Finally, my head got better than my heart (almost a year after graduation and went into accounting). Any comment helps, positive or negative. Comment from Michael R would be especially useful as you run one.
Current 1995 Nissan QX running cost is 28 p per mile, inclusive of all cost (inc. car mats, polish, etc.), after 30k miles. From my previous calculation, a de-fleeted Mondeo will be at 19-20p per mile, keeping it for 5-6 years. I estimate I will be doing 25k a year, using it to visit clients, etc. Mileage rate at 40p per mile first 10k and 28p thereafter, which is reasonable because I will have to calcuate BIK if over that amount.
The car will have to be a 51-reg 2.0 petrol manual with 100k on the clock.
The car must have
1) climate control
2) cruise control
3) trip computer
4) 4x electric windows
5) electric seat
6) 4-door saloon with folding rear seat (because 5-door hatchback is more noisy on motorway)
7) Preferably leather seats
Does the specification requires me to go for a "Ghia X" or would "Ghia" have the above equipment as well? I prefer Ghia because Ghia use 16-inch wheel rather than 17-inch on Ghia X. This means the ride is more comfortable and I am less likely to damage the alloy.
I am tempting to change it, since I have no problem with my 94 Mark 1 Mondeo when I was a student. What do you suggest?
Price: Would I be able to get it for 5000 pounds? Should I go for auction or private or through auction-buyers? I can wait upto 7 months (when my current insurance expires) for the right car.
Thank you very much.
Gazza
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cruise and leather were only standard on the Ghia X. (Don't know if the same holds true now). You might strike lucky and find someone who had them fitted as extras.
Excellent choice. Plenty of bargains out there too but you are looking at a high spec.
Splodgeface
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I would prefer to be lucky and get a GHIA with leather and cruise fitted as extra because
1) GHIA is of lower insurance group than GHIA X
2) GHIA has smaller wheel => more comfy ride and cheaper tyres
3) GHIA with extras fitted will be cheaper to buy than GHIA X
The negative side is that a GHIA with extras that I want would be more difficult to find than a GHIA X
Is £5000 realistic?
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www.ukcar.com/sub_domains/cardesc.asp?stockno=3971...9
I'd say that £5k is realistic at auction at that high mileage, given the amount of time you're prepared to wait. However I'd be inclined to say that you'll probably have to bid on a Ghia X rather than waiting to find a Ghia with the extras as so many fleets have 'no options' policies, plus it'd be fairly pointless for the original purchaser to have a Ghia on special order when you could have a Ghia X from stock for virtually the same price or maybe even a bit less.
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Gazza
Are you saying that you'll be buying a 100k mi. Mondeo and then adding 25k pa for 5-6 years at 20p a mile?
That means taking it through the 200k mi barrier. I would doubt the reliability of a Mondeo at that mileage. Moreover the latest models (2000-on) have the new Mazda/Ford engine which is likely to be a lot more expensive to repair (c.f. the old engine) if it suffers a major failure.
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If you maintain it properly, which it sounds like you would, then I doubt it would have any serious issues in breaking the 200,000 mile barrier, afterall, most of the Mondeo taxis that I have travelled in have broken this limit and gone on for even further...
Blue
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Yes Aprilia, I am going to take this Mondeo to 200k miles and possibly beyond. My theory is a second-hand Mondeo that has past the "magical" 100k barrier would be a lot cheaper than one with 70k-80k. E.g. £4-5k for a 100k Y/51-reg vs. £5-6k for a 70k Y/51-reg
Is the new engine (Duratec) very unreliable compare to my old 1.8 Zetec? Please let me know if the new engine is unreliable because I will drop this changing car idea completely!
I was placing comfort that
1) Duratec is a chain-cam so it is sealed for life (no belts to worry about)
2) Ford did not go for variable "upto 30k" service interval. Instead it is fixed 12.5k interval so a Mondeo should have a better chance to be maintained better than, I guess, may be Passat with 30k service interval.
In addition, I will have 5k oil + filter change at Rapid Fit at £25 pounds per visit.
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In my view the latest Duratec engine is a superb engine - however its reliability at high mileage is still rather an unknown. The engine was designed by Mazda and I think engines for the UK market are made in Mexico. It has many innovative features, some of which mean that normal 'reconditioning' techniques cannot be employed. There are examples that have reached high mileages, but these have been driven continuously (e.g. police etc.) rather than steadily accumulating mileage in a mixed driving environment.
An aquaintance of mine has an early Duractec 2.0 Ghia Mondeo (Y-reg). At 80k miles he had to have major engine work due to wear in the valve train. Unfortunately due to the design of the engine this turned out to be highly expensive (£1500+). Fortunately for him its a company car, so he didn't pay. But it does show that you can get 'stung'.
Personally, in your position I would stick with the QX. Sure it will cost you an extra 8p/mile, but its likely to be reliable and it owes you nothing. Plus you won't have to shell out £5k on another car.....
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Just recalculated my QX's running cost as at 040404 and it is 26.46p per mile.
From your advice, getting a Duratec engine means I have to tread on unknown territory. I will not be looking at a Mondeo than.
What about a Focus 1.6/1.8 Ghia Estate? Would it have the same equipment as specified above? I can only guess it will be even cheaper to run, maybe 15p-16p per mile?
I have faith with a Zetec and I know my way around a Zetec very well, having taken a 1.8 apart in an university laboratory.
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What about a Focus 1.6/1.8 Ghia Estate? Would it have the same equipment as specified above? I can only guess it will be even cheaper to run, maybe 15p-16p per mile?
I use my son's S/H 2.0 V reg Ghia Hatch.
Gray leather and cruise was an extra and I suspect rare.
Not aware of climate control being available.
2.0 gets rear disk brakes. Think ABS and traction control is standard
Agree that a saloon is quieter.
Back to the drawing board?
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Has the Ghia Estate got trip computer and elec. seats? What sort of mpg can you get out of a 2.0 Ghia Estate? I would not consider changing if it does less than 34-35 mpg.
Another question is the resale value of these estates. The price seems to me that they have been around at least £4k for the whole of 12 months. Do they not depreciate faster? I wouldn't mind a 99V 1.6/1.8/2.0 Ghia Estate for around £3k.
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I use my son's S/H 2.0 V reg Ghia Hatch. Gray leather and cruise was an extra and I suspect rare. Not aware of climate control being available. 2.0 gets rear disk brakes. Think ABS and traction control is standard
As far as yours is concerned, Leather and Cruise came on the Ghia X model with the Mk2. Climate Control was available as standard on the Ghia X from very late 99. Rear Discs and Traction Control were also standard on the 2.0's from late 99.
Mine is a September 99 Ghia X, so I just missed these nice options, and instead have manual AC, drum brakes and no traction control. ABS has been standard on all Mk2 Ghia/Ghia X models though :)
Not sure how much help I can be to the original poster though as he is after a Mk3 and I run a Mk2, but on the Mk2, if you wanted leather, cruise, a sunroof *and* AC and a trip computer as standard, you needed a Ghia X as the Ghia didnt have these as standard, at least not before 99.
If the Mk3 is anything like as good as my Mk2, which I suspect it's even better, I'd certainly recommend it. I'm really pleased with my car :)
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Oh, don't worry about the alloys. If you wanted to downgrade to 16" I'm sure one of the chaps at Fordmondeo.org would be only to happy to trade their 16's with you, everyone seems to want bigger wheels! :)
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