[MartinJGUK]

I had a 2 litre petrol 2001 mk3 before my 2004 tdci and I have been up to Scotland on holiday in both. I got about 42mpg on the motorway in the petrol and about 55mpg in the diesel. The main difference I found was city driving, the petrol one drank like a fish (about 20-25mpg at best) whereas the diesel averages mid to late 30s. Also the tax is quite different, £137.50 for 6 months on the petrol versus £93.50 on the diesel. However you're right about the maintenance costs on the diesel, owning one of these is like owning a vintage motor. You always seem to be doing something, or listening for little rattles and knocks and after a few months of DIY you could probably build one from scratch in your sleep if you had all the bits. But I will say that at 138,000 miles my petrol one failed its mot on hydrocarbon emissions and it turned out that it was a piston ring failed and it was burning oil, so I had to buy a duratec engine from a breaker for £500 to get it going again. Apparently they're like rocking horse s**t. Personally I'm still in two minds whether I'd buy a diesel again, I do love driving it when I can put my foot down because it goes like a rocket when you get the turbo spinning. It's not just the Mondeo all diesel cars nowadays are so overboosted and fine tuned with computer controlled precision parts that even the slightest problem turns into a limp mode engine light fiasco costing hundreds. Read any of the other make forums VW, Vauxhall etc and they'll all be bitching about £2000 for new injectors or DMF failures after 30,000 miles. I'm afraid it's a lottery more than ever with a used car now, some people would say its the best car have ever owned and some wouldn't touch another with a barge pole. Just try and get one with service history and as many old bills and as much paperwork as possible, and if you have any doubt walk away. There's plenty to choose from, butlower mileage ones are getting harder to come by now.

Martin

 

[michael1988]

My 51 plate mk3 2.0 petrol ghia cost me £400 it is the best car I have ever had and it was only a put me on car 6 months later I have spent about £150 on basic bits ie oil filter fuel filter thermostat drop links anti role bar bushes just general service bits

I have done 7000 miles in it now and it has not skipped a beet

driving like its nicked

 

[michael1988]

Also regarding road tax I would go 2.0 why get a 1.8 and pay the same as a 2.0 I would feel ripped off lol

driving like its nicked

 

[Trek]

I have a 2004 TDDI which I understand wasn't an engine sold in the Mondeo in the UK that year, but still carried on in the Mondeo on the Continent.

I purchased the car in 2007 with about 77,000 miles on it and I currently have 175,000 miles on it. I've taken relatively poor care of the car and driven it all around on bad Eastern European roads for the last 6 years.

The engine (much louder than an TDCI) has been stellar and needed nothing other than new glowplugs and the 5 speed has been flawless.

Currently, electrics are failing with sensors going bad, but that's to be expected with a car of this age.

My car is one of the those will get junked not because of the engine or tranny, but the rest eventually falls apart.

 

[PURPLE_2L_LX]

If looked after a 2004 car should be as reliable as a 3 year old one.

Plenty of life left in it.. I hope so anyway as mines a 2004 car.