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Vectra v mondeo


Bren

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Looking at the estates that are available mondeo mkIV's are now cheap.

 

However, they do not appear to be a robust as the vectra - EGR and glow plugs will cause problems with the vauxhall, however it seems to be pumps and injectors on the mondeo - megabucks and enough to condemn a tatty example to the bridge.

 

Also I look at what the taxi drivers use - the mondeo is not a popular choice, where the vectra is. Which seems to say quite a bit.

 

Are my suspicions correct?

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The diesel Mondeo mk4 is more dependable than the mk3, it's a Psa derived unit. They aren't too bad really, no worse than anything else. The Vectra got used so much on the back of late ones were virtually given away by the end. The 1.9 CDTI has an awful reputation for turbos, swirl flap, injector trouble. Given a choice I'd have the Mondeo. You could have trouble with anything so I'd just make sure it runs good and starts easy. The Mondeo cannot be that crap as look how many old uns are knocking about. The petrol is prone to burning it's rings out prematurely so you can't win can you? Just pick best you can find and look after it.

 

Either would be better than the equivalent Audi, BMW or VW, you really are paying for the badge at that money, don't be convinced that you are buying into quality, it's as likely to fall apart as anything.

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My vote goes for the mondeo MK3.

 

I had a vectra once, it was epically shit...... and i'll never own another. The day I went to mondeos I never went back. ( I lie, Ive just sold my ST tdci of nearly 4 years and replaced it with a disco 3)

 

Every car will have its issues, it all depends on how they've been treated. Of the 5 diesel mondeos Ive owned, only one injector has been replaced and that was on 188k. Never had a pump issue.

 

Good luck on your hunt. Mondeos rule. And one last interesting fact, the mk3 doesnt suffer with gaffa tape bumper syndrome like the mk1/2 did lol

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SP Senior has a MK3 Mondeo TDCI - very nice to drive, mechanically he's had no major problems with it. The engine is a bit noisier these days but on the whole it still drives well, plenty of poke and very comfy. Also very good on diesel - pity I can't borrow it for client sites as Snr drives it using touch rather than sight as the primary sense (there's not a clean/straight panel on it).

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Ford's tend to be better to drive and sharper on the steering/handling in general than Vauxhalls, i went from a Vectra B to a Mk3 Mondeo some years ago and the Ford was far less woolly. Can't really speak for the Mk4 or Ford diesels but I had an Insignia Diesel as a company car for a while and it was very noisy and agricultural even when it was brand new. Can't imagine the Vectras were any better.

 

Like most modern dizzlers try and find one that's already had the dual mass flywheel and clutch replaced, because they will need one and it will be expensive.

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Can't speak to the Vectras but as far as Mondeos are concerned, the failures tend to be:

 

DMF

Clutch

Injectors

Fuel Pump

Gearbox

 

In approximately that order, and each is a nasty expense. Also the timing chain is a bit of a Russian Roulette situation, because it *probably* won't fail, but if it does ...

 

You'd be better served with a petrol IMO

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Finding a 2.0 petrol might be a challenge. For some reason they're a bit thin on the ground. But as you say the petrol is fairly reliable but the diesel is more economical. The 2.0 petrol can be a bit thirsty in this as its such a big car. It's like everything you're damned if you do damned if you don't.

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Warren T CLaim rates the Mondeo highly over the Vectra, I'm the opposite. If you want a DMF munching, injector and pump shitting horror box, then get the Mondeo. If you want something 257,000 times better it has to be the Vectra.

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I actually looked into this now, especially into the fundamental reason for buying an estate in the first place.

 

Vectra boot:

img_1330.jpg

 

 

Peugeot boot:

post-18246-0-43552300-1470600464.jpeg

 

Notice standard carpet protection strips and completely flat floor when the rear seats are folded down.

 

 

Mondeo boot:

2808.jpg

 

Notice that it has a step down boot floor, which renders it completely useless, so it loses this duel by default.

 

 

Boot volume in litres:

 

Vectra 530/1850

Mondeo 500/1605

Peugeot 425/1744 despite it is almost two feet shorter overall compared with others.

 

So Vectra wins again on sheer boot size. However, that doesn't change the fact that it's a Vauxhall.

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Mondeo Mk4 is the 2007-onwards one. The estates in particular are enormous and more comparable to a Scorpio than earlier Mondeos.

 

To drive it's light years better than any Vectra. Petrols are hard to find as the new CO2 based tax bands had kicked in with these and the 1.8 was no longer an option. 2.0 Mazda engine felt powerful enough in mine. There were two 1.6s, a 110hp one and a 125hp one. I don't know much about the diesels, I don't think they are the same engine as the Mk3s.

 

If by Mk4 you mean the facelifted Mk3 with the blingier front lights from 53 plate onwards, I don't know anything about those, the 3 is the only generation of Mondeo I've never driven or owned.

 

Useless trivia - the Mk4 was the only Mondeo driven by James Bond (Casino Royale). I don't he's ever driven a Vectra, although he has been chased by a Cortina.

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Another vote for the Mondeo. Tbh I absolutely hate Vectras, I used to work on them a lot and can not stand them at all. They are in no way shape or form fit to of replaced the Cavalier which was a superb car.

 

My dad has a 60 reg Mondeo 2.0 diesel in TitaniumX flavour and he absolutely adores it! It's not put a foot wrong so far, and in my opinion looks good for a modern. The interior is lovely too and very comfortable. His ones an estate too and he and my mum use it a lot to load up with camping gear. The boot is easily big enough for most things your ever likely to put in it.

As others have said though, I'd look for a good car that's been looked after properly and not driven hard. Neither are new cars anymore and are likely to be at the point of potentially needing a bit of money spending on them.

 

If it was my money I'd be hunting down a Mondeo estate, in top spec with a petrol engine, the bigger the better but I'd be aiming for the biggest one they did. Wasn't it fitted with a Volvo derived 5 cylinder engine?

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Yes, you could get a 2.5 in Ghia and Titanium specs but at £450 a year tax they didn't exactly fly out the doors. I see the odd one about but they are usually early ones sold in '07/08.

 

I think Ford had given up on the 2.0 and 2.5 pez ones in the UK market by late '09, you certainly couldn't get the mild facelift ones (with ugly led drls) which came out mid 2010 with them.

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My Dad currently has a 2004, 04 plate Mondeo TDCi (115?) Estate, & it has covered 114 odd thousand miles.

It is a pretty handy sized estate car (big inside with the seats down), & does everything expected of it.

 

It has got the dreaded DMF Rattle when stationary (it's quite noticeable..lol)

However, it has Never FTP'd or shat itself & he has had it for about a year now.

 

Another thing to note, rear brake callipers on the mondeo estate are prone to seizing up at the handbrake cable mechanism & the Mondeo hatchback callipers DO NOT fit the estate

 

But aside from that, the car is very good on fuel, comfy at cruising on the motorway, & drives very nice for it's size.

They are also very cheap to buy now....bit like Rover 75's.

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A Mondeo is like an Alfa Romeo puppy. Nurture it, spend money on it, treat it really well and think you've cracked it. Then one day, for no apparent reason, it'll shit all over it's own doorstep, leak all over the floor and cost you so much money to make it better the kindest, cheapest and nicest thing is to have it put down. Probably just after you've spent several hundred quid on it anyway.

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The Vectra never goes wrong. The DMF hardly ever goes, neither do the inlet flaps or the injectors. It'll just run and run and run that Alfa 1.9 diesel... 🙂

 

The DMF, injectors and pump might go on any diesel, irrespective of the model.

 

I'd be inclined if it's diesel you want to spend no more than you can afford to lose and throw it away at the first sign of serious trouble. £7-800 would get you a serviceable example of either, there's loads out there where people have only recent spent on new DMFs so something like that might make a wise buy. Start spending £2-3000 and that's dangerous money as you'll be reticent to throw it away but keep spending on it. Less of an issue on a £800 Vectra or whatever you've had for 18 months, chuck it and start again.

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none of the above, get a rover 75 diesel estate, now there is a, cheap as chips stylish load lugger. the clutch hydraulics are crap though, and they chew up drop links in the front axle for fun :-(

 

harrison's the taxi and ford/ex rover dealers in whitby had a 75 which covered something like 600,000 miles before it was retired as been too old to run as a hackney carriage.currently their fleet is a mix of mondeo's and focuses.

 

and the cabbie and mini cabbers at home all seem use skoda octavias, so go figure.....

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As said earlier the mk4 with the psa 2.0 hdi is a good motor . The mk3 transit engine ones are pretty ropey now . It's also a massive leaky dirty cunt of an engine to work on and suffer sudden piston or timing chain death rather too often . They fill the engine bay in a mondeo so it makes nearly every job as bastard to do . Such a big complicated engine to make so little power !

Vectra isn't a bad car apart from rear suspension wear and usual diesel issues .

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