ST220??

[Lee]

Anyone had any experience with them.

I need to be sensible with regards to size of car, and i dont want to be in the gallon per mile group otherwise id have a holden.

Any info would be appreciated

[Kecky]

Nice comfy car, with a nice sounding V6
Handles better then the Vauxhall equivalent apparently

Not that economical from what i remember my old boss saying, but it's a lot of car for the money.

[stegger]

A couple of are sales guy's had them lee and loved them In general the mondeo is a great car, it's the first time i've ordered the same car twice in all the time i've had company cars

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evoc...rd_mondeo.html

[burgie]

I had a Mondeo V6, not a ST220, but the problems/areas to look out for are the same.

Basically the ST220 is a fantastic Car - fast and "refined" just make sure the engine one the you buy still "whines" when you drive it. You will know what i mean when you hear it.

You might want to replace the water pump for one with a metal impeller, or failing that replace the one in the car with a new one as soon as you get it - if the water pump fails, your looking at at least £1500 to put it back together.

Failing that, just listen for the usual noises when you test drive it - bangs from the suspension usually indicate worn wishbone and anti rill bar bushes, but these problems are common across all mondeos of that era. You may even find that you end up replacing the nearside front wishbone at least every MOT!

MPG wise, driven "sensibly" you will get around 25mpg around town, thrash it (you have to do that sometimes) you get between 10-15mpg but cruising on the motorway.....you get about 30-40. Just stick it in 5th and leave it there - and it will go from 35-120 without complaining, and it will do it quite quickly too.

I can't think of anything else right now, but if i do i will come back - oh, don't lower it. I lowered mine 50mm. By the time it had "settled" it was 75mm lower and I got it stuck in an NCP Multi storey Car Park. The bloke in the car behind, and the car behind him too were mightily pissed off having to reverse down the up ramps....

[Kecky]

And any car can be economical if you drive it right.

I can even get 30mpg out of my car.....and thats a damn site more than it says in the book

Go on......you know you want one

[stegger]

Originally Posted by Kecky

And any car can be economical if you drive it right.

I can even get 30mpg out of my car.....and thats a damn site more than it says in the book

Go on......you know you want one

That's because you lightened it

[Lee]

Yes i do want one, i have heard the mondeos are pretty good cars. And i do fancy something with a bit of umph.

Im not bothered about petrol prices anymore its just something you have to accept and take it like a man

I have seen a nice 04 one with 65k on it and mint, i am tempted but she would know it was a toy because they look smart too

Its not like buying a volvo T5, now that is a wolf in sheeps clothing

[Chrislong]

In that catagory there is the Mondeo ST220, Vectra VXR and Mazda 6 MPS.

The Vectra id steer clear from.

The Mondeo is a great car, especially if you mean the newer one (but not the very latest shape). They also did an ST-Tdi in this shape, it may be nothing more than a stock Tdi with the ST kit on, but worth checking.

The Mazda 6 MPS is meant to be the nuts, 4wd and just as good as the Mondeo in terms of handling and speed - although on the outside it doesn't look quite as good as a Mondeo in my opinion but it is certainly a wolf in sheeps clothing.

Chris

[Kecky]

Originally Posted by stegger

That's because you lightened it

Didn't do much for the aerodynamics though



The T5's eat's front tyres quicker Stegger goes through Pit chairs

[Lee]

Yeah i had heard that, there is also the fact that they are still a volvo

[mark christopher]

Originally Posted by burgie

I had a Mondeo V6, not a ST220, but the problems/areas to look out for are the same.

Basically the ST220 is a fantastic Car - fast and "refined" just make sure the engine one the you buy still "whines" when you drive it. You will know what i mean when you hear it.

You might want to replace the water pump for one with a metal impeller, or failing that replace the one in the car with a new one as soon as you get it - if the water pump fails, your looking at at least £1500 to put it back together.

Failing that, just listen for the usual noises when you test drive it - bangs from the suspension usually indicate worn wishbone and anti rill bar bushes, but these problems are common across all mondeos of that era. You may even find that you end up replacing the nearside front wishbone at least every MOT!

MPG wise, driven "sensibly" you will get around 25mpg around town, thrash it (you have to do that sometimes) you get between 10-15mpg but cruising on the motorway.....you get about 30-40. Just stick it in 5th and leave it there - and it will go from 35-120 without complaining, and it will do it quite quickly too.

I can't think of anything else right now, but if i do i will come back - oh, don't lower it. I lowered mine 50mm. By the time it had "settled" it was 75mm lower and I got it stuck in an NCP Multi storey Car Park. The bloke in the car behind, and the car behind him too were mightily pissed off having to reverse down the up ramps....

ford sell bushes seperatly

Originally Posted by Chrislong

In that catagory there is the Mondeo ST220, Vectra VXR and Mazda 6 MPS.

The Vectra id steer clear from.

The Mondeo is a great car, especially if you mean the newer one (but not the very latest shape). They also did an ST-Tdi in this shape, it may be nothing more than a stock Tdi with the ST kit on, but worth checking.

The Mazda 6 MPS is meant to be the nuts, 4wd and just as good as the Mondeo in terms of handling and speed - although on the outside it doesn't look quite as good as a Mondeo in my opinion but it is certainly a wolf in sheeps clothing.

Chris

our dealership is ford/mazda

the tdci is worth a look, is 2.2 and can be chipped for little money

[Southwell]

I would go for the TDCI and chip/remap it personally.

[Lee]

Ian,

Because of the economy/torque advantage?

[racdeaf]

how about octavia vrs 1.8T 180bhp as i do have one massive boot space
mpg average 33 to 36 mpg

[Nick Goodall]

Gotta say the Octavia takes some beating - my Dad had the Mk1 when it first came out after i convinced him to try one - he then swapped it for the new Mk2 when that came out in 06. Both have silly amounts of boot space, go very well (and the mk1 is obviously very tuneable due that infamous 20v 1.8T lump and not hard at all to get at least 230bhp from).

What about Accord Type-R? Good on fuel as it's just an N/A 2.0l but it still goes well if you fancy thrashing it and using the V-tec, they're obviously nice and reliable too being a honda.... not something i can honestly say is the case with Fords.....

I'd definitely go and try the Octavia vRS though, for the money (around £5-7k) they are hard to beat and at least have the German build quality these days which i still think is where Fords let themselves down....

[Southwell]

Originally Posted by Lee

Ian,

Because of the economy/torque advantage?

Yeah, u get the performance but when your cruising you will still get good MPG.

[Darren Boyle]

My last car was an ST220 and it was fantastic in every way...........except fuel economy which was to say the least poor (but then my right boot is a tad heavy).

We part exchanged it two months ago for one of the last ST TDCi Mondeos and I have to say it is fantastic. It has all the creature comforts of the ST220 but with the fuel economy that the diesel brings. We had it chipped with a bluefin unit and to be honest (although a bit slower than the ST220) it is rapid. Top end is not as high, but how often do we get there!!! You do have to work the gearbox far more, especially if its goes off boost (when it does bog down a lot) but with the turbo spinning it is a joy to drive and I would reccomned it to anyone.

[Chrislong]

Originally Posted by Nick Goodall

at least have the German build quality these days which i still think is where Fords let themselves down....

Got to disagree on Fords, I mean like any car a few slip through which have issues but the vast majority are very good. If you want poor build then get anything French, where they let the odd good one through . The Focus is built in Germany anyway (Saarlouis plant) as are other models, but then again not all things German are as good as their reputation lets you think - im hearing that the Mk5 Golf is not a patch on the Mk4 for quality... not that I can vouch for that.

[Lee]

Yes i agree chris, i have been told by people who work for mercedes that they are crap, they would even pick a vectra over a merc

Im not a fan of mercs anyway but they do always seem very plasticy and cheap when i have been in one.

[Nick Goodall]

Originally Posted by Chrislong

Got to disagree on Fords, I mean like any car a few slip through which have issues but the vast majority are very good. If you want poor build then get anything French, where they let the odd good one through . The Focus is built in Germany anyway (Saarlouis plant) as are other models, but then again not all things German are as good as their reputation lets you think - im hearing that the Mk5 Golf is not a patch on the Mk4 for quality... not that I can vouch for that.

You have a point on the Golf, i have a Mk4 and had a Mk5 as a courtesy car for a week and wasn't impressed - the whole interior felt more "plastic" then the Mk4 but then it wasn't a high spec model so maybe the GTI's are better now?

I still think that when you shut the door on a Ford it's quite different to the likes of BMW, Audi, VW etc.....