2002 Ford Mondeo ST220 from UK and Ireland - Comments

Ah cheers I know what you mean.

Also what is the fuel economy really like. mixed driving are you likely to see an average of 25mpg.

Motorway, bit of town driving and a few blasts down country roads?

Hiya everyone.

In the pages before der was a lot of talk about 0-60.

One of my mates works at ford the actual 0-60 of a pre 2003

is 0-62 in 7.9 seconds.

The 0-60 if the post 2003 model is 0-60 in 6.8.

Not much else 2 say, but great car. there are faster cars 0-60 like the audi a4 3.0 quattro, bmw 330i, saab 93 2.8,and the old audi 1.8 turbo quattro 260r only 2 in country.

But its not all about 0-60 its about the drive and the feedback the car gives you.

I have also heard about a new mondeo st meant to have 256 bhp engine from a mazda 6 mps should do 60 in under 6 seconds top speed should be about 160 mph.

Don't get an ST220; mine blew up on me at 135 mph. I wasn't even pushing.

I've only had it a couple of months.

17k on the clock.

Does anyone know an alternative to an ST220, because I've got mine fixed, but don't feel confident driving it anymore.

I'm on a 25 grand budget.

I understand that you are now put off, but engine failure in the ST220 is rare, you are unlucky.

Only problems I know about with that V6 are on earlier mk2&1 mondeos, and include:

Water pump failure (can be cured by non ford replacement, cheaper too.)

Wear in Alternator bushes causing charging problem. (Problem in mine)

'Moosing' problem with water pipes.

Apart from these (which I don't think affect the st220 anyway) the engine is quite a strong unit.

Sorry you got unlucky.

Hi, test driving a st tdci today, but can't get my head off the test drive wi the st220 it was awsom, never had a fast car, but now got the money to do it so putting deposit down soon as I get up after night shift lol soom verrrrrrry positive reviews I like it.

Handling is a delight. Worth buying for that reason alone. Does things that no Vauxhall can even get close to.

I am 19 and own a ST220, wot an awesome car! I fell in love with it from the start! My mates have R32's and Clio V6's and go hell out of leather. They always ask why I don't try to keep up. I just reply that the ST220 is more fun cruising in 6 gear and hearing the v6 rumble at 1000 revs. I give her a blip now and again and it gives me a massive grin on my face tho!! get an ST220 people!

Your 19 years old and have an ST 220? And your mates have R32's and Clio V6's? Car insurance must be getting cheaper!

Somebody said they had an st220 with 280/270bhp or something and timed it 0-60 at 4.4 seconds... an impreza with the same bhp doesn't come close to matching that, so that is quite a way out in accuracy, and if you want a car quick 0-60 don't buy the mondeo, as others have said it is more of a fast cruiser.

I do tend to have a big problem with people slating traffic light races only to promote fast driving around bends. What are you thinking? Its safer for the average kev to drive fast off the traffic lights in a straight line (when not in town) than it is to drive fast when you can't see what is coming around the corner. I'm not encouraging either, both lead to accidents, but unless you have a closed off road neither is safe or clever. What if you are speeding around some country lanes and some poor girl/boy is on a horse/bike and a car is coming towards you?

Just for my 50 pence on it all the mondeo is brilliant value for money, and even better if you buy used, it deserves its critical acclaim.

Can't quite agree. Driving fast away from the lights requires very little skill. Driving fast where lights are likely to be - i.e. towns / suburbs / areas with lots of other cars - is not really permitted, nor safe.

Driving fast around twisting country roads, when there is no other traffic (or very little) is far more rewarding. The speed limits are higher; and no, it does not require you to be on the wrong side of a blind corner for it to be fun, that is just dangerous. This type of terrain is where skill comes to the fore.

Just got an 05' ST220 Saloon and loving it and to all the 0-60 fanboys - try catching me and my torque going up a hill ;) A question for you other 220 owners: under 4krpm the clutch is smooth as but over 4krpm it feels different. It all works OK mind and it's difficult to describe exactly how it feels different, but it does. All I can relate it to is two metal wires rubbing over each other - that's kind of the feeling you get from half to full depression of the clutch. Is this normal, wear and tear or the sign of a fault? Cheers.

To the comment from the 4th of march: You really didn't understand my post. I am saying neither is safe, but that at least with traffic lights it is from a low speed, and as long as you stop once you have reached the limit, and only put your foot down with a clear open stretch ahead of you, then it is going to be atleast as safe as driving around country lanes like they are your own personal rally course, whether it be on your side of the road or not you need to be able to stop!

To the last comment: If the clutch has a cable make sure it is routed correctly in the engine bay and not obstructed as this was a problem on my car (not a ford though so not sure it applies).

...so accordingly, you vary your speed in accord with how far ahead along the road you can see.

Yes, both probably increase danger relative to driving gently, but the likelihood of something highly unexpected happening in town are higher, and the rewards to the skilled driver from driving hard are non-existent in town whereas in the country they can be substantial.

I can only assume that you are not a driving enthusiast. If I am wrong about this assumption, please tell me, where do you get your kicks?

I never said in town; I said with traffic lights and an open stretch of road, and before you say traffic lights are only in town; they aren't. There are plenty on dual carriageways, etc.

Funny you should mention being a driving enthusiast - I drive an Integra Rype R DC2 for my weekend car, and a Golf diesel for the week/work. And as to where I drive it fast - on the track where it belongs. I don't think it is ever really safe to take the Integra to its limits on the public roads (as much as I can handle it) as you can't account for a lot of things. And just so we are on the same page, the Mondeo is NOT a driving enthusiasts car; it is a fast family saloon.