Cheap Mondeo as daily drive

[skoff]

Hi All,

I am soon going to be in the market for a cheap (sub 1K) car to run as my 'transport from A-B' rather than a fun car (which should be arriving in the garage in the next few weeks - woohoo!)

What I need the car to do is:
Be cheap to buy
Cheap to insure (insurance budget will go on the weekend motor)
Reliable - as I will be taking my daughter to the child minder in it
Big inside - so I can chuck a couple of mountain bikes in the back without too much trouble
Cheap to fix if it does break
Capable of the occasionl long run up the motorway to Scotland, say twice a year (though the majority of the journeys the car will do will be local <20 miles)

Does anyone have any advice on if a bargain basement Mondeo will fit the bill?

[doc brown]

We run a cheap Mk1 Mondeo Hatchback, and I think it would fit the bill....

we can get 2 bikes in the back with the seats down
Insurance for 30 Y/O with 2 claims is <£230
Big enough to carry 4 adults with loads of luggage
Comfortable and quiet enough on motorway journeys
Reasonably cheap to fix, but i'm a spanner idiot so work gets paid for
It'll drive for miles day in day out as long as we keep giving it Diesel to drink.
It will soon become her daily driver as she'll be ferrying the baby around.

Not remotely exciting, but a good car none the less.

[skoff]

Cheers Doc... Mondeo looks promising.

[dern]

My brother bought a mk1 diesel about 5 years back as a cheap daily and it's still going strong. Just watch out for the rust and a massive list of knackered consumables that will effectively double the price of your purchase.

[Dave_ST220]

Only neglected ones rust-mine is ten years old now-most of it's life outside and no rust. If you don't clean a car it rusts! Most are now in the hands of chavs who really dont care...........

[dern]

Dave_ST220 said:

Only neglected ones rust-mine is ten years old now-most of it's life outside and no rust.

Ours (which we had since two years old until it was 9 years old) rusted at the rear wheel arch and on one of the sills and ours wasn't neglected.

Dave_ST220 said:

If you don't clean a car it rusts!

No, if you don't repair stone chip damage promptly and the galvanising process isn't very good then a car will rust. Cleaning it helps you spot external stone chip damage but you normally have to rely on the underbody protection and the galvanising process to protect you from stone chips away from the paint.

Dave_ST220 said:

Most are now in the hands of chavs who really dont care...........

[FWDRacer]

Mark 1 & 2 Mondeo.... Be aware that the cost of clutch change very much shoould influence your decision to purchase as a hack. If it has history and has had a clutch.. press on as the previous owner has taken the hit for the change which obvioulsy is a box off job, which on the Mk1/2 Mondy requires the front subframe to be dropped. It is about £400 all up.

Not funny if you are trying to run one on a tiny budget.

CD132 (last shape but one) is a Mondeo Mk3 - No such package/service implications.

Edited by FWDRacer on Thursday 9th August 12:39

[Dave_ST220]

dern said:

Dave_ST220 said:

Only neglected ones rust-mine is ten years old now-most of it's life outside and no rust.

Ours (which we had since two years old until it was 9 years old) rusted at the rear wheel arch and on one of the sills and ours wasn't neglected.

Dave_ST220 said:

If you don't clean a car it rusts!

No, if you don't repair stone chip damage promptly and the galvanising process isn't very good then a car will rust. Cleaning it helps you spot external stone chip damage but you normally have to rely on the underbody protection and the galvanising process to protect you from stone chips away from the paint.

Dave_ST220 said:

Most are now in the hands of chavs who really dont care...........

So which is it? Unrepaired stone chip damage? Or are you trying to say "they all do that" as yours wasn't neglected? What i was saying is the rear arches are not a known rusting point(unlike an Escort of similar vintage). Sierra's(German built) are just as good. The protection on the arches is good-you would see a stone chip easily as that area is covered in a thick coating. Cleaning it gets the mud out of water trap areas which, no matter how good the protection, WILL lead to rust. If you spot a stone chip then use touch up paint! If you are trying to say Mondeo's(Mk1/Mk2) are known rust buckets that is not the case, Mk3's had an issue with clinched flange protection that meant they had serious issues-the Focus was affected too-search my posts and you'll find the TSB info. As for clutches-the job isn't half as bad as made out-drop sunframe & replace clutch. Ford dealers will want a fair whack but any idependant can do it-no magic involved just two simple subframe alignment pins!!

Edited by Dave_ST220 on Thursday 9th August 13:22

[dern]

Dave_ST220 said:

So which is it? Unrepaired stone chip damage? Or are you trying to say "they all do that" as yours wasn't neglected? What i was saying is the rear arches are not a known rusting point(unlike an Escort of similar vintage). Sierra's(German built) are just as good. The protection on the arches is good-you would see a stone chip easily as that area is covered in a thick coating. Cleaning it gets the mud out of water trap areas which, no matter how good the protection, WILL lead to rust. If you spot a stone chip then use touch up paint! If you are trying to say Mondeo's(Mk1/Mk2) are known rust buckets that is not the case, Mk3's had an issue with clinched flange protection that meant they had serious issues-the Focus was affected too-search my posts and you'll find the TSB info.

I'm saying that in out experience we ended up with a rusty rear wing because of a stone chip inside the arch which developed in to rust despite the fact that I cleaned out the arches regularly and didn't spot an obvious problem and despite the fact that the wing was galvanised. I'm not suggesting that mondeos are rust buckets but what I am saying is that to suggest that mondeos don't rust and that the one that do have purely been the result of careless ownership is not true either.

[Dave_ST220]

Any car made of steel will rust one day Maybe you got unlucky but they hold up well in my experience

[doc brown]

Dave_ST220 said:

Any car made of steel will rust one day Maybe you got unlucky but they hold up well in my experience

Have to agree, mines 11 years old, and no rust at all, even on the dented wing (thanks anonymous bastid) where the panel is bent but the paint is not split.

[Dave_ST220]

FWDRacer said:

Mark 1 & 2 Mondeo.... Be aware that the cost of clutch change very much shoould influence your decision to purchase as a hack. If it has history and has had a clutch.. press on as the previous owner has taken the hit for the change which obvioulsy is a box off job, which on the Mk1/2 Mondy requires the front subframe to be dropped. It is about £400 all up.

Not funny if you are trying to run one on a tiny budget.

CD132 (last shape but one) is a Mondeo Mk3 - No such package/service implications.

Edited by FWDRacer on Thursday 9th August 12:39

According to workshop info subframe must be dropped on the Mk3.........

Removal

1. Remove the transaxle. For additional information, refer to «Section 308-03A». For additional information, refer to «Section 308-03B»...........................

15. Remove the subframe.For additional information, refer to «Section 502-00».............................

[skoff]

Many Thanks for all the replies. Will be looking at a Mondeo over the next few weeks, seems like they are just what I will need.