in diesel form though and when they do come availible they are snapped up. The LX trim is very basic e.g. no alloys, front foglamps etc ... Remember that the TDDi is the older more agricultural engine avaible up till around 2003 afaik, the TDCi is the newer engine and is supposed to be a gem.
 
I bought a 2003 2.0 TDCI Zetec hatchback last year for 13k, 75 k on clock. Drives like a dream, very comfortable especially on long journeys. A full tank of diesel takes around the 56 litre range and mileage depends on driving - if i only drive around the city its around the 480 - 500 range, so works out just under 40 mpg, but on a recent drive up to and around Donegal I got 620 miles to the tank - around the 50 mpg. Not sure how that rates with other diesels but I'm happy enough with it.

The Zetec comes with a nice spec too - alloys, A/C, heated windscreen, front fogs etc. Ford dealers do a set service price which works out quite well I think.

One negative - the 2003 TDCI has been known to develop problems with the 'dual mass flywheel'. Mine started giving problems last year (at about 80k) and by the time I got around to fixing it this year it cost me 1,300 euro. So if you are looking at a 2003 TDCI I would definitely ask about that - its a common fault with that year and model apparently so don't believe the dealer if he tells you he never heard of it! WArning signs to look out for are the starter motor sticking and a 'thump' or 'pulse' in the clutch - leave the car in neutral and place your foot lightly on the clutch - if you feel it pulsing up and down, and if there is a different noise from the gearbox between when you press the clutch or lift your foot of it - you could have a problem. Another poster here pointed this out to me last year and he was spot on with his prognosis.
 
Hi Guys,

many thanks for the responses. Very very helpfull (esp the dual mass flywheel - thanks collieb) I will do a bit of thinking and test driving over the weekend.

Many thanks

Dave
 
I bought a high mileage 2004 mondeo zetec 2.0 tdci at the start of the year so i wanted to do some homework on it first to put my mind at ease. There are a few great websites that will help you make an informed decision.

www.honestjohn.co.uk

www.fordmondeoownersclub.co.uk

both of these will give you information on the car, potential problems and solutions.

Hope this helps.
 
collieb said:
One negative - the 2003 TDCI has been known to develop problems with the 'dual mass flywheel'. Mine started giving problems last year (at about 80k) and by the time I got around to fixing it this year it cost me 1,300 euro. So if you are looking at a 2003 TDCI I would definitely ask about that - its a common fault with that year and model apparently so don't believe the dealer if he tells you he never heard of it! WArning signs to look out for are the starter motor sticking and a 'thump' or 'pulse' in the clutch - leave the car in neutral and place your foot lightly on the clutch - if you feel it pulsing up and down, and if there is a different noise from the gearbox between when you press the clutch or lift your foot of it - you could have a problem. Another poster here pointed this out to me last year and he was spot on with his prognosis.
Click to expand...

That comment is ominous...I have very similar symptoms to those you describe, but it doesn't seem to be impacting on the driveability...yet!? Just a small thump when you pull away from a stop. What comes next? Is it a reliability problem waiting in the wings? Having already replaced the full steering rack at some expense, and now awaiting the verdict on a complete coolant evacuation and subsequent overheating at the weekend, my view on this (otherwise very comfortable and powerful) car is that it is time to cut my losses and get shot of it!!
 
newer mondeo s rarely suffer from overheating problems might just be something small the odd thermostat has been know to go,and relay but geneaerally a tough ship
 
I traded-in a 2003 petrol 1.8L Mondeo for a 2005 TDCI Zetec Diesel with 15K miles. It cost me €11K to change.
I am delighted with the vastly improved fuel consumption - average 45 MPG on mixed driving.
The higher level of spec. is well worth it - sunroof, AC, all electric windows etc.
This is my 3rd Mondeo. For daily commuting, you cannot beat them for dependability etc.
 
i bought a new one in 05 and have to say it is a great car, 2.0d is the way ti go, make sure it(like any diesel) the it has 115brake horsepower, the lower hp could be sluggish at times( this is my experiance from other diesel engines and I have had a few.
I would strongly recomend it over its compeditors.
 
ford jedi said:
newer mondeo s rarely suffer from overheating problems might just be something small the odd thermostat has been know to go,and relay but geneaerally a tough ship
Click to expand...

Turns out it was a rubber hose under back of engine block, which had swollen at one end and then burst! Possible cause mentioned was a diesel leak which could have weakened the rubber. Oh yes, I didn't mention that I also had a diesel leak a few months ago, but although several different mechanics (including a Ford dealership) examined underneath, none could say where it came from, but then it went away anyway so no more thought given to it! Until now! I like the car and it ticks all the boxes that I need, but THIS particular example may just be a bit of a bad egg. I am dreading the next drama, and the bill for it!
 
Earlier references to a dual mass flywheel problem are emerging again! Last time I got the overheating/breakdown issue fixed by a Ford dealer, I enquired if there were any problems with the dual mass flywheel. The dealer mechanic told me he had only ever dealt with one in many, many years, but I now see on HonestJohn's website (under reviews of 2003 Mondeos) that there is a voluntary recall in place (dated October 2007) for this very problem, but I can't find anything to confirm this? Any thoughts on how to confirm this without relying on the dealers, who seem to know nothing about such a recall? MAny thanks.
 
A voluntary recall?? After me spending €1300 to get new clutch and flywheel put in...Grrrrr:mad:
 
[broken link removed]

See above for DMF failure, but at the risk of contradicting my own earlier link, it seems that there is still some uncertainty over whether or not there is a recall. However there certainly was one for the Ford Galaxy with the same 2003 130bhp TDCI engine (see www.fordgalaxy.org website and do same search). If there is a recall, surely you will be able to reclaim the cost of the repairs, especially if done through a Ford dealer. Will update as I learn more, but perhaps a new thread should be started under "Ford 130 bhp TDCI engine recall?"
 
I brought it into a Ford dealer and they could not fit me in for a few weeks and instead recommended I bring it to a local gagrage where, according to the girl at reception, they often send cars for work when they are too busy to deal. Don't know where that would leave me though...but anyway, it won't be relevant unless they confirm there is actually a recall!
 
[broken link removed]

Above is the link for the Galaxy recall which I should have posted earlier. Same engine, same manufacturer, same problem!
 
I would also be very interested in any views from Fordjedi or RS2K (or any others with Ford backgrounds) as to how this enquiry should be progressed, as their Ford knowledge has always been very helpful!
 
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