Car Price Valuation - why is a Mondeo same as a fiesta?

Jeff_Bridges_hair

bigjl wrote: »

Read the entire first post the OP also talked about looking at a Focus.

apart from me not reading it fully

BigDonut wrote: »

I am currently on the hunt for a new car.

I was looking at second hand fords and found a
2003 fiesta 1.4 zetec
and a 2003 Mondeo 2.0 Ghia

thescouselander

I've always been a bit perplexed by the price difference. IMO the Mondeo is much better value for money - you get much more car for your cash.

newbie007_2

BigDonut wrote: »

Trying to find a focus but the one I've found looks a good deal so I'm a bit wary about it. Going to try to view it tomorrow and check out further. its a 2003 1.8 zetec with 74k miles

Jeff_Bridges_hair wrote: »

apart from me not reading it fully

Yes you haven't read it fully.

Small engine cars are more in demand now hence the bigger cars are getting cheap. Yes the mondeo is much better value for money these days due to the recession but has a higher running cost. Pre recession that mondeo would of cost approx £1000-£1500 more than the fiesta.

Strider590

Fiesta 1128–1178 kg

Mondeo 1364–1531 kg

Which means a Fiesta with 2 adults inside could weight more than a Mondeo with only a driver.

Now im sorry, but thashing the life out of a 1.4 Fiesta is not going to get you anywhere near the MPG of a 2.0 Mondeo travelling at the same pace.

People THINK small cars are economical and THAT is why they hold their value, but do the math and check out the facts, you'll find larger cars are far better value for money.

Hammyman

Kilty wrote: »

Well... 30MPG, assumedly £235 tax, high insurance group, etc

Parents 2L Mondeo gets mid 30's and low 40's on a run. Tax is £180 OTTOMH and they're not a high insurance group - mainly because they're as cheap as chips and cheap to repair.

Hammyman

newbie007 wrote: »

Yes you haven't read it fully.

Small engine cars are more in demand now hence the bigger cars are getting cheap. Yes the mondeo is much better value for money these days due to the recession but has a higher running cost. Pre recession that mondeo would of cost approx £1000-£1500 more than the fiesta.

My Mondeo TDCi gets at least the same economy as a petrol Fiesta.

We went to France along with a friend. Friend was in a 1.5l diesel Clio. Our car had two adults, two kids and all the luggage. Friends car had two adults in and a couple of suitcases.

Over the 1500 miles we did that week, the Clio managed 10MPG better. If our car had the same loading, that would have been halved. The Clio cost just £15 less to run over 1500 miles. However they struggled up hills and we had far more room and comfort and a 6th gear to sit ticking over on the Autoroutes at 130kph.

Kilty_2

Strider590 wrote: »

Which means a Fiesta with 2 adults inside could weight more than a Mondeo with only a driver.

Now im sorry, but thashing the life out of a 1.4 Fiesta is not going to get you anywhere near the MPG of a 2.0 Mondeo travelling at the same pace.

But of course not only are the vast majority of journeys in this country made with one occupant in one car, not everyone would need to "thrash the life out of" the Fiesta either.

bigjl

Hammyman wrote: »

My Mondeo TDCi gets at least the same economy as a petrol Fiesta.

We went to France along with a friend. Friend was in a 1.5l diesel Clio. Our car had two adults, two kids and all the luggage. Friends car had two adults in and a couple of suitcases.

Over the 1500 miles we did that week, the Clio managed 10MPG better. If our car had the same loading, that would have been halved. The Clio cost just £15 less to run over 1500 miles. However they struggled up hills and we had far more room and comfort and a 6th gear to sit ticking over on the Autoroutes at 130kph.

You are spot on there Hammyman, the wife has a Clio DCi, and even though it gets 60mpg with the wife in it running about locally, when you drive at say 70 on the motorway the economy drops, to just above my Mondeo, in fact if I hold my Mondeo back to say 65 then it will crack 60mpg.

I think the Mondeo is avery underrated car, and is so cheap in MK3 form they are just to so a MoneySavingExpert way to travel.

The Focus is a very good middle ground, almost as cheap on fuel as a Fiesta sized car, with almost the same room and cruising ability of the Mondeo.

Perhaps the insurance costa are relevant to an extent aswell, but I won't complain when it comes to trade the wifes Clio in, it has retained almost 90% of its original purchase price over the last year or so. I am so glad I talked the wife out of a Megane DCi as that would have lost a fortune. Plus a lot of people focus on roadtax cost, the wifes car has £30 tax, I think my Mondeo was £150 initially but went up and my last one was just under £90 for 6 months.

As a large percentage of drivers live in big cities and value ease of parking and cheap insurance I think this extra desirability could easily increase resale value.

The Prius isn't much of a looker and like superminis is a bit out of its depth on the Motorway, until the latest model, but they really retain their value well, I would have one for urban duties, especially as they will do almost 60mpg round town when driven correctly, in London the are CC charge exempt.

In the OP position it would come down to how long he wants to run the car, if he wants to sell in 2 years then Fiesta, if he wants to keep it for 4 or 5 years then Focus, if he wants to keep it till it dies, then I would suggest MK3 Mondeo, pref a well maintained TDCi. Mine has done best part of 150k, and is on the original clutch, DMF, injectors, EGR valve, rear subframe bushes and suspension. It has required new rear discs/pads and handbrake cables recently. They have no cambelt to worry about, handle well and are built well. But you need to be careful and chose a good one, mine had one private owner and FSH, but at 150k it has no wear on the interior and after a polish looks like a 60k car. This year it is getting treated to new polybush subframe bushes, never have to be changed again, and maybe a new clutch and flywheel if I feel generous. The front pads have done 65k already and still have life in them, there are no knocks or clunks from the suspension.

I have owned Subarus, Mercs, BMWs and reckon the MK3 Mondeo is right up there for build quality, though the prcies of the MK4 secondhand are sooooooo tempting and having used one in anger as a rapid response car in Bristol a couple of years ago they are even better than the MK3 and in fact are better than the Skoda Octavia VRS's(170 diesel) that replaced them. Though the Octavia is a nice bit of kit.

KonkyWonky

Strider590 wrote: »

Fiesta 1128–1178 kg

Mondeo 1364–1531 kg

Which means a Fiesta with 2 adults inside could weight more than a Mondeo with only a driver.

Now im sorry, but thashing the life out of a 1.4 Fiesta is not going to get you anywhere near the MPG of a 2.0 Mondeo travelling at the same pace.

People THINK small cars are economical and THAT is why they hold their value, but do the math and check out the facts, you'll find larger cars are far better value for money.

That would be two 18 stone adults? There is 200+ kg difference according to your figures, that is a significant weight difference.

Small cars with small engines ARE more economical than large cars with larger engines, there is no getting away from that. They are cheaper to run, tax and insure. Parts are for the most part cheaper as well.

Not everyone is in a huge rush and will want to thrash the life out the Fiesta.

Yes the larger car gets you more equipment for your initial outlay, but not everyone wants the extras that would be included when they will be paying for them for the duration they own the car.

[Deleted User]

I'd rather have a mk1 Mondeo beast then a 2003 Fiesta.