2008 Ford Mondeo Titanium 2.0 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Big, thirsty, but a decent car overall

Faults:

Exhaust.

ABS.

Oil leaking from somewhere.

Air con non operative.

General Comments:

This Mondeo with a petrol engine is pretty rare, as most are the TDCi diesel models.

I got this car very cheap however, so was not too bothered about the petrol engine and lack of economy.

It's very nice to drive and performs well. 30 - 34 mpg isn't really good enough these days however, but it is a quiet and refined unit, plus it is reliable if cared for. I also do not do as much mileage as I used to (retired).

Titanium model has the lot, comfy seats and all electrics, really feels like a luxury car.

Very good looking in dark blue with alloy wheels.

Ford dealers just do not want to know you when they see you coming with a car of this age - seek out a trusted independent for service and repairs.

A bargain, but only if you get a nice looked after car at a nice price. I plan to keep mine long term, but at over 15 years old, rust might become an issue at MOT time. Thankfully my car looks to have been cleaned and garaged from new, but most won't have - there are a lot of rough cars from this generation out there on the used market, be very careful if buying a Mondeo from 2007 - 2013 generation.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 16th December, 2024

2008 Ford Mondeo Zetec 2.0 TDCi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Average

Faults:

Clutch.

Driveshaft.

ABS.

Rust is becoming a real problem at MOT time. But it is over 15 years old now to be fair!

Water-pump leaked - replaced when I changed the cam-belt not too long ago.

General Comments:

On the plus side, this Mondeo is a decent looking car, reasonably economical and has plenty of power. Space and comfort is also top notch with quality materials and a large boot.

It's also good to drive, handles very well for a large heavy family car. Quite smart in dark metallic grey. Sound system is good quality for 2008, still sounds good today, I believe mine has had a radio upgrade despite being a middle of the road specification Zetec model.

On the downside, the Mondeo of this generation is getting on, it is expensive to repair when it does go wrong, and to be honest other rival cars (Vauxhall Insignia, Honda Accord, etc) offer the same for the same money. The Mondeo is good but no class leader as the earlier journalist reviews would suggest. They raved about this car when it first came out in 2007/8.

Still, it has been a decent car for a used buy at a good price, I have had mine a while now with no major problems, look after it well and it will return with comfort and economy. 2.0 TDCi does around 45 MPG or more motorway with steady cruising, typical of diesels form this time. Not fast, but plenty of torque, never struggles up-hill or anything.

I have found Ford dealers are uninterested (and expensive for repairs) in cars of this age; I suggest you find a nice independent garage to take care of service and repairs for this car. Buy a looked after car and you have one of the best cars on the market - just do not expect anything special.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 18th November, 2024

16th Dec 2024, 16:12

My thoughts exactly. I have virtually the same car and a similar experience to yours except I bought petrol. The trick with the old Mondeo is to buy a low mileage looked after car - spec and engine do not matter as such, they are all pretty decent if you get a good one.

2008 Ford Mondeo Ghia 1.8 TDCi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Still a good looking modern car

Faults:

Clutch, oil leak, and the A/C broke.

Small electrical faults, mostly stemmed from a bad alternator which was eventually changed.

The rest was wear and tear expected of age and miles (exhaust, suspension, brakes, and so on).

The car was serviced on time, all belts changed as applicable.

General Comments:

For 16 years old, this Mondeo is still soldiering on!

I have the Ghia model - a high spec for Fords so that means alloy wheels, and all electric in the interior. Very comfortable seats, nice and quiet on the move, love driving this car. Boot space is huge.

Outside mines looks good in silver, although a very common color.

Biggest let down is the engine - the 1.8 TDCi is not very fast nor economical. It is OK for daily driving, but nothing special. Was expecting around 50 mpg, but really struggles for 45 mpg most of the time. I have heard the later 2.0 TDCi is the better one to go for. Still, this old 1.8 diesel is reliable enough if serviced on time.

Plenty on the used market if you just need a cheap used car that is reliable and modern enough, but at this age watch out for rust and only buy a looked after example.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th February, 2024

3rd Mar 2024, 12:57

The Mondeo of this generation is a great car. Arguably more fun to drive and more reliable than its main rival the Vauxhall Insignia. We ran all these cars in our taxi fleet from new. Common issues to watch for at higher mileage are; Clutch, gearbox seal leak, and the usual diesel issues - injectors, DPF and so on. However, if you keep them running on quality fuel and oil and give them a long firm drive now and then, you should be OK.

9th Mar 2024, 15:06

I have found this to be true. The only way diesel pays in the long run is if you do a very high mileage to offset the higher repair/service bills to see the benefits of better miles per gallon over an extended period of time. If you do less than 10K miles per year you are better off with petrol to be honest.

We had a diesel Mondeo years ago and it cost far too much with many problems and we never saw the benefit of that economy. Later bought a 2.0 petrol Mondeo, shocked at how bad it was on fuel (only 33 mpg on average sometimes when we we used to 45 mpg+) but that car lasted us years without a single expensive issue and was ultimately more cost effective.