Ford Mondeo Ghia X 2.0i 2000/X - What to look out for?

RastaManBob

RastaManBob

RastaManBob

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Hi,

I'm considering going and looking around a few Ford Mondeos later. The spec level I'm particularly interested in is Ford Mondeo Ghia X 2.0i 2000/X.

Is there anything I should particularly look out for? Any problem areas? Any bits that I expect should have been recently done/replaced? I'm looking at a car around 80k if this makes any difference.

Finally, what price would you say they are worth (Ball park figure). Parkers quotes around £1200 but I've not found too many in that area.

What are the optional extras on the car and which ones should I look to have?

Any other info appreciated.

Cheers.
 
make sure the front tyres have even wear on them, if not the car will need a new set of lower arms, rust on the archies and arround the petrol cap, and the usual on a used car.
 
[TW]Fox;12347687 said:
mk2 was 1996 to 2000. Mk3 was 2000 to 2007. The only decent Ghia x for 1200 will be a mk2.
Click to expand...

Had a Google and it's MK2.

Going to look at a MK2 Ghia and a MK2 Ghia X now anyway.

Will check all the bits advised below.

Cheers.
 
Just back from having a little look about. Wondered if you guys could tell me how the prices/condition etc sound... And whether I should keep looking or if this is good to go. I always hear the advice "Don't get the first car you see" so I am initially reluctant but what if the car is good? I don't know... Hopefully you can help!

First I went to see a 2000/X Ghia. The car had done about 94000 miles across two owners. Has full service history with a recently replaced cambelt change, new brake discs/pads (Front only I think?) and a new clutch fitted. All the usual Ghia stuff including ABS, air con (Only level selection; Not actual temp selection), electric sunroof, electric windows, front and rear heated screens, cruise control, computer, driver and passenger airbags, front and rear fogs. Wheels are Michelin with a good amount of tread left. Velour interior (Not leather like Ghia X) in good condition. Generally, good bodywork with no rust. The odd scratch though some have been repainted and can be seen on closer inspection. Car drives well. HPI cleared though without certificate (?). Got a full years MOT but no tax. Asking price: £1200.

Second car was a 2000/X Ghia X which I will certainly not persue any further. Massive dint in wing "That will be replaced". Steering wobbles at high speed which is apparently (So the dealer told me) the discs and these "Will be replaced". a lot of the electrics seemed poor including heated seats not heating and aircon very warm. Condition seemed poor outside too with rust under both rear arches. Spec list was pretty much as above though this had leather (heated) seats and CD multichanger. Not sure of any other differences (?). 1 years MOT and 6 months tax. Asking price: £1500. Didn't haggle with this though, as I certainly didn't want to persue this car any further.

Any opinons, particularly on the first car? Does it sound okay to you? Anything further I should check? Does the price sound reasonable? Any comments welcome.

This is the first time I will be buying a car where I can actually choose (Before I have bought off of a relative or similar) so not 100% sure how to go about making a good decision!

Cheers.

EDIT: Neither had the "red key". Is this a problem?
 
Fox,

Noticed you online... Wouldn't mind hearing your opinion on the Mondeo if you've got the time. Do you think that represents good value or am I better holding off for another one? Should I be looking out for something else?

Cheers :)
 
Ah yes sorry forgot about this thread.

If you've decided on a Mk2, the following applies.

The Mk2 was produced from 1996 on a P until 2000 on an X plate, although many remained unsold and so are common on 2001 X and Y plates as well. There were 2 very minor revisions throughout its life all with subtle changes.

The first was in late 1998, so most S reg cars onwards and it's cars this old and newer you should look for. The interior colour combinations improved, you got a slightly nicer interior with chrome door handles etc etc but no big deal. Crucially, the engine also changed for the 'newer' Blacktop Zetec engine with 100k/10 year cambelt interval.

S, T and most V plate cars - you need a Ghia X. You will get:

Leather Interior
Heated seats
Electric Seats
Air Conditioning
Cruise Control
Onboard Computer
6 CD Changer
Heated front windscreen
16" Alloys
Exterior colour coding
Sunroof

The Ghia is, by comparison, a very poor spec and should be ignored on cars of this age.

The final revision was July 1999 onwards build - so SOME V plate cars, but ALL W and X reg cars. You can easily identify these because the B Pillar (Between the doors) is black not bodycoloured. Here, the Ghia X gained side airbags and Semi Automatic Temperature Control (Like Climate Control). But the Ghia improved as well - the Ghia gained cruise, computer, and many other Ghia X refinements meaning that, if you are not fussed about leather, its pretty much as good.

So what do you need to look out for?

Frankly they are very reliable cars - the key problem is suspension bush wear, they last 30k miles tops really, but even replacing the entire arm is only about 60-70 quid a side. Not much that breaks costs much to fix. Check the Air Con works - if it doesn't, don't beleive the sellers claim it 'just needs a regass' without checking further - the condensers can rust through and are comparatively expensive to replace at a few hundred quid minimum. Buy one with working AC.

Rust - unfortunately, it seems they do suffer at random from rust around the rear wheel arches. There seems to be no pattern - some do, some don't. I've seen plenty of P and R reg ones without a spot of rust but then some newer ones with it. My V plate Ghia X, lovingly cared for and looked after by myself, is now beginning to go on both wheel arches. Very dissapointing and a real shame. It's not structural its purely cosmetic but god it looks cruddy. A tidy Mk2 Mondeo still looks half respectable, so try and find one without rust.

Uneven tyre wear does not neccesarily mean it needs new bushes - what housemaster said is also spot on. Mk2 Mondeos are heavy on tyres anyway - I never got more than 10k out of a set of Eagle F1's and when my parents had a Mk2 LX from 6 months old that didnt seem to do more than 14-15k to a set of Eagle NCT5's.

Optional Extras? They were not many, infact there were pretty much only two that actually matter:

a) Satellite Navigation - its totally crap. It absolutely doesnt matter if it has this or not
b) Sports Appearance Pack - transforms the look of the car. Was an option on the Ghia X, it's the same bodykit you find on the ST24. Looks good.

You couldnt get stuff like Xenons etc.

So there we go. Buy a nice 2000 model, W or X plate, for the best spec.

If you can find more money and get close to £2k the Mk3 starts to become an option.
 
Cheers for the info :)

I don't think that I can raise my budget up to £2k unfortunately. At the moment I've a Rover 100 which I will sell to add a bit of cash but with the addition of insurance, cost of the car needs to be kept low. At the moment I pay £580 insurance for the Rover TPFT. For a Mondeo MK2 2000/X (Only one I've looked at!) both Ghia and Ghia X come in at £1200 for TPFT.

Based on what you've said, and certainly below £2k budget (Originally wanted to spend around £1.5k max but am reasonably flexible depending if I'll get something crap slightly below that value and somebody good slightly above it... Of course less is much better though) I'll have to look for a MK2 if I do decide to purchase a Mondeo.

Reading your post I would like to get one of the more recent revisions of the MK2 and so I'll use the 2000/X as a point of comparison (That is what I've seen today) and if the example I saw today is anything to go buy then I am not too hot on the leather interior. Seems very worn (Expected of an 8 year old car having done 100 000 miles or so) and I can imagine it getting scratched more with day to day use (Throwing my bag in the bag for Uni each day). Didn't really look too "classy" which is what I tend to associate with leather interior.

Having said this I'd quite like to have the cruise control, etc. Searching on autotrader for "ghia cruise" shows up all Ghia X with the one exception of the car that I've seen today. This car "appears" to have the best of both worlds - Has the velour interior but with the majority of gadgets. The only thing I remember it not having compared to the Ghia X are Semi Automatic Temperature Control (Instead it just has "Hi/Med/Low" kind of thing) and 6 CD multichanger. Having a read on Parkers though I'm not sure if the Ghia X has a full sized spare which the Ghia does not? Didn't check this.

Do you think I'd be likely to find many other cars with the Ghia but with those extras (Cruise, etc)? Failing this, am I likely to find a good example of the Ghia X within budget? How do you think the one I listed above sounds for the price? Would you suggest it to be a good buy or advise holding on a little longer? I'm reluctant to "buy the first car I see" (Having only checked two so far) but it does seem to tick a certain number of boxes, for a Mondeo novice at least.

Thanks very much for your help and hope to hear again! Cheers.
 
All Ghia models produced after July 1999 will have cruise control. Cruise is, IMHO, essential in a car of this type and I'd not want to be without it.

The Ghia X will have a space saver - mine did. Remember the tyres on the Ghia X are 205/50/16 so will set you back £70-£80 a corner for good tyres.

Do you have a link to the one you are looking at?

My Mondeo was an excellent companion for the first half of my University career. It never put a single foot wrong and suited the student lifestyle perfectly. Loads of room for all your mates, plenty of space, easy to park, and just the job for those occasional long distance trips.

Mine had 100k on it when I bought it and it was in immaculate condition although it was only 4 years old.
 
Linke here.

Previous posts were inaccurate. Car has done 99k (Listing says 98k but it something like 50 miles short of 99k).

Interested to hear what you think, and whether this seems anything special at the price of if I should hold off a little longer.

Cheers.
 
That looks like an absolutely excellent example - obviously its difficult to see the full story from pictures but it certainly ticks all the boxes for me. Even has good tyres on it which is a good indicator of the previous owners attitude to spending money on the car.

It's also Amparo Blue which is the best colour for a Mk2 Mondeo. It's just had a new clutch as well which will save you a small fortune, but it does indicate that this car has amassed its 100,000 miles around town. Mine is on 153,000 miles now and is still on the original clutch but was a fleet car doing long trips. I would suggest you'll need to shell out for suspension bushes at some point in the near future.

It is also pretty much due a cambelt. Edit - noticed its actually just HAD a cambelt as well - blimey. Thats good. Looks like all the potential big future service bills are out of the way on this car.
 
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[TW]Fox;12351130 said:
It is also pretty much due a cambelt.
Click to expand...

It's had the cambelt done... Says on the listing but I also confirmed with the guy... He showed me where it been written in the service history documentation, etc.

He mentioned that the first owner of the car was a company... Used as company car, if that makes any difference?

Cheers.
 
This thread is a bit of an eye opener. I didnt realise high spec MK2 Mondeos are that cheap. I might actually start looking around for one myself :o
 
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