2011 1.6tdci estate questions

[AbingDan]

Evening all, newbie here....

 

Is this the place to ask general and initial queries about a possible purchase?  Please redirecte if it isn't!

 

I am looking to spend up to a £3k budget on a MK4 Mondeo estate.  Happy 2ith the Titanium X spec.  And I see a few come up but not quite convenient enough to Oxfordshire!  So I wait....

I mainly just want a big old family workhorse, that'll be mainly used for longer trips (Oxford/London) as well as the proverbial Tesco run.

I want something that'll sit on the drive fairly cheaply.  But give decent mpg when on the move.

If I could enjoy driving it...so much the better.

I am happy to do servicing myself...oil and filters, brakes, maybe a suspension bush...

I think I want diesel. I am happy to go Tesco via a blast down the dual carriageway.

The 2.0 tdci look to fit the bill...I see there's a 140 and 160 bhp variant.  Or there's a 2.2tdci 160bhp.  All at £210, or sometimes £155 road fund license.

However, a car that "ticks all them boxes" has come up, with FSH, cambelt kit all done, as well as clutch and flywheel (the things I wouldn't necessarily do myself) with fair milage (150k) BUT it's the 2011 1.6 (114bhp). (£30 tax)

Will I majourly regret that engine size?  I had considered I could get it and then if unhappy with "driver satisfaction" (all relative, I know but I'm 46, married, mortgage and kids - cut me some slack) i could get it remapped to 140bhp one day?

 

Or should I be patient...and just wait for the right car?

 

I value any thoughts and feedback and opinions.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

[unofix]

Wait !!!!, no more to be said.

[AbingDan]

Ah...ok.

That's what my head says.

Any specific reason(s)? Just curious.

[unofix]

3 hours ago, AbingDan said:

(114bhp)

A bit like driving a builders skip uphill with the handbrake on.

150k miles of a well thrashed 1.6L engine tells me its not got more life left in it.

[Frembrit]

Agree, wait.

1.6 will be too under powered. I can't even imagine how slow or sluggish that will be as the MK4 is a heavy car.

But, it depends how much of a rush you are to replace your existing car, maybe consider travelling slightly further or adding £500 to the budget if possible.

I travelled to Oxford from Bath to buy my first motorbike (£2500), was crapping myself riding home 🤣

[AbingDan]

Excellent, thank you for the replies, much appreciated.

 

I'm going to take a look at the pages here about buying guides etc as well...and keep an eye out for a 2litre.

[Bungz]

Mondeo Mk4 estates have a real price premium as you are finding.

I would only consider a 2.0 at those miles.... and then I would want proof of a clutch and DMF.

Not driven a 1.6 in a MK4 but have in smaller cars and they are quite pokey for what they are, looked after they are quite reliable.

My advice though really would be if you have got 3K would be to look elsewhere, old high mileage Mondeos always need work they can be quite needy things.

Just rebuilt the rear of a 2009 with a lowly 107K on it....

[TomsFocus]

The 8v 1.6 from 2011 onwards isn't that bad.  It uses a later gen turbo than the 16v/110bhp version and tbh didn't feel any slower than my remapped 16v with around 140bhp.  They're also pretty reliable, with the exception of the injectors!  

Having said that, I am comparing Focus's...I'd assume it's going to struggle a bit in a loaded Mondeo estate.  But with FSH, cambelt & clutch done...I'm not sure it should be immediately dismissed.  Have you got the opportunity to test drive it?

[AbingDan]

Apologies,.missed these replies. 

 

The 1.6 is now gone....but I'm test-driving a 2009 2.2 Titanium X sport later in the week.  Any 'check this, check that' welcome!!

[nicam49]

Cambelt(s)  - some have 2!   and the 2nd cambelt is expensive to change, so as I don't know that engine, hopefully someone else on tbe forum will fill in the blanks, but budget in the price of a cambelt(s) change unless they have documentary proof  it or they have been done..a snapped cambelt = engine write-off

[AbingDan]

Thank you nicam49.  That's an invoice for a cambelt and water pump a couple 1000 miles ago...

 

I'm hoping it all checks out.

 

Not sure if the 2.2 is a bit unnecessary over a 2.0 Titanium X...but it seems like, so far, on paper, a car worth looking at...so I will.

Any and all other advice and opinions welcome!

 

[Frembrit]

Listen out for noisy power steering on the pre-facelift cars, there were a lot that suffered from a problem with the filter in the power steering bottle clogging up and therefore not circulating the fluid round properly, though I suspect most of these would have been fixed by now by either just a new bottle or, if it was bad, a bottle and steering rack replacement. (was quite common when I was looking to buy back in 2013 and one of the reasons I waited for a facelift model).

[AbingDan]

Thank you all for your help and advice.  Very useful.

 

The 2.2 sport was a little tatty... seemed ok mechanically but the ticks in the 'no column' were building up...  I was gonna though buy it...until the second key wouldn't work...so walked away.

 

I feel I can compromise less for the same money so will wait.

 

Thanks for advice...I'll be asking for more I'm sure!