My 56 Mondeo DMF gone. Fix or scrap
My 56 Mondeo DMF gone. Fix or scrap
Author
Discussion

Wolfer

Original Poster:

233 posts

156 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
quotequote all
Hi, I know only I can answer this, but wondering what people would do in my shoes on this.

My workhorse car is a 2006/7 Mondeo 2.0 tdci Estate, just reached 146k miles. Starter motor made the worrying noise this last few days and needed to rock it in gear to start it. (I thought the DMF was on it's way out as it rocked when started from cold and clutch peddle pulsed when pressed down) Popped to garage who confirmed DMF failure.

I would just scrap it now but it's recently had new tyres, brakes, bushes, 2 front springs, exhaust and even a new heated windscreen, and the bugger never lets me down (even now!) I even washed it last month!

Quoted £755 all in for DMF, clutch, CSC etc. and then a further approx £150 for new starter if needed.

In my head that's half the price (maybe more) that the car is worth.

Due to this I'm in 2 minds now, as to whether to repair and hope that's it for the forseable, or sell as is spares or repairs, and get a new car. The worry with a new car, even if I spend say 5 or 6k , is that I could still get issues like this, but on the other hand, I could get this done then the injectors or turbo lets go!

If I decided to get rid and look for another (I can drive it while I'm looking) what would tick all my boxes? Needs to be reliable, 40mpg+, estate, reasonably large, between 2 and 6k , not green.

Thanks for looking

W

ian328

56 posts

144 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
quotequote all
I was in a similar situation with my 06 Astra estate, do you spend the money on repair or put that money somewhere else, except ours also smashed the gearbox to shreds, ended up a £2k bill in the end. Sadly it snapped its cambelt last Friday and it's now going to be a new car I think as its too much to repair and it has done 198k miles

It was booked in next week for a new cambelt and water pump as well.

How much do you like the car and what makes more sense, to spend the money or put it towards something else.

Wolfer

Original Poster:

233 posts

156 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
quotequote all
Cheers Ian,

Typically only last month spent 500 on it as i'd thought i would keep it like the old pug (that crisp packet fell apart around me but had done 275k)

Just had a look at V50 R Design's, they don't look too bad.

Chuffin cars.

I may keep the old Mondy on the drive as storage, as it's great for that!

ALBA MELV

399 posts

185 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
quotequote all
It's sometimes better the devil you know.

Like you say, you could cut your losses, fork out for another 2nd hand car and be faced with the same issues. At least if you fix it, it's peace of mind that a particular problem isn't (Shouldn't) going to rear it's head again.

SebringMan

1,774 posts

215 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
quotequote all
What else would you buy? Alot of modern have their own issues. I will not say how much I spent fixing a VW Passat B6 steering lock issue.

If the Mondeo has been well maitained it should last well. If it were me I would look at what else you can get for your cash and even go to look at the cars. Many of the cars I saw described as 'mint' were not that.

paulmaurice99

125 posts

172 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
quotequote all
The age old problem of running a car! There isn't a right answer, sadly.

If you do decide to buy something else - why not a 06/07 Mondeo Estate.. petrol? I've a 55 1.8LX petrol hatch, and I consistently get 37-38mpg, which I know isn't quite 40+ but it's not far off, and they're so cheap it's silly. I do just over 20k a year and decided the risks of a diesel at that age/price weren't worth it (same is true for all the other usual suspects as well, they're just more expensive to start with), and so far the petrol hasn't given me too much cause for concern (fingers crossed). It's my MR2 that I have all the keep it/sell it thoughts about these days, the Mondeo just gets on with it!

Hope you get it sorted OP

HustleRussell

26,477 posts

189 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
quotequote all
Wolfer said:
If I decided to get rid and look for another (I can drive it while I'm looking) what would tick all my boxes? Needs to be reliable, 40mpg+, estate, reasonably large, between 2 and 6k , not green.
Sounds like you need a Volkswagen! Boom boom!

I got rid of my Mondeo TDCI at 140k because it felt like it was dying.

Depends on your personal circs I suppose, big difference between £900 and £6k. Do you want a change? Is now a good time? How long would you keep it if it wasn't packing up?

slk 32

1,529 posts

222 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
quotequote all
I hear you!

I bought a cheap vw polo bluemotion 2008 for £2600 last November. The plan was to use it as a snotter to keep the miles off the slk55

When I got it it had done 119k and needed some love. I replaced

Cambelt
Water pump
Clutch
Brake discs / pads
Service

This set me back £1200 but I felt comfortable that that should cover major expenditure for the next few years.

Unfortunately, last month the body control unit went (cost fitted from VW £700!). Given that is one third the price of the car I declined ..I can pick a sh one up from e bay for £30..last week got a nail in one of the tyres so bit the bullet and replaced all four with decent michelins for winter..luckily as they are 14 inch wheels the cost wasn't too bad.

Ultimately, I could have bought one with 60k miles for £1500 more but realistically a lot of things would still needed to have been done.

Sometimes it's better the devil you know..Spending £5-6000 could just end up buying someone else's problems

JonoG81

384 posts

134 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
If the car has been looked after, and after having the work carried out it will ( touch wood) give you another couple of years motoring without any major bills then I would have it done and use it till it gives up the ghost.

HustleRussell

26,477 posts

189 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
JonoG81 said:
If the car has been looked after, and after having the work carried out it will ( touch wood) give you another couple of years motoring without any major bills then I would have it done and use it till it gives up the ghost.
Injectors next. Then it'll start rusting from the bottoms of the doors.

Wolfer

Original Poster:

233 posts

156 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
A lot of people seem to advise to get it done, and keep it (which, to be honest, if it was around 600, I probably would have done)

It's got me to work again this morning, didn't even need to rock it to start it laugh and I've been trying to weigh up what to do.

Typically it's just started knocking at the back, but having a quick look, I wobbled the exhaust and it replicated the noise, so that will just be exhaust hitting the subframe, quick fix.

It does smoke bad when you put the foot down, but it's done that for the last 18 months or more of ownership, and been hooked up to Ford diags who cannot find an issue, and more recently, cold start on a morning puffs out a cloud of smoke on start-up, but guess this is just a little leakdown of one of the injectors.

I'll run it till the end of the week (couple of 140m round trips) and see if I can make my mind up by the weekend. Although I'm working 7 days a week for the next few weeks, so not sure when I could get to look at any more cars anyway.

Thanks for advice

JonoG81

384 posts

134 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
HustleRussell said:
JonoG81 said:
If the car has been looked after, and after having the work carried out it will ( touch wood) give you another couple of years motoring without any major bills then I would have it done and use it till it gives up the ghost.
Injectors next. Then it'll start rusting from the bottoms of the doors.
Fair point, but refurbed injectors can be had for less than £100 each, and the rust can be repaired easily enough if caught in time, of a door can be had from a scrappy for buttons.

All depends if the OP has the time/ability to do the work himself I suppose though.

OldGermanHeaps

5,116 posts

207 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
You can get the dmf done cheaper if you shop around

hman

7,497 posts

223 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
if it helps you feel better , the starter motor in my A4 cost £500 to replace.

Just the starter motor, not even a gearbox out job.

Chris x

279 posts

217 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
JonoG81 said:
HustleRussell said:
JonoG81 said:
If the car has been looked after, and after having the work carried out it will ( touch wood) give you another couple of years motoring without any major bills then I would have it done and use it till it gives up the ghost.
Injectors next. Then it'll start rusting from the bottoms of the doors.
Fair point, but refurbed injectors can be had for less than £100 each, and the rust can be repaired easily enough if caught in time, of a door can be had from a scrappy for buttons.

All depends if the OP has the time/ability to do the work himself I suppose though.
Doors wont go rusty if its a 56 plate. Think it was fixed 54/05>

oilyscouse

9 posts

148 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
Wolfer said:
Hi, I know only I can answer this, but wondering what people would do in my shoes on this.

My workhorse car is a 2006/7 Mondeo 2.0 tdci Estate, just reached 146k miles. Starter motor made the worrying noise this last few days and needed to rock it in gear to start it. (I thought the DMF was on it's way out as it rocked when started from cold and clutch peddle pulsed when pressed down) Popped to garage who confirmed DMF failure.

I would just scrap it now but it's recently had new tyres, brakes, bushes, 2 front springs, exhaust and even a new heated windscreen, and the bugger never lets me down (even now!) I even washed it last month!

Quoted £755 all in for DMF, clutch, CSC etc. and then a further approx £150 for new starter if needed.

In my head that's half the price (maybe more) that the car is worth.

Due to this I'm in 2 minds now, as to whether to repair and hope that's it for the forseable, or sell as is spares or repairs, and get a new car. The worry with a new car, even if I spend say 5 or 6k , is that I could still get issues like this, but on the other hand, I could get this done then the injectors or turbo lets go!

If I decided to get rid and look for another (I can drive it while I'm looking) what would tick all my boxes? Needs to be reliable, 40mpg+, estate, reasonably large, between 2 and 6k , not green.

Thanks for looking

W
£755 supplied and fitted is a bit expensive especially when ecp can supply the parts for around £200 to the trade if they are good customers. Have you tried other garages or clutch specialists?

Wolfer

Original Poster:

233 posts

156 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
Tried my local garage, the one I use all the time, but they put me onto this one as they didn't have the tool for lining up the subframe.

Think it was 300 parts, 130 vat, 330 labour , something similar. Then another 150 plus vat and labour for the starter.

May have a call round when I get chance, see if there's anywhere cheaper

Pistom

6,402 posts

188 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
The starter at £150 sounds expensive for a Mondeo

The problem you have is that you are thinking in terms of the cost of repair v the value of the car.

I would fix the car if I were you. Better the devil you know, unless you fancy a change.

HustleRussell

26,477 posts

189 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
Doesn't sound like too bad a price, phone around anyway of course. Check they're using quality parts. Can't remember whether LUK or Sachs are the preferred option for Mondeo DMFs, clutch kits and concentric slaves.

Labour on starter should be minimal because they’ll have removed it to get the gearbox off the engine anyway, unless of course they’re going to re-fit the old starter for checking and then replace it if necessary.

Wolfer

Original Poster:

233 posts

156 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
quotequote all
This might be a laugh, but has anyone ever tried "whocanfixmycar.com" ? I'd be concerned you would get mechanics using sub standard parts, however, that may be prejudice and it could be a great site?