Rear vision

[Katoomba]

Now that I have nearly 15000kms up and the excitement of a new car is wearing off, I have one really major complaint with the Mondeo: rear vision.

This car has to have the worst (even the most dangerous) rearwards and side vision of any car I've ever owned (and I have had around 60 cars & m/bikes).

When I say side vision, I'm referring to the look-over-the-shoulder view before changing lanes etc.

I feel that so many things I do that require rear vision - parking, merging, lane changing etc. are done mostly blind and succeed more because of good luck. Reversing down my driveway which is kind of L-shaped is giving me a permanent crick in the neck from having to manoeuvre my body so I can get my head out the window!

Just as well the car has rear sensors because without them rearward actions would be almost impossible.

And last but not least, my rear-seat passengers raised their headrests last weekend (no one had done that before) and this really compounded the problem.

All cars have minor issues (Mondeos one for me are the water in the boot of the hatch and the difficulty in seeing the speedo in the daylight) which we get to live with but this rear vision thing for me is a serious issue. I'm wondering if the next time the NRMA/RTA does a list of cars with rear vision deficiency, the Mondeo will be right up there as #1.

[scribbly]

Oh, and you can add that if you have tinting the downside is that the reverse lighting doesn't illuminate anything that you can see.

[Lord Viykor]

I think the rear vision is ok, then again I drive a VE Omega ute with a hard cover for a work car.

I agree with the windows tinted the rear reversing lights are useless.

[bathurst77]

Im with you katoomba. I find lane changing and reversing in this car is hard. The big mirrors help but i still cant judge when car in next lane is just beside me or just behind me. Add to that inicators on wrong side and reversed manual gate (compared to falcon) and sudden lane changes if car in emergency are just not on.

Also the A pillars are almost VE chunky, almost didnt see a kid ona ped x-ing other day.

[Katoomba]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

... Add to that inicators on wrong side ...

That' actually a big problem for me as I drive our 2000 Laser as often as the Mondeo. There's been quite a few times when I've needed to do a quick lane change and I've turned the wipers on in both cars when it should been the indicators.

As a matter of fact I have noticed a lot of circular scratches on the Laser's windscreen over the last few months and I'm sure they've come from turning on the wipers on a dry, dirty windscreen instead of the indicators.

[apstar]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

Also the A pillars are almost VE chunky, almost didnt see a kid ona ped x-ing other day.

yep happen to agree with you on that one today I had to look around the A pillar,almost ran out of fuel doing the Wiseman Ferry loop today the ONLY service station in the whole area only had a truck nozzel thank god for the adaptor that I nearly left behind at home phew!

apstar

[warren77]

I am considering getting dark privacy tint on the back - yet read that a few people find the visbility even worse.

What are all your thoughts?

[apstar]

Originally Posted by warren77

I am considering getting dark privacy tint on the back - yet read that a few people find the visbility even worse.

What are all your thoughts?

yep I requested a sample piece placed on the back and said NO WAY and that was during the day so imagine what it will look like at night JMHO

apstar

[warren77]

Originally Posted by apstar

yep I requested a sample piece placed on the back and said NO WAY and that was during the day so imagine what it will look like at night JMHO

apstar

Did you end up going with any tint?
Perth is a bit hot to be driving around without tinting.

[apstar]

No I will wait to see what the summer sun does to the inside then decide if it warrants tinting

apstar

[r2d2]

Originally Posted by warren77

I am considering getting dark privacy tint on the back - yet read that a few people find the visbility even worse.

What are all your thoughts?

Hey Warren77

I have mine tinted. I dont have a problem with visibility through the windows. I find that the worst spot for me is entering the freeway from Murray street and merging with the southbound traffic. But I am getting used to it.

James

R2D2

[warren77]

Originally Posted by r2d2

Hey Warren77

I have mine tinted. I dont have a problem with visibility through the windows. I find that the worst spot for me is entering the freeway from Murray street and merging with the southbound traffic. But I am getting used to it.

James

R2D2

James

How dark did you go?

I haven't found much of an issue changing lanes - then again, I rarely drive in peak hour traffic (I only do about 250kms a week).

[Zippy7]

If you are getting or have a tint, which tint did you get?
How dark?

I think there was only a few times when I felt the sun warming up my arm. Almost at burning point, but it was winter, and I think the "blue tint" isn't anything worthwhile at all...

[paulie0735]

Mines tinted, it is a difficult car to see behind but you soon learn to trust the sensors and the mirrors. As for lane changing I find that it’s quite good, the territory has a much bigger blind spot IMO. The convex mirrors are great in the Mondeo.

[warren77]

Zippy - I agree with you. The blue tint means nothing. We had a "warmish" day the other week and could feel the heat coming in. Could only imagine if it was a 35degree plus day how hot it would get.

[perthxr6t]

I don't have an issue with the vision in the car as i never drive it : The better half does......I get to drive the 4WD....But at least it doesn't bother me when River side drive floods

We got the darkest tint allowed and it's not too bad and if it gets a bit warmish just open the sunroof.

[r2d2]

Warren

I went the darkest legal I could get. Not had a problem with warming up my arm or the interior.

Dont really have a problem changing lanes, it is this one spot and the car is different from my last so I am getting used to it - or put the indicator on, close my eyes and pray everyone lets me in.

James

R2D2

[warren77]

Originally Posted by r2d2

Warren

I went the darkest legal I could get. Not had a problem with warming up my arm or the interior.

Dont really have a problem changing lanes, it is this one spot and the car is different from my last so I am getting used to it - or put the indicator on, close my eyes and pray everyone lets me in.

James

R2D2

Careful of those great Perth drivers! They don't believe in merging. Or know how to indicate around roundabouts. Today, on the Albany Hwy / Kent Street round about, the Falcon (company car) indicates that they are exiting. I start to drive off and they decide to continue around. Teach me for trusting my fellow motorists!

[Zippy7]

Originally Posted by warren77

Careful of those great Perth drivers! They don't believe in merging. Or know how to indicate around roundabouts. Today, on the Albany Hwy / Kent Street round about, the Falcon (company car) indicates that they are exiting. I start to drive off and they decide to continue around. Teach me for trusting my fellow motorists!

I know how you feel, but I am sorry to disappoint you - there are bad drivers everywhere!! Perth doesnt have a mortgage on them :P

I'm in Sydney and you wouldn't trust another motorist as far as you could throw them. 90% do the right thing, but there is always one around the next corner

On the drive from Sydney to Canberra, some crazy woman in a Renault Scenic merged onto the 110kmh speed-limit Freeway at only 90-100kmh (despite the fact she was given heaps of room and time to speed up) - she wanted to merge into my car space:( Yet 1km down the road, this very same woman blasts past at 130kmh+ - this sort of behaviour makes you want to clean up the gene pool immediately.

Anyway, think about it this way. You will drive past hundreds/thousands of other vehicles, but you only need 1 idiot to crash into you!

[FRIKA]

Well i reversed into a green wheely bin. my fault had the music to load an didnt hear the sensor. but the poor vision form the rear didnt help as well.

[Katoomba]

Just re-read my first post in this topic and realised it was a bit of a rant. Sorry although what I said still applies.

However, if I win Lotto tonight I will down at the dealers first thing Monday replacing my 2000 Laser with another Mondeo! :-)

PS Nearly got wiped out in the rain last night: I had to do a quick merge in Hazelbrook where they are doing roadworks and in my rush forgot I was in the Mondeo and turned the wipers on full blast instead of making a left turn indication. I hope one day I will get used to the different steering column stalk configurations between the Laser and the Mondeo.

[warren77]

Katoomba - I regularly drive 3 different cars (Mondeo which is mine, MX5 which is my fiances and then a Lantra). I find that at least once a trip I indicate using the wipers in the car. I have slowly gotten used to it however. In fact, I am probably indicating more now because I am consious of it.

[Lord Viykor]

Maybe I'm different but I have no trouble switching between my work Commodore and the Mondeo. It just seems to all 'gel' for me, I had problems for the first week. Since then it seems natural when in the Mondeo to indicate from the left side.

Mind you I've been away with work for just on two weeks now and haven't driven anything but my work car. Have to wait and see if I start turning the wipers on once I get back in the Mondeo.

I do love my tinting but do find it reduces the visibility when reversing, I also think the reverse parking senor could be louder. It is harder to hear if you have music playing.

[Zippy7]

With the little bits of rain we have had in Sydney, my wife has taken to leaving the wipers on auto. So I dont even need to press the lever myself for the windscreen to activate...

[Martyvan]

I switch between the Focus (my car), Corolla (wifes) and Territory (my olds), only thing i find switching from mine to any others is that corner entry speeds need to altered a LOT lower for any other car from the focus... And Im sure the mondeo would handle quite similarly....!!!

Indicators on the left? only problem with that is if you need to indicate mid corner.... well, in manual anyway! in the 3 years i have been switching between all of those, I think maybe 3 times i may have turned the wrong one on by accident...!

[warren77]

Originally Posted by Lord Viykor

I do love my tinting but do find it reduces the visibility when reversing, I also think the reverse parking senor could be louder. It is harder to hear if you have music playing.

Agree - could be much louder from the back. I like my music at a decent level and find myself having to turn it down to hear it.

[scribbly]

I just saw on the UK forums that the new rear window seal to prevent water ingress involves replacing the whole rear window.

http://www.fordmondeo.org/forum/show.../post/new/#NEW

[Katoomba]

I think any other type of 'fix' is going to create a rust trap.