E46 320d or Mondeo ST TDCI?

[dema]

03 E46 320d touring or 04+ Mondeo ST TDCI saloon?

2 diffent cars O know, mainly looking for reliability, fun to drive and maintenance costs

What's your thought?

[littleredrooster]

They both start to go wrong at 100k+, so take your pick. BM eats turbos and swirl flaps, Mundano wrecks DMF, injectors and EGR valves. Ford may be slightly cheaper to fix, but has more potential faults. BM has no timing belt to worry about.

All IMO, of course!

[Golaboots]

As above really, although I know of plenty of people with 2.2TDCI's who have escaped the injector troubles. The EGR is a cheap fix (you can do it yourself and its preventable.) Clutch/DMF should be good for 80-100k miles.

[Dimski]

I put many miles on my Mondeo ST TDCI, I was very fond of it.

2006, and I had originally gone down to look at the then new mk2 focus. I didn't really like the new version's steering and body roll, which when driven back to back with a Mondeo Zetec was very noticeable. I asked if they had an ST TDCI on the second hand forecourt and was hooked on the test drive.

It drove really well for a diesel rep mobile. Firmish, but well damped. Very well equipped, and being a mondeo estate extremely practical.

I owned from 5k to 92k, and had only one EGR issue. (Although it did happen twice.) No other problems.

Compared to an E46 330D, I'd pick the BMW. Against a 320d I'd pick the Mondeo.

[littleredrooster]

Dimski said:

Compared to an E46 330D, I'd pick the BMW. Against a 320d I'd pick the Mondeo.

330d is the way. But I'm biased...

[dema]

Thanks guys.

My understanding is that the BMW is more of a driver car but the 320 suffer from Turbo issues. 330 are safer but can reach 7.5K for an 04 with 80+K miles!!

Both EGR and Swirflaps are not an issue and seems an easy fix

[rumple]

Mondeo st, my brother put 130 thou on one and the only fault it suffered was a burst power steering pipe, just looking at st's now, thinking of getting rid of my 330ci for one, only thing is id get a low millage one

[Dimski]

dema said:

Thanks guys.

My understanding is that the BMW is more of a driver car but the 320 suffer from Turbo issues. 330 are safer but can reach 7.5K for an 04 with 80+K miles!!

Both EGR and Swirflaps are not an issue and seems an easy fix

I loved the way my old one drove. Good fun it was! I don't have the BMW experience to make a comparison as to which is the better driver's car, but against any model other than the M Sport I'd say the Mondeo probably stacks up quite well.

This thread reminded me about it, and I stumbled across my very car on Autotrader after a quick search for them. I traded it just over 2 years ago... Makes me feel funny seeing it again!

Autotrader link

[Welshbeef]

Over the 320d I'd take the ST. I had electric memory recaro leather seats and every other option except Nav. Lovely car huge boot huge rear legroom and very chuck able in the bends.

It has a timing chain not belt as wrongly indicated above.

I only had mine 4 odd months but the EGR went fixed on warranty.

I also had quickclear but only half screen worked.... A mega stone chip happened so a new screen and that was superb. I miss that hugely now. It took so little to clear the view from frost was amazing.

Its not that fast economy is only marginally better than an auto 330d E90. If you have a hatchback then when you open the boot it will if raining chuck loads of water into your boot. Also visually it rides too high but once inside ride is great. Alloys delaminates

Sound system was great and the voice control is much better than BMW.


Hope thats some sort of guidance.


If you don't get recaro seats just std seats then the rears lift up as in they give built in booster seats for kids a worth while saving and space saver.

[AlLondon]

Get the 330D and remap it. If budget allows swirl flap blanking plates are well worth it too.

[Welshbeef]

AlLondon said:

Get the 330D and remap it. If budget allows swirl flap blanking plates are well worth it too.

oh yep.

[dema]

Thanks guys,

Throwing another one in E39 530d touring vs Mondeo ST TDCI

Will the BMW rip my wallet in the long run?

[Welshbeef]

dema said:

Thanks guys,

Throwing another one in E39 530d touring vs Mondeo ST TDCI

Will the BMW rip my wallet in the long run?

Answer nope.
Either could or any car could buy right then it's no issue.

[beck1234567]

dema said:

03 E46 320d touring or 04+ Mondeo ST TDCI saloon?

2 diffent cars O know, mainly looking for reliability, fun to drive and maintenance costs

What's your thought?

Test drove a 320d of that vintage and was very dissapointed with it, fine it's rwd but didn't like the engine. Always enjoyed driving the mondeo, and you will get a lot more kit with the ST and in my opinion it's a nicer looking car than the e46 which looks dated now. Will be as reliable as each other at that age, Mondeo will be cheaper to run aswell.

[T16OLE]

I had an E39 which my step father and then myself took from 30k to 150k on the original injectors, turbo and clutch.