Newbie- advice please!

[lobedogg]

Hey folks,

Just joined. Great forum.

Wrote my 156 Alfa Selespeed off last week which I'd had for 4 years.

Looking at getting something a little more 'sensible' this time round and am quite keen on the Mondeo. Budget is 20K and I would love to pick your brains for suggestions. Unfortunately it cannot be a manual as my wife is reluctant to drive one (would love the XR5 option otherwise). As we will need to get a loan for half of it I need the car to be 3 years old max.

Zetec MC Ecoboost 2011/2012 maybe?

Any thought and advice would be much appreciated.

Al.

[GK]

What about a diesel?

Very, very happy with mine. I've got a Zetec hatch, and will most likely add a Titanium wagon next purchase (year or three).

Boot is massive. Very comfy and smooth to drive, great brakes, great handling.

Hands down, quite simply the best car I've ever owned.

All the best with the hunting.

GK

[lobedogg]

Haven't ruled it out GK. Looking at a couple of options tomorrow. Don't seem to be many diesels around Melbourne. Any great benefits?

[Sparkyman]

Benefits, when you have 500K's on the clock and you still have half a tank left!

[DRU842]

Don't rule out the XR5 if you find the right one. The torque & sensible gearing mean it a dodle at anything other than heavy traffic. My wife loves our!

[lobedogg]

Dru, as per below unfortunately I have to rule the XR5 out as my wife won't drive a manual.

Settled on a 2012 MC Zetec Ecoboost. Dealer is holding it for me until the weekend subject to inspection & final test drive.

So this time next week I will officially be a Mondeo owner. Didn't see that happening 2 weeks ago!

Anything in particular I should be wary of before signing on the dotted line?

Cheers!

[DFB FGXR6]

Well done. We have an EcoBoost Titanium, you will love it.

The EcoBoost engine pulls like a train, not a powerhouse by any means, but the torque curve is flat and makes the car quite responsive, overtaking is a breeze. The other thing with EcoBoost is you get diesel torque delivery but petrol refinement.

[cyclone1410]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Well done. We have an EcoBoost Titanium, you will love it.

The EcoBoost engine pulls like a train, not a powerhouse by any means, but the torque curve is flat and makes the car quite responsive, overtaking is a breeze. The other thing with EcoBoost is you get diesel torque delivery but petrol refinement.

Also well done. Our MC Zetec EcoBoost is a beauty. Pity the dealers aren't as good as the car.

[GK]

Originally Posted by cyclone1410

Also well done. Our MC Zetec EcoBoost is a beauty. Pity the dealers aren't as good as the car.

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Well done. We have an EcoBoost Titanium, you will love it.

The EcoBoost engine pulls like a train, not a powerhouse by any means, but the torque curve is flat and makes the car quite responsive, overtaking is a breeze. The other thing with EcoBoost is you get diesel torque delivery but petrol refinement.

What sort of mileage do you get out of the EB unit fellas?

GK

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by GK

What sort of mileage do you get out of the EB unit fellas?

GK

Our trip computer sits on 9.0L per 100km. That is from approx. 95% city / low speed running. Its a town car. Coming from a BA Futura, that used to sit on 11.5 for the same conditions.

On the highway, very impressive.

[cyclone1410]

Originally Posted by GK

What sort of mileage do you get out of the EB unit fellas?

GK

For ours that does lots of very short runs it normally averages around 12l/100km. A recent trip up to the Sunshine Coast with lots of low speed running to various beach locations netted an average of 7.4l/100km. Full highway and its down to 6.3l/100km. The highway average is better than our 6 year old manual Honda Civic.

[GK]

Originally Posted by cyclone1410

For ours that does lots of very short runs it normally averages around 12l/100km. A recent trip up to the Sunshine Coast with lots of low speed running to various beach locations netted an average of 7.4l/100km. Full highway and its down to 6.3l/100km. The highway average is better than our 6 year old manual Honda Civic.

Your full highway figure is impressive. I get 6.2 from the diesel. The mixed figure is 7.something (under 8 in any case).

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Our trip computer sits on 9.0L per 100km. That is from approx. 95% city / low speed running. Its a town car. Coming from a BA Futura, that used to sit on 11.5 for the same conditions.

On the highway, very impressive.

I bet you smile and feel a warm glow inside every time you fill up, after owning the BA!

Thanks for the replies fellas!

GK

[mas89]

I think the ecoboost is just as good as the diesel..my zetec can do 750-800 on a tank going to work and back. for trip wise just under 2 tanks to get melb to bris
very happy with ours

[DFB FGXR6]

[QUOTE
I bet you smile and feel a warm glow inside every time you fill up, after owning the BA!
[/QUOTE]

Yes and no. Fuel wise yes. But the EcoBoost lacks character next to the Barra 182. The 2.0T just winds out in a monotone 4 pot thrum, no peaks or troughs in the power delivery. That's what makes a great feeling engine, but leaves it characterless for a petrol head like me.

[allanv6gt]

And the 2.5T winds out flat from 1600rpm ...and getting a soft burble along the way !!
CBR-Port Melb with only people comfort/food/sleep stops....range 900 freeway kms, currently sitting at 8.8lt/100k after 60,000kms of data logging.

Congrats lobedogg and welcome to the somewhat exclusive Mondeo club.
Ford Oz's best kept secret.......

[SW6]

Ecoboost are fantastic to drive ...love our Titanium

[ope126]

Yes, strike another vote for EcoBoost!!!

[SW6]

when driving the Ecoboost to put a smile on your dial put into sports mode good power delivery then...