Must be diesel
quickish/fun to drive
fit bikes in
5 dr
family freindly

not done loads of miles

what do you recommend

Cheap as chips
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/advert+search/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-18-41-51-55-240/advert.action?R=200921334835120&distance=115&postcode=GL4+5UN&channel=CARS&make=&model=&min_pr=&max_pr=4000&max_mileage=60000&vehicleYearOfManufacture=1999&vehicleRegLetter=T

forgot to add – not shit!

Define shit?

The engines in the 1998 – 2002 Fords were brilliant.

My nan had a 1.8 like that and did 204,000 miles in it over 10 years and it is still going like a trooper and hitting 38mpg.

well I recently replaced my van with a mondeo diesel estate 130 and think it meets requirements of multi bikes people and the ability to shift a full size harp, bought an 04 high miler for just over 2.5k and bits are fairly cheap, engine is chain driven, cheaper to insure than premium brands, only other contender for harp moving was vectra, saab 9-5 massive rear arches and older v70 just wasn’t going to be as economical in fuel, insurance, tax, parts, same goes for audi A6 2.5

Mondeos are fantastic.

Don’t need to make excuses for owning one Timber.

you can get a mk5 golf for that sort of dough now

biggest bargain of a car I’ve ever bought

You can have my pug for 4k. Not worth shite at the moment but I’ll let it go for 4. 😉

Another happy Mondeo Estate 130TDCi owner here 🙂
Might have to search a little to find a low miler but they are around, we got a 2003 one with 45k. Plenty quick enough for me and nice to drive.

Upgrading to an Iveco Daily now so might be downsizing the car in a few months!

mondeos are great 😉 ive currently got a 96 estate and looking round for another (nowt wrong with mine tho) cant decide on another estate or go for the hatch as they are big boots anyway oh and stuck between petrol and diesel oh and auto/manual 😉

I’ve got a 2005 Citroen C5 hatchback which takes almost as much as my previous Mondeo estate, enough for a few bikes and kit certainly. It’s the 2.0l HDi, 138bhp engine which is surprisingly fast and smooth and returns 50+mpg but it doesn’t go around corners as well as a Mondeo.

Even with the top spec Exclusive trim it was way less than 4k. Lovely ride especially on the motorway and the estates are huge. Apart from a clutch problem it’s been reliable too, despite being a Citroen.

Those old escort diesel engines are awful.

Had a mondeo auto, but have now switched to a manual which is much better.

Those old escort diesel engines are awful.

I love it when someone makes a vague sweeping statement like this. 😉

Go on, tell us why they’re pants!

I have a MK4 Golf and it has just been rushed to hospital with a bleeding bladder. Bloody water pump has gone so it is just on it’s way back from the garage and I am £175 lighter.

Stick 5dr diesel, <4K, <40Kmiles, >2.0l into autotrader and you’ll get a choice of 250 cars. Not sure any of them pass the not shit test.

not excuses, just considerations I went through when getting it, a fancy badge isn’t worth as much as the extra cost

spooky – daily vans are pretty swift, had a few of them, especially the 3.0, might find the car a bit slow afterwards

Another Mondeo owner here, mine is a 99 (V) so still the old shape/non common rail etc but it works well, carries loads and is reliable. It’s just cost me £300 in servicing though, I broke the front suspension when I hit an (already dead) badger. 🙁

Focus TDCI estate is first choice

Mondeo is a good call here. If not, what about an old shape Volvo V70, a Passat or maybe a well looked after Octavia.

Lots if choice!

Define shit?

The engines in the 1998 – 2002 Fords were brilliant.
I notice you don’t mention how brilliant the rest of the car it’s fitted to is. Ford make really good cars now, and did so starting with the first Focus and Mondeo, but the Escort just isn’t. What’s more, I’d always be suspicious of a car with that low a mileage – tends to mean it’s done lots of wearing short journeys – and why on earth own a diesel if you’re only doing 5k a year?

I’d happily have a Mondeo estate for that sort of money – actually own a 406, which is a tad bigger (at least compared to a similar vintage Mondeo). Still going pretty well for 130k – the occasional biggish bill, but I can’t believe any car of that age avoids the sort of things I have to have done, which is generally just down to normal wear and tear.

Rob why are you asking? You will get decent advice from here and then end up buying the wonkiest crock of T4or suchlike you can find – please prove me wrong!!!! Mondeo 06 Zetec/ Octavia Elegance 2.0 PD

5 / 6yr old Volvo V70 2.5d.
Excellent car.
35mpg.
£20k+ new.

volvo v40 1.9ds or nissan primera estate 2.2dci loads on offer around 2/5k to 4k.

there is very nice primera estate 04 plate one owner done 77k on auto trader reliable & chain driven engine allthough not as refined as the volvo or as reliable but not a lot is.

Just bought a 2yr old Mondeo TDCi estate (130bhp)for 7k. 🙂