Likely To Be Buying A Mk 3 Soon. Please Help

[razabbs]

Hi there,

I'm going to be buying my first car within the next 2 or 3 months and am pretty much set on either a mark 3 mondeo, or a Corsa C.

Been doing my research but looking to see if you good people have any more information that may be of use to me. I've got service intervals/ spec levels/tax/insurance quotes and stuff like that.

Just looking for more information such as when going to view one things to look out for except the obvious things such as dings/scratches/rust. What sort of mileage does stuff need to start being replaced? Anything I need to be looking for/listening for during test drive? Anything that would mean immediately walk away?

My parents have had one for a few years; a 54 plate LX 2.0 TDCi. Clutch failed on it at 170,000 miles :( Other than that has been fine.

Bit more info: I'll be spending between £1500-£2000 with the main criteria being low mileage, under 60k miles should be easily possible for that price range. I'm preferably looking at a petrol and am not really fussed between the 1.8 or 2.0L. I will be buying this with the sole intention of running it until it die's. Hopefully a good few years in the future.

[Ford_Man]

Ford Mondeo or Corsa? That's quite a different range of car?

[razabbs]

Ford Mondeo or Corsa? That's quite a different range of car?

It is, I would be perfectly fine with the size of a Corsa. I'm joining the armed forces very soon and will therefore need room to transport kit(uniform, suitcase, ironing board) around the country, which would all fit in a Corsa, but I see a Mondeo as a buy now, and it can always be useful in one way or another for a long period of time.

For example, they have the pulling power for a small trailer; I'd like to get a 2nd motorbike for track-day purposes eventually, with which a Mondeo would still be practical.

Also, parents have had one of each and have had no problems with either (aforementioned clutch failure aside)

I see the logic though; Not really a fan of the Focus' I can get for my budget, Astra's, a possibility, Vectra, don't really like. Fiesta's again don't like,