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Hi, I need some advice on which is the best car to buy out of a Nissan Primera 2.2 diesel New Shape 02-03, Nissan Terrano 2.7 diesel 2000-2001, Vauxhall Signum 2.2 diesel 03 or a Ford Mondeo TDCI. I need a diesel because we also do caravaning holidays and need a car with good torque. Any advise would be truly welcome.
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how many times does the 'van come out, what size is it and what will the tow vehicle be doing for the rest of the year e.g. town commute, motorway, country lanes or whatever.
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Hi, We go to France for 2 weeks in the summer with the caravan and then around another 4/5 times throughout the year in the UK, it weighs around 1200kg and the rest of the time the vehicle does mainly town and A road work.
Thanks
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What's the budget? A shade under £7k I hope?
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Sounds like you dont need a 4x4 and despite being 200cc less the Mondeo TDCi 130 produces a lot more torque that the other two cars, also then 2.2 Signum / Vectra is very unrefined, the newer 1.9 is a torquey and more refined.
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Guess Mondeo - & assume it could be chipped, for even better torque , should you need it.
VB
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Terrano is very old school, both in terms of engine and handling. Signum, being the "even more estate than Vectra Estate" is a car without precedense - why make yet another car on the base of the worst car in it's sector?
Between Mondeo and Primera, both will have no street cred but Mondeo will offer better looks, both have equally messy and ugly interior. Primera ride will be more crashy but Mondeo will need looking after suspension every 30-40k miles. Primera will have better equipment level, Mondeo will be cheaper to service. Both will depreciate in value like opened bottle of milk but Mondeo will be easier to sell on, even if for a price of bumper sticker.
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[Nissan 2.2 dCi are NOT Renault engines. Grrr...]
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both have equally messy and ugly interior. Primera ride will be more crashy but Mondeo will need looking after suspension every 30-40k miles. >>
The Primera interior is awful though the Mondeo is logical, well screwed togther and quite attractive.
Depending on the wheel / tyre combination fitted to both I reckon the Primera has slightly smoother ride though the Mondeo is more rewarding to drive.
As to the comment about looking after supension every 30-40k I just dont know what that means, the Mondeo has no record of supension problems, the rear subframe bushes can need doing though typically at 100k ish miles and now that the bushes are supplied seperately from the subframe that is £150 ish at the dealer or £80 in parts DIY.
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The Primera interior is awful though the Mondeo is logical, well screwed togther and quite attractive.
Mondeo dash is a right mess as well. Pre-widescreen sat navs designed by some imbecile to go in as lowest part of center console and thus screen and buttons being directly behind gear stick, most trims have centre concole made of up to four different mix and match bins - fake wood is often mixed with glossy black carbon lookalike stereos, round fiesta style climate controls with bizarro round lcd and the notorious analogue clock on the top where navigation and computer should be.
As to the comment about looking after supension every 30-40k I just dont know what that means, the Mondeo has no record of supension problems,
Oh, I can believe that - if my memory serves me correctly even when suspension issues and cars wandering/pulling to one side were featured on Watchdog Ford had no record of suspension problems. :)
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[Nissan 2.2 dCi are NOT Renault engines. Grrr...]
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even when suspension issues and cars wandering/pulling to one side were featured on Watchdog >>
Let's stay in this era, when did you learn about that, in history lessons at 1st School ;-)
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Well, it is still common issue reported by practically every single user survey including internet surveys, not so hard to check. It's not like Ford fixed or modified any other mk2 grevancies in mk3 (subframe removal, engine down to get to replace clutch etc).
I understand, due to availability and low cost, most Mondeo owners just treat suspension elements as yet another set of consumables...
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[Nissan 2.2 dCi are NOT Renault engines. Grrr...]
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Well, it is still common issue reported by practically every single user survey including internet surveys,
Not IME
not like Ford fixed or modified any other mk2 grevancies in mk3 (subframe removal, engine down to get to replace clutch etc).
The MKIII is totally different to the MKII, an irrelevant comparison.
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Not IME
Pardon me? Not ayemwhattie?
The MKIII is totally different to the MKII, an irrelevant comparison.
Different as it might be - it features very similar design errors despite them being a chore on previous model - suspension elements too weak for the weight of the car and incredibly difficult access and long wound repair procedures to just about the only weak point of its engine/transmission combo - namely clutch/DMF. Almost like manufacturer specifically made sure authorised dealers have constant flow of work...
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[Nissan 2.2 dCi are NOT Renault engines. Grrr...]
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Mondeo 'wandering' ain't that old.
MD
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I would advise against buying a Signum. My opinion is that they handle very badly and have a noisey unsatisfying engine.
Interms of reliablity maybe the nissan.
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The Nissan 2.2dCi (a variant of the Renault engine) in the Primera has had its fair share of problems, and is thus not recommended. In terms of reliability the Terrano is probably at the top, although it'll also be costly to service, as are all "real" 4x4s.
I'd say the Mondeo as well out of the cars you mention. The Vauxhall is pretty pants in all areas really. The Mondeo will say nothing about you as a person (a *good* thing IMO) as it's so ubiquitous but it drives better than the rest (although the difference is nothing like as much as some make out) and you'll be able to get a good deal as it's a Ford and depreciates rapidly (so do the other repmobiles you mention).
I never thought I'd find myself doing this, but I'm going to suggest a Citroen. The C5 is comfortable, doesn't seem to be too bad in terms of reliability, has a good range of diesel engines and is a complete depreciation disaster zone. Buy one for 4 grand and take a holiday with the change.
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The Nissan 2.2dCi (a variant of the Renault engine) in the Primera has had its fair share of problems, and is thus not recommended.
Beside the obvious arms waving and jumping up and down about YD22 engine (vide my signature) may I ask what does that "fair share of problems" actually consist of?
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[Nissan 2.2 dCi are NOT Renault engines. Grrr...]
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Turbo failures, ECU problems, injector issues, rattling timing chain, all listed on this site under the X-Trail section (which uses the same 2.2dCi engine).
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So basically what you hold against Euro IV 2.2 dCi YD22 is a ECU software update with changes to EGR.
Because all the rest of the problems from chain rattling on tensioners (didn't affect Almera or Primera) through ECU induced injector issues to PBS related turbo failures were to do with 2.2Di and mostly particular model specific...
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[Nissan 2.2 dCi are NOT Renault engines. Grrr...]
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The 2.2 diesel in the Signum is underpowered and has less torque than say the Mondeo.
Also the middle rear seat is not really a seat and for long journeys you should only consider the Signum to be a four seater. You can increase/decrease legroom in the rear (affecting boot space) and they also recline a little. But that middle seat is not somewhere I'd want to be on a longish journey. Stupid idea to give it rear seating like that.
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The Mondeo TDCi would be my pick of the bunch. Hundreds of them around so parts and servicing is likely to be fairly reasonable. Plenty of power and torque when you need it as well as being probably more refined than the others on your list.
Martin
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Brother has a diesel Terrano. Noisy, rough unrefined and 30mpg at best.
Frankly my view is anyone who drives one likes tractors..
madf
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Brother has a diesel Terrano. Noisy, rough unrefined and 30mpg at best. Frankly my view is anyone who drives one likes tractors.. madf
Mainly because it is designed as a true 4x4.
You want a Chelsea tractor, buy a Rav4 or CRV (or X-Trail). You want a proper 4x4, Terrano is one of the options.
Toy 4x4s should be banned anyway -- people who are that obsessed with image that they buy a 4x4 to take the kids to school need rounding up and shooting. Nothing to do with saving the planet for me, more that I utterly despise the Prada clique, and would happily punch any "Metrosexual" (my brother included) in the face.
v0n, I take what you say on board -- I genuinely thought it was the dCi that was the problem engine, and I personally know two people who have had turbo problems with Primera dCis. Seems I was wrong evidently.
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