Hello everyone, Im new here - Iv just joined to read and try to find information etc on what to do with my car situation.

I have a 16 year old Mondeo 2.2 diesel that Iv owned for 12 years and its been a great car with hardly any trouble over the years. 

But its getting old and the last mot, the garage said that the car is in excellent condition apart from corrosion is beginning to take hold underneath esp the front and rear subframes.

He said that this * may * be its last mot - and im very sad about this as im very satisfied with the car in all other aspects.

So it looks like its time to find a replacement which Im not happy about and so,

do I take it somewhere to sort this corrosion out or replace a car that i like very much.

 

Im retired and drive about 4000 miles per year now.  

A local garage has a 2017 fiesta automatic with sunroof that I like which has 47k miles and 1 previous owner.  I think this would suit my current needs of local running around, but then someone told me to google Ford 1L engine troubles and it doesnt make for good reading.  Then the Automatic transmission makes for even worse reading.

Is this just from people that dont service their cars and complain when they break down? or is it a design fault on these cars?  Otherwise this little Fiesta looks suitable for my needs.

 

I take my car to the local garage once a year for service and mot and this has always done me well.  Would a 2017 automatic fiest 1.0 not last me long given this kind of once a year service maintenance?

Im like a fish out of water with all this and dont know what to do - do I have the corrosion fix on the underside of the mondeo and keep it, or do I look for something else. easy to drive automatic and with a sunroof as I often open the sunroof on the mondeo on dry days.

 

Thankyou for any advice/ experience/ advice here, rgds, Harold.

The Fiesta is a good car, a generation ahead of the Mondeo. Most are ok but there are horror stories. Your low mileage would be a caution. In your position, frankly, I'd consider a Jazz.

Cars have moved on massively since 2009, and not everything for the better.

My own view would be NEVER buy a 1.0 Ecoboost.

With your mileage being less than 4000 a year, I'd question whether it was worth even keeping a car. By the time you pay for insurance, road tax, fuel, servicing and the inevitable repairs you could get an awful lot of taxi rides.

No modern car likes to do low mileage, and sit for days not being used. You can expect to need to keep the car almost constantly on a battery smart charger.

If you still feel the need to own a car, then I'd suggest looking at a little Toyota.

2017 is nearing the point for a prudent change of wet belts at a cost of £1000 at an independent, double that of more at Ford main dealer.

The 1.0 Ecoboost is very sensitive to regular servicing with the correct oil. With most 8 year old cars there is, unfortunately, no way to 100% verify this.

For that usage I'd also suggest something like a Jazz, Yaris, or bus pass if you qualify - I get a lot of use out of mine! (Just re-reading where you are, though, I doubt you would!)

As Tom mentions, most modern cars have battery issues with low mileage, even those suggested, eg:

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/217673-12v-battery-maintenance-issues-etc/

Edit: NB not clear if you actually need/want an auto or just mention it because of the one that took your eye?

2 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

As Tom mentions,

🤔

7 hours ago, oldriver said:

Hello everyone, Im new here - Iv just joined to read and try to find information etc on what to do with my car situation.

I have a 16 year old Mondeo 2.2 diesel that Iv owned for 12 years and its been a great car with hardly any trouble over the years. 

But its getting old and the last mot, the garage said that the car is in excellent condition apart from corrosion is beginning to take hold underneath esp the front and rear subframes.

He said that this * may * be its last mot - and im very sad about this as im very satisfied with the car in all other aspects.

So it looks like its time to find a replacement which Im not happy about and so,

do I take it somewhere to sort this corrosion out or replace a car that i like very much.

 

Im retired and drive about 4000 miles per year now.  

A local garage has a 2017 fiesta automatic with sunroof that I like which has 47k miles and 1 previous owner.  I think this would suit my current needs of local running around, but then someone told me to google Ford 1L engine troubles and it doesnt make for good reading.  Then the Automatic transmission makes for even worse reading.

Is this just from people that dont service their cars and complain when they break down? or is it a design fault on these cars?  Otherwise this little Fiesta looks suitable for my needs.

 

I take my car to the local garage once a year for service and mot and this has always done me well.  Would a 2017 automatic fiest 1.0 not last me long given this kind of once a year service maintenance?

Im like a fish out of water with all this and dont know what to do - do I have the corrosion fix on the underside of the mondeo and keep it, or do I look for something else. easy to drive automatic and with a sunroof as I often open the sunroof on the mondeo on dry days.

 

Thankyou for any advice/ experience/ advice here, rgds, Harold.

I don't think you can 'fix' subframes - you'd have to replace them.  This will be costly as the labour time will be high.  And then due to the age of the car, it's likely other things will start to go wrong.

If you don't need an auto, get any small Japanese car that isn't as old/rusty as the Mondeo.  If you need an auto, you may need to go bigger, but let us know.

To be clear - I wouldn't buy a modern 1.0 Fiesta.

4 hours ago, unofix said:

🤔

Lol, reading two threads at once in different tabs there, got you mixed up! 

9 hours ago, orangecurry said:

I don't think you can 'fix' subframes - you'd have to replace them. 

They do at least seem to be available for the Mk 4 Mondy, but not cheap as you say - £500-600 for the pair from what I've seen, then new bushes, etc and plus fitting and any other work needed.

I have a 2017 automatic fiesta 1.0 Titanium X and I love it. It's done 35,000 miles and I'm just about to get the wet belts changed at a cost of £900.00. Until recently I was doing 7000 miles a year but as a friend died recently I now only do about 3000 miles a year but I wouldn't part with the car. We've just changed a BMW electric for an Audi Q4 e tron and while the build quality of those cars is far better than the Fiesta, the Fiesta is the better car to drive so I leave those to my wife.

11 hours ago, orangecurry said:

I don't think you can 'fix' subframes - you'd have to replace them.

I agree - I had the rear subframe on my Focus replaced. It is a big job but if you have a decent local independent, it is manageable. If you were reliant on a main dealer, it would be a non starter...

 

Hello everyone above who has kindly taken the time to reply - Thankyou all very much for your thoughts information and ideas for me - Im very grateful to you all - every reply has been helpful and gives me ideas of what I need to consider doing.

My 1st preference would be to keep my mondeo - its like an old slipper comfortable, easy to drive and whilst not so economical as a modern car, its very convenient, a nice big boot, the electric opening sunroof, ice cold ac, everything works  and its just an old comfortable big car and having had it 12 years, it feels part of the family kind of thing and I would absolutely miss it when the time comes that its not economical to keep it going any longer.

A few of you mentioned a small japanese car, so Iv looked at Jazz's which when the back seat is folded have quite a large load space - i was quite impressed. Honda seem to have a good reputation for reliability and so I would certainly consider one of those ( somehow from the pictures though I just dont get the same " feeling / attachment " as I do the mondeo - looking at the Jazzes - all very nice but kind of reminded me when I had to buy a new fridge-freezer,  all were very nice and am sure do the task in hand admireably, but not anything I could get excited / interested in - functional and nothing else and thats how I felt looking at the Jazz cars.  weird i know but makes me realise how much i actually like my old mondeo.

Perhaps Im out of touch a tad, but I was a bit taken aback that a 2015 Honda Jazz can cost £8000+, and a brand new one £30K,  £30k for a Jazz!!! - i wont be buying a new one and my budget would be around £10k -£12k or so  which seems paltry amount when I see the price of cars now - it didnt seem /feel so long ago that a new Fiesta was £7995 on the road - whats happened!?! 

Some of you mentioned about replacing the subframes and I expect that will be pricey, but, when I see the cost of a replacement car, perhaps it is worth spending £1500 ish to fix the one Iv got especially as everything else on it works just fine. The next big spend looming on the mondeo is the cambelt which is due in 3 years - because of my low miles per year, its needing doing on a time basis rather than the 100k miles replacement schedule. The last time it was changed cost was £560 at a main ford dealer.  

Bobr I see your getting your fiesta belt changed at a cost of about £900, so in 3 years mine could be quite a bit more added to the cost of replacing the subframes at perhaps £1500 or so, and im facing a £3k spend on keeping the old mondeo going.

On the other hand, I couldnt replace it for £3k and so here I find the dilemma. 

Unofix - i see your point about if its even worthwhile having a car given my low use of it, but I guess thats the price of convenience of being able to walk out to it at anytime and go, rather than relying on the local bus turning up, being on time, and when I recently took a taxi - was told there would be an hour wait!.  its balancing one issue - cost against convenience, at the moment i like having a car but the day may come when ill have to rely on a mobility scooter but until then, Id rather have a car and like everyone else, just stump up the pounds and pennies to keep one.

 

Today Im going to look at the alternative to getting the mondeo repaired and keep it going, so Thankyou to everyone who has read all this and taken the time to reply - its given me lots of food for thought,  I feel sad though that in this day and age, cars still have problems with rust and corrosion - yes it can can be repaired/ fixed but at a price - the thing now is to figure out - pay to repair or just replace!  Its not as easy a decision to make as Im finding - thankyou everyone - its nice to find a place where others can give their thoughts and ideas.

 

 

I get that. The Jazz isn't for everybody. It suits motorists who don't much like cars and carries a premium price. I have a well maintained 1.0 Ecoboost Fiesta 2018 and I can service it myself in a couple of hours on the driveway. I would consider buying a car cheaply, due a belt and having the wet belts done. Put in a new battery of the correct type, while you're at it. Keep the receipt and you may never wear it out.  it may still be too much for your budget but it really is a very good car

I'd agree about avoiding a wet belt Ecoboost, but note the following from another thread. I take no responsibility for this but there are many similar posts saying the same thing. So I'm saying that if you can afford a later 1.0 Fiesta you'll probably be OK.

I believe that you will find it easier to drive and park than your Mondeo (and it will be  quieter/smoother too).

 

The Ecoboost was redesigned about 2018/2019 with the flow across the head reversed, cylinder deactivation and a cam chani instead of the wet belt as well as a host of other minor differences - it is effectively a new engine. The difference is obvious,  the old ones have the turbo at the front, revised ones have the turbo at the rear. All mHEVs are the new design as the longer motor generator would foul the turbo on the old ones.

54 minutes ago, alanfp said:

The Ecoboost was redesigned about 2018/2019

The revised engine** appeared in the Fiesta mid 2020 and still has a wet belt for the oil pump drive.

** The 100ps version retained the original wet belt cam drive engine.

 

 

 

 

 

....sorry OP maybe I missed it, but do you need an auto?

On 8/9/2025 at 5:20 PM, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Edit: NB not clear if you actually need/want an auto or just mention it because of the one that took your eye?

 

21 minutes ago, orangecurry said:

....sorry OP maybe I missed it, but do you need an auto?

Don't think we got the answer to that one.

Could always get a brand new ZERO miles (3 years old) pre-registered Nissan Leaf.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504111216542

https://www.marshall.co.uk/nissan/used-cars/19522566-nissan-leaf-5-dr-hat-e-n-connecta-160k-w-59k-wh/

Having looked at exactly where you are, a few more questions make sense.

1 - how do you cope in winter - not drive, or do you have winter tyres etc?  Have you ever hankered after all-wheel drive?

2 - your realistic choice of 2nd-hand cars is going to be limited - do you have any relatives who live in big towns/cities who could have access to a wider range of cars for sale?

3 - do you need an automatic?