Hi All,

need to know if I am doing something sensible here or has anyone got any input!

I currently have a 54 Reg Vectra SRI 1.9cdti 120bhp.

Now, it is slowly falling apart around me and I have seen the above 08 2.5t Titanium X. it looks fantastic and Im loving the idea of 220bhp to play with. The question is, how much of a mistake is this considering the running costs of this bad boy!

Tax for 6months is around £60 more expensive, but the question im wondering more about is the peterol/diesel consumption.

Now my daily commute to work is a 10mile round trip from home to town - and that trip is spent in traffic for the majority. Iv always been under the presumption that petrols are better for these kinds of runs, considering im never actually doing any distance driving.

My vectra has had:

new alternator

new radiator

new intercooler

new battery

new starter motor.

in around 2 years and I have a feeling the clutch is next, I want rid of this pony!.

The Mondeo is only £6.5k for an 08 plate at 68k miles. BUT it is this petrol guzzling petrol. I can wait and get a diesel for 2-3k more, but I love the sound of something nippy.

What do you think?

thanks

Hi Martin,

To be honest if you drive it hard, it will drink fast, but even if you drive it economically, you could get the best part of 35 - 40 MPG out of the petrol.

The investment costs always seem high, but if you use all the horses, you will drink it quickly!

the trip computer in my diesel only reads 30-32 mpg anyway!

really depends how you drive it to be honest!

how, how about the service schedule/things to be concerned with at 68k miles?

The petrol 2.5T is a very fast car but very thirsty, around town / booting it the MPG will probably drop to 20MPG, (remember it has the same engine as a Focus ST -5-pot, but with a heavier chassis)

If you have to "potter about" to try to raise the MPG, whats the point of it? (i overtake a lot of Impretza STIs/ WRXs and EVOs that are "crawling" around trying to save fuel! )

So if you are just doing a low milage and prepared to swallow the fuel costs or as a second or "weekend" car - go for the petrol 2.5T - and "drive" the thing

Otherwise go for the (Mondeo mk4) 2.2L diesel - its still a quick car (especially with a remap/ DPF delete - 220HP potential) and you will get (approx) twice the MPG of the petrol 2.5T - the Titanium x (2.2 tdci) is well equipped/ comfortable/ nice to own

Compared to the equivelant BMW/ Audi th Ford tends to be much better value/ more affordable to buy

Of course they are both light-years better than the Vaxhall

get a 530d or 330d. you'll still get 30 odd to gallon,& they pull like !Removed! off a shovel.(530d is scary quick!)old style i mean. dont waste ur time wi Ford mate.piles a crap lol

My dad had this model, it was awesome!

It drove great, sounded great, but did drink greatly if you went for it!

It did have pretty long gearing as well too which - a) may not feel as accelerative as you'd might expect (ie a Focus ST) - although reaching nigh on 100mph in 3rd is a trade off

and b ) the mpg figures you can achieve compared to an ST Focus is slightly better - our average was 29-32 mixture of a roads/motorways with town driving keeping it from going much higher. To be honest, its the same figure as running the Freelander diesel auto he had afterwards!

Dont buy it with high mpg in mind, buy it to have something interesting to drive and sound.... B)

Ive had a 2.5T for about 8 months. On a long run, 100 miles on the motorway, it manages 32.6mpg, running at 70 with the cruise control. Running round my local B roads, it manages somewhere between 24 and 28.

Loz's description on the acceleration is spot on. It doesn't feel all that fast when it actually is! quick enough to fend off some of the boy racer's motors that are going about.

Overall, its a brilliant motor. Buy it! you'll love it.

haha! yes, it does perform in a more grown up (maybe 'sophisticated' ;) ) sort of way!

i did have to think at the time - being both younger/less experienced a driver to realise straight away - why it was deceptively fast.

your mpg is about spot on too to when we had ours - my dad achieved the 29-32, i worked a bit harder for 24mpg

is the road tax particularly bad nowadays?

Get it you'll love it , you'll think you've bought a higher premium car as the spec & trim is right up there with the best, I'd get another one but I'd get the

2.0 eco- boost Titanium X Sport powershift next time, Go on treat yourself

My road tax is due at the end of the month. 280 I think?

24mpg is cold running. Taking the kids to school. its an 8 mile round trip on B roads.