Ford Mondeo hatchback (Mk 3)

Chaka Ping
Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
edited September 2008 in The Crudcatcher
No, I haven't mistaken this forum for the What Car one. Having a new baby daughter means I need to sell my impractical Honda Prelude and buy something more suitable.

So I'm looking at becoming a Mondeo man, but thought I'd check if any of you guys drive them - and how bike-friendly they are. Can you chuck a bike in the back without putting the seats down?

I'll probably get a towbar rack in time. Anyone done that? What did it cost?

Oh, and how do you rate it as a car? Nice to drive and all that?
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Comments

  • Awful car :? :lol:

    Why Mondeo? Have driven a few in my days and not found a 'nice' one yet! Not sure how bike freindly they are, but wouldn't say driver friendly!

    All IMHO of course :wink:
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  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    The TDs fly if that's any help :wink:
  • Chaka Ping
    Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    Because they're comparatively cheap and generally agreed to be the best-handling mass-market saloon by the press.

    I can't contradict you as I've not driven one, but most reviews I've looked at suggest it's a very satisfying car to drive.

    Tell me what you didn't like about the ones you've driven?
  • gazvenn
    gazvenn Posts: 121
    focus :D
  • Driven a few,including the 1.8 and 2.0 petrol,and morerecently had an ST 2.2 TDI last year.Handled and steered much better than,the equivalent Vectra that I ran for a while.I also ran a 2.2 cdti Accord for a while,and whilst the Honda,beat the Mondeo for refinement,the Mondeo handled much better.Boot is vast too.
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  • jacktheoc
    jacktheoc Posts: 1,556
    my mom is currently looking for a new car and tested the sttdci, seems decent inside and was fairly quick on the road. still manages 50mpg aswell...
  • Chaka Ping
    Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    I'm probably looking at the 2.0 or 2.5l petrol.

    Anybody put a bike in the back of one? Was there room for much else?
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Cousin has one and it carries most of his house, his two year old and his wife.

    They are good cars - handle well, easy to fix, cheap to look after.
    In fact several reviews reckon the new Mondeo is better than the BMW 3 series and MUCH cheaper.

    Good car - but definitely go for diesel if possible. The petrols are thirsty and even the ST220 isn't all that quick in real World driving.

    The estate is HUGE if you want serious bike room.

    Oh and the Focus is a hoot to drive too - and better on fuel.
  • Rich9
    Rich9 Posts: 1,635
    the diesel engines are excellent. Mondeos do exactly what they are supposed to do, just a bit dull thats all.
    2014 Whyte T-129S
  • Driven the 2.2 diesel estate and it's MASSIVE. Had it from work for a couple of weeks and used it to move house, fit everything in it including the bike in one trip (moved into a fully furnished house so no furniture obviously!). It's really properly quick but don't think much of the handling, although I'm comparing that to my Alfa! The steering was so light it felt like it wasn't attached to the wheels but that's a bonus for driving such a big car round town, I just like a bit more feeling.
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  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    edited September 2008
    Focus has handling finesse in spades.

    In fact it's the best handling FWD hatch out there. The current Focus ST is too nose heavy - the more standard models handle better - the old ST170 was just near handling perfection (as was the Puma)

    The Mondeo is still very good.

    I would have bought a Focus but they only come with weedy diesels and the Astra (pokey diesel) looked nicer so plumped for that. Had it since new but still like it.

    IMG_0002.jpg

    Not as fast as the previous car though...

    Golf5.jpg
  • you looking to buy new/second hand?
    what size car? is it definatly a saloon your after or would you consider a hatch?
    what (if you dont mind me asking) is the price range your looking at?

    Like when getting a new bike, you gotta try out different cars before buying!!
  • Chaka Ping
    Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    I'm looking at secondhand £2k to £3k - and I said hatch in title (although I did say saloon in a later post - but only because I think of the Mondeo as a saloon with a hatch, if you know what I mean).

    Could spend more, but only do 5 to 7k miles per year, so no point taking the depreciation - and I don't care too much about image (although I wouldn't want anyone to think I was the sort of mug who drove a French car).

    I do like to drive a car before I buy it, but before I pick a car I can rule loads of others out for other reasons - like looks, reliability, cost of repairs.

    I've driven and liked the Focus, but I want more boot space. Have considered a Focus estate, but most of my driving is on the motorway - so I thought the Mondeo would be more comfy.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Chaka - I'd try a Focus Estate - they are quite roomy and comfortable.

    I help mates and family look for cars and have found four Focuses so far - one an estate.
    The reason? I think they are very good cars if your budget is lowish.

    I think you'd get a better Focus for that money than you would a Mondeo and every model, even the lowliest spec, is fun to drive.

    Other alternatives for that money (Astra, Golf, etc) are just no good - the Astra and Golf only got good with the latest shape (mk1 and mk2 Golfs were great - then it all went wrong until the mk4 R32 and the mk5). The previous shape Focus is a great handling car that is generally very reliable.

    An old Mondeo will be a bit of a gas guzzling cut price luxobarge that will probably be hard work to move on once you come to sell it.
  • As above, what about golfs?
    2007 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1.9 Sport TDI 5dr DSG Diesel Hatchback £3000, 22,500 miles.

    lovely cars and the diesels are pretty much indestructible, roomy, quick, can get bikes on the back/roof/towbar.

    i dont see why you'd need an estate (but admitedly i dont have kids so feel free to flame me for that bit :lol:).[/b]
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Bigben - there's something wrong with that Golf unless you meant 1997 (which it can't be as DSG wasn't out then)?! That's WAY too cheap - more like £9k.

    We've had an estate for three years despite no kids (first baby arriving Saturday though!) - brilliant for bikes, surfboards and you can even sleep in the back of them if needed.
  • Chaka Ping
    Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    Surf-Matt wrote:
    a bit of a gas guzzling cut price luxobarge.

    Precisely why I wanted one ;)

    I don't drive much so fuel cost isn't important and I'm likely to keep it a couple of years so I expect whatever I buy to be worth around £1k when I sell.

    I think I can get a V6 at a good price because nobody else will want to take on a car with £400 VED (from next year) and everyone's bricking themselves about the credit crunch.

    I've driven the Focus, it's very pleasant to drive - but not exceptionally comfortable for long journeys - and I expect the Mondeo to be as good to drive but more refined.

    Also, at the six/seven year old stage large cars get cheaper than small ones because of lower demand - so I expect to get more motor for my money buying a Mondeo than a Focus.

    The Focus 2l Ghia estate might be worth a look though, if one turns up local on Autotrader.

    Ben - I have an aversion to VAG cars (fnarr fnarr), I think VW lost it when they started believing their own hype in the late 80s.

    I need a large hatchback or med/large estate because in future I'm likely to be carrying a large pram, suitcases and bike bits for holidays - and to futureproof against dog ownership.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Chaka - well as mentioned, you won't go far wrong with a Mondeo.

    I'm also a bit anti VW - after having LOADS of GTis, I got the R32 (mark 4) which was great (unlike all other mk4 Golfs which are cack). Had to sell it and tested loads of VWs and Audis. All were hopeless. Yes they have a nice dashboard but all handled terribly.

    The new Golf has sorted the handling but I do find that if any car is going to be glued to your back bumper, it will be a VW or an Audi. Middle management upwardly mobile tw4t-mobiles on the whole. Which is a shame.
  • Chaka Ping
    Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    Yeah, Audis and VWs have become the cars people buy to keep up with the Jones, when the image is more important to them than the actual vehicle.

    I do fancy that new Scirocco though - as I've had two in the past and loved them - but that might have to wait for my (second) mid-life crisis.
  • The diesel mondeos tend to have a problem with dual-mass flywheels, if it needs to be fixed it'll most likley cost you the best part of a grand. Unless you are handy with a spanner that is.
  • Got a mk 2 Mondeo hatch.

    I can fit 2 bikes on the boot as long as you remove wheels and seats.

    Got the 1.8LX. Bit slow but OK when it gets to speed. Get about 35mpg max for mixed driving so not great. Not the most comfy seats either - Wife is short and realy struggles to get them to fit nicley. Plus side the ride is good so the kids don't chuck up in the back (yet).

    Focus estate 1.9tdi is much better all round.........
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  • ive had a 2L TDCI for past 2.5 years, huge space with seats down, u might need a rack tho if u need seats up
  • Surf-Matt wrote:
    Chaka - I'd try a Focus Estate - they are quite roomy and comfortable.

    I help mates and family look for cars and have found four Focuses so far - one an estate.
    The reason? I think they are very good cars if your budget is lowish.

    I think you'd get a better Focus for that money than you would a Mondeo and every model, even the lowliest spec, is fun to drive.

    Other alternatives for that money (Astra, Golf, etc) are just no good - the Astra and Golf only got good with the latest shape (mk1 and mk2 Golfs were great - then it all went wrong until the mk4 R32 and the mk5). The previous shape Focus is a great handling car that is generally very reliable.

    An old Mondeo will be a bit of a gas guzzling cut price luxobarge that will probably be hard work to move on once you come to sell it.

    i recently got a secondhand MK 2 focus estate (2005 model). TDCi. It is at its best on the motorway where it gives very good economy (as it does in town) and just rolls along nicely. not as big as mondy but big enough to get two bikes in the boot with the seats up and the cover over them (wheels off, but saddles still in place. that was why i bought it really ... though i am not really bothered about image the mondeo is pushing it a bit.

    i'd say both these fords are a bit less refined than VW and honda and so on, but cheaper to run and i quite like the aesthetics of the new focus estate FWIW
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Check JD Power surveys - VW and Audi don't fare very well these days.

    The Japs have reliability all wrapped up but mainstream brands such as Ford and Vauxhall often outdo German brands - in fact Merc slipped VERY low for a while.The M Class was extremely poorly built as were other models.
  • cheap as chips nowadays, take the front wheel off and it fits in the boot nicely. the 2l has a bit of poke about it and can be good on fuel if you watch how you drive it, and boy can these things corner. go on get one, the only thing with the mk3 is that they are hit with the higher road tax rates
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  • Surf-Matt wrote:
    Bigben - there's something wrong with that Golf unless you meant 1997 (which it can't be as DSG wasn't out then)?! That's WAY too cheap - more like £9k.

    We've had an estate for three years despite no kids (first baby arriving Saturday though!) - brilliant for bikes, surfboards and you can even sleep in the back of them if needed.

    http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/VOLKSWAGEN+GOLF/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-10-14-41-51-240-4294966995-4294967159/advert.action?R=200838318938027&distance=199&postcode=fy84qu&channel=CARS&make=VOLKSWAGEN&model=GOLF&min_pr=2000&max_pr=3000&max_mileage=60000

    dont look that bad to me, but in all fairness could be a misprint :lol:
  • Nothing wrong with French cars! The 1905cc turbodiesel, engineering masterpiece. Had an old 405 GRTD estate, which was absolutely superb. Don't think the 406 is as good as the 405. Citroen Xsara TD estate - same engine. Cannot beat French cars for interior comfort. How much have the Octavia come down in price to? VW build quality (shares the Passat floorpan) without having to pay for the badge. Same goes for the SEAT equivalent.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    BigBen - blimey! Must either be a panic sale, nicked or a misprint!! That's a total bargain.

    Tosh - Seat are not as well made as VW - had two brand new ones die on us. Skoda is a good alternative though - tested the old VRS and it was the best VAG car with the 1.8T engine by miles. My only problem with them is that they are SO damn ugly and the interiors just feel lower rent.
  • i like skodas because of the cycling connections and of all the compact estates the skodas have the biggest boot ... bigger than many large estates and more on a level with the mondeo.

    i also like the superbe if you want a salloon ... a massive very comfortable machine.
  • Yes, know what you mean about the looks on some of them :lol: Know a bloke who had one of those sunbleached yellow Octavia's...which had white interior carpets!?!? So practical! About as practical an estate, as the 155 Sportswagon - they do look great though!!! Think SEAT are supposed to be improving, just not within the timescale/budget you are looking at.