Ford Mondeo TDCI - Best car ive ever bought.....
Discussion
The title might throw alot of you off course, how can a Mondeo TDCI be a contender for the best car ever bought?
it started 6 months ago when I was told by my accountant that if I wanted to jump onto the property ladder I would need to have 2 years good accounts (self employed) and being 21 I know obtaining a mortgage can be hard work!
Firstly my car had to go! My Mini Cooper S JCW was up for sale as with finance payments on that causing a susbstantial sum to be taken from underneath me every month I decided I best get economical. Now, im sure like many of you on here, I am an absolute car nut and have grown up around cars! Having the priveledge of running a vehicle sourcing company in Manchester I get to drive and experience alot of nice tackle (none of which is my own - I must add).
Back on topic, with a budget of £1200 (equity from the mini) I set about to buy a car, something low key, something practical and something that ideally I could run for 12-18 months and it cost me barely anything! I settled on the ever famous Ford Mondeo, my budget could allow me a fairly nice example that would see me right for not alot of pennies!
A week of searching led me to picking up an 04 plate Mondeo Zetec 2.0 TDCI in a mid blue metallic! mileage was average at 130k but the car is more than I could ask for. It has had 1 previous owner with the biggest history pile you have ever seen, its had just recently, clutch and flywheel, full service, brake pads, 4 x dunlop tyres and much more. It'll carry me and 4 mates in relative comfort, does 47 mpg on a run (tried and tested), has 12 months MOT and 10 months tax. It has all commodities I would need, climate, bluetooth and ipod capability and it is in absolutely unbelievable condition.
Perhaps the purpose in this post is simple - a testament to a good old ford diesel hatchback.
Dont get me wrong, it pains me everytime a Porsche, BMW or Range Rover passes me and im sat there in a soul-less diesel rep-mobile but as a true petrol head, it has changed my vision on cars. In 18 months time when I have a mortgage and can finance something nice, you can be sure of one thing - I wont be selling the Mondeo!!
1500 miles in it so far and (touch wood) running sweet as a nut!!
Thoughts and comments welcome!!
it started 6 months ago when I was told by my accountant that if I wanted to jump onto the property ladder I would need to have 2 years good accounts (self employed) and being 21 I know obtaining a mortgage can be hard work!
Firstly my car had to go! My Mini Cooper S JCW was up for sale as with finance payments on that causing a susbstantial sum to be taken from underneath me every month I decided I best get economical. Now, im sure like many of you on here, I am an absolute car nut and have grown up around cars! Having the priveledge of running a vehicle sourcing company in Manchester I get to drive and experience alot of nice tackle (none of which is my own - I must add).
Back on topic, with a budget of £1200 (equity from the mini) I set about to buy a car, something low key, something practical and something that ideally I could run for 12-18 months and it cost me barely anything! I settled on the ever famous Ford Mondeo, my budget could allow me a fairly nice example that would see me right for not alot of pennies!
A week of searching led me to picking up an 04 plate Mondeo Zetec 2.0 TDCI in a mid blue metallic! mileage was average at 130k but the car is more than I could ask for. It has had 1 previous owner with the biggest history pile you have ever seen, its had just recently, clutch and flywheel, full service, brake pads, 4 x dunlop tyres and much more. It'll carry me and 4 mates in relative comfort, does 47 mpg on a run (tried and tested), has 12 months MOT and 10 months tax. It has all commodities I would need, climate, bluetooth and ipod capability and it is in absolutely unbelievable condition.
Perhaps the purpose in this post is simple - a testament to a good old ford diesel hatchback.
Dont get me wrong, it pains me everytime a Porsche, BMW or Range Rover passes me and im sat there in a soul-less diesel rep-mobile but as a true petrol head, it has changed my vision on cars. In 18 months time when I have a mortgage and can finance something nice, you can be sure of one thing - I wont be selling the Mondeo!!
1500 miles in it so far and (touch wood) running sweet as a nut!!
Thoughts and comments welcome!!
I really liked mine, despite it costing me a bit to keep on the road it was actually a good car. I'm really close to going back to one just to get me through the next 6-12 months. Mine was also diesel, and needed a tensioner when I got it (listen out for a rattle) and later a flywheel, clutch and injectors. i think I did the injects in to be honest, tuning box set for the wrong model, unbeknown at the time
Was starting to get to that age where it needed money spending on it to keep it on the road so I got shot, if you've got one thats had all that done to it I'm sure there's plenty of life left in it yet, good luck with it
Was starting to get to that age where it needed money spending on it to keep it on the road so I got shot, if you've got one thats had all that done to it I'm sure there's plenty of life left in it yet, good luck with it
Mines getting on for 170k. Glad that you gat the flywheel changed.
Turbo Actuators can fail. Did on mine. Was told it was all one unit and needed a new turbo at £1100. Got the actuator motor replaced via e bay for £275.
EGR valves can be a problem. They can be cleaned but I just got one off e bay brand new from Jaguar (same on X type), for £140. However, yours being an 04 and (hopefully a Euro 3 version...does egr have an electrical connector? if, not, it's euro 3) a £2 blanking plate off e bay cuts it out of the loop, will still pass the MOT and you wont get a engine management warning light.
Very good cars. Chap on here took his to about 350k with no major problems.
Turbo Actuators can fail. Did on mine. Was told it was all one unit and needed a new turbo at £1100. Got the actuator motor replaced via e bay for £275.
EGR valves can be a problem. They can be cleaned but I just got one off e bay brand new from Jaguar (same on X type), for £140. However, yours being an 04 and (hopefully a Euro 3 version...does egr have an electrical connector? if, not, it's euro 3) a £2 blanking plate off e bay cuts it out of the loop, will still pass the MOT and you wont get a engine management warning light.
Very good cars. Chap on here took his to about 350k with no major problems.
andy-xr said:
I really liked mine, despite it costing me a bit to keep on the road it was actually a good car. I'm really close to going back to one just to get me through the next 6-12 months. Mine was also diesel, and needed a tensioner when I got it (listen out for a rattle) and later a flywheel, clutch and injectors. i think I did the injects in to be honest, tuning box set for the wrong model, unbeknown at the time
Was starting to get to that age where it needed money spending on it to keep it on the road so I got shot, if you've got one thats had all that done to it I'm sure there's plenty of life left in it yet, good luck with it
Thanks Andy. Thats why I went for the one I bought, guy has had it for 7 years and has done everything that apparantely needs doing to them. My theory is run it for 12-18 months and let it serve the purpose its required for - get me from A-B. Was starting to get to that age where it needed money spending on it to keep it on the road so I got shot, if you've got one thats had all that done to it I'm sure there's plenty of life left in it yet, good luck with it
Its not inspiring, its not particularly exciting but as a fit for purpose car its a winner!!
I had a 2002 Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX, and it was utterly brilliant. Extremely practical, comfortable, reliable, well built, cheap to run, cheap to buy, fun to drive, and completely anonymous.
It is the one car that I regret selling. Could have used a bit more power, and maybe a better spec (Zetec has alloys, better seats, and colour coded trim) but it was pretty much all the car you could ever need. I would happily own another
It is the one car that I regret selling. Could have used a bit more power, and maybe a better spec (Zetec has alloys, better seats, and colour coded trim) but it was pretty much all the car you could ever need. I would happily own another
A colleague changes his car every 3years. In 2003 he got a Mondeo just like yours. 2006 a Vectra. 2009 a Mondeo, 2012 another Mondeo. He changed to the Vectra to give it a chance and the older Mondea was much better in everyway apparently. He absolutly swears by Mondeos.
All I'm saying is.... Mondeo
All I'm saying is.... Mondeo
Great post. The Mondeo is not a bad car, no matter what anyone says. Last year i bought a 2004 2.5 V6 Zetec with 70k for £1k - it was absolutely spotless and well maintained. I ran it for 3 months and sold it on for the same money.
I've had about 10 cars now, including a lot of German and Italian cars, but my small period of Mondeo ownership is certainly not forgotten!
I've had about 10 cars now, including a lot of German and Italian cars, but my small period of Mondeo ownership is certainly not forgotten!
Brilliant mundane cars...! I was in a similar predicament last year when changing jobs, my commute went from 5miles to 50mils each way. I was quite limited in what i could buy for work as it would be used for site visits and needed to be economical/big boot/reliable/cheap.... Tried a few models but nothing inspired me to part ways with my hard earned.
Got mine through a friend working in the body/paint shop of my local ford. The car had been bought, serviced and lived its first 8years with an elderly guy who barely used it, my friend purchased the car and sold it on to me at a good price!
In its 5months with me its been totally reliable, its been on a 1500mile round trip to Scotland, its regularly filled with site gear, it toes a trailer with three bikes every weekend and it hasnt missed a beat!
Cue a pic or two!
Got mine through a friend working in the body/paint shop of my local ford. The car had been bought, serviced and lived its first 8years with an elderly guy who barely used it, my friend purchased the car and sold it on to me at a good price!
In its 5months with me its been totally reliable, its been on a 1500mile round trip to Scotland, its regularly filled with site gear, it toes a trailer with three bikes every weekend and it hasnt missed a beat!
Cue a pic or two!
I share completely the same view! With my line of work im jumping into really nice stuff on a daily basis and thats great, but for the interim trips to the shops, weekend away with the lads, using it to carry sh*t to the tip, I know that the mondeo will stand the test more than most other things!!
Edited by JoeShaw on Wednesday 18th April 14:50
I think mine is ace, on my 4th now.
The one I had before the current one was a 2.0 Zetec for about £1000 with 100,000 on it, no history, quite tatty but it worked, figured I'd run it until it died, bin it and buy something nicer.
I never serviced it, drove it hard everywhere, never cleaned it or did anything remotely nice to it, put 65,000 miles on it without changing the oil, every year I'd put it in for it's MOT and it would pass.
Was always stuffing it with crap to take to the tip or or large items when doing DIY.
The only items it needed were some tyres, new front brake pads and discs & rear shocks.
It eventually failed the MOT due to something snapping inside the driver's seat.
I couldn't be bothered to swap the seat out so sold it as scrap for £150.
Could always get at least 600 miles to a tank and if I was doing a lot of motorway stuff slightly over 700.
It's quite nice to drive, comfy and the boot is huge.
they're far too practical, cheap and reliable not to like.
Best cars I've ever had.
The one I had before the current one was a 2.0 Zetec for about £1000 with 100,000 on it, no history, quite tatty but it worked, figured I'd run it until it died, bin it and buy something nicer.
I never serviced it, drove it hard everywhere, never cleaned it or did anything remotely nice to it, put 65,000 miles on it without changing the oil, every year I'd put it in for it's MOT and it would pass.
Was always stuffing it with crap to take to the tip or or large items when doing DIY.
The only items it needed were some tyres, new front brake pads and discs & rear shocks.
It eventually failed the MOT due to something snapping inside the driver's seat.
I couldn't be bothered to swap the seat out so sold it as scrap for £150.
Could always get at least 600 miles to a tank and if I was doing a lot of motorway stuff slightly over 700.
It's quite nice to drive, comfy and the boot is huge.
they're far too practical, cheap and reliable not to like.
Best cars I've ever had.
BorkFactor said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
You should! Get a petrol one - less desirable so cheaper, no usual diesel worries, post facelift so you avoid the swirl flaps issues and chocolate coil packs, and nicer interior. Easily get a decent one for under £1500
Cracking smoker for somebody...
JoeShaw said:
its funny you should mention the petrol v diesel conumdrum. I was offered a 2001 Y reg 2.0 petrol estate for £500. It was a Ghia X spec!! Full leather, heated seats, walnut trim and added bonus of estate load capacity!!
Cracking smoker for somebody...
The Ghia X ones are lovely, very well specced for not much money! Cracking smoker for somebody...
My logic was that it is a cheap car, so I don't want to be faced with a massive bill for a turbo / clutch / flywheel / injector etc hence why I bought a petrol.
If you get a good diesel one that has been looked after you are sorted, but there are many out there that have not been looked after and are waiting to drain your wallet
Symbolica said:
Then you know what to do 
Ahh, I love these! Will have one some day I am sure, but I love my current car to bits at the moment so won't be changing anytime soon BorkFactor said:
You should! Get a petrol one - less desirable so cheaper, no usual diesel worries, post facelift so you avoid the swirl flaps issues and chocolate coil packs, and nicer interior.
Easily get a decent one for under £1500
When did they bring out the facelift model? Thanks.Easily get a decent one for under £1500
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff