Hey

Anyone with experience of the mondeo of 53 reg vintage in saloon flavour with the zetecs?

Thinking it might be in the running for the second car title.

Any particular things to look for when test driving one with 105k on the clock?

saloon flavours are rare, hatch is much more useful.

Anyway, from memory they share the same suspension layout as the hatch so you need to check handbrake cables, sub-frame bushes (they’ll knock when driving if worn) and drop-link bushes. None of these are big items to fix, but they do wear out pretty quickly. Replacing with poly-bushes can make the sub-frame bushes last a lot longer.

When you say “zetecs” do you you mean the Zetec S models? Had a TDCi one of them, really liked that car until it started cutting out at random on the motorway, and even the engineers that designed the thing in the first place couldn’t work it out! Very comfortable and economical way of getting around in a sizeable car, handled well too and the ‘130’ version couldn’t actually be outgunned by the ST TDCi (allegedly). There’s an idler pully that likes to get rattly at idle on that era of engine, nothing ever actually happens other than it rattling a bit. Something to be sorted at timing belt time

Thanks for that. I’m pretty inept with cars so this might actually be a hatchback.http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/291644337495?_mwBanner=1

It’s just a standard Zetec as far as I can tell. Think I’ll go and look at it next weekend if it’s around.

Clutches go at 80k apparently, my 54 version was still on original clutch at 154k…needs a flywheel too, IRO£700?

Sub frame bushes go, £400 IIRC.

Nice cars though. Loved my Mondeo. Nice to drive. Handles much better than later massive mondeos.

never let me down. Sold it at 154,000 miles and 5 years old having owned it from 10,000 and 1 year old. I did that many miles in 4 years 😮

Dont think you could go too far wrong for that money. Looks like it had a lot of the options boxes ticked back in the day! Don’t think that exhaust looks standard, but I can’t imagine someone putting something noisey on a car like that. Mentions that there’s loads of receipts too, so would be worth a hunt for the items mentioned above.

P.S. Definitely the hatchback

Its getting to the age of Fords lack of rust treatment too, so watch for that starting to show. Usually its doors, boot lids and front wings. Zetecs are good ( petrol) as long as the cambelt it done. If its the blacktop engine ( black rocker cover) , they do sup a little oil, which owners forget and oil light can appear. Clutch and HT leads, coil pack. Looks tidy enough though.

Its getting to the age of Fords lack of rust treatment too, so watch for that starting to show. Usually its doors

Very good point, underneath the rear doors is a spot especially prone to rust as they did a pretty bad job of making sure water can get away. Open the doors are make sure you can see right underneath them to see if you’ve got an issue

I’m not sure when Ford stated better rust treatment but the MK II Focus and current Fiesta (09>) are very well galvanised.

We just bumped into our old Mondeo today 🙂

We sold it near Brighton and found it parked in a drive in Pevensey a year afterwards. Fast forward to today, when we walked out of a cafe in Godstone to find it parked outside the door. Stood there for a few moments double checking with each other that it was actually our old car 🙂

It looked like it had a bit of a rust problem on the rear wing, but other than that, in good shape.

It was the peppy 130ps TDCI in Zetec spec, and exhibited the common rattly idler pulley when warm, and the rear tracking use to go out of alignment. Just before we sold it the dealer had all the doors off to fix a common rust issue along the bottom of the doors.

(Edit – Even more surprising that we ran into it when its only averaged 2000 miles per year over the last three years according to the MOT history check.)

I’m not sure when Ford stated better rust treatment but the MK II Focus and current Fiesta (09>) are very well galvanised.

I think we’re still waiting on that. My 2007 Focus ST at 4 years old was showing rust at the bottom of the front wing, where it bolts onto the car and that was under the car, so I repaired without repainting.

“the ‘130’ version couldn’t actually be outgunned by the ST TDCi (allegedly). “
Really, I’d beg to differ. (currently got both parked outside)

Love my mk3 titanium x tdci. Had a remap. Awesome car for no money. Been super reliable having done 40k in 18 months.

Mine has slight rust at the bottom of the front wings and the boot struts have gone to pot but other than that it’s all good.

Speshpaul – Member

“the ‘130’ version couldn’t actually be outgunned by the ST TDCi (allegedly). “
Really, I’d beg to differ. (currently got both parked outside)

Well there was either something wrong with the ST or very right with the Zetec S in that case, as the ‘faster’ car was unable to pull away up to quite considerable speeds.

legend – Member
Speshpaul – Member
“the ‘130’ version couldn’t actually be outgunned by the ST TDCi (allegedly). “
Really, I’d beg to differ. (currently got both parked outside)
Well there was either something wrong with the ST or very right with the Zetec S in that case, as the ‘faster’ car was unable to pull away up to quite considerable speeds.

http://www.stdrivers.co.uk/forum/topic/19351-155-tdci-vs-130-tdci/

I’ve had both the Zetec 2.0 130tdci and a Tit X 2.2 155tdci. Both fantastic cars and still hold their own against more modern ones. The 2.2 has a fair bit more torque than the 2.0 but due to torque limiters in 1st and 2nd gear off the line not much difference in them 3rd gear on is a different matter.
Aux belt tensioners can rattle a bit but don’t effect the car. With the age you are in the time when Ford got the rusting doors from fixed. Yours might be fixed or not. Brake lines start to corrode and batteries fail at this age. I never had any clutch or DMF issues with either car. Engines have cam chains so no need to be concerned. Make sure you start the car from cold and any money misfire/revs jumping about then walk away as the injectors will be knackered and it will cost you a lot more fix than buy. The Zetec is well equipped, very comfy and very cheap to run.