Cheapy Mk3 Mondeo 1.8 [shed content]
Discussion
I thought I'd stick up a RR thread for the first time since I quite enjoy reading about other people's adventures with shedding. Infact, that's really what inspired my latest purchase.
My main car is a 2016 X3 30d, which is all very good, but I've been missing having a shed in my life. I wanted something I can use for tip runs, leave at a station car park for a couple of days without a care, and also something I can get my hands a bit dirty with when it inevitably breaks.
Browsing cars on eBay one evening I saw this Mondeo with 10 minutes to go, 4 miles away and sitting at £340. I stuck a cheeky bid in and won it for £370. After a bit of explaining to the wife why I needed a sheddy old Mondeo, I picked it up on Sunday.
Above pic is from the advert. I'll take some of my own at some point.
So, what do you get for £370? Well, it goes and stops alright. The above picture is probably quite flattering, the bodywork isn't perfect but only 1 small dent and no rust I can see. The engine has a slight miss fire which I'm assuming will be the ignition coil, so I've picked up a new one to go in along with some spark plugs. Other than that it's tidy enough and has 10 months MOT. It also had about £20 of fuel in it when I picked it up, bonus! Weather permitting I'm going to have a tinker with it tomorrow so will add some pics then.
My main car is a 2016 X3 30d, which is all very good, but I've been missing having a shed in my life. I wanted something I can use for tip runs, leave at a station car park for a couple of days without a care, and also something I can get my hands a bit dirty with when it inevitably breaks.
Browsing cars on eBay one evening I saw this Mondeo with 10 minutes to go, 4 miles away and sitting at £340. I stuck a cheeky bid in and won it for £370. After a bit of explaining to the wife why I needed a sheddy old Mondeo, I picked it up on Sunday.
Above pic is from the advert. I'll take some of my own at some point.
So, what do you get for £370? Well, it goes and stops alright. The above picture is probably quite flattering, the bodywork isn't perfect but only 1 small dent and no rust I can see. The engine has a slight miss fire which I'm assuming will be the ignition coil, so I've picked up a new one to go in along with some spark plugs. Other than that it's tidy enough and has 10 months MOT. It also had about £20 of fuel in it when I picked it up, bonus! Weather permitting I'm going to have a tinker with it tomorrow so will add some pics then.
Score! Looks like a good purchase. I think selling ours for £380 makes yours look like quite a bargain:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302094254648?ssPageName=...
As for the misfire, fingers crossed that the ignition bits sort it out.
If you are in Warwickshire I do have some Ford diagnostic software which on a few occasions has proved to be invaluable to me.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302094254648?ssPageName=...
As for the misfire, fingers crossed that the ignition bits sort it out.
If you are in Warwickshire I do have some Ford diagnostic software which on a few occasions has proved to be invaluable to me.
Barchettaman said:
Top shed. Comfortable, massive boot. My brother took one up to 180k on a steady diet of mechanical unsympathy and regular light crashing.
The 1.8 is no more economical than the 2.0 but quite a bit slower, but shedders can't be choosers, or something like that.
It even has shiny tyres.
It is and it isn't. On a run there is no difference really. When we had ours my sister was getting 37-39MPG on the motorway. Around town? That figure was 30MPG with almost pure town driving for extended periods. It made a 2.0 TDCI MkIV courtesy car look not that great at 37MPG around town.The 1.8 is no more economical than the 2.0 but quite a bit slower, but shedders can't be choosers, or something like that.
It even has shiny tyres.
I got a few bits done on the car today and it was my first chance to really get a look at it properly in daylight and take it for a decent drive.
I changed the cabin filter. I tend to find on most old cars I buy they've not been changed in many years and this was the same - the old one was filthy!
I also changed the air filter, but the old one was still pretty clean.
Next I set about changing the plugs and induction coil to hopefully cure the miss fire.
Old and new plug
Old ignition coil out
I popped the new one in then took the car for a spin - what a difference! It drives so much better now, miss fire gone, idles perfectly and no longer hesitates when pulling away. I've still only spent £50 on it so far so quite pleased.
A few pics from my drive today
Next issues I need to look at:
- I hoped the constant condensation inside the car might be helped by the new cabin filter but I noticed today the carpets in the rear of the car are wet. Probably the window seals so I'll get some replacements and dry the interior out
-The handbrake light stays on all the time but it seems to operate fine - any thoughts??
I changed the cabin filter. I tend to find on most old cars I buy they've not been changed in many years and this was the same - the old one was filthy!
I also changed the air filter, but the old one was still pretty clean.
Next I set about changing the plugs and induction coil to hopefully cure the miss fire.
Old and new plug
Old ignition coil out
I popped the new one in then took the car for a spin - what a difference! It drives so much better now, miss fire gone, idles perfectly and no longer hesitates when pulling away. I've still only spent £50 on it so far so quite pleased.
A few pics from my drive today
Next issues I need to look at:
- I hoped the constant condensation inside the car might be helped by the new cabin filter but I noticed today the carpets in the rear of the car are wet. Probably the window seals so I'll get some replacements and dry the interior out
-The handbrake light stays on all the time but it seems to operate fine - any thoughts??
Sten. said:
I got a few bits done on the car today and it was my first chance to really get a look at it properly in daylight and take it for a decent drive.
I changed the cabin filter. I tend to find on most old cars I buy they've not been changed in many years and this was the same - the old one was filthy!
I'd say that it probably looks worse that it is as you're putting in a 'different' filter.I changed the cabin filter. I tend to find on most old cars I buy they've not been changed in many years and this was the same - the old one was filthy!
Yours looks like a cheapy (doesn't even look the right length, but I assumed it fit?) Euro Car Parts one, whereas the Bosch and OE ones are grey:
Brilliant shed. Mine is an 03 version, slightly rougher, but it currently soaks up 500 miles a week without drama and at 38-40mpg. I too need to replace the coil pack, and the fag lighter socket is dead. I've done 25k+ miles in 2 years in mine, for £300 and a dead Saab. The only snag is that it does such a great job for nothing that buying a better car is difficult to justify.
battered said:
The only snag is that it does such a great job for nothing that buying a better car is difficult to justify.
Worst thing about them tbh. Last one (mk1) I paid £950 and sold it for £360 after doing 80k.
The current one not quite so good, paid £6.5k, worth maybe £2.5k after doing 40k. I keep thinking a 5-series would be a nice replacement for it but then I think how much extra that'll cost (both to buy *and* run) for a tiny smidge more performance and slightly nicer interior. Undoubtedly better but...
cj2013 said:
Sten. said:
I got a few bits done on the car today and it was my first chance to really get a look at it properly in daylight and take it for a decent drive.
I changed the cabin filter. I tend to find on most old cars I buy they've not been changed in many years and this was the same - the old one was filthy!
I'd say that it probably looks worse that it is as you're putting in a 'different' filter.I changed the cabin filter. I tend to find on most old cars I buy they've not been changed in many years and this was the same - the old one was filthy!
Yours looks like a cheapy (doesn't even look the right length, but I assumed it fit?) Euro Car Parts one, whereas the Bosch and OE ones are grey:
battered said:
Brilliant shed. Mine is an 03 version, slightly rougher, but it currently soaks up 500 miles a week without drama and at 38-40mpg. I too need to replace the coil pack, and the fag lighter socket is dead. I've done 25k+ miles in 2 years in mine, for £300 and a dead Saab. The only snag is that it does such a great job for nothing that buying a better car is difficult to justify.
New 5amp fuse behind glovebox will sort out the fag lighter..mine was always poppingIf it's the handbrake warning and it's otherwise fine then it pretty much has to be the sensor or the wires to it - unlike modern cars it's a purely mechanical connection thank goodness! Never done one on a Mondeo but it'll almost certainly be attached to the base of the handbrake lever.
Top bit of shedding - it's so cheap to buy a perfectly competent car with nothing catastrophic wrong with it for £500 these days.
Top bit of shedding - it's so cheap to buy a perfectly competent car with nothing catastrophic wrong with it for £500 these days.
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