RE: Ford Mondeo ST TDCI | Shed of the Week

[njw1]

mondayo said:

I used the Haber the 2 litre version of that engine. It was ok, if a bit rough.
I had it chipped/remapped and that really transformed it. It reved much more easily and it pulled so much better and higher up the rev counter.
Made it a very different car, performance wise.
It was a cracking car, for what it was.

Mine was fitted with a bigger intercooler, straight through exhaust, blanked egr and was remapped and it would rev like a petrol, for a few seconds until you ran out of revs....
.... It was quick though, at motorway speeds it was quicker than the remapped e46 330d I had before it.

Edit, just found a picture of it;



And my Titanium X;

Edited by njw1 on Friday 11th December 17:27

[JimclarkRS4]

Well I’m currently running a 2007 ST TDCi estate in performance blue. I picked it up 4 years ago having just had a new clutch, turbo, ecu and flywheel. Just turned 190k only issues to date, alternator, snapped front spring, alloys very corroded. It’s been a great workhorse for me, the boot swallows just about everything and even 3 meter lengths of pipe fit inside. I’ve enjoyed owing it and it’s been the longest car I have ever kept . Looks good and relatively nice to drive, you can’t escape the fact that the engine is a rough sounding diesel but goes well enough. I expect I’ll run it until it gives up and no longer financially viable to repair. Will genuinely miss it’s all round ability when it finally goes. If it reaches 200k next year I’ll be happy given I paid £1400

[Marc_Hill]

I bought a 2005 Mondeo ST about 18 months ago for my new 80 mile commute. Well looked after, full service with 2 previous owners and had just turned 70k when I got it.

Its coming up for 110k now and I have continued servicing regularly and its been spot on. I think these have to be used on a motorway with the occasional enthusiastic drive and it keeps the engine from clogging up.

[hi court]

I think if you are prepared to accept one day the engine light will come on or the clutch will start to slip and thats the time to weigh it in you won't be disappointed.

As someone else said, don't think this model had digital radio, although well specced cars nonetheless. Surprised no-one has mentioned the cooled aswell as heated front seats. I know other cars have them but ive never experienced cooled seats quite like the mondeo, they were very impressive.

Also worth mentioning I think the issue with the dmf on these was the massive torque spike which made this model more known for dmf failure. The later mk4 was a much more liner power delivery which therfore increased dmf life.

Surprised no mention of rust? The brake pipes used to rust over the rear subframe as did the fuel pipes. Rear suspension arms and rear chassis legs aswell.

Drove lots when they were new, always preferred the diesel st compared to the petrol st, the v6 came with its own unique issues so horses for courses really, coil packs, imrc, cats etc

The mk4 is the better car tho. Unless you are a low level drug dealer, with a lurcher

[Gazza450]

Had a 2.2 Ghia X version of this car from new in 2006. Did 150k trouble free miles in 3 years. Recently had a look at the Gov website that gives you MOT history and just out of interest looked up my old car. To my surprise the year after I parted with the car the mileage dropped from 150k to 70k but it’s now back up to 184k. So in total it’s done 264k miles and is still running. Great cars, so plenty of life left in today’s Shed. If I was in the market, I’d jump at it.

[xcesx]

Stoned said:

nipsips said:

Save your money and invest in a MK4 2.0 Titanium X. Much better car and nearly as quick.

But they're probably not shed money? The whole point of SOTW is you take a punt for not much money. You could probably get your money back just breaking that car.

Edited by Stoned on Friday 11th December 12:14

I bought a 2008 2.0 TDCI Tit X with 170k in August 2015. I run in to 250k by July 2019. You can pick these up at sensible money. I agree this is a better engine. Mine was a good spec as well (probably better than the ST TDCI). I had no end of problems with a 2004 oil burning Mondeo which is why I wouldn't touch the ST TDCI.

I had an ST220 for 8 months in 2015. Really nice car.

[MartinGLeeds]

W12JFD said:

Bravo for the last two lines.

That’s a bit mean.

Welcome to Leeds;

We’re right, your wrong....Yorkshire Yorkshire Yorkshire...

[apc321]

Have been drving a 2005 Mondeo ST220 estate in performance blue for a couple of years now. Have covered around 30,000 miles in that time.

I realise that this thread is about the TDCI so I will keep my comments relevent.

My car looks pretty much identical to the car featured. I can't think of a better looking estate car, or one that gets so much attention on the road in a nice positive way.

Coming up to roundabouts, other cars let you go past so they can take a look. The reactions from Ford Transit van drivers and in particular Focus ST drivers and their passengers makes me smile.

Makes driving around fun.

I would describe the driving position as very good. Nice big wing mirrors and good rear visibility make the car easy to place on the road.

Average headlights.

Brakes are not powerful, but are quite light with a nice progressive feel.

Comfy heated racaro seats.

Very poor indicator stalks. Much too sensitive, and too close to the wheel. Easy to touch accidentally, when you are moving your hands around the wheel, then you end up indicating to other drivers when you do not want to.

Big and deep boot area with rear seats in place.

Lots of space with the rear seats folded down totally flat. Very wide rear tailgate with no loading lip.

Little storage space inside car for bits and pieces.

Good 6 speed gearbox, with a light clutch. Fairly high gear ratios. First gear in particular feels long to me, making starting off a little tricky. Quite a long throw on the gear lever.

Good chassis. Balance of car is good.

Nice to drive something different to all those BMW's, Audi's and Mercedes.

[wjwren]

Forgot to mention cooled and heated seats. No other cars had that on. Not even range rovers etc. I liked mine a lot. Sony radio was good.

[MC Bodge]

I think I would prefer a new Mk3, with a modern VAG turbo petrol, DAB and Bluetooth, to my US-originated Mk5 Mondeo estate. The Mk3 was a good size, the luggage compartment was square/flat/good width/tall and the car handled really well. The headlights had nice big reflectors too. My Ghia X was a comfortable car with good seats.

Edited by MC Bodge on Friday 11th December 21:08

[aaron_2000]

I ran a MK3 TDCI as a winter shed last year. It had 155k on the clock, the DMF rattled, injectors ended up clogged, EGR clogged, always in and out of limp mode, turbo actuator failed, and it sounded exactly like a Tranny van. A great car ruined by an absolutely horrible engine.

[apm142001]

njw1 said:

nipsips said:

The best thing Ford ever did was shelve the ‘Puma’ TDCi engine as fitted to the MK3 Mondeo and replace it in the MK4 with a PSA sourced engine.

These things were dire. Sounded like a Transit. Fuel pumps, rails, injectors were all common. Head gaskets and timing chains were a regular occurrence. Clutches and DMF’s and if you were really unlucky the gearbox as well. That’s without the usual MK3 Mondeo usual issues with the rear subframe bushes, rear calipers, bonnet locks where you have to smash the grill out to open the bonnet etc etc.

Save your money and invest in a MK4 2.0 Titanium X. Much better car and nearly as quick.

In my last job I must have covered nearly half a million miles in Transits with the puma engine and on the whole they were hugely reliable, the problem is that you hear about all the horror stories but you don't hear about all the engines that just work and do huge miles without an issue, my ST TDCi on the other hand....
.....I must have bought at precisely the age and mileage when everything wore out, in the few years I had it I replaced in no particular order; Various suspension components, wheel bearings, driveshafts, steering rack, power steering pump, water pump, aux belt tensioner, both thermostats, clutch, bottom pulley, turbo actuator and probably more stuff I've forgotten about. And after that I still enjoyed my ownership of it as they drive and handle brilliantly as well as being very practical, I'd have a another but it'd have to be a 3.0 petrol, I wouldn't have another diesel.

I’ll second that, re Puma-engined transits. Over the last eight years I’ve also spent a lot of time in a large number of them - real workhorses, usually with tipper backs carrying a lot of weight, driven with a predictable lack of sympathy by all and sundry, and with minimal maintenance. Not one has had engine or transmission trouble. They’re rated at 90 or 110hp so maybe in getting the extra power for the Mondeo the reliability has suffered; though I’d assume that there are probably a few more differences between the van engine and the one used here.

Having said all that - it’s a great van engine but I wouldn’t particularly want one in a car! It suits a shed though I guess.

[Rob 131 Sport]

Deranged Rover said:

I still maintain that the Mk3 Mondeo is a very under-rated car and the ST is fab, although not with a tractor engine, obviously.

I spent the last eighteen months living with a 3.0V6 Ghia X hatchback - basically an ST with more wood, softer suspension and 23bhp less. It was a truly fabulous thing that cost pennies to run and surprised more than a handful of cars at the traffic lights.

Ironically, the worst bit of the ownership was trying to sell it, which took me nearly 5 months. It quickly became apparent that anyone who wants a 3.0V6 Mondeo only wants the ST, and anyone who just wants a Mk3 Mondeo, doesn't want a 3.0 engine under the bonnet.

It’s a shame you had such a problem selling it. At one time when selling anything with a Ghia badge especially the Cortina and Capri was a case of managing the numbers of people that wanted it.

[ffhard]

"a naked man been pressed up against the panel" AND a PH sticker?
So, it's not only been used for dogging (probably a great vehicle for that by the way) but ALSO thrashed without mercy (which might also go back to the whole dogging thing).
If I needed an estate (which I don't) then I'd go for it. But I would scrub the seats first!

[MadDog1962]

Good shed.

I remember driving a few of these (when they were relatively new) and they were great.

[bobbles88]

I had an 06 STD and regret selling it every day.
Absolutely adored it. I was skeptical of the injector issues and clutch/flywheel replacement so looked for one which had these done previously.
Did 3 trips to Scotland from the south, sounded amazing with a decat and straight pipe without being too loud and handled amazing for a big heavy car. Couldn't fault it.

[Wolfgang Mozart]

Last year I bought an early pampered Mk3 Estate (1.8LX) for shifting various stuff instead of buying a towbar/trailer for my E93 because it was cheaper.
I am really fond of it and particularly like the great handling/ride balance. I now use it for a 120 mile round trip to work and have piled the miles on it.
Could not be easier to service and probably wont depreciate any more
People seem to like it (and me?)
Lack of thrust is less obvious when 'one up', the boot is free of clutter and the tank is only half-full and let's be honest, a fast relaxed cruise is more useful and the 1.8 is alright on that score.

A great daily/ 2nd car. This sort of thing (mechanically simple petrol estates) might be in demand when we are a bit further down the electric route and families want to do some serious miles over a weekend.
I'll be keeping it for the foreseeable, hopefully to soon share garage space with an X150 XK-R 4.2.

[greenarrow]

apm142001 said:

I’ll second that, re Puma-engined transits. Over the last eight years I’ve also spent a lot of time in a large number of them - real workhorses, usually with tipper backs carrying a lot of weight, driven with a predictable lack of sympathy by all and sundry, and with minimal maintenance. Not one has had engine or transmission trouble. They’re rated at 90 or 110hp so maybe in getting the extra power for the Mondeo the reliability has suffered; though I’d assume that there are probably a few more differences between the van engine and the one used here.

Having said all that - it’s a great van engine but I wouldn’t particularly want one in a car! It suits a shed though I guess.

I might be wrong, but wasn't it the short lived TDDI Mondeo Mk3 that had the transit engine? I realise the TDCI was merely a common rail development of that engine, but the TDDI had 115BHP and pretty much lifted out of a Transit and I'm sure I've read somewhere that they were less troublesome. I remember test driving one of these TDDIs when they came out and they really punched above their weight. Diesel car Magazine figured one back in the day and the 0-60 time if I remember rightly was actually better than the TDCI130 they tested later. They also dyno tested one and it made 127 BHP, not 113. Certainly felt much quicker than the later 115PS TDCI which I drove and which felt a little lacking.

Anyway, having read everyone's feedback and seen how cheap early Mk4 TDCIs are now, I think that's what I would buy for shed money and you can definitely pick up a Mk4 now for around £1500 which is SOTW budget these days. My neighbour had an early 1.8 TDCI Mk4 model and I have to say the refinement and comfort was on another level to the Mk3.

[LetsTryAgain]

Diesel = doesn’t count.

[culpz]

Might be worth a punt, but the potential issues for these alone would be more than enough to put me off. Seen a few 2.5 V6 petrol variants at shed price that look much more appealing.