20 replies to this topic

[gofra]

Hi folks!

It all came up very suddenly. I own an Abarth Grande Punto (2,5 years now) and a TDCi Mk3 Mondeo Estate: I bought the first one for joy, then had to buy second one because I started covering long distances, now I want to sell both (too expensive to have 2) but love the AGP wildness, fun factor and Mondeos practicality, so I kinda wanted to make a good compromise. Well, guess what...I found a great looking ST220 in excellent condition.

The car is 2003 and has 70K miles on the clock, first owner, serviced regularly. I was said there wasnt a single problem with it ever since it was new (just oil, filter changes).

Here are the pics:






The car is simply stunning. Wheels have a few scratches, theres few little stone chips on the bumper...and thats really it. Feels like it was made a year ago. I gave it a test drive and I must say Im quite pleased with how it went. Power delivery is smooth and slow, theres enough torque in mid range and a real power plant up in the range. Its no maniac (like my AGP) but a damn fast, well equipped comfy limo. I intend to keep the car for a long time, so I would like to know - should I buy it and use it a s a daily drive? Is it reliable enough (they say so, but I want as many opinions as I can get) The average MPG was better than on my T-jet Abarth which comes as a relief. And boy does it sound nice!

Thing is, Im relatively unfamiliar with the car (apart from what I've read in reviews) and would like to know if the price is good (for UK standards at least - theres only a couple in Slovenia). How much more depreciation could I expect?

Anyways, bunch of questions...when basically all I want to hear is yes or no (I preffer yes of course ) )...thanx for any feedback!

[Ben_W]

That is a fantastic looking car.

I love the saloon shape but have never seen an ST220 in that colour. I think it suits it very very well.

The 3.0 lump is a very very good lump with little in the way of known issues. Designed to be a complete mile muncher they do seem to handle mileage well. Being a V6, they tend to get driven less har as they make a lot of torque through the mid range, meaning you dont have to rev it and thrash it to get it to go anywhere quickly. It would make a very good daily driver and you can expect about 30 mpg. The only thing id really check is the bottoms of the doors onthe inside. Its perhaps still within the age range where it may suffer from the rust issue. Get the rear subframe bushes checked and if you decide to buy it, see if you can get them to do them if they havent been done in the cars life.

As for price, you dont say how much it is. Depreciation will differ from country to country really so i cant advise on that really. Perhaps you can work it out from others for sale

HOpe this helps, though if yoy can afford it, id be buying it. Its an awesome looking car that one.

[gofra]

Ben_W, on 12 February 2011 - 05:37 PM, said:

That is a fantastic looking car.

I love the saloon shape but have never seen an ST220 in that colour. I think it suits it very very well.

The 3.0 lump is a very very good lump with little in the way of known issues. Designed to be a complete mile muncher they do seem to handle mileage well. Being a V6, they tend to get driven less har as they make a lot of torque through the mid range, meaning you dont have to rev it and thrash it to get it to go anywhere quickly. It would make a very good daily driver and you can expect about 30 mpg. The only thing id really check is the bottoms of the doors onthe inside. Its perhaps still within the age range where it may suffer from the rust issue. Get the rear subframe bushes checked and if you decide to buy it, see if you can get them to do them if they havent been done in the cars life.

As for price, you dont say how much it is. Depreciation will differ from country to country really so i cant advise on that really. Perhaps you can work it out from others for sale

HOpe this helps, though if yoy can afford it, id be buying it. Its an awesome looking car that one.

Ben, thanx for that - yeah, the car looks simply amazing live...and as for price - somehow I forgot to put it in: 6700 GBP

[Ben_W]

To be honest, thats probably about double what a similar UK car might cost but then i suspect they are far rarer where you are, hence the much higher resale value. I have noticed this with cars in Europe. If thats about the right market value for where you are, id be buying it......

[gofra]

Ben_W, on 12 February 2011 - 05:59 PM, said:

To be honest, thats probably about double what a similar UK car might cost but then i suspect they are far rarer where you are, hence the much higher resale value. I have noticed this with cars in Europe. If thats about the right market value for where you are, id be buying it......

Well, consider it like this:

- Mk3 2003 TDCi, Trend, same milleage (impossible to find with such milleage tho), ownership would be around 4500 GBP

I reckon its a good price then?

[Ben_W]

Yeah, sounds about right. Id go for it if you like it!

[gofra]

Ben_W, on 12 February 2011 - 06:43 PM, said:

Yeah, sounds about right. Id go for it if you like it!

I'm having a bit of a trouble communicating with my potential buyers for Abarth ...but if all goes well, I think there will be another happy ST220 owner in here

Thnx again!

[Paz]

Hi just a quick one, I own an ST24 on a 2000 plate, it's a great car and I'm also thinking of the ST220 but a Ford mechanic said the starter motors seem to go a lot and I'd be better off getting the diesel ST which he says will keep up with the 3.0 until you're really going over the 100mph mark? Any thoughts on this anyone?

[ijk571]

Likewise,I am toying with the idea of maybe getting one or the other. The way I see it is that the amount you'd save on buying a st220 over an similar age 155tdci would cover the extra expense in fuel, tax and insurance for at least a couple of years.

A starter must be cheaper to buy that the DMF and injector issues I see on here. If it is a 220 you go for, make sure it is the cheaper tax one (the newer ones are £435 a year I think). I saw a nice red titx v6 and then saw the 435 a year tax   . For a 2nd car that is too much for me to justify.

Plus you can get a lower mileage ST220 too for similar money, as diesels seem to command a higher premium. I had a basic quick quote yesterday with Adrian Flux and the TDCI quote came out at £570 a year, the 220 at £607.

[DutchKev]

Paz, on 05 March 2011 - 11:36 AM, said:

Hi just a quick one, I own an ST24 on a 2000 plate, it's a great car and I'm also thinking of the ST220 but a Ford mechanic said the starter motors seem to go a lot and I'd be better off getting the diesel ST which he says will keep up with the 3.0 until you're really going over the 100mph mark? Any thoughts on this anyone?

Honestly? I'd find another mechanic!

If you read about the problems on here with the tdci's ( and there are alot of them ) then pull be able to see for yourself that they aren't as good in my opinion as the V6.

Look at worst case senario and you buy a lemon, cost of parts include:-

Injectors £1000 for all 4 plus recoding
Flywheel £800
EGR £300
Turbo £600
Various hoses which are prone to split £70 upwards

And that's just a rough figure involved with cost. Dont get me wrong some people have no problems at all but it's all pot luck

[Nick]

There really aren't any issues with the ST220, it's a very reliable car!

The ST TDCi on the other hand... check out the problems forum on STdriveRS.co.uk...

[ijk571]

ST220 all the way.....

[peter5205]

ijk571, on 05 March 2011 - 06:00 PM, said:

ST220 all the way.....

As i have owned my ST220 since 2003 and still have it and run it, its my every day car.

I bought it when it was a year old, with 10k on the clock.
Since that time i have only had one problem with it, the fuel pump gave in when it was around 6yr old, thats it.

Other than that the only costs i have had are normal wear and tear, clutch, pads, discs, tyres, oil filters etc.
Its never stopped or gave any bother, and its still fast smooth, and starts every time. its now got 74k on it.

The only one thing id say about it is i changed the starter motor a few months ago, and thats only its 2nd one from new,

Not bad for coming up a 9yr old car.

I do mother it though, and look after it. But its well worth it.
I have no intentions of getting rid if it., its a pearlesant state blue, saloon.
go for it.

[ijk571]

peter5205, on 05 March 2011 - 07:20 PM, said:

ijk571, on 05 March 2011 - 06:00 PM, said:

ST220 all the way.....

As i have owned my ST220 since 2003 and still have it and run it, its my every day car.

I bought it when it was a year old, with 10k on the clock.
Since that time i have only had one problem with it, the fuel pump gave in when it was around 6yr old, thats it.

Other than that the only costs i have had are normal wear and tear, clutch, pads, discs, tyres, oil filters etc.
Its never stopped or gave any bother, and its still fast smooth, and starts every time. its now got 74k on it.

The only one thing id say about it is i changed the starter motor a few months ago, and thats only its 2nd one from new,

Not bad for coming up a 9yr old car.

How do you find the insurance? The other thing I'm wary of of is the tax increasing in the future (if I got the cheaper tax one)..
I do mother it though, and look after it. But its well worth it.
I have no intentions of getting rid if it., its a pearlesant state blue, saloon.
go for it.

[gofra]

Thanx to everyone in here - decision has been made!

Since yesterday, I am a proud owner of this beauty:


More about her HERE

(hope linking to St Drivers is allowed?)

Best - and thanx once more!

F

[ijk571]

gofra, on 10 March 2011 - 03:43 PM, said:

Thanx to everyone in here - decision has been made!

Since yesterday, I am a proud owner of this beauty:


More about her HERE

(hope linking to St Drivers is allowed?)

Best - and thanx once more!

F

Very nice colour too!!!

[Ben_W]

Damn, that is a fabulous car.

Real shame the uk market didnt get that colour.

[DutchKev]

it did!

[4x416v]

and here it is:


http://cgi.ebay.co.u...T#ht_1541wt_932

[Mal]

4x416v, on 12 March 2011 - 10:20 PM, said:

and here it is:


http://cgi.ebay.co.u...T#ht_1541wt_932

The very rare zafira gsi turbo ford mondeo st220....Mind you, the seller is from the west midlands and the fact he knows its a car at all makes him one of the cleverer ones....