1.8 or 2.0D Mondeo?

cabledude

I had my heart set on buying a 2008/2009 Mazda 6 2.0D. Personally like the look and drive of the car. 140bhp with pretty good fuel efficiency.

However, after spending the last few days on here and elsewhere on the interwebs, I've decided to steer clear of the 6 in Diesel. Petrol is not a runner for me as I do a fair bit of driving.

So, I am looking at a 2009 Mondeo. Just like this one. http://www.bolandmotors.com/usedCar.aspx?vid=1003272&run=norm&pg=

This car is 125PS. And the tax is €390 so that is a help. It also has average mileage and plenty of extras. Being a Ford, it should not to be to probelmatic and extensive to service/repair.

But then I could go for the 2.0D 140PS Zetec like this one. http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/Zetec-TD/43713933470990080/advert?channel=CARS

Obviously there is a price difference. But there is also a difference in spec and power.

Both are 6 speed boxes. Both will be fairly fuel efficient.

But which of these is the better/less problematic engine? Is the 2.0D not the same engine that is in the Mazda 6 - with the same problems?

Any thoughts/input would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

martinr5232

The 2l is a far nicer car to drive than the 1.8 the 1.8 are also having issues lately with one of the timing belts breaking prematurely.

Personnally i would go for the 2l but its a bit dearer to tax aswell if thats an issue for you.

cabledude

martinr5232 wrote: »

The 2l is a far nicer car to drive than the 1.8 the 1.8 are also having issues lately with one of the timing belts breaking prematurely.

Personnally i would go for the 2l but its a bit dearer to tax aswell if thats an issue for you.

While the tax is a consideration, it would not be the end of the world if I had to pay the higher rate. The extra horses would make it worth it I suppose. I'm paying around the €600 for tax at the moment anyway.

I suppose what I'm asking is which of these engines is the better lump? In terms of reliability?

R.O.R

That Mondeo 1.8 isn't an ECOnetic - they were only 5 speed, and they were a little better to drive than the 6 speed Zetec, that the one linked appears to be.

As both cars are Zetec's there shouldn't be any difference in standard kit, although the 2.0 looks to be a UK import, and I think the UK standard specification was a little better than Irish cars, but don't know what the differences were.

The 1.8 in most forms is pretty awful to drive. Massive lack of torque at low revs takes a lot of getting used to, and is failry dangerous until you are used to it. Of all the 1.8 versions available, the 6 speed 125ps was probably the worst. 2.0Tdci is much better, and the one to go for. Totally different engine to the one Mazda used in the 6 - in general, it's very reliable and capable of big miles with few issues. Clutch/Flywheel will be the main expense - circa €1,000 to replace due to the labour involved. When it goes depends very much on how it's been driven to date.

martinr5232

cabledude wrote: »

While the tax is a consideration, it would not be the end of the world if I had to pay the higher rate. The extra horses would make it worth it I suppose. I'm paying around the €600 for tax at the moment anyway.

I suppose what I'm asking is which of these engines is the better lump? In terms of reliability?

Tax is about €590 on the 2l and about €380 on the 1.8.

As for reliability the 2l would be the more reliable we see very few problems with either really but the timing belts let the 1.8 down.

I hope tobe buying one myself in the near future and i will be going for the 2l but only because its more responsive and a nicer drive.

cabledude

martinr5232 wrote: »

Tax is about €590 on the 2l and about €380 on the 1.8.

As for reliability the 2l would be the more reliable we see very few problems with either really but the timing belts let the 1.8 down.

I hope tobe buying one myself in the near future and i will be going for the 2l but only because its more responsive and a nicer drive.

Now I'm getting confused. This model is advertised as road tax €290.http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/2.0-TDCI/37613893556561640/advert?channel=CARS

Surely the bigger more powerful engine is not cheaper to tax than the 1.8 ??? Or is it an import?

R.O.R

cabledude wrote: »

Now I'm getting confused. This model is advertised as road tax €290.http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/2.0-TDCI/37613893556561640/advert?channel=CARS

Surely the bigger more powerful engine is not cheaper to tax than the 1.8 ??? Or is it an import?

That's an import - Edge was the entry level specification in the UK.

It's possibly a 2.0Tdci 115ps version, that was briefly available between the end of the 1.8 models, and the start of the 1.6 models.

Nothing has a tax rate of €290 per year at the moment. €280 is for 131g - 140g, which sounds about right for a 115ps 2.0Tdci.

Bio Mech

I have a 2 litre zetec with the six speed box and its 390 to tax its a UK import. If you can get a six speed you might get the better tax without the wet belt issues of the 1.8

Noccy_Mondy

I have the 1.8 5 speed box zetec, which is an import. It's essentially the same as the 6 speed, same power (125) just a gear less. There is no difference between the Irish Zetec and the Uk Zetec, maybe bar the optional voice control though and obviously the speedo in miles rather than km. My tax is €390 per year. I find it grand to drive, plenty of poke to overtake, and quick to reach 60 There is nothing in the difference equipment wise, between the zetec and econetec. The 1.8 tdci is the most common in them.

martinr5232

cabledude wrote: »

Now I'm getting confused. This model is advertised as road tax €290.http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/2.0-TDCI/37613893556561640/advert?channel=CARS

Surely the bigger more powerful engine is not cheaper to tax than the 1.8 ??? Or is it an import?

Tax on the 2l is nearly €600

Tax on the 1.8 is nealy €400

Bio Mech

martinr5232 wrote: »

Tax on the 2l is nearly €600

Tax on the 1.8 is nealy €400

its not always it depends on the gearbox

R.O.R

Bio Mech wrote: »

its not always it depends on the gearbox

Actually depends on when it was produced.

First Mondeo 2.0Tdci's 140's from 07/08 had emissions of around 159g. Think they came down to 154g not long after July 2008.

Oldest price list I can find is end of 2011, which has them down at 139g, and they stayed that way for a good long while, until late last year / early this year, when they came down to 119g.

That's the 6 Speed 140ps Mondeo, 1.8's have been over 140, then just under, and there has also been the 2.0Tdci 115ps at some point too.

Bio Mech

R.O.R wrote: »

Actually depends on when it was produced.

First Mondeo 2.0Tdci's 140's from 07/08 had emissions of around 159g. Think they came down to 154g not long after July 2008.

Oldest price list I can find is end of 2011, which has them down at 139g, and they stayed that way for a good long while, until late last year / early this year, when they came down to 119g.

That's the 6 Speed 140ps Mondeo, 1.8's have been over 140, then just under, and there has also been the 2.0Tdci 115ps at some point too.

Thanks, good info. Indeed mine is a late 2008 and has 154 g/km.

cabledude

Cheers for all the replies. I'm not hugely bothered with the tax issue. The difference seems to only be a couple of hundred euro per year. I'm more interested in peoples experiences of both engines. I always thought that Jap cars were bulletproof. Then I learn of all the issues witht the Mazda 6 2.0D. So now I'm wary of which option to go for.

I'd happily pay the extra couple of hundred euro per year in tax for the 2.0D over the 1.8D if it mean having (relatively) problem free motoring.

Is it worth sourcing one of these in the UK vs. an Irish model? The spec levels seem to be higher over there. Bluetooth seems to be rare enough in the 2009 models here. Bluetooth would be fairly important to me. Handy if it was built in but if I had to put it in afterwards, that wouldn't be the end of the world.

Is there anything specific I should look out for when buying one of these 2.0D Mondeos? Were there any built in problems a lá Mazda 6 2.0D?

EDIT : Looking at various images from carzone and Ford dealers websites, most of the Mondeos seem to have a green 'telephone' button on the radio headunit. Does this mean that they all have bluetooth functionality? Or just the ability to have it added on?

martinr5232

cabledude wrote: »

Cheers for all the replies. I'm not hugely bothered with the tax issue. The difference seems to only be a couple of hundred euro per year. I'm more interested in peoples experiences of both engines. I always thought that Jap cars were bulletproof. Then I learn of all the issues witht the Mazda 6 2.0D. So now I'm wary of which option to go for.

I'd happily pay the extra couple of hundred euro per year in tax for the 2.0D over the 1.8D if it mean having (relatively) problem free motoring.

Is it worth sourcing one of these in the UK vs. an Irish model? The spec levels seem to be higher over there. Bluetooth seems to be rare enough in the 2009 models here. Bluetooth would be fairly important to me. Handy if it was built in but if I had to put it in afterwards, that wouldn't be the end of the world.

Is there anything specific I should look out for when buying one of these 2.0D Mondeos? Were there any built in problems a lá Mazda 6 2.0D?

EDIT : Looking at various images from carzone and Ford dealers websites, most of the Mondeos seem to have a green 'telephone' button on the radio headunit. Does this mean that they all have bluetooth functionality? Or just the ability to have it added on?

All mondeos have those buttons on the radio it doesnt mean anything. If it has bluetooth it will have the phone controls on the indicator stalk.

If you can afford it the titanium x is some car it has all the toys.

Noccy_Mondy

The builr in bluetooth isn't the be all and end all, does nothing more than an aftermarket kit would do. Anyway an indicator stalk like this would indicate (no pun intended :P) that it has bluetooth.

R.O.R

I delivered a new car to a customer last night, and collected a 2010 Mondeo 1.8Tdci 125ps ECOnetic 5dr., so had that for the journey in this morning.

Long term fuel consumption is showing at 5.4L/100km. No idea what sort of usage it's had in the past while, but average speed of 59km/h means it must have been traveling motorway/N Road at a decent speed for quite a bit.

On the Motorway, it's a great car. Acceleration from 100km/h to 120km/h is very good. Pulls well from 80 ish in 5th, so no need to swap cogs while cruising - something that you do need to do in the 6 speed, as that comes off boost at cruising speeds.

Unfortunately, at lower speeds, it's still a dog. Gaping chasm in the torque at lower revs means it's very easy to get caught in the wrong gear when pootling along. Also, not the easiest thing to get going off the line.

This one was an April 2010 reg that was ordered mid Jan. Should have had intergrated Bluetooth and Parking sensors as standard, but when it was ordered, the dealers had to specify these bits as no cost options, but our supplier forgot to tick the box, so it was retrofitted with Parking Sensors and a Parrot kit (along with another 10 ECOnetics ordered at the same time).


2.0 is definately the way to go.

tagoona

I've recently bought a 1.8 10 reg zetec from england.
Bluetooth works, voice control is woeful.
Aftermarket parking sensors are handy. Don't really use the fron ones at all.
It can be slow to start in the morning, and has to be revved 1st to 3rd.
In general though it's fine. 40mph + It's good, with loads of power still at 120kmh on the motorway.
Very, very comfortable car, currently getting about 50mpg (50/25/25 - motoroway,rural,city)
Very happy with my decision really. Don't see the need for the sixth gear.

In the end, it was 50/50 between the 1.8 and the 2.0.
Newer engine with more power V older and tested engine
Went with the 1 that was available.
From reading, if you're going up the specs, the titanium comes with larger wheels, which makes the ride more uncomfortable.

Best of luck with the choice

Noccy_Mondy

Ya, one comment I'd make about the 1.8 is that is quite sluggish, especially around town. Struggles to go in second even if you're already rolling along, so then you have to shove it in first, which is quite a drop down, and it's annoying!

cabledude

Ok. I've gone and ordered a 2.0D. Somewhere between 2008 and 2009. Zetec is possible. The Titanium and Titanium X are mad money so a Zetec it is. I've told him to try and nab one with bluetooth if possible. If not, he can aftermarket one for me.

Noccy_Mondy

cabledude wrote: »

Ok. I've gone and ordered a 2.0D. Somewhere between 2008 and 2009. Zetec is possible. The Titanium and Titanium X are mad money so a Zetec it is. I've told him to try and nab one with bluetooth if possible. If not, he can aftermarket one for me.

An imported one is it?

cabledude

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

An imported one is it?

Thats up to him. I've no real preference TBH.

Noccy_Mondy

Would you not track one down yourself?

cabledude

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

Would you not track one down yourself?

I suppose I could. But I know fupp all about cars. I'm also spending a fair chunk of money. Going to a SIMI dealer gives me reassurance that the car will not be a pup. He is also a family connection so that will help.

Going down the Donedeal/Carzone route has its merits, but it seems to be a minefield.

Noccy_Mondy

Best of luck anyway with the search, and happy motoring when you get it!

bazz26

SIMI membership adds feck all value to a customer. SIMI are nothing more than a lobby group for dealers made up of dealers. Buying any second hand car can be a minefield. You only find out how good a dealers is when you have to bring it back to them.

anthony4335

Why not look at the 2.2 Mazda 6

cabledude

anthony4335 wrote: »

Why not look at the 2.2 Mazda 6

That would being me into 2010/2011. Above my budget.

R.O.R

cabledude wrote: »

That would being me into 2010/2011. Above my budget.

What is the budget?

cabledude

R.O.R wrote: »

What is the budget?

€10K. €11k if something very special came along.

R.O.R

cabledude wrote: »

€10K. €11k if something very special came along.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/ZETEC-2./43313958373362040/advert?channel=CARS would be a bit too much of a stretch then?

Pretty well priced for what it is - was a car I supplied from day one, so I know it's straight and as described.