Whch one to buy??

588 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Lee ST, Mar 25, 2010

raf_75

Discussion Starter · Mar 24, 2010

Hi i'm a new member hoping to buy a mk3 very soon. I've been looking for a couple of weeks now and have now found two that i like the look of, both are 02 plates. First one is a 2.0 ghia deisel that has done 96k with a full service history, the dealer said that it's a 115 model, but when i put the reg into the ford web site it comes up as a 130?
The other one i've seen is a 2.0 lx with only 60k and a full service history.

I'm at a loss on which one to get as both are the right colour (black) and look in good condition and are the same price, I like the toys in the ghia but i've never had a diesel before, also i've been told to watch out for clutches and flywheels wearing out at 100k.

Any help and advice would be much apperciated

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mushf

· #2 · Mar 24, 2010

go for the diesel in my opinion its way better than the petrol, cheap to run aswell as holds its price longer, there is great pull in the diesel, they feel smooth to drive, the ghia model also is much better than a lx beleave me i just downgraded to an lx from zetec and its very cheap feeling, i miss my zetec so much so am now getting all extras from better models and putting it into mine

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JasonE

· #3 · Mar 24, 2010

After my last 3 cars being diesels and getting fed up with turbo , egr , smoke , etc etc problems , poor performance and rising diesel prices.... I went with a petrol this time, a 2.0 Duratec to be exact. It goes like a car should , doesnt blech out black smoke everytime you touch the loud peddle, hasnt got a 100 things to go wrong and with the recent prices of petrol/diesel and the fact it retuns 37 mpg doesnt cost much more to run.
But the ghia trim level cant be sniffed at... a tough choice.....

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paulwhite1987

· #4 · Mar 24, 2010

i agree go with a petrol. ive got the 2.0l duratec aswell.i should keep looking. i downgraded from a ghia to a zetec and do miss the toys. dont go for the lx or you will end up spending time and money upgrading it to a ghia but you will never lose the lx badge.lol

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raf_75

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 24, 2010 (Edited by Moderator)

Just remembered that when i was talking to the dealer about the deisel one he said that the last owner also serviced it himself inbetween the garage doing it. I'm starting to think it's the one for me as it looks to have been looked after.

How do you tell which version of deisel engine is fitted? The etis website comes up saing it's a 130 but the dealer said it's a 115?? Just had a look on the dvla site and emissons comes up as 156, auto trader lists the 115 as 148 and the 130 as 154 so could it be a 130??

Must admit you guys are totally right about the spec and me upgrading it if i got an lx lol

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raf_75

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 25, 2010

Went for another look today at the desiel ghia, the bottom of all the doors were rusty and there was a knock from the rear. Told the guy about them and he said that he would sort it all out. Unfortunally he wouldn't budge on the screen price at all, and i don't feel that it was worth what he wanted

So i'm still looking

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salta

· #7 · Mar 25, 2010

hi faf. its a modern problem trying to decide between petrol and diesel .but the important one is which can you afford comfortably to run ..the diesel needs more servicing and more care the petrol one is simpler fixed and cheaper to fix and if you bring a good mechanic ot vet the motor i recon the petrol would have far less risk at that milage than the diesel .already you have uncovered an untruth or two the dealer has been trying to pedal to you about the diesel ..run as fast as you can from that dealer ..trust me .if hees spoofing on the little things he is spoofing on the biggerr things too.s

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raf_75

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 25, 2010

Good advice m8 one that i'm taking shame really as it drove great apart from the slight knock from the back, might look at a vectra tomorrow just to compare it over the mondeo.
Most of the dealers around me are selling cars over 3 grand while my budget is only 2500.

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Lee ST

· #9 · Mar 25, 2010

Personally i wouldnt touch another Ford Diesel with a very long stick, i had lots of issues with mine.

However, many people on here have diesels with no issues at all and im sure many people have petrols that cause no end of grief.

The ghia spec would be appealing, but i would go for petrol i think.

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