Think I may be looking at Mondeo's at the weekend!

Adam

Adam

Adam

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18 Oct 2002
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Never thought i'd say it, but I may go and view a mondeo for sale at the weekend. I'm selling my Clio and can't be left without a car so I want something for about £1k. I have seen a Mondeo Zetec-S (2000/W) with ~85k on the clock which is advertised for around £1500. Had the cambelt changed etc so looks to be in decent order.

I guess my main criteria is something that I can keep for 2/3 months until I find a replacement for my Clio and then sell loosing minimal amounts of cash. For the age and mileage etc, the Mondeo seems a good bet. Not overlooking anything obvious am I?

Does anyone have a buying guide which may be useful as well?
 
I searched (albeit very quickly) and couldn't find anything. Surely with the amount of these threads that come up there must be something floating around?
 
Did you search for Mondeo? If so, wrong!! ;)

Most threads start out with "spec me a..." and then the OP gets converted ;)
 
The waterpump should have been done at the same time as the cambelt. The cambelt change should have included the tensioners at those are usually what causes the failure and not the belt. I have heard however that the newer blacktop engines (if you are getting a petrol 4-pot) can have the waterpump replaced without removing the cambelt.

Look for knocking or looseness from the front wishbone bushes - when mine were going I would go to full lock and then pull away, it would knock when I came out of full lock. Other people claim that they can sometimes see that the front wheels camber is off - ie the front wheels are like this / \
Knackered wishbones will throw off your tracking and could ruin your tyres in just a few thousand miles with uneven wear and scrubbing. Look for uneven wear on the tyres as a tell tale.

Look for rust at the bottom of the doors and under the rubber strips near there.

Under the right side of the engine is a pipe that runs along the bottom of and behind the bottom of the auxiliary belt cover. This pipe is at the bottom of the coolant system commonly rusts and leaks - you can easily see it without a jack, just stick your head under the car near the front right wheel. The pipe is about £25 to buy and fit - an indie did it for £50 for me and I think I was robbed. I have heard of some people using rubber piping and hoseclips instead of the pipe.

For more information have a browse on fordmondeo.org - the quantity of information there on common problems is staggering.
 
[TW]Fox;11248945 said:
Thats the first time I've ever heard of routine replacement of the waterpump on a Zetec?
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I think it's a case of may as well, rather than absolutely necessary. If you have it stripped down that far it is only really the cost of the pump. Rather than replace the belt and have to strip it down again 6 months later because of a pump.
 
Why spend a grand on a runaround for 3 months, loads of cheaper stuff taxed and tested around tbh, I got a ZX diesel for mate with 3 months tax and 6 months ticket for £300, fair few miles on it, but it ran sweet as, and it was just as good as a mondeo in terms of runaround, maybe its because im old and skint, but to me, 3 month run around cars should be no more than 3-500 notes, throwaway money so to speak.
 
DannyW said:
the zetec-s's are silly to insure to compared to normal zetec's
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They cost the same to insure as my Ghia X? No infact it costs less to insure as I had to declare the Ghia X as 'modified' even though the bodykit was the same as the one on the Zetec-S.
 
I would look for a Mondeo half the price as it will be cheaper for you and easier to sell in the "bargain" section of the local paper.

If you have trouble selling it then you would only be stuck with £500-£800 out of pocket as apposed to £1500.
 
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