I'm a MONDEO MAN, now !!!

[F Body]

Well you Mondeo boys had better start saving for a 2nd hand Vignale

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=28407\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=28407

[Roadkill]

My Mondeo's a work horse.  Alloy wheels and lots of unnecessary options are simply NOT an - err - option.

[F Body]

Quoting: Roadkill

The only thing I hate about the Titanium models is on the estates they have the horizontal chrome trim under the windows.
On a pale coloured car it looks O.K but on a darker coloured one it's enough to stop me buying one - looks stuck-on and tacky !

Well I never parked next to a 63 Reg Fockus at the Doctors Surgery tonight, see anything familiar

http://s29.photobucket.com/user/fbody007/media/Misc/IMAG1336_zps38e02070.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">

[Roadkill]

She blitzed the 230,000 mile barrier earlier today.

No issues to note over the last 5,000 miles.

[Incursus]

Quoting: Roadkill

She blitzed the 230,000 mile barrier earlier today.

No issues to note over the last 5,000 miles.

[Roadkill]

To be honest there is a list of minor issues that will start acting like nails in her coffin . . . nothing major at the moment but any one (or any combination) could effectively end her.

i) The clutch / gearbox is noisy sometimes on start up (It's occasional and goes away quickly).  Been like it off-and-on for nearly a year so - ?

ii) The brakes squeal once they're HOT.  I've had them apart and can't see any issues.  They're well copper-slipped and the pads have plenty of life, discs are good.  They work absolutely fine and she stops straight as a die.  I will have another look soon as she's due new rear tyres.

iii) If you down-shift (and effectively engine brake) there's a sharp and definite squeak.  This has been present for the last 20,000 miles and rarely occurs as I rarely drive her that hard . . . I've read that it's the clutch slave cylinder seal that's failed but after this long it should've failed completely a long time ago.

iv) The Mechanism to release the tailgate doesn't always work when it's hot and the sun has been on the back of the car - this has baffled me but entering winter it's not likely to be a problem again any time soon.

v) I know the N/S rear trailing arm bush is knackered.  It should fail the MoT in December on that.

vi) It will need 2 rear tyres for the MoT in December.  They're fine now but won't be with another 5,000 miles on them.

vii) She smokes on start up.  Always has a little but month-by-month it seems to get a little worse (could be me imagining it as she barely looses any oil between services).

viii) There's a recent new noise that sounds like a wheel bearing on it's way out but it's so quiet it's hard to pin-point.  It sounds like it's coming from the front but it's really so quiet that you only hear it going less than 20mph - even then - occasionally.



We'll see.

[Incursus]

Will it's certainly doing better than my old one, only got to 140,000 and needed the injectors doing.  Though once done it drove perfectly.

No complaints on the new one but its only done 51k.

Cruises very nicely and handles very well for such a big car.

Only downside so far is the price of new tyres is a fair bit more but that's 18" wheels for you, also can't play music over the Bluetooth though finding Teamrock radio sorted that out nicely

[Roadkill]

THE GOOD NEWS . . .  

I'm glad I only opted for 6 months tax in May !

THE BAD NEWS . . .

She's terminal.  Multiple failures . . . May not even last the week.

[Andy]

Which are?

[Incursus]

Quoting: Roadkill

She's terminal. Multiple failures . . . May not even last the week.

Doh! Best put a new one on your letter to Santa

[Roadkill]

So, last night I went to leave work . . . turned the key to be confronted by a high-speed grinding noise (think of a dremel kind of noise).

O.K, so the starter motor is on it's way out . . .

Likely cause ?  Failing DMF, moving about, sheering the tops of the rivets off and the swarf caused is attracted to the magnet in the starter.

There's been gradual, increasing noises from the clutch/flywheel area for well over a year . . It's gotten particularly worse over the last 4 months so I've known this was coming . . . so much so that I hadn't actually brimmed the tank in that time.

So -

Required immediately :

DMF & Clutch kit £218 + £250 for fitting
Re-con Stater £50 + £40 for fitting

Total : £558

But the MoT is required in two weeks so . .

Required on or before the 18/12/13 :

Trailing arm bushes £32 + £80 for fitting
Rear brake pads (already bought) - Can fit myself
MoT test cost £40

I also have a wheel bearing on its way out but I'm struggling to pin point which one . . . . fronts are cheaper, but with more labour so it's gonna be around £55-£70 parts and labour, too.

Total : £207-£222

The tax is due at the end of December = £96 (for 6 months)

Also two of the tyres, even IF they pass the MoT will need replacing very soon and another one has a puncture/slow leak that needs repair . . . so add another £100 before the end of February . . .

All in -

£861 - £876 for her to survive the month . . . with another £100 coming very shortly after . . . and that's assuming nothing more shows up on the MoT !!!

[Incursus]

Quoting: Roadkill

£861 - £876 for her to survive the month .

More that the cars worth and who knows what else is just round the corner..on the other hand, better the devil you know..

[Roadkill]

Sammy's Focus has been sitting there doing nothing for just under a year, now . . . so I figure, chuck some tax on for £123 and use that.

It's done zero miles since the last MoT (which is due in January)

I'm going to carry on using the Mondeo for a couple of days, though - there's still a good £25 of diesel in her !

I'll probably stick her on eBay this week, though.  

[Incursus]

Quoting: Roadkill

Sammy's Focus has been sitting there doing nothing for just under a year, now . . . so I figure, chuck some tax on for £123 and use that.

Fair doo's

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: Incursus

More that the cars worth and who knows what else is just round the corner.

My Pop's in a similar situation with his '99 1.8 Petrol Mondeo, the shocks have both gone at the front, meaning new shocks are needed and getting both struts out (AGAIN - as one spring had already broken a while ago), the windscreen has a massive crack in it, the cabin-fan only works on the windscreen demist-setting, the central locking is temperamental, the rear door handles stick, it needs at least one, possibly two new front tyres, the tax AND MOT are due in January and it generally drives like crap. Also not taking into account what else it will fail the MOT on.

The car is only worth £250/300 maximum and only then if it had a full MOT, tax etc.

It's now one of those cars where the MOT and Tax is worth more than the car.

He has to do quite a lot of miles, so I just said we will go and get another car for £500 / 1k, preferably this time, not a Ford.

You have done quite well with this one, but I have totally lost respect for them. In the family we have owned, 3 Mondeo's, 3 Fiesta's and a Ka, all of which have been pretty terrible and for anyone interested, I can list all of the faults.

I fully appreciate that sometimes it is not so much the car that is the problem, but instead, the way it has been treated by the previous-owner, so I do not judge a brand that quickly. However, after 7 Fords, all with quite a few issues, you can clearly tell they are built to a budget, which is a shame as the Engines are not too bad. The biggest disappointment was the '58 Fiesta that we spent 6k on. Nope.



:offtopic:

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Roadkill

Sammy's Focus has been sitting there doing nothing for just under a year, now . . . so I figure, chuck some tax on for £123 and use that.

(this is also code for "I'll gain back a car parking space for potential, future use" )

[art b]

Quoting: Cunning Plan

The biggest disappointment was the '58 Fiesta that we spent 6k on. Nope.  

you ford boys, crack me up....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WICKID-SICK-FORD-FIESTA-ZETEC-S-BLACK-/281220186553?\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WICKID-SICK-FORD-FIESTA-ZETEC-S-BLACK-/281220186553?

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: art b

you ford boys, crack me up....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WICKID-SICK-FORD-FIESTA-ZETEC-S-BLACK-/281220186553?

\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WICKID-SICK-FORD-FIESTA-ZETEC-S-BLACK-/281220186553?

[Roadkill]

Speaking of eBay . . . The Mondeo just went on !

Yes, there's a few little white lies in there, but nothing about the condition of the car.  
I lied my a$$ off about getting a company car, though, simply as I, without fail, get stupid offers of P/X and figured saying I've got a new car on the way would stop this.



We'll see . . .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261346611015?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261346611015?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

[Cunning Plan]

A well written, concise ad sir

Much better than how most are written, with little detail about the car or in size 10000billion font.  



P.S. Fancy a PX?

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Fancy a PX?

Yeah, sure, how about a handful of £10 notes . . . the rest in cash.  

[F Body]

Quoting: Roadkill

Recent full set of new Ford wheel trims

How much for the wheel trims

[art b]

that was a quick 3 yrs....

[Roadkill]

Well, it's 2 years, 10 months ......

[Roadkill]

I think the DMF has really gone now . . it seemed like the starter wouldn't engage on Wednesday night when I left work so I had to bump-start her to drive her home . . .

I'm currently using Sammy's Focus but will do a little investigating this weekend to see if I can improve the Mondeo's starting . . . if only to make it worth a few more ££ !

I've just had a look for replacements but don't think I'll bother until at least the spring . . assuming the Focus holds up that long.

I do already miss the big central arm rest, the heated front screen, the cruise control and the nice flat, low bumper and tow bar which I used to put my work boots on when I pull up to site.