Faults:

The only thing to have gone wrong so far is the alternator. This has posed a bigger problem than first thought as this model of mondeo is very fickle about alternators. It has had two new ones and broken them both.

General Comments:

This car is amazing for the £800 I paid.

I had a mondeo 1.8 before the escort and thought that was good, but the acceleration and handling of the 2.5 is much much better. Yes the suspension does feel a little hard, but it needs it when going a little too fast into a bend.

It's really comfortable, with semi bucket seats that really hug.

Mpg isn't brilliant, but who buys a V6 for economy? Not me.

The automatic box isn't the best, but it is livable. The sports mode switch is good fun though.

Faults:

Miss fire - cured with expensive leads and plugs.

Front suspension bushes - last about 1 year of average driving.

Dead locks have never worked.

Oil warning light does not work apart from a dull glow at switching off.

Engine does not always switch off even with the key removed.

Alarm has never worked.

Car bottoms out very easily on humps with every other car I have owned would clear.

Constant coolant loss with no sign of where.

Poor heater - even with thermostat changed.

Costs about £300 every MOT to date.

Clutch is now on way out.

General Comments:

Handling is OK.

Good on fuel for car of size.

Very under powered.

"Egg shell" like bumpers.

Wouldn't buy another Mondeo Mk1.

Faults:

The normal mondeo pull to left problem replaced tires and balanced sorted.

Replaced timing belt 169,000 miles.

Nut on the sump fused, new sump breakers.

Seem to go through tires quickly.

General Comments:

Not many problems, bought car for 800 quid, starts first time every time, does 0 - 60 in 11/12 seconds and average mpg 42, I am a student and I travel about 150 miles a week, this is my first car. General running costs cheap as a happy meal, seats me & friend's v.comfortably, and can sit at 80mph all day. I am 18 and Insurance 2x the car not bad.

Though if this car did not have a turbo it would be as slow as a milk float I think. Pull off with over 2000 revs no problems, under 2000 it can't decide what to do, then up to 4500 revs and a big bag of noise. The turbo kicks in about 2500 revs noticeably, been told it starts at 1500 revs by ford.

Replaced ford stereo as it gave up so replaced with Sony, made many interior mods example: rear courtesy light, one-touch down/up windows x4, rear electric windows, foot-well lights x4, electric sunroof, list goes on and these are cheap & easy mods (breakers).

Faults:

Rain water entered passenger side foot-well due to poor seal on pollen filter.

Several rattles have developed from loose trim such as plastic fittings in the boot and from within the dashboard.

Noisy power steering motor.

General Comments:

Quiet, smooth and economical engine.

Roomy, comfortable interior let down by build quality.

Faults:

Nothing up to now.

General Comments:

The best car I ever got, when get rid of it be looking for the new ford mondeo, used to have a ford fiesta I was happy with that to,

Faults:

Rubber vaccuum hose perished causing rough running at 130,000 miles. £3 replacement cured the problem.

Timing belt cover worked loose and rattled. 2 minutes with a socket and wrench cured it.

Original clutch started to slip at 135,000. Expensive job as front subframe has to come out!

That's 167,000 miles worth of faults!

General Comments:

Beautifully engineered car which just seems to go on and on. At 167,000 miles the engine is still smooth, sweet and oil tight, and still gives decent performance. It's a bit noisy over 4,000 RPM, but that said, the noise itself is quite purposeful.

The Mondeo's handling is a revelation. Admittedly, my previous car was mk3 Cavalier, a car known for having one of the worst FWD chassis' around, but the Mondeo's superb steering and body control still impress today. I recently drove my father's new BMW 330i and I reckon my 167,000 mile Mondy has sharper steering and better brakes (although I'd kill for the Beemer's engine!).

As a bike nut, a car is purely A to B transport for me, and I get my kicks on two wheels. My car criteria are simple - it has to be reliable, capable of covering large distances comfortably, and offer reasonable entertainment when I'm in the mood. This old, leggy Mondeo meets those as well as anything this side of that new BMW 330, and steers better to boot! Stonking car!