Newbie & New Car :-)

[50Hz]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forums and just saying hello. I've been kinda on the lookout for a new car for the past year or so and was set on a European wagon - either a 3-series Touring, a C-Class Estate or and A4 Avant. I'd test driven a C-Class and was lined up to drive an A4 this weekend... but a mate suggested that I should go and look at a Mondeo.

Well I managed to cash in some of my reserve of unpaid overtime on Friday and skip work early, so I went to check out and drive a Mondeo. I was so impressed I bought the car on the spot! So tomorrow at 1pm I'm picking up a brand new Mondeo Ecoboost Titanium Hatch in Frozen White. To be honest I was really looking for anything other than white... but I got a pretty good price so I was prepared to settle on that. I think it looks smart though and I've had the dealer fit a darkest legal tint, which will sharpen up the look a bit more.

This will be the first brand new car that I've ever had, and to be honest I'm a little bit excited. Ok, well a LOT excited! Hopefully my impulsive decision turns out to be the right one. I've got a good feeling about this purchase though.

Anyway I'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers,
Andrew

[russellw]

Congratulations on the new car and welcome to our community.

Cheers
Russ

[whitelion65]

Well done!
Enjoy.

Steve

[allanv6gt]

You will continue to be impressed, esp. the bang-for-buck equation.
Congrats.

My Drive: MB XR5 Hatch 2.5T 6spd manual 70K kms.....

[50Hz]

Hi guys,

I meant to update earlier but been I've up to my eyeballs in alligators with work this week. I’ve had 4 days with my new ride now, and I’ve done a variety of driving including traffic around the city, highway and motorway, a few twisties, wet and dry roads. So I’ve been able to form a more detailed initial impression. Overall: extremely impressed and pleased with my purchase.

Good points

• The ride and handling I think are excellent. The suspension is firm, without being harsh. Body roll is minimal and the handling seems surprisingly neutral – although I have not had a chance to find some empty roads to explore limits. Nor do I especially feel the need at the moment.
• The performance is more than acceptable. It’s not a sports car of course, and I don’t think that the combination of DCT and FWD lends itself to power-launch starts. But once off the line the power delivery is smooth, linear and quite sufficient.
• The transmission seems excellent. So far I have tended to put it mostly straight into S-mode, as this more closely mimics how I would shift if there were a clutch pedal. It shifts very intuitively and seems to hold the gear around corners. Maybe is it programmed not to shift when the car senses lateral G’s or a combination of speed and steering angle? I dunno, but it works.
• The exterior aesthetics. I must admit that I never really paid these cars much attention and there are very few on the roads, at least here in WA. But it’s one of those designs that I find myself liking more and more each time I look at it. To my eyes it has a nice balance of elegance and classical athleticism. I realise that the basic shape has been around a while now, but I think it has aged pretty well.
• The interior styling. I think it was this more than anything that sold the car to me. I love the interior. It has everything that you need without seeming busy or fussy. I like the extensive symmetry in the design elements.
• Interior fit and finish. Streets ahead of a local Ford (I know, I had one once). For me a premium interior feel comes from fit/finish, styling, quality materials and nice features. For me the first three elements are all there and I find that it has enough features.
• The seats are extremely comfortable and the seat heating is fantastic. It heats up in only a couple of minutes and I find that it actually relieves lower back strain whilst driving.
• The keyless access is great. OK so this is hardly a unique feature these days, but compared to my old Landcruiser it’s kinda novel for me.
• The rear seats seem to have a massive amount of room. Possibly even more than a Falcon?
• Huge boot.
• The adaptive/cornering headlights work really well, lighting up corners much more effectively than a conventional system.
• The active safety tech i.e. lane departure, blindspot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance etc. I never really paid much heed to these things as I’m a driver and like to be totally in control when I drive. But they are all simple and intuitive to use and actually work pretty much as stated.

Not-so-good points

• Rear visibility is somewhat limited. This car really needs a reverse camera and I’m surprised that the Titamium doesn’t have it. Seems like other markets got a large display with satnav and camera, but not Australia. Why?
• Front extremities can’t be seen at all. But I guess one just gets accustomed to using the sensors.
• The sunroof is prone to serious wind buffeting between 45-60k when fully open.
• The wiggly lines through the windscreen. I assume that these are fine conductors and part of the sensing system for the active windscreen wipers. The system works well, but the lines are quite visible, especially with low sun and at night. I don’t really understand why they need to cover the entire windscreen – surely a small area would work equally well for rain sensing? I suppose I’ll get used to it.

Overall though I am very happy with my purchase. I dunno why I never considered a Mondeo before!

[cobrin]

Could the Mondeo use a reversing camera?!? yeah, but so could every other vehicle tbh. I find with the reversing sensors it's more than enough, or is that just because I've not use a vehicle with a camera.....not sure. Love it none the less.

sun roof depends on the wind conditions, on a Honda Euro Lux. it's as quiet as I've ever experienced but on other situations it gets the same buffeting too.

windscreen I'm not following you on sorry not sure, the rain sensor is on the windscreen behind the cover where your mirror is. Does the Mondeo have a heated windscreen to reduce fog?

I'm with you on why we never considered a Mondeo too - glad we did, now my father is looking at one after a few drives of ours, but I'm trying to hold him off till next years model comes in. He's had several Honda's since he got rid of us kids and they've all done well for him.

By typical fashion all the ford salesmen are trying to sell him this years lot and not really doing much for a sale i might add, and being obtuse about the next release denying any knowledge about it, for obvious reasons. They are keen to ring and give the usual story and sign him up over the phone but not one has listened to what he wants....LAME!! Sight unseen $51K....don't think so.

[50Hz]

Actually you are probably right with the heated front screen - didn't think of that. I mostly notice it at night, where the distortion around point light sources (i.e. headlights and tail lights) can be a little off-putting.

I'd thought of waiting for the new model too... but I really wanted a new car now. And I'd not leap straight into a completely new model anyway, as there are always problems and bugs getting sorted out. I'll maybe look at the new generation in 2-3 years time once it's been through the first major update.

I wonder if Ford will ever do an AWD Mondeo. I reckon they'd have a viable competitor for the A4 Quattro if they did!

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by 50Hz

Hi guys,

I• The wiggly lines through the windscreen. I assume that these are fine conductors and part of the sensing system for the active windscreen wipers. The system works well, but the lines are quite visible, especially with low sun and at night. I don’t really understand why they need to cover the entire windscreen – surely a small area would work equally well for rain sensing? I suppose I’ll get used to it.
!

As above, these are the window demisters, a very euro feature. Having ours undercover at night, its not a feature that we have had the benefit of yet. Did you get the Diesel or EcoBoost?

[50Hz]

I was actually looking for a TDCi wagon in anything but white. But I got a white Ecoboost hatch in white haha. The price was good enough to sway me and it was the only brand new Titanium in WA. The hatch is better looking and has more than enough room in the back plus I love the power delivery of the turbo petrol.

A few years ago I'd never have imagined that I'd be stoked with a FWD automatic - the last Ford I had was a BF F6 manual. But I'm totally sold on the Mondeo now.

[DFB FGXR6]

Ours is an Titanium EcoBoost hatch as well. That engine pulls like a train, very diesel like in its torque delivery, but with a proper rev range and excellent refinement. We wanted a wagon as well, but didn't want diesel, but have been pleasantly surprised at how large and easy loading the hatch design is, no need for the wagon here. Hope you enjoy your newy, they are an undervalued gem on the new car market.

[50Hz]

I agree - definitely an underrated vehicle here. I'm surprised that the road isn't full of them.

By the way I have been reading up on the new gen Mondeo. It certainly LOOKS pretty damn good! But I was more interested to read that it will have a higher spec 179kW Ecoboost and that it may also be available in AWD. Does anyone know the truth of this? I haven't been able to find anything much in the way of confirmed specifications for the Aus market, as usual

[allanv6gt]

I wonder if Ford will ever do an AWD Mondeo.
....was spotted in CBR CBD last year.
I posted some photos under the "whens the new model ' thread , I think.

[allanv6gt]

I wonder if Ford will ever do an AWD Mondeo.

See thread entry of 24 Sep 2013 found here:
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...11#post4890911

....but that was nearly 12 mths ago, and still no new model.