130,000 millage Ford's - Petrol and Diesels

[N10k]

Im looking at a very cheap runabout. £1000 budget and im looking at a few Ford Mondeo's with 130k+ on the clock. Some are petrols and some are diesels

What should i be checking when a car has this much millage which i wouldnt normally check when buying a car

Im looking at Pistonheads, Autotrader and 2 local auction houses near me. Can anyone suggest anywhere else to look for a car?

Any ideas on a car at that price?

[Chapppers]

My little £700 Puma 1.7 has done 131k now, it's still running really well (including a trackday a few weeks ago). Few little bits have gone wrong amounting to just over £100 including giving it a service since last August.

Throttle position sensor + loom
Idle Control Valve
Heater Control Valve
Check the suspension isn't ruined, CV joints and gaiters etc.

I think they're bit hit and miss though! A lot of people would pick a VAG-engined vehicle over a Ford at similar mileage.

ETA: Rust. Check for rust. It'll be there somewhere but the amount will differ.

[ludicrous speed]

A mk2 can be had for a lot less money and mileage than £1000 / 130k.

Mk2's have a problem with the front wishbone arms, but apart from that they seem to be solid enough. Had one with 120k on it and it was fine apart from a fked wheel bearing.

[N10k]

See i was thinking about a Puma....
hmmmmm PUMA...

Is it manly enough for me..

runs off to autotrader to look at pumas

[Chapppers]

N10k said:

See i was thinking about a Puma....
hmmmmm PUMA...

Is it manly enough for me...

runs off to autotrader to look at pumas

Ask the passenger who got out thoroughly shaken after a VERY sideways passenger lap in mine at Bedford

[sday12]

N10k said:

See i was thinking about a Puma....
hmmmmm PUMA...

Is it manly enough for me..

runs off to autotrader to look at pumas

Try low millage puma's

[Chapppers]

Also I've managed to fit 3 adult mountain bikes in it, and an Ikea PAX wardrobe. Not on the same occasion. They're great. I just wish I couldn't see through my wheel arch.

[N10k]

Short List

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Cougar? dont want to have a huge bill to insure it thought
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Nice Ghia Focus
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...


Another nice Focus
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...


Nice Mondeo
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Another Mondeo
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...


What do you think of the best of the bunch?

[Chapppers]

Not that puma. Frontal accident. Cougar might be nice.

The two Focuseseses and the Mondeos are much newer cars, which begs the question why a 130bhp TDCi Mondeo is so cheap?!?! Obviously the best car out of that lot.

[Uhura fighter]

Ford Electrics. Try every switch, twice.

[balders118]

I'd go for a puma. I have one and love it, who cares if it's got a girly image if it puts a smile on your face! Picked mine up for £1350 with 90,000 miles on it. I've had a few things go wrong but only consumables (well bushes/coil spring). Loads of fun and can be frugle if you drive sensibly.

Look out for:

Rust on rear arches and sills. All pumas rust on the rear arches so not something to worry too much about if you can deal with what it look like

Oil usage. Due to the nikasil linings they can use a reasoable amount of oil, not necessarily a worry unless it's getting silly. Mine can be oil-thirsty, but only when driven very hard

Heater control valve. A weak point, but a cheap fix. Just check the heat goes hot and cold as it should.

Cambelt. Like all cars, important to have this done. I think it's ten years or 80k now (ford revised it at some point)

[samuelellis]

Mondeo advice (ive had a petrol and currently have a derv mk3)

Known issues on the petrol
Swirl flaps in the intake manifold can snap and get injested by the engine - easy ehough to swap for piece of mind
If the clutch does its worth doing the dual mass at the same time (Clutch is a subfame out job)

TDCi known issues
Injectors can fail
Variable vain turbo can stick and shove the car in limphome mode (chap fix for this is to just take the motor that moves the vanes off and set the vanes in a default location)
If the clutch goes do the Dual mass at the same time (Clutch is a subframe out job)
EGR valve can get stuck causing it to smoke (if you get a euro3 engine you can block this off with no problems - euro4's shove a warning light on the dash)
Intercooler to EGR boost pipe can split (Cheap enough from Ford to replace but Forge do a full pipe kit for the mk3 for not a huge amount)

Standard car issues
Hatchbacks eat rear bushes - polybushes cures this
Doors can rust at the bottom - check



TBH i really like them, they are good to drive and the interior is not the worst place to be - heck my current state weighs more than the moon with its speaker install in and still gets over 38mpg in stop/start traffic

[N10k]

Chapppers said:

Not that puma. Frontal accident. Cougar might be nice.

The two Focuseseses and the Mondeos are much newer cars, which begs the question why a 130bhp TDCi Mondeo is so cheap?!?! Obviously the best car out of that lot.

Got to be the high mileage?

[CharlieHotel]

I have a Fiesta 1.4 tdci at the moment. 8 years old 100,000 miles on the clock.
Had the clutch replaced last year.
Nothin else replaced touch wood.

[Blown2CV]

on the weasel: (if TDCi) dual mass flywheel and also injectors. You don't want either of these to need doing on a car like that otherwise you have doubled your ownership costs before you even farted on the driver's seat.

[N10k]

Much better list now:
PUMA
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...


Mondeo
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2762483.htm


Focus
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1714317.htm
Very nice focus

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2589033.htm
Nice

Going to look more tonight and make some calls!

[BIG DUNC]

If looking at a petrol mondeo, the diff crown wheels are weak which equals a replacement gear box.
Check for smoke. Piston rings are often shot which equates to burning a lot of oil and failing the emisions test. Only economical answer is a replacement engine.
Both the above, I know to my cost, on a MK3 (2002) Mondeo 1.8 with the durotech engine. In both cases, the local garage said "they all do that sir".

Edited to add that I bought it on 116,000 and sold it six months later (and much poorer) on 130,000 miles, which I would not say is excessive for a mondeo.

Edited by BIG DUNC on Friday 13th May 14:15

[anonymous-user]

N10k said:

Chapppers said:

Not that puma. Frontal accident. Cougar might be nice.

The two Focuseseses and the Mondeos are much newer cars, which begs the question why a 130bhp TDCi Mondeo is so cheap?!?! Obviously the best car out of that lot.

Got to be the high mileage?

There's something suspicious about that one, 98,000 isn't high milage for a Derv Mondeo.

[N10k]

BIG DUNC said:

If looking at a petrol mondeo, the diff crown wheels are weak which equals a replacement gear box.
Check for smoke. Piston rings are often shot which equates to burning a lot of oil and failing the emisions test. Only economical answer is a replacement engine.
Both the above, I know to my cost, on a MK3 (2002) Mondeo 1.8 with the durotech engine. In both cases, the local garage said "they all do that sir".

Edited to add that I bought it on 116,000 and sold it six months later (and much poorer) on 130,000 miles, which I would not say is excessive for a mondeo.

Edited by BIG DUNC on Friday 13th May 14:15

That all sounds expensive!

[Dave_ST220]

BIG DUNC said:

If looking at a petrol mondeo, the diff crown wheels are weak which equals a replacement gear box.
Check for smoke. Piston rings are often shot which equates to burning a lot of oil and failing the emisions test. Only economical answer is a replacement engine.
Both the above, I know to my cost, on a MK3 (2002) Mondeo 1.8 with the durotech engine. In both cases, the local garage said "they all do that sir".

Edited to add that I bought it on 116,000 and sold it six months later (and much poorer) on 130,000 miles, which I would not say is excessive for a mondeo.

Edited by BIG DUNC on Friday 13th May 14:15

A 2002 car should have had the MTX75 box which is proven & well used and much stronger than the later MMT6 speeds. Engine, is that a rebadged Zetec or a chain driven Duratec which IIRC was a Mazda design?