2003 Ford Mondeo LX 2.0 TDCi 130 BHP from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Minor faults not enough to detract from superb handling, comfort, performance and good build quality

Faults:

Fuel rail needed replacing. Identified by dealer when servicing.

Spare (non push button) key wouldn't activate/deactivate alarm, due to faulty alarm system from day one.

Boot door wouldn't close on two separate occasions. First time fixed by RAC, second time required new boot latch.

General Comments:

For all of it's faults (as listed), it redeems itself, in terms of comfort, handling and performance as being the best car I have ever driven and (being a company car driver), it's had a lot of competition with rental cars etc...

...Just within the past year I've had BMW 3 series, Mercedes, Toyota Avensis & Corolla, Renault Laguna & Scenic, Mazda 6, VW Bora, Peugeot 306, Vauxhall Vectras, Ford Focuses and the Mitsubishi Carisma and it's miles better then any of them.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 26th October, 2004

3rd Sep 2005, 07:06

Agree totally with your comments about the Mondeo being better than others, including BMWs and Mercs - probably the two most over-rated vehicles out there. Still, if its 'common sales-rep image' helps keep Mondeo prices down for us 'less privileged mortals' then I'm not complaining :)

19th Sep 2005, 05:04

Oh how I laughed at the comment of 26th October 2004 re the 406 being miles better.

The 406 handles and rides brilliantly, and is both refined very comfortable, that much is true. Unfortunately, it is also an unreliable, badly made and very poorly supported pile of junk.

I've had two as company cars. The first one, a 1.9 TD LX broke down seven times in two years with everything from a total electrical failure (at 1 am on the M1), to a clutch failure caused by contamination from a blown rear main oil seal at just 25,000 miles. There were also problems with the dash electronics, the central locking, the "STOP" warning light, the glowplugs, the wheel bearings and the electric windows. This car also had an amusing habit of winding miles onto the odometer when completely stationary. During one jam on the M25 on a Friday afternoon, the odometer added 11 miles to itself with the car stationary and handbrake on.

The second, a 110PS 2.0 HDi GLX facelift model was even worse. The ECU died after a week, the fuel gauge went faulty, the climate control had a mind of its own, the idle speed was all over the place, and the small ends starting rattling at 45,000 miles requiring a complete replacement engine - not uncommon on these 90/110 PS HDi engines I found after a bit of research. Oh, and I ran out of fuel once with 35 miles remaining showing on the fuel computer. When the AA turned up and refilled it with fuel, the interior electronics went haywire, went into ECO mode and wouldn't come out. There was then a smell of burning inside the car and all the electrics quit totally. It went back into the dealership on a tow-truck.

As if the car wasn't bad enough, the dealer was hopeless. They were always "inventing" problems on the car to get more money at service time, yet getting them to fix genuine faults was impossible. It took them a week to find out the ECU had died on the HDi and despite seven visits, they never cured the erratic idle speed. I also had to wait eleven weeks for a service slot at one time, and then they started arguing about the car having gone 1,000 miles over its recommended service date. All other local dealers were similarly "booked up", although with the reliability problems of these cars, it wasn't completely baffling as to why.

The 406 is a pretty car, and it is well specified and very good to drive. However, I would never pay my own money for something so shoddily engineered and terminally unreliable.

2003 Ford Mondeo ST 220 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A Touch of Class with Performance

General Comments:

Just changed my W Reg ST24 for a 8 month old ST220 4dr. I ran my ST24 for nearly four years and it only cost me a total of £950 in service bills and that included two sets of tyres. With the service costs in mind and the reliability I purchased a ST220 from Ford Direct £15,400 (Saving £8,550 on new) with only 3000 miles on the clock.

The ST220 has come on leaps and bounds since the last performance Mondeo's. The car has a six speed box with the updated interior. It has variable heated seats, heated front windscreen, headlamp washers, auto lights, auto windscreen wipers, electric heated mirrors, 18" alloys, twin stainless steel pipes, park assist etc...

In my view from looking around at cars for the last two months you cannot get better than the Mondeo for value for money. Ford has delivered a car that has better build quality than BMW and Audi!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th October, 2004

9th Feb 2005, 08:57

I was convinced that the ST220 was the car for me and so went into the showroom to buy one.Then I made it to the receptionist and saw the new 2.2ST TDCi and bought that instead. My second choice was the BMW 330.

13th Feb 2005, 16:58

What made you choose the ST TDCi over the BMW? (I assume it was the BMW 330d?) I'd be interested in your feedback if you've given both a through testdrive.

2nd Feb 2008, 02:26

I'm picking my st220 up on monday.

I'm nearly peeing my pants after reading all the good write ups on it.

Ho Ho Ho SANTA'S coming.