2009.5 Mondeo v 2010 Focus

Rainmaker

Rainmaker

Rainmaker

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I'm looking for a bit of advice, and some opinions. I'm disabled and qualify for the Motability scheme. I sent back a Citroen Berlingo 1.6 HDi in July as it was awful. Literally falling apart within the first year, knocking, leaning, pulling to one side etc. The dealer's reply? "Well it IS a Berlingo...". :o

I'm looking for something more robust and pleasurable to drive, relatively speaking. Since it's contract hire things like depreciation and resale aren't an issue. I'm definitely opting for a TDCi as my only running cost is fuel, so it's a no brainer over 10-15,000 miles a year for three years.

I can get a 2009.5 Mondeo Titanium hatch, 2.0 litre TDCi 163ps, with all the usual Titanium toys and extras. I love Mondeos and am amply comfortable in them, and the 163 should drive like a dream as the 140 I test-drove was ample.

Conversely, I can get a Focus 1.6 TDCi hatch in either 'Sport' (Titanium spec interior and gadgets, plus centre-console DVD NAV, etc but minus the cruise control), Titanium itself (no DVD NAV, but cruise control), and can also opt for the Titanium estate which is tempting. All the Focuses are 109ps.

Obviously I'll be looking to properly check out the Focus and test drive it tomorrow, but overall does anyone have any experience or wisdom to impart? I'm sorely tempted to just plump for the Mondeo as I know they're my cup of tea, a great size, good comfortable ride and amply powerful for motorway and still responsive round town.

However, my required down-payment on a Mondeo is £1,050 - whereas I can get a Focus Sport/Titanium for £200 or Focus Titanium estate for £700. Those are big savings.

My question is, does anyone have any 'swaying' arguments? I can manage the Mondeo money, but obviously if I'm not missing much by opting for the Focus I can always use the £300 to £800 saved by not going for a Mondeo.

I await your thoughts. I'll just add that I can only get a manual, and we have three children and I'm 6'5" and a big lad, so Fiestas are out. :p Thanks in advance.
 
My thoughts are go for the Mondeo as you seem to have no reason not to. It's a much, much better car overall. I've driven a couple of Titanium/Titanium X spec new Mondeos and they're excellent cars. The Focus is very good, but the Mondeo is obviously in the next class up. No point comparing the two, really :)
 
Howard said:
My thoughts are go for the Mondeo as you seem to have no reason not to. It's a much, much better car overall. I've driven a couple of Titanium/Titanium X spec new Mondeos and they're excellent cars. The Focus is very good, but the Mondeo is obviously in the next class up. :)
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Indeed. A Mondeo is my ideal, admittedly. I'd also have the option to buy at the end of the lease so again Mondeo sways me. But saving up to £800 up front and still getting a [Focus] Titanium is very tempting (the lease cost is identical, the down payment basically makes up any differences between cars).

I'll just have to suck it and see, I suppose. Heart says Mondeo, head says Focus. :p
 
Seems like a no brainer. I cannot imagine why you would wish to downgrade to a Focus for the sums of money involved. It's just a better car, end of story
 
[TW]Fox;17547081 said:
Seems like a no brainer. I cannot imagine why you would wish to downgrade to a Focus for the sums of money involved. It's just a better car, end of story
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Thanks for the input Fox. :) Just to put perspective on the money issue though, the £800 I'd save by grabbing a Focus instead of a Mondeo is basically Christmas sorted for our entire family, including food and gifts - and probably well into New Year too. It's a lot of cash to us, but not enough to be the sole consideration.

As you say in the grand scheme it's not a lot; and I know I'm getting much more car for the money if I stick at the Mondeo. Hence the dilemma, and the post on here.

Le sigh. :p
 
Rainmaker said:
Indeed. A Mondeo is my ideal, admittedly. I'd also have the option to buy at the end of the lease so again Mondeo sways me. But saving up to £800 up front and still getting a [Focus] Titanium is very tempting (the lease cost is identical, the down payment basically makes up any differences between cars).

I'll just have to suck it and see, I suppose. Heart says Mondeo, head says Focus. :p
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As a one off cost, it's worth it all day long and twice on sundays :p
 
Maybe lay the grand away on a card till after Xmas if things are bit tight, i think the Mondeo will serve you much better as you are a big chap.
 
Rainmaker said:
Thanks for the input Fox. :) Just to put perspective on the money issue though, the £800 I'd save by grabbing a Focus instead of a Mondeo is basically Christmas sorted for our entire family, including food and gifts - and probably well into New Year too. It's a lot of cash to us, but not enough to be the sole consideration.
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Lets put it in perspective again by saying its 800 quid for a £20,000 car you are getting for basically nothing :p

Mondeo time!
 
Thanks again guys, you're basically just confirming what I already knew deep down. I suppose to be fair I'm trying to find a reason to justify the downgrade to the Focus, but I know it's not what I want - nor what will serve me best ultimately. Hearing all the "hell yeah, no contest, Mondeo every time" replies really has sealed it. No, I'm not that easily swayed, but hearing others with first hand experience does seal the deal. If you'd come back with "Actually, the Focus is a great car and you'd not see much difference", obviously I'd have had to think some more.

DiamondMark, thanks for the idea but unfortunately these very low down-payment prices are only held until December. After that Mondeos are back up in the £3,000+ deposit category and definitely out of reach.

All the more reason to bite their hand off I suppose. Especially for a Titanium. Just a shame I can't get full leather and an auto, really. :p Thanks again folks.
 
[TW]Fox;17547168 said:
Lets put it in perspective again by saying its 800 quid for a £20,000 car you are getting for basically nothing :p

Mondeo time!
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Good point well made sir, and as per my last post I've heeded your words. Just to be clear (not to you specifically, just in general) though:

Motability isn't a freebie. I'm laying down £7,000 of my own money for this lease over three years and then have to hand the car back unless I opt to purchase it for cash. So yes, a 20k car for 'basically nothing' - but I'll be left with EXACTLY nothing in three years when the lease is up, despite having spent £7k plus the down payment. :p

But yes, worth it overall and I'd get the option to buy it at bargain prices at the end, knowing I'm the only owner etc. As you said, "Mondeo time!".

Inky blue or panther black? LOL :D
 
Hmmm, so nearly £200 a month. It's still a good deal but actually... you lose your DLA as well dont you? How much is that worth to you per month?

Or is the loss of the DLA the £7000 cost?
 
[TW]Fox;17547202 said:
Hmmm, so nearly £200 a month. It's still a good deal but actually... you lose your DLA as well dont you? How much is that worth to you per month?

Or is the loss of the DLA the £7000 cost?
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Yes Fox, you basically exchange the DLA award for the car. The DWP pay your money to Motability instead of you, for the duration of the lease. In exchange you get your chosen car for three years, with tax, servicing, breakdown and everything else all included, worry free.

Howard said:
Shame it's not an estate really, black + titanium spec + estate = win
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Tell me about it. :D

Gotta nip out to collect the children, I'll be back later. Thanks for all the input so far. :)
 
Rainmaker said:
Yes Fox, you basically exchange the DLA award for the car. The DWP pay your money to Motability instead of you, for the duration of the lease. In exchange you get your chosen car for three years, with tax, servicing, breakdown and everything else all included, worry free.
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Thats how I understood it. So really you are only paying £800 of your own money towards this car. It's a fantastic deal.
 
Howard said:
Shame it's not an estate really, black + titanium spec + estate = win
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I would have gone with the estate, but the mrs isn't keen on estates, so I ended up a 58 plate titanium in black... and it looks awesome when clean :)
 
Well, just to throw a monkey into the mix, I have an update. I took a nice new pre-facelift (2009/early 2010 model) Skoda Superb saloon/hatch for a spin earlier (1.9TDI PD) and all I could say was: :eek: :cool:

My fiancée, brother and I got out of the car at the end of the test drive, and literally just stood there in silence for a minute. No questions, no concerns, just 'Whoa'. It was that good. I know, it's not a 250BHP monster, and I know it's a Skoda. But for my needs? The best thing since sliced bread. I can also get in and out of it five times easier than I could the Mondeo, meaning it's well suited to my health troubles too.

It's the 'Greenline' spec meaning 70 MPG on a run and ~57 MPG combined, which for a car that size is amazing. Being the Greenline spec it comes with added cruise control and a few other toys. The only bummer is the rear visibility due to the saloon style back end. Since the Greenline lacks parking sensors as standard that's rather awkward. Adding them on only costs £300 though, and the dealer was happy to retro-fit after purchase at no additional cost so I can grab them when I have the cash. We have a driveway anyway so I won't be looking to do any tight parallel parking any time soon.

I was seriously dismissive of it beforehand - "lolskoda" and "105BHP with only 184ft/lb of torque in THAT? It's huge!". But amazingly the engine seems eminently suited to the car and I hit "national limit" :p on the motorway in 4th with absolute ease. Dropping it into fifth felt like I'd suddenly been transported to a floating cloud with a built-in armchair. :D

It performed admirably, resting at 1,900rpm at 75mph. I'm used to diesels sitting at 2,750rpm at those speeds, no wonder fuel economy is so good.

Solidly built, so much room I can literally lie down in the back (I'm 6'5" remember), and it glides along beautifully. I'm in love. Skoda's service and sales staff were a breath of fresh air compared to Ford and Citroen too. Amazingly chilled out, genuinely friendly and happy and keen to attend to you without being pushy. My 'helper' didn't speak unless spoken to (apart to offer us coffee lol), answered all questions thoroughly and left me genuinely wanting to buy the car.

I actually commented that he was the least pushy salesman I'd ever met. His answer? "The silence of awe and admiration at the end of your test drive is all I need to sell you a Superb. Happens all the time. The car sells itself and I just sit there and smile". LOL

We did get a tug from two very arsey Cheshire Police (traffic) though. The officer was a right git and snottily asked the salesman to "display your trade plates better as a speed camera won't see those." WTF?! Credit to the guy though, quick as a flash and polite as you like he said "Apologies officer. You must get a lot of car main dealers flying through GATSOs at 80mph while they're out with a customer". The cop just grunted and walked away while his colleague sniped from the driver's seat. His plates were perfectly visible to begin with, btw.

Anyway I'm seriously, seriously tempted. I'm going to sleep on it and go back tomorrow. I'm honestly struggling to find reasons NOT to get one, and online owners' reviews rave about the thing. Not to mention the deposit/advance payment is £200 cheaper than the Mondeo. Bargainous!
 
As long as its the current model, the Superb is a fantastic car. Not with that awful 1.9 TDI though. That engine has been around for over a decade and was cack when it came out let alone now.
 
For all that money that you pay into the the scheme, how much of a deal do you get, if you want to buy the car at the end of the 3 years.

The superb is a very good car, the engine is poor tho, old tech, but if its cheap enough what the hell! personally i'd find a way of getting the mondeo, it really is a very good car in that spec.

Its an odd scheme the motability one, some of the cars on the scheme can require a 10k downpayment, in my mind, if u have 10k for a deposit, you realy shouldnt be getting a benefit!
 
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