HI all.

This is my first of many posts i hope (just need to get a ford first!)

Im looking at buying a Ford Mondeo Estate diesel but unsure of what trim level to go for. Would be a 2000 - 2007 range or at the very latest early 2007 - 2013 range

I think that Ghia is better then Zetec and that in turn is better then LX but thats about all i do know.

The spec i would be intrested in is things like heated front screen (really miss that from my escort), electric windows front and back, remote open windows (if possible remote boot open (if possible), Air Con (i have seen some with climate control? is that not just air con??), parking sensors, toe bar, trip computer showing mpg etc.... I dont even know if a mondeo comes with all that!! Also anything anyone could recommend worth having.

It would be a 2L diesel engine with 130ps that im looking for.

Also is there anything i should be looking out for when going to look at them

thanks in advance

Personally I'd go for the ST TDCI it looks the best and has all the equipment you'll need. I regret the day I sold mine every day

Unfortunately the ST is out of my price range both in buying the car and insurance!

The Zetec has everything you asked for there.
Apart from maybe the tow bar, most people have them fitted but now and again you come across a Mondeo without one.

I absolutely love my TDCi Zetec 130, brilliant car. Remember to keep an ear out for a dying DMF whenever you view any!

Cool but in that case what does the ghia have over the zetec other then the wood effect?

What is a dmf?

Not entirely sure to be honest, I've always thought Zetec was above Ghia. don't quote me on it.

DMF is Dual Mass Flywheel. A lot of people shift their TDCi Mondeos once this starts to die because it's quite a big and expensive job to sort out.

I was quoted over £1000 to get it fixed at a dealer, I did it myself and parts came to £520 for DMF, clutch and thrust bearing.

When it's wearing out it'll start to rattle at idle speed, the sound goes away when you put the clutch down. Worth checking any cars you go to view.

From what I remember the ghia had climate control and footwell lights! Can't remember much else. Possible an upgraded stereo too? I'll see if the brochure is buried somewhere!

Dunno bout mondeo's but with the focus the ghia was the top spec n was the only model to have cruise control as standard.

[quote name='PeanuckleJive' timestamp='1351286779' post='213866']
DMF is Dual Mass Flywheel. A lot of people shift their TDCi Mondeos once this starts to die because it's quite a big and expensive job to sort out.

I was quoted over £1000 to get it fixed at a dealer, I did it myself and parts came to £520 for DMF, clutch and thrust bearing.

When it's wearing out it'll start to rattle at idle speed, the sound goes away when you put the clutch down. Worth checking any cars you go to view.
[/quote]
That explains a lot i went to view a ghia x that turned out the be a right shed. it rattled when it was at idle and the guy told me it was just some little bit that needs adjusting or just to rest my foot on the accellerator to get rid of it lol. this guy was like a modern day dell boy!!

[quote name='Loz Cheung' timestamp='1351294505' post='213881']
From what I remember the ghia had climate control and footwell lights! Can't remember much else. Possible an upgraded stereo too? I'll see if the brochure is buried somewhere!
[/quote]
Im not to bothered about climate control as tbh im not sure what it is lol. (i think its where the driver can have hot air and the passenger can have cold air but im really just guessing) and as for footwell lights, is that not the case of just putting some bulbs in to make them work if i went for a zetec? I remember years ago i had a escort mk7 i think, and all i had to do was put the bulbs in.

Have had a look on parkers ([url="http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/ford/mondeo/estate-2000/equipment/"]clicky[/url]) and apparently the ghia has audio remote, cd auto changer, climate control and elect rear windows over the zetec but all of them are optional on the zetec.

If you was able to find the sales brochure it would be great

yup that is right although all mondeos have all-round electric windows as standard!

Apart from whats we've listed, the brochure says the ghia has a trip computer, mats, front door scuff plates and an auto-dimming rear view mirror

and climate control is negligible to me as well. its just more precise by keeping things at a set temp separate to you (and your passengers).

[quote name='mathewjknott' timestamp='1351110094' post='213445']
...Im looking at buying a Ford Mondeo Estate diesel but unsure of what trim level to go for. Would be a 2000 - 2007 range or at the very latest early 2007 - 2013 range

I think that Ghia is better then Zetec and that in turn is better then LX but thats about all i do know.

[/quote]

Exact details depend a bit on which of the two models you are talking about, but

Early (pre-07)
LX -> Edge -> Zetec -> Ghia
(and Ghia is sort-of more luxurious and Titanium is more techie/more sporty, so it kind of splits there)

Later
Edge -> Zetec -> Ghia
(and then there is Titanium, Titanium X...may not be available in estate?? Titaniums are again the more techie/sporty trim. For me, adequate starts at the Zetec, but YMMV.)

Edge doesn't have alloys and doesn't have front fogs and has 'manual air con, which are the big things against it, compared to Zetec. (You could get a set of alloys secondhand, if you like, but you might end up spending a large part of the difference in price. And, you still wouldn't have font frogs (or something), and they do make the car look better.)

the Zetec and up get Dual zone and it is a separate heating controller which also has stuff like an auto mode and is a 'set this temp in degrees C and let the controller take care of it' rather than a knob that goes from blue to red.

Ghia and Titanium get the Sony Audio system as standard (was an option on the Zetec, but hardly anyone took it as an option), and that is a step up, but not as big a step as you could make by fitting your own component sound system (...but, at what price...?). The Sony has an internal 5(?) CD shuffler.

Also note that wheel and tyre sizes change, and again you can go up a click as an option, but hardly anybody....these were primarily sold as company cars, and fitted in with a company car hierarchy that didn't really cope with upgrades, but did cope with '...and area managers get a Titanium, and Junior managers get a Zetec...'. Beware of the very top of the wheel 'n tyre hierarchy, 'cos that 19 inch rubber isn't cheap, unless you are prepared to go for 'Chinese Sing Song, Happy Motoring Solution' nearly radials.

[quote]That explains a lot i went to view a ghia x that turned out the be a right shed. it rattled when it was at idle and the guy told me it was just some little bit that needs adjusting or just to rest my foot on the accellerator to get rid of it lol. this guy was like a modern day dell boy!![/quote]

You did well to avoid that one! He obviously knew and was trying to move it on just in time. In effect, the DMF is 'just' a clutch change, with a somewhat more expensive clutch, but changing the clutch is expensive and it isn't the price of the clutch so much as the labour that does it.

Thanks for the help guys. ended up getting a Ford Mondeo 2.0TDCI 130 GHIA 5DR [6 EURO 4] (55reg)

Can anyone tell me what the 6 Euro 4 is on about? Also it dont have a button to open the boot. i thought this was standard on ghias?

[quote name='BOF' timestamp='1351889554' post='214965']
The Sony has an internal 5(?) CD shuffler.
[/quote]

It takes six discs