Mondeo MK3 Diesels - are they any good?

[wuvvum]

Mk4s are starting to come up at under a bag now, although they tend to be petrols.

 

Is the 1.8 TDCi in the more basic Mk4s any good?

[Jim Bell]

Basically what everyone is saying is that youd be far better off with a nice brown Toyota Avensis 1.8 petrol with recent cam belt and water pump from a fat lad in the north.

 

If you read between the lines.

[twosmoke300]

The 1.8 tdci isnt a generally bad motor but Most have wet ( runs in oil) timing belt between the crank and pump. This can and does break before its due and lots of people dont know its there or cant be arsed to change it.

 

Its a derivative of the old 1.8 /1.6 diesel which used to have gear/ dry belt or chain drive depending on year. The wet belt was a move to get better more accurate valve timing to scrape a bloody old engine design through the EU emission regs

[Stanky]

I once changed a starter motor on a Mk3 TDCI for a mate as a favour, as his DMF had started to break up and had contaminated the starter motor. The filings from the DMF are magnetic and so clog the Starter.

 

I reasoned that changing a starter wasn't difficult, I'd done several on various choddy heaps I had owned in the past and none had taken more than an hour to do.

 

I still regret that decision. It took me 4 hours end to end. it can be done without removing the radiator, but isn't fun. added to the joy of the job was that I knew this was just a fix to get it through another 3 months til he got given a replacement car by his dad, who was waiting for delivery of a jag at the time.

 

Horrible job.

[sierraman]

Quite a few jobs can be a real swine on them. Petrol EGR is a bit tight, 1.8/2.0 electronic controlled thermostat is a pain if you don’t have small hands. Fortunately swapping calipers is easy, which is handy as you’ll be doing it regular. The exchange Pagid ones are better than the cheap Chinese ones you buy straight out.

 

I’d look for a tidy petrol one, I had a 54 plate 2.0 did easy 32mpg round the houses. Like I say big worry on the petrol is oil consumption, the control rings go but this is more so on the 1.8. Forget mending that, just keep chucking used oil in until it fails the emissions. Used worthwhile petrol units for these are a bit thin on the ground.

[Kiltox]

Basically what everyone is saying is that youd be far better off with a nice brown Toyota Avensis 1.8 petrol with recent cam belt and water pump from a fat lad in the north.

 

If you read between the lines.

This tbh.

 

I can’t see past my Primera (or similar petrol Japanese car, like a brown Avensis) for trouble free beater goodness

[sierraman]

I’ve always found Japanese stuff at this money to be either rotten (Nissan) or sold when it’s absolutely worn out (Toyota). It’s a shame as I quite like the second shape Toyota Avensis.

[Pillock]

As said, be aware that early ones were TDDI and later TDCI, and they each have different known issues.

A dickhead I knew had a TDDI estate and it was rough and rattly but will went well and the only "common" thing that happened to it was the intercooler hose split which kicks out black smoke and loses power. They don't seem to have the injector and DMF issues of the later engines. 

[sierraman]

They do have a DMF, all Mk3 Mondeos have them, even the 90bhp diesel sold in Ireland. The big problem with the TDDI is pump failure which can happen at random.

[Kiltox]

I’ve always found Japanese stuff at this money to be either rotten (Nissan) or sold when it’s absolutely worn out (Toyota). It’s a shame as I quite like the second shape Toyota Avensis.

Yet I bought a Primera for £295 that has been welded up and is mechanically strong...

[Jim Bell]

I’ve always found Japanese stuff at this money to be either rotten (Nissan) or sold when it’s absolutely worn out (Toyota). It’s a shame as I quite like the second shape Toyota Avensis.

Yet I bought a sub 100k Toyota thats tight as a fishes bait box for £400 with full mot.

[sierraman]

Yet I bought a Mondeo diesel and the world didn’t end.

[bolognasal spray]

Basically what everyone is saying is that youd be far better off with a nice brown Toyota Avensis 1.8 petrol with recent cam belt and water pump from a fat lad in the north.

 

If you read between the lines.

 

ooh ooh!! *sticks hand up* - I'm a fat lad in the north!

 

 

 

*doesn't have avensis*

[Jim Bell]

Yet I bought a Mondeo diesel and the world didn’t end.

Me too! Best car I ever had.

[Craig the Princess]

Our farmer neighbour had a hatchback from new. They gave up on it when an injector went at 370,000 miles.

 

They replaced it earlier in the year with an estate one. £900 for a Ghia with history and 90,000 miles.