Please can you give me your opinion on the Ford Mondeo 2.2tdci 155 bhp (2004 onwards).
I am looking at buying a diesel and would some ideas as to which diesel is the best on the road.
I am looking at spending £13000.
Cheers
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Let me give you a little hint about using this forum.
If you want advice about the Mondeo tdci, say you're about to buy something else and ask what do people think? This will ensure many recommendations of the Mondeo and tales of starship mileages on nothing more than a couple of bottles of autoglym and the scowls of envious neighbours.
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There aren't many around for your budget (but it is achievable). The 2.2 Mondeo is a good choice although the 2.0 isn't that much slower and you might get better value.
Others to consider are the Honda Accord 2.2 cdti (probably £14k unless high mileage) but will probably hold its value better than the Mondeo or a slightly older (2003) BMW 320d with about 40k miles.
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My preference in this sector would be the Mazda6, mainly on grounds of looks - mechanicals are pretty much those of the Mondeo. Good reliability, and the latest version can be had with a 143 bhp engine from 2005 on, so not too far off the output of the Mondeo 2.2 and according to HJ's very positive review, more likely to hang onto its value.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=183
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andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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Other Forum contributors have reported that the standard 2.0 TDi often puts out considerably more power than its quoted 130 BHP so you might not need to go to the extra expense of the 2.2 Tdi.
You´re in the right place as far as recommendations of the Mondeo go, though...
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Having owned both, the 2.2 TDCi is the better engine, but there is nothing wrong with the 2.0.
The 2.2 has a wider powerband and will pull from 1400RPM where the 2.0 needs to be kept above 1700 to keep it moving, and the 2.2 keeps the power coming for an extra 500RPM. The extra torque is useful as well. Whilst the peak power figures don't differ all that much, day to day the 2.2 is nicer to drive. It is also much better in 1st and second gear as its been mapped to reduce the torque output which makes it far easier to drive in a traffic jam - I found the 2.0 tried to run away in the lower gears as soon as you got above 1500RPM.
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Just thought it might have looked like I was suggesting that an Accord would hold its value better than a 320d - actually it might now that the E90 3-series is out but it might not. I'd still consider the 3 Series and also the Mazda6 as Andy has suggested.
Incidentally, most of the sub-£13k Mondeo 2.2s out there seem to be the June 05 on Titanium (previously Zetec-S) model, rather than the 2.2 ST - but they're actually both quite sporty and stylish, as Mondeos go.
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As Barchetta man says the 2.0 130 TDCi's typically produce around 148 to 149 bhp (the same as a 150 bhp 320d) on the rolling road where as the 2.2 produces around 160 so the difference is less than the manufacturers figures suggest, the 2.2 is a fair bit more torquey though the 2.0 is pretty stonking itself.
The Titanium is not the same as Zetec-S, Zetec-S had a subtly sporty look, the best looking of all Mondeos IMHO, shame it is discontinued. IIRC Titanium has no body kit and Titanium X has an ST type body kit, they are the same price respectively as Ghia and Ghia X offering an alternative to the wood and leather.
The facelift Mazda is worthy of consideration as is the 320d. Again IHMO the 2.0 TDCI offers a great balance of economy and performance, I have done 102k miles in my 2002 Ghia x and would have another, perhaps a 2.2.
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Isn´t the Mazda6 really noisy on the motorway, though? Or is that an urban myth?
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.....You should get the tail end of a warranty on a 3 series, plenty around, may be worth looking at dealer sourced cars (there were plenty of 320s on my local dealer's forecourt last week and within budget) you may pay over the odds but less likely to be problamatical in the service dept. The alternative is to buy a just out of warranty one for less and if you have a indie BMW garage in the area make friends with them. You never know you may actually prefer being pushed along rather than being dragged along IYKWIM.
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....but you'll must hang on for an SE version, easilly spotted via its MF wheel and climate rather than the bog air con.
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Apparently it's partly down to the standard fit tyres - from what I've read, once these are changed for less noisy boots the problem is much reduced. Also, it seems from HJ's roadtest that Mazda sorted out this issue with the 2005 model. I've been toying with what to replace the Passat with when the time comes, and so far I haven't come across anything that ticks as many boxes as the 6 in terms of reliability, affordability, reported driving characteristics, looks, etc. Mind you, if the Alfa 159 turns out to have beaten the breakdown bug at last (I reckon Alfa reliability to be somewhere on a par with VW, which isn't good enough yet, but it seems that Alfa are improving where VW have been deteriorating), I could be tempted if the price drops low enough for me!
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andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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PS my reply was to barchettaman - took too long typing it!
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andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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Cheers Andy. IMHO it looks even better than the 159....
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Don't know if you've noticed the latest trade sales ads which have 05 plate 2.2s with high spec (one is Ghia X) at 13K. Looks right up your street.
Splodgeface
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Hello Splodgeface
Thanks for the info but can I ask you where do I find the trade sales ads. Im knew to car buying. The only place I look is the auto trader website.
Thanks in advance.
Designerboy
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www.trade-sales.co.uk
(And the AutoTrader website is a very good place to look). Also try www.fow.co.uk www.motorpoint.co.uk and www.tradecentre.co.uk - all three dealers have been discussed on here many times.
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The Mondeo is a good choice and especially at £13k but I preferred the Accord CDti, Volvo S60 D5 and especially the 320d SE. These latter engines are all more refined, give little if anything on paper to the Mondeo and the BMW and Volvo felt swifter on the road. You need to take a spin in the alternatives to appreciate the cars in the round.
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Strange how perception vary, I like the 320d and quite fancy a 320d or 330d Touring however the 320d to me feels less gutsy below 2000 rpm and no swifter than my 2.0 130 Mondeo, yet alone the 2.2. I have not come across a 4 cyl diesel that idles as quietly and petrol like as the Mondeo/X-Type, all others have an urgent thrum when idling, this urgency on idle is even apparent on a 330d albeit in a refined 6 cyl thrumy kind of way.
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We didn't plump for the 320d for other reasons but on refinement and pace it clearly had the drop on the Mondeo. The Accord fell at a couple of hurdles but was, by quite some margin, the most refined 4 cylinder diesel I'd driven.
I think that you're right in saying that it's perception in that you are familiar with your Mondeo, know how to get the best turn of speed from it and have become inured to it's refinement relative to other vehicles. I didn't own any of the cars mentioned when I test drove them and was able to compare them on an objective basis.
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