So I’m looking for a friend, and she’s got 4k to spend. Her criteria are; sub 100k on the clock, diesel, 5 doors and a biggish boot, preferably an estate, but not mahoosive. (Although she has had an old mondeo estate and loved it, so if the right one came up…)

Anyway, these x type estates keep popping up. They are the right money, a couple of years older than the equivalent Vauxhall or Peugeot, but look quite nice, in a grand daddyish sort of way. Are they terrible? I presume that they’re some kind of ford in a posh frock, given the era, but is that a bad thing? Has anyone got anything good or bad to say about them?

Cheers in advance…

Rover is cheaper, slower but the diesel is pretty robust.

They’re deceptively small- despite sharing a platform with the mondeo – might not be a case for smaller drivers but with anyone tall in the front seats the rear is pretty much unusable. Not because the car is that small but because the seats are huge. It seems like they’ve plumped and bulked the interior out – thicker seats, thicker roof lining and door linings etc and all that ‘luxury’ really eats into the interior space.

Check the sills for rust.

Its a Mondeo in disguise. Mondeo is a better option IMO.

Sills, rust, noted. Ta.

Rover/MG 75 estate you say? I would, but I doubt she would. Shame.

So basically an overstuffed mondeo? That sounds OK, so long as they’re not much more than mondeo money. They aren’t.

This is what piqued my interest;
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/111673926511?_mwBanner=1

chainslapp – Member
Its a Mondeo in disguise. Mondeo is a better option IMO.

yeah, I hear you, but similarly priced mondeos look really dated now, whilst these just look like a Jag, ie, they have always looked dated, I suppose.

So basically an overstuffed mondeo?

Its smaller than a mondeo and also overstuffed, but shares a lot of parts – which is probably mostly a good thing. Its a question though as to what estate-y things she wants the car to do – other estates might be more flexible and accessible.

I don’t see the problem with it being a Mondeo with a nicer interior. Mondeos are good, nice interiors are good. As long as you’re not tall, apparently 🙂

She carts round her 4yo daughter’s frog 43 bike in the boot of her three door corsa at the moment, it fits, (just) but renders the boot useless to anything else bigger than a frisbee. The desire for five doors and a big boot is a reaction to that, combined with a bit of forward planning. Slightly bigger than you think you need is never a bad thing. Has anyone driven one?

Molly; my thoughts are leaning that way too… (And she’s not particularly tall either, lol)

Mondeo is better than the X-type in driving dynamic and space, but more likely to find a low mileage Jaguar.

Have a look for an E39 5 series.

Recently at my local mot garage and talking about modern cars and rust. He said it is better than ever although he has seen lots of Xtypes fail and showing signs of rot. It was the only car he mentioned.

I inherited the wife’s x type estate when she got a new car. Does the job, decent spec etc. Mates take his piss that I’ve borrowed my dad’s car etc. I have a 2 litre petrol, drinks a bit but cruises nicely in the motorway. Ping me if you have any questions, not that I know much about cars!

Timber; do you think I’d find one within the original parameters though? Bimmers were conspicuous in there absence when I was looking at that price/mileage point.
Edit; thanks nim; promising! Just a little worried about the rust thing now…

Mine has no rust and it’s a 55 plate

I don’t see the problem with it being a Mondeo with a nicer interior. Mondeos are good, nice interiors are good. As long as you’re not tall, apparently

I didn’t say the interior was nice – in fact they’ve a rep for being pretty uncomfortable – its just that everything seems to have been en-biggened to suggest luxury. You can’t really luxuriate in the headlining which seems to have 3 or 4 inches of void above it, or a fatter plastic trim around the door pillar, it all just seems to intrude a lot. The seat intrudes into the passenger leg room because the back of the seat is bulky, not because the bit you sit on is especially plush. Similarly the centre console / transmission tunnel is pretty chunky – at the cost of not really having anywhere to put your left foot when its not on the pedal.

Mate of mine has a Merc, got a Jag as a courtesy car a little while ago (ok for some). Reckoned it was one of the worst cars he’d driven in years, and pressing the accelerator was like throwing fivers out of the window.

Might just be him ofc. But I’d suggest driving one before you commit to anything (which TBH is a good idea with any car).

My old man had one. It replaced a Mondeo ST TDCi and was again replaced by a 140 TDCi. Both the Mondeos were hatches, the Jag was estate, that says enough really.

The Jag was nothing special; handled like a sack of crap, boot was tiny compared to the hatches, no ISOFIX, sat nav boots up EVERY time the key is turned (and is needed to control the A/C) and in all honesty – it isn’t a looker. If you’re going to buy a Mondeo just buy a Mondeo, they’re better in every way.

As for nicer interior? A choice of cream leather or cloth patterns that wouldn’t look out of place in a charity shop reject bundle.

A Titanium will come with leather IIRC, possibly even half leather which is where the sensible money goes.

yeah, I hear you, but similarly priced mondeos look really dated now, whilst these just look like a Jag, ie, they have always looked dated, I suppose.

Eh? agreed they’re nowt special, but plenty of the last generation at your budget, which was only facelifted weeks/months ago. For £4k(ish) You should easily get an ex-rep 80k mondy diesel estate and they’re brilliant cars. The hatchbacks are also big enough as squirrelking says, big enough for a 5’10” person to sleep in and I would imagine a bit cheaper than the equiv estate.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Mondeo-18TDCi-125-6sp-20085MY-Zetec-ESTATEFULL-SERVICE-HISTORY-/131530489321

OP, Honest John reports for them weren’t that good when I was looking at them a while back as you say because the price looked good. In the end bought a VW Passat 2007 tdi 140 estate as a temp runabout, was fine, comfy to drive, loads of space and amazing economy considering it was pretty nippy. Mind you Honest John reports for these weren’t brilliant, maybe I was lucky as it had a VW FSH. Cost £3K, sold for a bit more 3 months later. Worth a look too I reckon.

For less than that she could buy my 09 registered Peugeot 308 diesel estate, 81k ish, big boot with seats that can be removed completely if necessary. Selling as I’m no longer working and live in the centre of town. It’s not fancy but very practical

I think you should buy her something completely different stick a load of bits from your garage on it and then go apoplectic when she doesn’t want it.

thestabiliser – Member
I think you should buy her something completely different stick a load of bits from your garage on it and then go apoplectic when she doesn’t want it.

I’ve got some different sized tyres hanging around, I’ll put them on it to get rid of them, she’ll not notice. And if she does I’ll tell her it’s enduro look…

The bimmer would probably need you to extend the mileage, but a cared for one should be well within budget and not show its age or mileage.
But I guess the appeal of something newer is strong. Don’t have one myself, but tested a few, but couldn’t find the spec I wanted so got a banger for now whilst I keep an eye out (or save for a M5).

I had a 3.0i saloon.

Drove decent and loads of go (230bhp is never going to be slow), handled fine too and would easily do +25mpg. All electrics worked fine including the air-con, and it was 14 y/o.

And mine was AWD, even on bald tyres never had a problem in the snow (we live in rural Scotland).

Check the sills for rust.

Yes. As in, jack to change the discs and the car sunk ‘around’ the jacking point…

Would I recommend one to friend? No, unless they wanted a cheap, comfy and fast motor.

Also any old car when it goes wrong is probably scrap, especially if it’s complex. The X-Type failed its MOT and the failings went to 2 pages. A previous 535i’s autobox went onto ‘get-me-home’ mode – cost more than it was worth just to investigate the problem.

23 replies & not a single request for a photo, or accusation of lustful intentions…
This place is going soft. (No pun).

Old Mondeo here.
52′ plate, bought for £1800 almost 6 years ago with 130k on the clock.
Almost 180k now & a big bill would herald it’s departure, but still a lovely drive & returns 40+mpg.

Had an X Type from work a few times….
Nah. Not my cup of tea.
Quite cramped in the back actually.
Guessing £4k is buying you a newer shape Mondeo, so physically quite a big car anyway.

I’d happily buy another Mondeo.

Pistonheads has a great search feature. Just had a quick glance and from the offerings on the first 2 pages I’d be looking at some kind of Mondeo/Focus, as suggested above.