Is my driving style responsible for the high mileage I have got out of my Mondeo's dual mass flywheel?

In your response to a WM of Kendal, you quoted 50,000-100,000 for a dual mass flywheel. My experience is different. I am driving my third Ford Mondeo Estate, a 2-litre manual diesel. I have replaced only one flywheel after 200,000 miles. The records are: 2002 130PS, av 53mpg, sold after 324,000 miles; 2007 140PS, av 57mpg, stolen after 128,000 miles; 2006 110PS, av 61mpg at 165,000, so far.

The present one was bought at 96,000, the others were bought new. I have not had to top-up the oil between services in any of them. I find it difficult to criticise them in any way, they are comfortable and reliable. What do I do that prevents problems with my flywheels? One clue is that I have never kicked the habit of double-declutching, both ways. I would expect excessive wear on the thrust bearing but that hasn't happened; I don't know why.

Asked on 25 February 2012 by DB, Nettlebed, Oxon

Answered by Honest John
The preservation of your DMFs had got to be due to your style of driving, but though some readers have seen less than 40k miles from the DMF on the Mk III Mondeo, others have achieved 200k plus.
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