1999 Ford Mondeo Verona 1.8 Zetec
Summary:
It will look good on your drive
Faults:
Bad shaking at motorway speeds.
Handbrake didn't work, plus parked on a hill at the time; not good!!
Boot wouldn't open; lock had seized.
Original CD player turns off whenever it wants.
Rear arches corroded badly.
General Comments:
For me it was a choice between a Vectra or Mondeo. Spotted a mk2 for just under 500, and it was local.
Must say the Mondeo looks a lot more appealing than the Vectra; a lot more class.
I was a bit worried about the size difference, because I used to own a Civic, but after 5 minutes of driving, it felt exactly the same.
But now I've had it for just over 3 weeks, I'm not entirely convinced it's the car for me.
The fuel economy is bad, been told the ST24's get more to the gallon than these; don't know if it's true or not, but for a 1.8 I was expecting more. You cannot drive this in town; it belongs on a motorway... well you should know that anyway, it is a rep mobile.
Drive of the car is OK, it's smooth, but I have found the car shakes badly when doing motorway speeds. This varies from day to day. The engine is a 1.8 Zetec, and it gives average performance; sounds good, though it won't get you to that appointment any quicker. The car is generally quiet, but has an annoying rattle coming from the boot. You get used to it...
The inside of car is spot on. I spend a lot of time in the Mondeo, and I've even slept in it. Seats are very comfy, with nice height adjustment and plenty of lumbar support. Also the steering has good adjustment. Ideal armrest, and of course air con makes this Mondeo lovely for long journeys. Only flaws are the dashboard; anything you put up there will end up on floor, and also the original CD player is crap; has mind of its own.
The looks of a Mondeo are great though. Even the standard trim up to Ghia, they're a step above the rest. Shame about the rust, but hey it happens on any car. Front end looks proper mean; I love it!
Just buy one and experience it. You may enjoy it, you may not LOL :)
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 15th May, 2011
17th May 2011, 17:55
What things could I look out for then to try and improve the MPG?
19th May 2011, 09:29
Hopefully the cars been serviced on time, if not give it a full service if it's worth doing and you are keeping the car. Check tyre pressures are at the proper amount. HT leads go on these cars early, if you get an erratic idle and rubbish fuel consumption these are suspect to be the cause. Don't cost much to replace. Usual fuel saving techniques - drive carefully and so on.
2nd Jun 2011, 20:20
Ignition coil pack had to be replaced last weekend. The car just packed up on the way home.
Door locks have seized at the moment, and it's gonna cost a bit to fix it.
17th May 2011, 05:38
Fuel economy for any Mondeo of this age 1.8 or 2.0 should be anything between 30 and 40 MPG. Any less means something is wrong.
Mondeo is a fine car. I've had 3 of them, two MK1s and a MK2. 1.8s and 2 litres. They all averaged 37 MPG no problems.
As for your problems, well it is over ten years old, some rust and the odd small fault like the CD player not working can be expected. But generally a looked after Mondeo will give decent performance and good economy + reliability.