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£18K buys a new Mondeo 3.0 V6 ST 220 i think that's a bargain but for the money is the new Vectra GSI a better buy ?
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Much as I love Ford (and I really do) that's nearly 20 grand for one which is an awful lot. I've no idea how much a 3.2 GSi is brand new but I'm guessing not far off the ST's price.
Bear in mind that you can pick a GSi up (04 plate) for 10 grand now, residuals clearly aren't that strong.
I'd still go for the Mondeo though. Whilst the Vectra looks nicer, the Mondeo would outhandle it easily.
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Residuals are very strong for the ST220 - the £10k that buys an 04 GSi would... just.. manage an 02 ST220. That's not bad for a car nearly 4 years old.
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Last time I looked you could get an ST220 from a broker for around £16500.
Adam, you really think the Vectra looks better? Nothing against Vauxhalls, I was fond of my old SRI V6 Estate and recently looked at a 3.0 CDTi Elite, however surely the ST220 is a classier looking car than a pre faclift Vectra GSi.
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Mondeo residuals are bound to suffer when the new Mondy is introduced - which I believe is next year. Unless you are buying a heavily discounted one it must be best to wait for the new one.
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Time to get on with some work
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Mondeo residuals are bound to suffer when the new Mondy is introduced - which I believe is next year. Unless you are buying a heavily discounted one it must be best to wait for the new one.
Not so sure, the ST24 and ST200 held up well when the MkIII was introduced and still command good money.
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Indeed, you still need about £6k for a good condition ST200 and these are now 5-6 year old Mk2's.
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Whilst the Vectra looks nicer, the Mondeo would outhandle it easily.
Personal experience, or based on what you've read? Put the right driver behind the wheel and any car can be made to handle.
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Personal experience, or based on what you've read? Put the right driver behind the wheel and any car can be made to handle.
Well in that case why buy, say,, an MX5 when a J reg Toyota Carina can be made to handle 'with the right driver'?
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Personal experience, or based on what you've read? Put the right driver behind the wheel and any car can be made to handle.
Dave, it is not a matter of how fast the cars can corner with the Stig behind the wheel, rather how rewarding they are to drive for the average driver.
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I came within a nats whisker of buying a ST155 Tdci. Even at a discounted £16500, I thought the impending introduction of a new mondeo would would negate any saving.
I decided to buy a two month old Vecra 2.2 Direct Sri,with leather and sat nav. I saved £4500 and I'm very pleased with the car. I'm getting around 36-37 mpg (so says the trip computer).
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Dave, it is not a matter of how fast the cars can corner with the Stig behind the wheel, rather how rewarding they are to drive for the average driver.
In which case it's immaterial whether or not the Mondeo would outhandle the Vectra easily.
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Personal Opinion Dave. The Vectra is a comfy car but the Mondeo feels that little more composed when you're really pushing it. Clearly the Vectra is good for long distance cruises.
Don't get me wrong - I like the look of the Mondeo and the ST220 does look very very nice. Something about the Vectra just has the edge though (in GSi form anyway).
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I'm sorry, i just don't get it. I saw one in the Ford garage when i collected the Almera from its service.
Mondeo. Blue. Leather. £19995. Yes it was an ST of some sort.
£19995? Does it fly? Seat 14 people? Do your ironing? Park itself? Surely no-one pays £20k for a blue Mondeo do they?
But if they don't, where do the second hand ones come from?
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>> Dave, it is not a matter of how fast the cars >> can corner with the Stig behind the wheel, rather how rewarding >> they are to drive for the average driver. In which case it's immaterial whether or not the Mondeo would outhandle the Vectra easily.
No, because most drivers like a rewarding drive, that being said the Vectra is a fine handler just not quite as composed and with a little less feedback that the Mondeo.
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"In which case it's immaterial whether or not the Mondeo would outhandle the Vectra easily."
What an absolute nonsense statement!!
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In reality these cars are built for the motorway where the speed limit is 70mph and comfort, not handling, is most important. Discussion of which "handles" better is a marketing executive's dream because the number of drivers who can really tell and take advantage--who can take it to the limit and keep it right there for an hour without crashing--are numbered in their hundreds. Cars that "handle" are driven by M. Schumacher and pals. Cars that look a bit sporty in the company car park are the Mondeo ST220 and the Vectra GSi.
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"In which case it's immaterial whether or not the Mondeo would outhandle the Vectra easily." What an absolute nonsense statement!!
Not if Mr Average driver just wants to get from A to B.
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I am an average driver, and I noticed the difference between the two cars instantly the first time I drove a standard Vectra LS. I didn't feel settled driving it over the twisty country lane that I was using to get home, not settled at all. A bog standard Mondeo LX however made me feel a lot happier. I wasn't doing anything dramatic or high speed, just trying to drive home.
Now if the difference is pronounced on the base models, my assumption (and I stress it's only an assumption as I've never driven an SRi) is that a fast Mondeo will be nicer to drive than a fast Vectra.
Blue
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The Vectra chassis is capable, but is tuned more for comfort and refinement. Hence, it feels more floaty than a Mondeo on a twisty road.
However, the GSi version of the Vectra C model has a lowered, stiffer suspension that feels planted to the road. All the road tests of the GSi model have been quite favourable. Even more favorable, when you see how good value they are secondhand compared to the ST 220.
Horses for courses, if handling is such a big deal for so many people, how come we don't see more Lotus Elises on our roads?
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Because people don't want to have to remove their steering wheel each time they go to the supermarket! :-)
I think the point is that if people are nterested in handling (and not all drivers are by any means) they are generally wanting it as part of a package included in their Focus, Astra etc. etc.
Blue
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The other aspect is perception, hypothetically the Vectra may be able to get from A-B faster than the Mondeo.
This makes it technically a better handler than the Mondeo, however if your perception is that the Mondeo handles better and you feel more comfortable with in it, then you'll go for the Mondeo.
IMHO, the Vectra in standard form is a little quieter and perhaps more comfortable than the Mondeo, better suited to M-way cruising but the Mondeo is the better drivers car.
I got that isolated feel in the Vectra which you just don't get in (any) Mondeo.
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A nearly new used Vectra GSi is a real performance bargain. It seems more common on the roads than the Mondeo ST. You can get owner's views on the Vectra at :
www.forum.vectra-c.com/
I would imagine the only people buying these kind of cars new are companies. I have owned both a Mondeo 3 and a Vectra C. The Mondeo does handle better on A roads but the Vectra is better on the motorway and the build quality is superior.
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Handling refers to how easily a car is to control on the limit.
The term roadholding is used to describe how much grip a car has.
A car can handle very well, but have very little grip and hence only achieve poor lap times. You cannot make a car handle, but you can drive it in a way that takes best advantage of what it can do.
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