Petrol v diesel

accidentalspender

Having a diesel might save up to £500 a year in fuel, but this'll likely be offset by repair & maintenance costs as it sounds like you're aware.
Do you really need an estate? The boot on my '08 Mondeo was enormous. It'll open up the market & save you a few quid if you can do without.
Lastly, if you do get a mondeo diesel, make sure it's the 2.0, not the 1.8 which is actually the engine out of the Model T Ford (ok, maybe I made that up, but the 1.8 is an ancient unit with a history of injector woes).

littlebob9

Now looking at Ford C Max, seems to be planty of petrol models on the market. We need a big boot for camping kit

JonathanA

Whilst the CMAX is a great car (we're on our second), make sure the boot space is big enough for your needs. The CMAX is our second car, the larger car was, until last year a Mondeo estate and the boot space was far larger and more practical than the CMAX. You gain height in the CMAX, but lose depth. We changed the Mondeo for a Ford Galaxy, which is a fantastic car, but probably not what you are looking for.

If you do opt for the CMAX, I think the 1.8 Diesel engine might be an option as I don't think it has the DPF, but I'm sure others will confirm that. Having said that, neither of our 2.0TDCi CMAX have had any DPF issues (as yet). We sold the 04 reg in 2009 with 70k miles on the clock and replaced it with a 2008 version that has now only done 47k miles as my wife is now travelling less in her business.

teabelly

How often do you go camping and fill the mondeo? Alternative solution might be to have a smaller car with a tow bar and have a trailer to fit the rest of the gear in.

sinbad182

teabelly wrote: »

How often do you go camping and fill the mondeo? Alternative solution might be to have a smaller car with a tow bar and have a trailer to fit the rest of the gear in.

Given you'd then have the logistics of storing a trailer, the added hassle of maintaining a trailer and the less pleasant experience if driving with a trailer that sounds like a pretty terrible alternative to just buying a slightly bigger car.

motorguy

sinbad182 wrote: »

Given you'd then have the logistics of storing a trailer, the added hassle of maintaining a trailer and the less pleasant experience if driving with a trailer that sounds like a pretty terrible alternative to just buying a slightly bigger car.

+1

And do you not need a licence these days to tow a trailer?

Too much hassle IMHO

teabelly

motorguy wrote: »

+1

And do you not need a licence these days to tow a trailer?

Too much hassle IMHO

Don't think so if it is below a certain size. Unless they have changed that since the licence changes in 1996 I think it was.

It depends on how often the OP goes camping.

Trailer will fit even in the smallest of garages. Stored vertically against a wall they take up little space. There are trailer tents too which look quite good for regular campers. They'll take up more room though and won't store vertically.

motorguy

teabelly wrote: »

Don't think so if it is below a certain size. Unless they have changed that since the licence changes in 1996 I think it was.

It depends on how often the OP goes camping.

Trailer will fit even in the smallest of garages. Stored vertically against a wall they take up little space. There are trailer tents too which look quite good for regular campers. They'll take up more room though and won't store vertically.

Yes, its worth throwing out there as an option i guess.

forgotmyname

You can tow a trailer with a post 1997 licence as long as the cars gross weight (max laden weight on the chassis plate) and the trailers gross laden weight when combined is less than 3500kg.

There are slight exceptions to that. But if you stick to that your legal.

If you have a larger vehicle like a 4x4 or 7 seater that weighs close to 3 tons then your maximum tow limit will be less than that of a small hatchback.

Gross weights are the figures that count not the actual loaded weight.

CKhalvashi

forgotmyname wrote: »

Gross weights are the figures that count not the actual loaded weight.

There are slight exceptions to the gross weights, too, but that's the bottom line of it.

On a pre-1997 license, you can drive anything to 7.5t (including some lorries) for non-commercial use without anything else. I don't think the tachograph is necessary in these conditions either.

CK