Summary:
Very underrated large saloon
Faults:
After purchase, had to replace reverse light switch.
Had a rattle at idle; went away with clutch action. Replaced clutch/flywheel, clutch was fine, but flywheel was in bad shape at around 190k km.
Coolant hose leak around 193k.
Front stabilizer link bad around 196k.
Rust starting to form on all doors.
Hood/bonnet would not open at 199k.
General Comments:
This is in my opinion is a very comfortable car.
I have the Ghia edition, and the seats are very comfortable, and clean up easy.
Unlike some of its class competitors with the same mileage, it burns no oil and has no leaks.
I drive on the autobahn for 100km every day, regularly average between 5,7l/100km and 6,2l/100km as long as you don't have a heavy foot. It has a 55 liter tank, and I regularly get 850-1000km per tank.
Definitely not the best handling, but very secure. Do not feel a lot of roll, and the steering is not too light, not too heavy.
The backseat is very roomy with plenty of knee and head room.
Trunk/boot area is very big, and the seats fold down almost all the way flat, so it gets big in a hurry.
The above mentioned repair issues I consider to be nothing more than wear and tear. The service records were last updated with 67k more than 4 years ago with the first owner, so what was fixed until I bought it is a mystery. Underneath it is very solid, easy to work on, and parts can be found easily for reasonable prices. No joke, at least in this area of Germany, mk3 Mondeos are rare in junkyards.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 9th January, 2013
