Mondeo/Vectra/Passat etc - Low mileage older vs Newer with higher mileage

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Fri 1 Feb 2013 14:12
Mondeo/Vectra/Passat etc - Low mileage older vs Newer with higher mileage - Hughie599

Hi There

I'm moving back to the UK shortly and in need of a decent set of wheels for myself, the wife and the 1 year old in quick time after I land.

I've got up to around £6k to spend and have been looking mainly at the diesel Mk4 Mondeos which all have 80-120k miles for around the £4-6k mark.

However, for a similar price i can get a similar age vectra with 55k miles or 06 passats with 70k miles.

So am i better off going for the newer car (and newer design of car) in the mondeo or going for the the older models with the lower mileage?

Thanks

Hughie

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Fri 1 Feb 2013 14:50
Mondeo/Vectra/Passat etc - Low mileage older vs Newer with higher mileage - Collos25

120k is not high for a Mondeo diesel but bear in mind if its a ex company car its had the minimum of service and it is getting round to wanting a new clutch also look at the condition of the brake discs and tyres and factor the cost of replacing if needed,of the three cars you have listed I personally would go for the .Mondeo.

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Fri 1 Feb 2013 15:45
Mondeo/Vectra/Passat etc - Low mileage older vs Newer with higher mileage - unthrottled

Where are you coming from Hughie? If its the US, you might want to check our roads before considering the mondy!

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Fri 1 Feb 2013 16:17
Mondeo/Vectra/Passat etc - Low mileage older vs Newer with higher mileage - Hughie599

I'm coming back from Oz. Not been away to long (4 years). All they drive here is 4 litre gas guzzlers that are slow as *hit unless you do a bit of work to them so i reckon the mondeo would be decent (or should i get something fancier, just seen an Alfa 159 in my price range.....)

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Fri 1 Feb 2013 17:43
Mondeo/Vectra/Passat etc - Low mileage older vs Newer with higher mileage - Chris M

You haven't said what mileage you anticipate you will be doing. Less than 15k per year and I'd be sticking to petrol. You will get more car for your money.

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Fri 1 Feb 2013 17:52
Mondeo/Vectra/Passat etc - Low mileage older vs Newer with higher mileage - Hughie599

Good point, difficult to say really, I suspect it'll be about 12k a year and would consider a petrol but the price difference down at that end doesn't seem enough to justify it.

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Sat 2 Feb 2013 11:31
Mondeo/Vectra/Passat etc - Low mileage older vs Newer with higher mileage - Avant

Secondhand diesels can be very expensive to repair when they go wrong. One of the more reliable diesel engines is the VW Group 1.9 TDI - a Skoda Octavia wil be better value than a Passat.

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Sat 2 Feb 2013 16:26
Mondeo/Vectra/Passat etc - Low mileage older vs Newer with higher mileage - Hughie599

Cheers for the info. I have looked briefly at those but thought they may be a bit small. I've yet to sit in any of these so will be running round when i get back checking them out.

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Sat 2 Feb 2013 23:33
Mondeo/Vectra/Passat etc - Low mileage older vs Newer with higher mileage - 2.0Tsi
Good luck buying a mondeo at 80-120k miles, you have big bills coming especially a DPF if it hasn't been replaced as its due ! That in itself will wipe out your diesel/petrol saving.
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Sun 3 Feb 2013 03:06
Mondeo/Vectra/Passat etc - Low mileage older vs Newer with higher mileage - SteveLee

Buy a petrol Honda Accord or Toyota Avensis, cheaper and much more reliable. Mazda 6 (petrol) is worth a look too. You'll find the Accords are much nicer to drive than the US models which are fitted with cheap nasty soggy suspension.

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