Some Mondeo thoughts from a new owner

[Lord Viykor]

Originally Posted by photn

The Fuel Cap Should lock when you lock the car. That feature was standard on the Zetec Focus. So it should be standard on yours.

Not on the 2007 builds apparently :( still something to talk to the dealer about when the service is due.

[FRIKA]

Originally Posted by Katoomba

I would love to hear your reason(s), Frika.

See suspension topic & XR5 Unable to start for the reasons. With the car not starting its happend to me twice.

Cheers

[scribbly]

Originally Posted by Martyvan

Scribbly,

Did you get your average fuel consumption for the entire trip???

Im guessing you went the Newell then, which is normally not such a bad road...

How did you go with overtaking any Grey Nomads towing Caravans at 75kph?

Or even trucks in the 110kph sections? Enough grunt to get up and moving past them?

Would be a pain filling up with the bigger nozzles... But at least you are not at the pump for quite as long

No I didn't but the overall l/100km consumption average decreased from 6.6 to 6.5l/100km.
I noticed that on the Newell Hwy the 110 km/h limit increased the fuel consumption so that I only got approx. 1050 km per tank but at 100 km/h that increased to more than 1200 km per tank.
I had no problem with power for overtaking. The car was loaded to the max with luggage 2 adults, 2 kids but I frequently got the chime as I exceeded the indicated 130km/h - (gps read 125km/h). You've got to be thankful for cruise control or I would have been pinged several times by cops. This car just zooms along up and down hills with none of the slow down associated with other front wheel drive cars. An absolute delight for the long drive - mind you I spec'ed leather seats and they are very comfy.

[Martyvan]

Originally Posted by scribbly

No I didn't but the overall l/100km consumption average decreased from 6.6 to 6.5l/100km.
I noticed that on the Newell Hwy the 110 km/h limit increased the fuel consumption so that I only got approx. 1050 km per tank but at 100 km/h that increased to more than 1200 km per tank.
I had no problem with power for overtaking. The car was loaded to the max with luggage 2 adults, 2 kids but I frequently got the chime as I exceeded the indicated 130km/h - (gps read 125km/h). You've got to be thankful for cruise control or I would have been pinged several times by cops. This car just zooms along up and down hills with none of the slow down associated with other front wheel drive cars. An absolute delight for the long drive - mind you I spec'ed leather seats and they are very comfy.

Thats sensational.... My parents are currently near Hay heading to Adelaide from Brisbane, and they are averaging 13 litres per 100km in their Territory..... They need a wagon, love Fords, and dont want a Falcon Wagon... :(

You have allayed one of my only fears about the Diesel on a long journey.....
That of overtaking grunt....

[scribbly]

Yup... and I just added up the fuel cost to be ~$500 round trip.
I had a Territory as the last vehicle and as soon as it stated 200 km to go I knew I had to start thinking about filling up (very) soon. In this car I reach 200km and only have to let up on the accelerator a little and it soon climbs upward to 300 km to go - just brilliant.
You should show your parents the boot space in the Mondeo. I fit more into this car than I did in the Territory. Mind you, the Territory will take larger objects but if that's really a big problem I can put the big item on the roof racks or into a trailer.

[apstar]

Would it have been any cheaper if you flew thinking cost wise if its worth driving

apstar

[Martyvan]

I would say cheaper to drive still, even in this day and age....

At the cheapest flights, for Scribbly and his Family (of 4) flying from melbourne to Brisbane (Say gold coast) $99ea x 4 x each way. $792. Highly unlikely to get those cheap fares any more....

Plus hire car at this end $50 per day for a week for a Falcon or similar.. $350 + fuel + $100 = $450 or so...

Its already cheaper for him to drive and have $850 or so to 'splurge' at the theme parks (well, thats more like 3 days worth at the theme parks)

Yes, definitely cheaper to drive if you need a car at your destination, and dont want to be hit by excess luggage. The major downside is, you are in transit for 24 hours driving time, as opposed to 5 hours per flight. (2 hour flight, plus checkin, picking up luggage and hire car and getting to and from the airport)

Although you could probably add $300 to the fuel cost for a nights accomodation each way, and food....

[scribbly]

You can also add the fact that I fly all the time for work and not having to stand in line (except at the service station) is like absolute heaven. In the car I can take anything with me on the trip (weight & content).
Mind you if I was a traveling salesman, aircraft travel would probably be preferable.
I'm flying to Brisbane next week so over to the other half goes the Mondeo again.:(

[Diesel]

Hi all,

I am new to your forum and this is my first post.

My vehicle which i have had for a month now is a Sea Grey TDCI Sedan.
My previous car was an Xr8 Falcon which i had for years and i don't regret the swap.
The only thing that i don't like about it is the Brake dust.But apart from that i think that it is fault less.

Mind you the 3month wait to get the thing was getting beyond a joke, but hey thats life.

It's great to be part of your forum.

[apstar]

Welcome Diesel nice having you here the guys here are very helpful as I have found while waiting for mine to turn up funny thing is that I should write down the excuses the dealer gives me each time I ring

1.Stock controller is sick
2.Ship has been delayed
3.Wrong Color ordered
4.Trying to get one with leather[strange that's what I ordered!]
and finally
"You can have color xxxx with leather or Bluetooth or you can have Sea Grey with Voice and no Bluetooth etc,etc, :

apstar

[Diesel]

Apstar,
I had all of the same excuses given to me, except for the last one but they told me that i could have a hatch instead of the sedan that i ordered.with the leather and bluetooth.
once the boat docked i had to wait 2 weeks to get it from one side of melbourne to the other. But now that i have the wait was well worth it.
Hang in there it will be worth it as frustrating as it seems.

[Zippy7]

Welcome - I'm only a recent joiner myself

Originally Posted by Diesel

The only thing that i don't like about it is the Brake dust.But apart from that i think that it is fault less.

I was going to start a new thread on that... What do you do to clean yours? Have you used a Wheel Wax?

[Zippy7]

Originally Posted by apstar

I should write down the excuses the dealer gives me each time I ring

You should ask them for your SIDO number. Then you can get someone else to look it up to check the specs. They were doing that over on FordXR5Turbo.com for their XR5 Focus (Focii)

[Diesel]

I haven't tried wheel wax ,if it works i'd like to know? i just use mequires soft wash and wax and a sponge regularly when i wash the car and a Gernie.
If anyone knows of alternative pads that dust less i'd love to hear about it.

[scribbly]

Originally Posted by Zippy7

Welcome - I'm only a recent joiner myself
I was going to start a new thread on that... What do you do to clean yours? Have you used a Wheel Wax?

It would be nice to have something that allowed the dust to be just hosed off with a pressure sprayer. Can anyone knowledgeable comment here?
With my car in the tonic colour it generally looks clean all the time - it's just the bloody brake dust that spoils the look.

[Zippy7]

Originally Posted by Diesel

If anyone knows of alternative pads that dust less i'd love to hear about it.

Hmm - some people (UK based) used to swear by certain brands of brake pads, but I figure you must be losing/wearing something more expensive... I mean, for decent braking, you either wear the pad, or you wear the disc?? [I'm no mechanic, but thats what makes sense to me]

[ian b]

I drove Euro spec cars in the UK for 20 yrs and brake pad dust was always an issue spoiling the look of alloy wheels, but never had problems with disc run out.

My only Aussie cars have been Falcons, and I was continually having the discs milled due to run out.

As Zippy says either the pads wear or the discs wear, the laws of physics unfortunately.

I use the after sales paint guard (Sentry) on my alloys which makes the dust easier to rinse off with a hose or watering can.