Ford Mondeo 2000 News

Ford's groundbreaking inflatable rear seatbelt makes its Australian debut in the all-new Mondeo.

Ford says their capped price service offer, MyFord, has been successful in bringing thousands of owners back to the brand -- 13,000 in 2013 alone. So they're taking the offer further, raising it to seven years and 135,000km from the six years/105,000km that rolled out in 2011.The revised program -- available on vehicles built from 2007 -- has been extended to cover brake pad replacements and rotor machining across the range except the sporty FPV, ST and XR5 variants and the light commercial Transit van. All eligible models will have front pads capped at $259 and rear ones at $219, except the rear-wheel drive Falcon and Territory rear pads, which will be capped at $259. Machining is capped at $88.Ford has also announced a year's free membership and roadside assistance with state motoring organisations -- NRMA, RACV, RACT, RACQ, AANT, RAA and RAC -- at participating dealers with the sale of any new car, except FPV and Transit.“The addition of the Auto Club Program is another customer-focused offering that Ford owners will enjoy,” Ford Australia general manager, customer service division, Stephen Kruk, says. “Customers expect this level of certainty from their dealers and we’re happy to say that since it was introduced in July 2011, the program has been very well received by our customers.”Owners can check the maximum price for a service, and all terms and conditions at www.ford.com.au/myfordcps.  MyFord Capped Price Servicing is available on the following vehicles.Ford Fiesta – WQ, WS, WTFord Focus – LS, LT, LV, LVIIFord Mondeo – MA, MB, MCFord Falcon – BF, BF FPV, BF MkII, BF MkII FPV, BF MkIII, FG, FG FPV, FG MkII, FG MkII FPVFord Escape – ZD, ZCFord Econovan - JHFord EcoSport - BKFord Kuga - TE, TFFord Territory – SY, SY F6X, SY MkII, SZFord Ranger – PJ, PK, PXFord Transit – VM, VNThis reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Development costs were very high mainly due to the completely new design. But given Ford’s financial instability at the time, the company needed a big change to help turn things around.The new car featured class leading ride and handling, sophisticated suspension design and the latest safety additions including a driver’s side airbag, side-impact bars, seat belt pretentioners and ABS, as standard.Reworked over four generations to date, it wasn’t until it’s MkII phase in 1995, that the Mondeo made its way down to Australia. But it wasn’t a sales success. Australians preferred the bigger Falcon and unlike today, saw no need for a medium sized car in the range. The Mondeo struggled against established Japanese models like the Subaru Liberty, the Honda Accord and another Euro import, the Holden Vectra.In 2001 Ford Australia withdrew from the medium car segment claiming that it was in a decline, and the Mondeo was dropped from the range until it resurfaced in 2007 with the MkIV.Consequently, Australia completely skipped Mondeo MkIII; arguably an era when the car made its most significant improvements. It got larger, which addressed the lack of rear leg room - a major gripe over its lifetime - and the interior became more European. MkIII also introduced a new Duratorq diesel engine that was much more capable and competitive than the engine it replaced.Ford Australia reintroduced the Mondeo in 2007 due in large part to the popularity of smaller, more fuel efficient and environmentally friendlier cars, and with it the growing global dislike of larger ones. It has been marketed here as a stylish car with more than just good looks and is sold in a sedan, hatch and now, a wagon version.This time round sales have been good, even despite problems with parts supply from Europe, and the Mondeo has won numerous awards in Australia.The latest model comes with both diesel and petrol engines, and a choice of four trim levels, and Ford are currently considering an ECOnetic example for the Australian market.For more information on late model Ford Mondeos, see our list of related articles above. 

 Take any model range, pick out the four-cylinder diesel variant for contrast and comparison with its naturally aspirated petrol four sibling. And what happens? The oiler will almost always make the gas sucker look ordinary. Actually, axioms are usually a bit shorter and pithier than that. Yes, of course it should go without saying that a blown engine will be the more potent, but it's taken a while for punters to realise that diesel doesn't mean clouds of black smoke or huge, uncivilised SUVs (“city” and “civilisation” derive from the same root, so keep big SUVs in the bush). Apart from superior fuel economy, a big torqueing turbo diesel is often the more enjoyable drive than the atmo petrol wearing the same badge and toting near-equivalent capacity. A few weeks ago we said it on this very site, endorsing Hyundai's i30 CRDi over the petrol variants. Ditto Holden's Astra. And it holds equally true for the other end of the market in the form of BMW's Series. The 320d (for diesel) just flat out destroys the 320i. If this is not always the case — we'd still have a Mazda3 SP23 over the 3 oiler — it's becoming the case more often than not. Another affirmation has been Ford's Mondeo TDCi hatch which, at $37,990 in this or its sedan form, is worth every cent of the three grand premium over the dozy Zetec petrol version. The latter is utterly knackered by its combination of globulous weight and underwhelming 118kW four pot (potterer?) engine — the superseded Mazda6 has more go, let alone the new one. Yet the TDCi does more with more. Weighing in at just over 1600kg, it's not so very far away in displacement from the BF Falcon. If the 2.0-litre 96kW/320Nm Ford/PSA joint venture turbo diesel driven through a sharp six-speed automatic doesn't quite make light of it, the TDCi seldom feels unwieldy. The official claim for the Zetec's combined conditions fuel use is 10.5 litres per 100km, but we found ourselves nearing that while observing the speed limit in freeway conditions. By contrast, the diesel was doing 10.7 in the peak hour grind and you'd be confident of matching the 7.3L/100km combined claim. Its 0-100km/h figure is north of 10 seconds, but rolling acceleration is what this Mondeo is all about, an area in which the big hatch delivers as emphatically as we've come to expect from quality European diesels. Unlike some of these, though, the Mondeo excels dynamically. Steering, handling and ride are to the fore of the front-wheel-drive middle class. Of course, the Mondeo is so large and practical with that roof-hinged rear door, that it really deserves to be seen as a fully fledged family car. Indeed, it's not so much a case of the Mondeo taking it up to the Europeans as being rather too good for the new Falcon's sake.   Snapshot Ford Mondeo TDCi hatch Price: $37,990 Economy: 7.3L/100km Engine: 2L/4-cylinder turbo diesel; 96kW/320Nm Transmission: 6-speed auto, front-drive    

Used car expert, Chris D'Sousa, says if you equip yourself with the right knowledge and the right frame of mind, you can find a good deal. And for cars up to $5000, you're best off looking for cars circa 1991 to 1995. D'Sousa, the operations manager for automotive information service Glass's Guide, says the car will generally have done about 180,000km to 240,000km but you can get ones with less kilometres if you look around and don't rush into a sale. In terms of models, he says the Japanese cars are best for reliability. "You could look at a Suzuki Swift or a Daihatsu Charade," he says. "Small cars would be the best way for younger people to go with a bigger range on offer. Nissan Pulsar, Toyota Corolla, Mitsubishi Lancer, Mazda 323, Honda Civic, Ford Laser, Daihatsu Applause, they're all reasonably reliable, providing they're in good condition." For those after a slightly bigger car, the Toyota Camry, Mazda 626, Ford Telstar and Holden Apollo are worth consideration. Even larger still, D'Sousa says there are many Falcons and Commodores available in this price range. But people should be aware these cars can be expensive to run and if you're working on a budget, smaller, four-cylinder engines are a better option. And when you've made that decision to buy a used car, D'Sousa says you should follow some important steps. "First they should identify the car they're looking for in terms of brand," he says. "If, for example, they like Corolla or Pulsar, they should understand prices and what your money can buy." For this, he recommends some research on websites, newspapers and magazines. Then you can begin the "window shopping" process. "Find a car closest to where you're living and have a look. Don't buy the first car you see, have a look at six or seven, it will give you an idea of what's good for your money." D'Sousa says buyers should be on the lookout for rust spots and should avoid buying cars from beachside areas if possible, as these are inclined to have some rust. Buyers should also be aware of poor repairs. "Drive the car, get a feel for it, does it handle well, check the oil is clean. If it's an auto, check it's changing gears properly, if it's manual, make sure the clutch isn't slipping." And if you don't know much about cars, be sure to get it checked by an expert. "Once vehicles get to these ages, they tend to suffer major mechanical faults if not serviced well," he says. When it comes to choosing a car, it can be a very emotional decision and D'Sousa warns that your feelings can get in the way. "Take someone with experience, such as a parent or friend, for a second opinion and to provide you with that balance," he says. "Some people buy with their heart rather than their head. With a car that age, it's very important you have a lot more than your heart." Airbags and ABS were just beginning to be introduced around 1994 and 1995 and D'Sousa says you may be able to find cars in this price range that have these features, mainly the larger ones. But he says these shouldn't be a priority and you should make sure the car is in good condition first. Newer cars could slip into this price range, with these features, and might seem like a bargain. But he warns the vehicle may be in poor condition. D'Sousa says another important step is to check the title to ensure the history of the vehicle. You can do this through the Register of Encumbered Vehicles (REVS). Some luxury European cars might also fit into this price range, but these often require expensive parts and are hard to service, so it may not be such a wise investment. D'Sousa advises people to stick to the more common cars and avoid vehicles with modifications. NRMA Insurance head of research Robert McDonald says when buying an older model make sure you do your homework and check for things such as collision repairs. McDonald also warns that modified vehicles are expensive to insure. "Modifications that can impact on insurance include increased engine size, expensive stereos, some alloy wheels, suspension lowering or raising, and expensive or elaborate paintwork. Check with your insurer first before buying or modifying a vehicle," he says.