Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • Following on from previous.. Mondeo Saloon OR Focus Estate
  • gmex619
    Free Member

    As above guys, following on from my Mondeo Boot query: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/can-you-fit-a-full-bike-in-a-mondeo-mk3-01-06-saloon?replies=22#post-4729433

    What should I pick, a 1999V Reg Focus Estate or a 2002 51Reg Mondeo Saloon.

    Now, I should highlight the fact that the focus IS taxed and tested but is a private sale of sorts and the Mondeo is out of tax 28/02 and the MOT is up in 2-3 months.

    Milage on the Mondeo is around 110,000 and unknown on the focus. I have bought a car from the guy selling the Focus before and it came with no service history or anything besides a fresh MOT slip.

    The Mondeo is perfect besides being a little smoky. But I’ve worked at Polar Ford before so I am fairly confident I know what the problem is and how to fix it.

    I know NOTHING about the Focus besides the reg, body type and engine size.

    I’ve priced up insurance on the Mondeo it’s +90 to my premium (not bad at 19yo). And the Focus is likely too be around the same.

    I should add:

    The Mondeo is a 1.8LX priced extremely reasonably as I know the dealer and the Focus is a 1.6 priced at around the market value.

    MPG is around the same at 37 for the Mondeo and 40 for the Focus.

    However the base specs are different. I believe the focus doesn’t have Traction Control, an Alarm, CD Player, Passenger Airbags, Remote locking, Side airbags or AC.

    All of which the Mondeo has got.

    Plus the boot space isn’t that different really at 520l for the Focus and 500l for the Mondeo. I’ll only USUALLY be carrying one bike and some clothes or just people and clothes so that’s plenty of space.

    Any opinions you guys have will be greatly appreciated as long as they aren’t “get a hatchback”. I’ve got a quote for one and it’s another £600 to my premium.

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    Having owned a Mk1 Focus and having two of that generation Mondeo sat on the drive right now (a 1.8 petrol hatch and a diesel wagon) I would favour the Mondeo IF you are comfortable in a larger car and think your bike will go in the boot (or get a high mount strap on rack). Both ours are at 120k or thereabouts and largely trouble free. I

    The Mondeo feels it’s size round town and when parking, which may be more of an issue with only a couple of years driving under your belt (for you to judge not me) but once you’re out of the urban environment it really comes into its own with better comfort and ride than the Focus and it’s just as good (if not better) to drive.

    Unless you are sat on the motorway at 60mph on clear roads you will be very unlikely to see those economy figures. We see low 30’s on the petrol one (mostly town driving with 10-20mile trips 3-4 times a week). A week of 40 mile motorway commutes will get that up to 33-34. The 1.8 Focus I had was not really any better.

    I cannot, however, believe the Mondeo hatch is another £600 more on the insurance. We have an estate and a hatch, same vintage, petrol vs. diesel and there’s a hairs breadth between them on the insurance costs.

    The other thing I would say is if there’s even a hint of trouble with either unless you are 100% certain it’s a quick fix then think about walking away. Smoking petrols can cost a lot of £ very quickly.

    wrightyson
    Free Member

    Focus estates are rare as rocking horse shit apparently, hence the reason they hold their money. So in all honesty you’re getting more car for you’re money with the mondeo. I’d be wary of a110k petrol car, but that’s just me.

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    trail_rat
    Free Member

    id be less weary of a 110k petrol car than i would be with a 110k diesel with DPF And DMF

    what id be weary of is the age of the car and the fact the MOT is up in a couple of months it would have to be an INCREDIBLY good deal to convince me to take it without a fresh ticket on it …. and i mean near scrap value deal ….

    thekingisdead
    Free Member

    I’d be wary of a110k petrol car, but that’s just me.

    Depends on the life it’s had, IMO. I’ve had my 1.6 petrol focus from 69k, currently on 144k.

    Returned 40mpg for all of that. Lots of motorway miles and pedantic oil changes 🙂
    FWIW, my mechanic says its not uncommon for the petrol zetec engine to do 200k (granted by that point something else will have probably made the car uneconomical to repair 🙂

    Back to the OP: I’d go for the Mondeo, based on what you describe

    Greybeard
    Free Member

    We have a Mk 1 Focus estate – with the seats down it easily takes 2 bikes with the wheels on. With the rear seat 30% up it take 3 bikes with the wheels off. I did once get 4 bikes in with the rear seat 60% up and 2 people sat on it, but only for a short distance.

    gmex619
    Free Member

    Its had a good life. 2 previous owners before the dealer. Mother and son. Mondeo is around 400. As I say I know the dealer so its easily below parts value and scrap isnt alot different at all.

    I know people who have had mondeos running far over 200k. My uncle has one at 180k

    jd-boy
    Free Member

    There are plenty of Focus estates S/H for sale. just do a google search. I run a Focus Estate. 05 plate 155k TDCI, fantastic car. Never ever let me down, buy another tommorrow, (Well next year) 🙂

    gmex619
    Free Member

    Gone for the mondeo saloon. Im picking it up by the end of next week all being well.

    Got a mechanic friend of mine to check out the focus and its a bag of the proverbial.

    I found and looked at a mondeo estate too today listed with 12 months mot. 40 mile trip to see it and in reality its a failure with all kinds of problems. Interior was destroyed. Bonnet wouldn’t open. Exterior scratched to death. Needing a full rear end rebuild as everythings worn to failure.

    So im getting the saloon.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Are you sure that Mondeo’s got traction control? It wasn’t standard on the LX and it’d be a weird upgrade on the 1.8 engine, it’s not exactly a wheelspinning torque monster… (I wouldn’t worry too much about it either way but it does perk a little suspicion up)

    Also, if the aircon is a selling point, does it work? Car this age it’s always a bit iffy, and if the seller says “It just needs a regas” he’s almost certainly lying…

    I’d sooner have a Focus estate than a mondeo saloon, you’re right that the capacity is similiar but the usefulness is very different. The mk1/ 1.5 Focus was a really well sorted car, not glamorous but stupendously practical. There’s a reason they’re a bit pricier than almost everything else of their ilk.

    gmex619
    Free Member

    Not sure if the Mondeo has TC, I’ve not booted it. But I’m usually a pretty cautious driver.

    I don’t know about the AC but the controls blow hot through to cold. I didn’t press the dedicated AC button for cold air though.

    The Focus was called a bag by someone who’s owned some real sheds. If he says it’s bad then it’s pretty much un-usable.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    I think the only thing that’s interesting about whether or not it has TC, is that if the seller says it does and it doesn’t, you know he’s fibbing. It’d be useful sometimes on my 2.2 but then, it has over twice the torque and even then it’s totally managable.

    There are some crappy Foci out there… The weird thing is, decent ones aren’t even that much more expensive than the dogs. But, they’re also pretty common. But, there’s also quite a lot of them. I guess what I’d say there is that unless you’re in a real hurry, you shouldn’t feel like you’re choosing between 2 cars.

    Scienceofficer
    Free Member

    I bought a Focus Estate (mk2) about a month ago. Whilst I’d hesitate to say choice was ‘rare’ they were substantially in the minority and I had to travel to view any at all.

    Its not quite as easy to sling a bike in as the hatchback mondeo I had before – I have to take both wheels off to get my Sultan in easily, but its MPG is a little better.

    Given the choice again, I’d go Mondeo, although theres not much in it.

    takisawa2
    Full Member

    Mondeo. Ours has rattled up 170k nearly. Would buy another, & a 1.8 petrol hatch would be high on the shopping list.

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

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