2002 Ford Mondeo Zetec from UK and Ireland - Comments

A week after purchase in December 2005 the car lost power whilst driving on the M5 in the outside lane and I was luckily able to get into the inside lane on reduced power. Could have been a dangerous manoeuver had I been beside a group of lorries. Had to be towed to my destination. Fault: recalibration of diesel jets.

On 19 April 2007 engine completely cut out on a busy single carriage road and I was fortunate that vehicle behind was able to stop. Had to be towed to garage. Fault: camshaft sensor and wire assembly.

I cannot risk keeping this car in case such incidents occur again resulting in a serious accident. I have owned many cars in over 40 years of driving and none have ever had an engine that has just cut out without any warning.

On the plus side the car is comfortable to drive, handles well and has plenty of power.

Welcome to modern diesels. The price for all that refinement and power is unbelievable complexity and patchy reliability due to technology that is still really in its infancy. Petrol injection was the same when it was launched, and common rail diesel injection is no different. It works on the same principle as petrol injection, but with unbelievable pressures and tolerances.

Old diesels were noisy, rattly and slow, but it took a minor explosion to stop them working.

If you want a decent car, stay away from diesels and anything powered by anything other than good old petrol. And if you buy a diesel, don't try and drive it like a petrol because you will just kill the engine in no time and everyone hates a tosser in a diesel trying to race them off the lights. TDCi drivers you know who you are!

Your petrol engined car won't climb up to 300 thousand miles plus, will it? (Unless it an old merc 6 or 8 cylinder.)

"Your petrol engined car won't climb up to 300 thousand miles plus"

Neither will a modern diesel!

And your diesel will not unless you spend lots of money fixing the fuel delivery system etc.