Mondeo's / Vectras / large hatchbacks.

greengiant · 19 Aug 2007 at 20:30

Hi Guys, just thought I'd pick your collective brains on advice re large hatchbacks.

At the moment I've got a 206 Shoddy Wagon

which was, I must admit, a very poor choice of car. Only had it for around 6 months, but I must get rid of it as it's poor driving position is giving me back ache.

What's everyone's thoughts on Vauxhall Vectras / Ford Mondeo's? (I need something slightly larger than an VX Astra or Ford Focus as I need decent boot space for my bicycle)

Decentish estate cars seem to be rare - I think i'd be able to get a better hatch for the money ~ 5-7K

One thing which surprised me about the Vectra was I didn't even need to push the drivers seat right back to fit my 6'2"!

Non wee car f t w!

(I realise this question has probably been asked a trillion times)

Thanks in advance

--
Brian

greengiant · 19 Aug 2007 at 20:40

[TW]Fox said:
Mondeos are great, Vectras are not.

Mazda6's are also great, as are Passats. Renault Lagunas are not.

I'm not getting any other French car. Me old Renault Scenic fell to bits @ 56K, and this 206 is heading the same way with loads of random noises :confused:

I'll have a good scout around for mondys.

Hatchbacks do seem easier to find than estates it seems.

cheers

--
Brian

greengiant · 20 Aug 2007 at 07:37

Tesla said:
I would be looking for one of the very last Mk2 Mondeos like this one:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/225307.htm

Or a Nice Mk3 example but it will cost around double.

Both within your budget and both MASSIVELY better than a 206.

I don't think a £5k mondeo will offer too much over that St24 hence pointing it out despite way under your max budget.

Nice estate, but 2.5L petrol is a wee bit too big. Majority of the time I do short journeys so I'd suffer a bit from very low MPG with that car.

Thanks for taking the time to look though.

--
Brian

greengiant · 20 Aug 2007 at 07:42

thanks for the replies.

Certainly think I've got the right idea going for a decent hatch rather than an estate - after all the bike can have wheels removed in a few seconds so will fit in a hatch without too much bother. Just a case of keeping an eye out on autotrader over the next few weeks.

regards

--
Brian

greengiant · 20 Aug 2007 at 18:18

Pyscho_Si said:
What about a bike carrier either on the roof or attached to the boot?

Don't like roof bike carriers or strapped on boot racks! Much better bike inside. (managed to pick up a cheap bike bag for the frame, and a pair of wheel bags for the wheels.)

greengiant · 22 Aug 2007 at 07:40

Seen a 2006 06 plate 1.8 LX Mondeo on autotrader with 35K miles on the clock for £6995, 2 previous owners.

Seems rather cheap for an 06 plate?

regards

--
Brian

greengiant · 22 Aug 2007 at 20:28

lordrobs said:
Two owners in a year and a half would get my guard up slightly. Worth a look though. Whilst its base spec being a facelift model that means that you still get air con, cruise and trip computer for your money

Could be that it was a pre reg car, so the first driver would then be the 2nd owner?

However I'd rather look for something ~ £1000 - £1500 cheaper as I don't expect to get much trade in for my 206 shoddy wagon. Gonna keep an eye out on autotrader / local newspaper car pages and see what else is around 03 - 54 plate.

greengiant · 22 Aug 2007 at 20:30

MarkDavis said:
Mondeos are light years ahead of Vectras in every possible way - ride, handling, drive trains, seating position, in the way they drive etc etc

Go for one of the top spec versions rather than base models. The TdCI diesels common rails diesels are pretty good but there are murmurings of injector failure at high mileages.

top spec with loads of electronic gubbins are just more to go wrong IMHO. Electrically adjustable seats? I'd rather have manually adjustable seats thanks!

greengiant · 24 Aug 2007 at 18:48

Been thinking about it more and I feel a mondeo / vectra would be a little too big considering I mostly do short journeys.

So perhaps a Focus hatch would be the solution?

greengiant · 24 Aug 2007 at 21:09

[TW]Fox said:
Why would the fact you only do short journeys make it a little too big?

I use a 5 Series BMW, at 4.7metres long, to drive 5 miles into town and back.

I mean that i'd be using quite a bit of petrol.

greengiant · 25 Aug 2007 at 10:00

[TW]Fox;9966821 said:
Eh? You said you do short journeys. If you do a short journey you will use less petrol than a long journey

True, however a smaller car with higher urban mpg will mean less fuel costs. However how much difference in actual fuel costs are there for say a 25mpg urban 1.8 Mondeo compared to something like a 32mpg 1.4 Focus? I'm lucky if I do 6K miles a year.

Car choosing is somewhat difficult :confused:

greengiant · 25 Aug 2007 at 17:25

[TW]Fox;9968883 said:
A Mondeo 1.8 @ 25mpg would cost you £84 a month

A Focus 1.4 @ 32mpg would cost you £65 a month

IMHO not worth suffering for the saving, works out at like a £240 a year saving. Just spend £240 less on the car..

Or cycle to work a few times a week!

Had a sit in a few cars.

Old shape Focus - my eye level was too near the top of the windscreen even with the drivers seat in it's lowest position!

Sat in an Astra estate, OK, but still feels slightly cramped. But I don't actually need the boot space of an estate, could get a nicer hatch for the money.

Vectra, Comfyish, but not as nice inside as a Mondeo.

Mondeo, ton's of room for my legs under the steering wheel, the fact that the steering wheel goes up and down and in and out means I could get comfy very easy! Had a look at an 54 reg 2L Mondeo with 23K on the clock, the car looked nice enough but chatting to the salesman I found out that the first owner of the car was a hire car company followed by a lady owner. Ex hire car not perhaps such a good deal.

However looking at another garage I was able to get some figures:

They had on their computer an 05 Mondeo 1.8LX 5 Door with 13K miles on the clock for £6988 +£90 road tax, less £4K trade in for the 206 shoddy wagon would give a cost to change of £3078, which isn't too bad to upgrade from a wee car to a decent hatch.

It's definately going to be a Mondeo I go for, but I think I'll wait a couple of weeks till the new reg plates are out so hopefully there should be more trade ins.

A somewhat productive day.

regards

--
Brian

greengiant · 31 Aug 2007 at 12:54

Just an update. I've put down a deposit on a 2004 (53 plate) Ford Mondeo Mistral 1.8 with 24K miles, £5268. By the time road tax + years warranty is added on, less the 4K trade in the for the 206SW, only £1435 to upgrade from the 206 to the Mondeo!
Seems to be a decent price for the Mondeo as I had seen older cars with higher mileages for more money at several other garages!

Should have took some mobile phone pics! However the cars got 16" alloys and is in Panther Black.

Very nice test drive in the Mondeo, miles more comfortable than the 206 Shoddy Wagon and a much quieter drive.

Just the insurance to sort out, funnily enough I've been quoted less for the Mondeo using a different insurance company than I'm currently paying for the 206SW through Morethan :rolleyes:

!

Looking forward to next weekend when I should have the car!

--
Brian