Mondeo Man. 90s Repmobile Content.

[Hendry]

Some of you may remember me trying to flog a mk3 Mondeo TDCi on behalf of my crazy best mate who frankly has too many cars and no licence, well hes only gone and bought another the mad bastard. 

 

He must be the only person on the planet who thinks selling 1 owner, 90,000 miles, FBMWSH 320i SE E46 with full cream leather and the M aero kit for another older Mondeo is an upgrade, however now ive seen the car its hard to disagree.

 

Story goes that he was idly browsing something a bit more modern for a daily driver when he passes his test and was going to get rid of both mk3 Mondeos, having already offloaded the BMW (£200 scrapyard purchase, fired an MOT on it and sold it for £1k) so he sounded me out about car auctions and i provided a link to the main one near here, anyway he mails me and says hes found an old mk2 Mondeo going through and cant believe it, but hes not really into them because they are not as good as a mk3, less modern, rust well and so on, I actually said once id seen the details of the car if I had the money id buy it rather than continue my fruitless quest for a mk6 Escort, turns out it was all just him trying to convince himself he didnt want the car because itd already been through the auction and sold, cue another message this week saying he has found said car and wants to go and look at it, could I run him up, its been bought by some dodgy used car sales place who share a unit with the worst van hire company in existance, who offer absolutely no prep and dont do a single thing to the cars, they buy at auction, stick a profit on top and dont even valet, put a sticker in the window advertising their business or anything. 

 

So, we go to view said car, and attempt to strike up a conversation with the 'business owner' as well as try to listen to the sound of the engine through the noise of the worst Transit van ive ever heard clattering in the yard, 2011 luton spec which they obviously rent out to folk, in worse body state than Kiltox's Relay and sounding like a skeleton wanking furiously in a biscuit tin, this didnt inspire confidence, but taking the car on its own merits, it was a gem, but the seller a real wideboy wouldnt budge on price, quipping 'find me another like this' as it turned out my mate paid the full price and had it delivered the next again day, I was actually heading along a dual carriageway to pick my daughter up and saw said car heading towards me, panic ensuing a quick call revealed he had been to the bank, drawn the cash out and talked the seller into delivering the car to him and getting public transport home, saving fucking about either getting the car recovered or us insuring and taxing it for me to drive it home and managing the logistics of getting to the seller. 

 

So what my crazy bestie has procured is true latter day autoshite i hope you will all agree, 2000 on a W plate, Ford Mondeo 2.0 Zetec, 5 door hatch, in stardust silver metallic, 128bhp Zetec-E engine, crucially to my mate it was a local to him Ayrshire registered car supplied new by a local dealer, with full service history by said Ford dealer from 2000 until 2012, original dealer plates, window sticker and key ring, owners business card, stamped audio code card etc. 4 previous owners, 3 of whom stayed in the town the dealer was in so less than 2 miles from where it was supplied for the first 14 years of its life, Spare key, absolutely unmarked, as new interior with rear which looks like its never been sat it, no wear to steering wheel or gear knob or anything, bodywork on the whole absolutely brilliant, some minor rust on both rear wheel arches which should be saveable, no rust elsewhere on the body, uncracked bumpers and no damage like scuffs, dents or damage, a genuine honest engine bay with some grubbiness but nice and clean overall, original Motorcraft battery, no signs of rot on strut tops or anything, Original genuine Ford rubber mats, and the clincher - 41,000 miles from new, £950 which may seem expensive but I thought was well worth it for the amount of car youre getting.

 

We believe the only non original items are an aftemarket stereo, and what we believe to be alloys from a Ford bug-eye Scorpio, which suit it well IMO. 

 

Pics: only got the dealer ones for now.

 

 

 

[Split_Pin]

That is an extremely nice purchase, almost too nice to use. The only question I have is why is it not on your driveway - it appears to tick all of your boxes!

[Hendry]

That is an extremely nice purchase, almost too nice to use. The only question I have is why is it not on your driveway - it appears to tick all of your boxes!

 

Newborn baby, plus Christmas, plus fixing the Jetta plus not working for health reasons at the moment meant i didnt have that sort of cash spare.

 

It seems it went through Central Car Auctions for £375, whether thats inclusive of fees or not i am not sure, but certainly had I known about it before it went through i mightve tried my hand at it for that sort of money, although me and mate wouldve probably had a bidding war over it resulting in him paying mega over the odds. LOL. 

 

Its a cracking driver as you would expect from the miles and condition, its smooth and really does drive like a much more modern car with 40k on it, even though at 18 years old youd think it would be due some refreshement of the suspension and steering due to perishing and degraded rubber etc. 

 

Im bloody hoping hes going to use this car because hes already got a 69,000 miles, equally as mint, 1998 R reg Escort mk6 1.6 Finesse new from Dalblair of Ayr, and a 1999 V reg medium atlantic blue Transit smiley 80 SWB with rare twin glazed rear doors and central locking, electric windows and mirrors from new as factory options, new from Strathford of Kilmarnock with a full history since new, 189,000 miles but all new genuine Ford panels or good used panels to do an entire nut and bolt resto on, neither of these are to be anything other than ornaments so he could do without the Mondeo being one too. Thats in addition to a 79/80 V reg Leyland double decker bus, and an incoming 2000 X reg Dennis Dart so the last thing he needs is another driveway piece. 

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Would the priority not be on obtaining a driving license?

 

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[Hendry]

Would the priority not be on obtaining a driving license?

 

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

 

Ive tried mate, hes not actually particularly interested, cars seem to be things to be used as toys to play with and mess about with rather than actually drive in my pals mind. 

[sierraman]

£950! Fuck me blind! I gave £350 on a 64,000 mile one in May. He can give me a grand on mine if he wants!

 

Looks tidy enough though not many 2.0s left most get fragged for the engine. I'd hang on while he gets fed up with it and offer him £500 on it.

[Split_Pin]

Totally agree with sierraman here, think of your pal as a temporary custodian of it, and the others!

[Hendry]

Im First in line for this an the Escort WHEN rather than if he gets fed up with them, I think he paid so much because of the local reg and the history of it, and I reckon id prefer the Mondeo over the Escort, because with the Escort being an early Finesse id be wanting to change the wheels to Softlines, a GTi leather 3 spoke steering wheel, later fog light front bumper, 6 digit odometer, and so on where with the Mondeo id be happy with that as it is. 

 

Like I said the seller paid £375 at auction but I think there were fees on top of that, so another £110 trade buyers fee, making it near enough £500, then possibly an indemnity fee, then hes added a margin on top. 

[sierraman]

Local reg? Whaa! Who'd pay a premium for where a cars registered?

 

I might tout mine in the newsagents round Gorton in the hope of a premium price.

[Lacquer Peel]

 

 

Local reg? Whaa! Who'd pay a premium for where a cars registered?

Hendry and his pal. I prefer a local or at least a Scottish reg identifier but it's not a deal breaker on the heaps I buy.

[sierraman]

Its not registered in Sheffield so for that reason I'm out I'm afraid.

[Split_Pin]

I dont know if Id pay more for it but a Scottish reg car is preferable to me, just because its from home. Definitely wouldnt be a deal breaker though. Weve been through all this before though, everyone has their preferences and I can totally understand the OPs liking for a car from a specific area.

 

Id go all misty eyed at an early Mindeo or MK3 Fiesta from Millars of Falkirk with original plates in that font that appeared to be specific to them.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

£950!!! He sounds like a right character your mate!! I say don't get him on here, then we can all have our own image of him in our minds eye

[beko1987]

Blimey and I thought shed of the week today on piston heads was a bit overpriced!

 

Meh, not my money so fair play to him, but Hendry, if he sells that escort and it isn't to you when it happens I shall be very upset and tell you so at shitefest!

 

Infact that's a challenge, own that escort by shitefest, your Scotland way aren't you? I'll lick it detailed for you*

[HillmanImp]

Thought you were on about this place in Armley at first.

 

 

I remember a friend getting one of these as a company car when they were new. I was in awe of how smart it was compared to my Renault 5 (R.I.P.) and well fancied the executive splendor of a midrange repmobile.

 

Sadly it was never to be, as I couldn't even afford the £950 your mate paid for this even now.

 

Such is life. 

[sierraman]

Going on the rust on the lower arch, it will probably need the ends of the sills looking at as they tend to go there first, usually at the back where the jacking points are. The later ones like this tended to rot the inner wing to boot floor seam out as well. 

 

Those alloys are the optional chrome finish ones that were extra on the Ghia X, Few saw 3-4 years out without all the chrome coming off. 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Hey I'd forgotten all about those chromey wheels!!!! Are they totally extinct now with the right finish on em?

[sierraman]

They were extinct the first time someone decided to clean them, the chrome stuff just flaked off and looked a right cunt in no time, excellent on a £20,000 car. 

 

Most just got refinished in silver. Pity as they looked great in a 1990s way especially on a Purple 2.5 Ghia X Saloon. 

[sierraman]

Wait on, closer inspection suggests these might actually be Scorpio alloys, they've a harder sharper edge than the Ghia X alloys. Either that or a set of the myriad of optional alloys you could pick from the RS brochure.

[Bren]

It looks a nice car but OMG scene tax has'nt hit these yet.

[2MB]

Thought you were on about this place in Armley at first.

 

mondeoman.JPG

 

 

Seen some fuckin weird contraptions parked outside there

[spartacus]

You always come up with some good posts Hendry.

Wait till he's bored of it and buy it off him.

[sierraman]

Fair enough if he just likes having cars but the not being bothered about driving them puzzles me. Apart from the convenience it would mean he'd be able to enjoy the car by driving it.

 

Still its a bonus for you as if he mends them then gets fed up you can steam in with a generous offer of Five hundred sheets.

 

Round this time of the year I'd suggest checking the footwell under where your heel goes, catches a lot of the rainwater from dried up seam sealer from the bulkhead and the inner wings.

 

The Mk2s invariably piss water in the boot, usually through the tail lamps, a bead of silicone usually sorts this.

[Pillock]

Mondeo ones are pointy-faced. Scorpio ones are flattened off. There's also a difference with the centre plate, Mondeo prises off and the Scorpio has a key. As such, it looks like Hendry's mad mate has indeed got Scorpio wheels.

 

Mondeo (without Chrome)

 

Scorpio:

[Felly Magic]

Does your mate grasp the concept that cars do not like being stood? I don't get this 'must be local' nonsense either, because you are in Scotland, and we know Fords of this era rust for giggles, even down south. I think the seller saw your mates over keen ness and robbed him too

[sierraman]

You can get a universal key. Its called busting the fucker off with a screwdriver at the roadside following a puncture.

 

I'd love to find a set of NOS chrome alloys. If only to preserve for future generations to say this is what was the upper echelons of taste in the 1990s. That and that dreadful purple colour all 1997 fleet Mondeo TD LX appeared to be. If I could describe the period 1996 to 1999 in a colour it would be that shade of purple.

[Hendry]

Right, I dont get the reason my mate wants cars but isnt bothered about driving them, but horses for courses isnt it? We are all different, the good thing is hes saving cars that to most are unloved these days, and will be stuff people will be seeing and reminiscing over in years to come, they will create nostalgia and be interesting surely in the way 80s cars are now?

 

We both do like local cars, dont expect you to understand but we all like different things and these are one of the things which make a car more interesting to us, besides I dont think he got robbed at all, its a very tidy, well looked after car, with extremely low mileage, well maintained, good to drive and a nice spec, just because ropey mk3 Mondeos fall well under this, its not exactly like hes went to KGF Cars and paid 4 grand for it, If I had the money I wouldve paid 950quid as well, its extremely clean, half a tank of petrol, MOT'd for another 9 months, and the guy even delivered it, couldve done a lot worse. Besides its got a good MOT history of no corrosion issues mentioned which on a 90s Ford is surely a good thing. 

 

And yes the wheels are the same as fitted to Scorpios, however we know a guy whos known this car from new and says it has had these wheels on since the day it drove off the forecourt new so the previous owner obviously paid to have them on it, whether by having the dealer order 4x Scorpio wheels via the parts department, or whether they could be supplied as accessory wheels or out of an RS accessory catalogue im not sure, but the code card for the locking centre cap screws does have an RS accessory card with a code on it. 

 

But yeah just because its an 18year old Mondeo doesnt mean its only worth 500quid or scrap money, as I said the seller paid more than that at auction, and supposing my mate had won it up the auctions at 375quid which is how much it went for, there was a private buyers premium of 250 meaning it wouldve cost him 625quid anyway plus however much to have it recovered and transported home. 

[sierraman]

If he's happy then who is to complain.

[paulplom]

I think it's a good price. I'm sure if it was pressed into regular service it would gobble up the miles trouble free for many years to come. An ideal commuter for less than a bag? Who's to argue?

[Lacquer Peel]

It's not like he spent £9500 on it.