1995 Ford Mondeo GLX review from UK and Ireland

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!

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!