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Thanks Gordon, what is the customer service like with Honda?
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Customer service has been okay. Some problems with overfilled oil, but generally the dealers have been okay, and Honda UK were very good when Honda France were woeful.
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I have a new Mondeo 2.0 diesel Zetec estate -- and I like it very much. Handling, ride, comfort & noise suppression really is excellent. It replaced a Passat B5.5.
Only done 7,500 miles so far, but it has averaged a genuine 42mpg in that time (30% motorway, 70% urban). Not at all bad for such a big old barge.
I've had no DPF issues, in fact the Ford implementation seems to do an automatic 'failsafe' regeneration every 500 miles or so. Unlike the VAG "traffic light" system which nags the driver.
Only niggle I've had is the need to go round the engine checking that various hoses and tubes (intercooler, vac tubing for the VNT and EGR) were connected properly. Some connections were "approximate", at best.
Making sure these were all snug has made a BIG difference to driveability. I'm a keen owner anyway, so I don't mind fiddling ... but many owners may never know how good their car SHOULD be because they didn't check these simple things.
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I liked the seats on last shape Mondeo and was disappointed, in 2 Ford dealers I have visited, that the Mondeo now appears to come with just some kind of sports come bucket seats which are very low in the car. In fact, in the two Mondeos I sat in I could not see out over the bonnet despite raising these seats as high as they could go.
I assume, hope, that my local dealers were just obsessed with a sports type Mondeo and that you can buy a new shape Mondeo with 'normal' seats?
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thaks both Craig and Tawse, Craig comments worried me a bit cos I dont "do" under the bonnet :-) as for the comments about low seats Tawse that was always my impression of ford and apart from a cortina mkv some years ago, why I have never owned one, but I did recently hire a 2litre titanuim and I have to say visibilty was excellent and not at all low.
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A friend has the previous model Mondeo and the seats are fab so I was amazed that the new model appears to have such bucket seats. In fact, reviews of the previous model used to rave about how fab the seats are.
You should be able to get good deals on the old model Avensis now as the new one is due out soon.
Have to say the boot of the Mondeo and Mazda 6 hatch is impressive for load space.
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Avensis! nope sorry just couldnt do that, think they a tad bland
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Yep I agree - no matter how many times I tried to buy an Avensis I just could not as I felt that they were too old for even chaps in their 70s with flat caps let alone a 40-something such as myself.
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>>well nearly!! I also like the look of the Mazda 6.
All other things being equal or close, I'd go for the Mazda on its looks.
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>>I'd go for the Mazda on its looks.
And its reliability.
Clk Sec
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I am running a Honda Accord estate diesel 2005 circa never liked Jap cars but this leaves the likes of Ford,opel,Renault,PAS miles behind well made well speced and extremely economical for a 2.2.on a par with BMW and DB.Appart from routine service you should never see an agents.
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I am running a Honda Accord estate diesel 2005 circa never liked Jap cars but this leaves the likes of Ford opel Renault PAS miles behind well made well speced and extremely economical for a 2.2.on a par with BMW and DB.Appart from routine service you should never see an agents.
It must be fun driving something that makes the USS Nimitz look tiny :-)
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The comfort factor with the Mondeo's engine is that with the possible exception of the VAG PD, never has one engine appeared in so many different cars. Of course, this doesn't automatically make it a good engine, but given the number of diesel Pug 407's, Mondeos, Focuses, C-Maxes, S-Maxes, 307s, Volvo V50s and S40s on the road, I think any fundamental issues or inherent problems would be well publicised by now. There'd be a lot of dead cars on the road too.
FWIW, a colleague of mine recently changed a 2003 E46 BMW 320d Touring for a new shape Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Titanium and is very, very happy with the Mondeo. Ford have really gone above and beyond with this car.
Cheers
DP
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Doesn't the Mondeo diesel engine have potentially the same dual mass flywheel problems that many modern diesels potentially have?
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It does, but not seen any reports of DMF failures on the Mondeo or SMax (same floorpan and engines) forums as yet.
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Thanks all for your various comments, and thanks Tawse for spelling out DMF....... did wonder but didnt want to look a complete dork and let on I did not know what DMF was.......... dohhhhhhhh!! I just did
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have you ruled out the Octavia.
you can get a high spec new one for this price (see drive the deal)
As an estate, it would be my choice
Edited by nick1975 on 04/11/2008 at 20:49
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Would the Suburb be ok? My uncle has one of the older ones (54 plate) and its like a little limo. Brilliant car but you might find it a little big.
I am Ford fanboy but if I had the choice between a Mondeo or a Accord I would think hard about it, the Accord will probably hold its value better.
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Thanks guys, I have now looked at both skodas suggested and neither really do it for me, no idea why really, trouble is I am of an age where I remember them before VW, and yes I know they are totaly diferent now........ but a little voice in my head keeps saying but its a Skoda! Good call about residuals tho, money does seem to fall of the Ford.
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Thanks all for your various comments and thanks Tawse for spelling out DMF....... did wonder but didnt want to look a complete dork and let on I did not know what DMF was.......... dohhhhhhhh!! I just did
No problem. To be frank, a few months ago I knew nothing of the DMF problem myself with diesels and learning of the expensive repairs bills is about the best thing I have learnt from this forum.
If you go to the FAQ pages you will find an interesting FAQ by HJ about modern diesels, the known problems and how costly they are to repair. Also, if you go to the Telegraph's website and type in "dual mass flywheel" you will find some excellent commments on modern diesels and DMFs from HJ and the other TG motoring bods.
Finally, if you do a search on here over the past year or two you will find numerous diesel threads where there are numerous posts arguing for and against modern diesels - I found them very informative as I basically thought that modern diesels were no different to diesels of 15 years ago, other than being quieter, and were just as reliable but apaprently this is not the case. There are many on here who now say they will not buy a new diesel or of they did they would only keep it aslong as it was under warranty because of the DMF problem / expense.
Best of luck.
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Thanks again Tawse.... Now I am not blissfully ignorant I am wondering about a diesel at all, but if I get one young enough and run it for a couple of years at least its still within the warranty.
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Depends on your mileage and what you prefer to drive.
Modern diesels are lovely to drive in real life, but certainly not as 'sporting' as some large petrols - I find it lacks that instant response, but I love the huge shove from pretty much any revs.
If you do lots of miles, then a diesel is still a no-brainer. Probably. It's certainly not risk free, but you can get aftermarket warranties that specifically cover both the fuel system and the DMF amongst others. This is the route I am going when my warranty runs out in Jan.
BTW, I should have said above, I have found the Honda dealers to be unfailingly honest - they have never tried to add things to the bill or recommend work that didn't need doing.
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Unfortunatley I cannot be as confident as Gordon with my Honda dealer. In fairness I cannot prove anything but I do very low mileage (15K in 3 years) and with the plugs and filters that need replacing every 25K (not 2 years) I was charged for them. The filter does look new but I have not checked the plugs but they tell me that plugs designed for 25K min needed replacing at 10K due to their condition. I was also cherged for valve clearance adjustments that only need doing at 25K when the car had only done 10K. They assure me that it was necessary and I cannot prove it was not done but I am a bit of an anorak and keep a very clean engine bay and the only oil finger prints were around the oil filler cap. Let's just say I have my suspicions that my Honda dealer is doing stuff that does not need doing or is charging me for stuff they did not do. I will be using an indie in future.
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I have a friend who took his Accord to his main dealer for a service and they changed the plugs, the headlight bulbs plus a few other things on it.
The following week - yes, why he did not have the service and MOT done at the same time is beyond me - he took the car to the same dealer for the MOT and they charged him for new plugs plus new headlight bulbs... until he complained... but they did try it on which left a nasty taste in the mouth for my friend.
After that he started going to my backstreet local garage.
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