We used to have a V70, which was great, but getting on a bit and quite thirsty. So I did loads of research, and decided that the best all rounder for our very limited budget was a Mondeo TDCI 130.
Now apart from the total lack of 'niceness', it really is a good car. good mpg, quick, torquey, does what it says on the tin.

Until 2 weeks ago, when the coil light came on, and car felt like it was running on 2 cylindars.
It was very smokey and rough when cold, and totally gutless when warm. I tried some big garages, but nobody would touch it, so I had to take it for Ford.
£280 later they have re-calibrated the injectors (this on a 5 year old car), which they seem to think acceptable.
Now as far as bills go, that's not too bad, though we have just spent £500 on tyres and brakes. However the engineer reckons one of the injectors is faulty (and rattling?!). That's another £500.
Then there's another 3 injectors - all fitted at the same time, so what's to say they won't go wrong?
i did some research, and the fuel pumps on some early TDCi can creat swarf, which buggars your injectors. £1000+ for a replacement set.

So we're now in that horrible place - do we keep it and hope it keeps going, or sell it on and risk problems with something else?
I guess it's only worth about £4k, and we don't have any cach to put in, so we wouldn't get much to replace it with (need something big and torquey).

you pay more for VAG, but at least they use decent kit that doesn't break at 80k miles.

 

The pump units on the VAGs can do the same, granted it usually happens after 150K though

 

Mines on 94 and no sign yet but the adage FORD fix or repair daily is coming back to haunt me ( last one was a capri in 1985)

dont forget the dmf may well be splintering its teeth even now destroying your clutch,starter motor and radiator , but only maybe

and its only a grand to put it right

 

that's acceptable. 80k makes it the second least used car I've ever had (after a '93 WRX), yet I've never had issue slike that before.
Still, that's progress!

 

The injectors on the volvo D5 are also known to cause problems...

They cost a lot more to replace, 5 of them £200 each plus labour.

Quite a lot of modern diesels have similar issues, you'd think the cost of injectors would come down with the huge number being made...

 

So is it actaully the case that a modern petrol engined car of the same bhp ( leaving aside torque for a minute)is a more reasonable/economical prospect alround than the equilvalent diesel ..?

 

Right I'm getting worried now. How old is "early TDCIs" and what is the DMF?

Mine is on facelift "53" plate

 

modern diesels with their higher torque outputs will outlast petrols, i.e. a petrol engnie turns more times than the equivalent diesel, at the same MPH. thus working less.
some engines are weaker than others though, a good engine is the VAg 1.9 tdi, they go forever if looked after. i sold on a seat tdi sport in 2001, i seen the car in a car park a few months ago the owner got in and started it and it didn't sound any different after 7 years.
the tdci engine does have the odd issue. skodas, and seat are a good reasonably priced car. all the best.

 

dual mass flywheel

 

Talking of VAG diesels, I recently had an Audi A4 in for a misfire on number 1 cylinder. It already had a set of new injectors under warranty about 8 months ago at a cost of £1600 and now needed another set!!

Sometimes the TDCI engine loses the injector coding in the ECU which tells the ECU everything about that injector. If it loses the code it can cause random odd fueling faults as the ECU doesn't know what to do.

Early TDCI fuel systems used to break up and send swarf through the fuel system but Delphi seem to have that sorted now. Never hear of that happening anymore. Used to happen on Mercs too because they can be difficult to bleed up after a fuel filter change and mechanics were cranking them over and over and over to try and get them to start (Merc advised that anymore than 60 seconds of cranking, oil should be squirted down the fuel lines to prevent high pressure pump failure).

If you're worried, I'd take the injectors out and get them tested. Sometimes they can be repaired (i had a Sprinter which was smoking. Turned out to be a faulty injector. Got the injector repaired for £80).

 

Apparently the code is written on each injector so the dealer can just re-enter it. Should also be on the camcover on a sticker full of barcodes.
Buy this months Car Mechanic magazine from Smiths as there's an articles on Electronic diagnosis for your engine.

 

hmmm, that'd be my engine of choice if I could afford a decent car for it, but that doesn't sound good.

I guess the savings in fuel (and the joys of good torque) are offset against higher repair costs on older cars. with diesel costing so much now the difference must be pretty slim

 

Parents have had two of these (estate versions) and had no problems whatsoever. A work colleague has a Passat that drinks oil (VW can't explain why) and has been nothing but trouble. Half the electrics don't work most of the time.

sometimes you get a lemon. Nothing else to it. Surprised you knock the interior too. Remember this is the Mondeo Clarkson said was far better than the BMW 3 series of the day....

5t.

 

I agree about the interior, its not a bad place to be at all. But then I do have the Ghia X version with all the trimmings

 

Quite right. Every injector has a unique 16 digit code on it. Read it off the injector and reprogram it and the job is sorted.