Ford Mondeo`s

[Halohodge]

Still looking for a new tug and now looking at either a Ford Mondeo Tdci 2. 0 Titanium X (163) powershift hatchback,3 years old, or 2. 0 (140) Zetec Business Diesel hatchback manual 10 months old, I have towed with automatic and manual so that doesn't bother me, pulling a Swift Fairway 515 with a MTPLM of 1380kg. The towbar weights are for the Zetec 85 kg, the Titanium, not specified.

Anybody got any experience with pulling with either of these varients, I know Mondeo`s are popular as tugs but these are not associated with caravanning, more business/ reps work.

[hairdresser]

We have a Mondeo and pull a 23ft caravan, we go to Italy every year by different route's. up and down mountains, we use to have a Discovery 4/4, the other half (the driver that is) thinks that the Mondeo is a better to pull the van than the Discovery plus we use to only get 19 mpg towing now we get 34mpg and our car is 9 years old so a new Mondeo will probably do more to the gallon.

[Guest]

My Mondeo is now 5 yrs old towing my S2 Unicorn Valencia. I am happy with its performance. When it is time to change I will get another Mondeo.

Edited January 24, 2014 by Guest

[lesbunny]

Personally I would opt for the 140 diesel. I have the estate model & it's probably the best towcar I have had to date. Pulls my Unicorn Valencia with no problem at all.

[Alsie]

I had a 10 plate Mondeo Titanium Estate towing a Swift Charisma 550. The car towed the van perfectly and we were very happy with the cars performance.

 

Until one day we approached a steap hill on a narrow road. We had to slow down to let another vehicla pass who was coming in the opposite direction. When accellerating to go back up the hill the front wheels just kept spinning on the wet road surface and we started to slide backwards. We were fortunate to have a slip road just behind us so that we could reverse and go back down the hill to take another direction home.

 

I must admit that it scared both myself and my wife. Needless to say that we would not use another front wheel drive car to tow a caravan again. This is probably just an isolated case and people may never experience this happening to them but once bitten twice shy.

 

I still rate the Mondeo as a great car expecially the estate version and it was with great reluctance that we sold it. For peace of mind we now tow with a 4 x 4.

[simontodd]

we have a 2010 2. 0 diesel Zetec Auto, fab towcar, best we've had.

 

Ours has the standard torque converter box so loose a few mpg. I believe the powershift is very efficient but the were a couple of issues with the earlier boxes. Honest John is a good source for associated problems. I had planned to change to a Volvo V60 (based on a mondeo) next but have to admit that the Mondeo was half the price and almost as good. I would have no hesitation in recommending. Next time you visit a busy site, walk round and count the Mondeos it may be a car for everyman but it appears to be a VERY popular towcar.

Regards

Simon

[Bill Lord]

Take the zetec, they made significant changes to the engines about 18 months ago reducing the emmissions to 129 and apparently making a lot of difference to fuel consumption. As a towcar my 12 plate titanium 140 tows my 1450kg Hymer superbly. The only thing to be careful of is if you want to put it into a garage at night, if you do make sure the mirrors fold back easily, otherwise on standard door sizes there is a couple of cm either side of the mirrors. The slightly older zetecs mirrors did not fold back electrically. If I could have found a business edition at a price I could have managed last summer I would have taken that rather than the Titanium I bought.

[SamP]

Up until October I was towing with a 57 Zetec Estate 1. 8TDCI. Never had any major issues towing at 92% and was a very good solo drive. Fuel consumption 28mpg towing and would do 55mpg if taking it steady solo.

 

Downside for me was that even from an early age and low mileage I had lot's of silly little problems, not a problem whilst it was under warranty but it got to the point where I have spending £200 - £300 on silly repairs every few months. Silly things like power steering and turbo hoses splitting, exhaust had rusted through at 4 years old. Dreaded DMF issues and various other silly niggles.

 

What I would say though, since moving to a much heavier vehicle the towing has become a far more relaxed experience, it has really highlighted just how much the caravan pushed the Mondeo around as I now have none of that now.

 

Sam

[Hobbynut]

I currently tow with a 13 plate Mondeo Titanium X 163 estate 2. 0 litre TDCI. ...fitted with Sat Nav and reverse camera. .Brilliant car. ..previously owned a 59 Titanium 140 TDCI estate, This was also an excellent vehicle

 

In between owning these two vehicle I had a new 62 plate Antara which only lasted 10 months and was the main reason for going back to the Ford Mondeo

[Halohodge]

You have persuaded me, also the Practical Caravan on Utube said it was a brilliant tow car, tho` that was an estate rather a hatchback. , say no more.

[milkymarsh]

Avoid the powershift if you tow with a larger van. I had it in my previous smax and it wasn't reliable.

Stick with the manual or traditional torque converter box

[sirjohnfaulkner]

Might be worth searching some of the threads about s max and galaxy. Been a few in the past where PowerShift owners were not impressed. Don't know if the problems would be relevant to the Mondeo but worth some research to avoid potential disappointment.

[shipbroker]

Used to have a Mondeo Estate as a company user, great car.

 

 

geoff

[milkymarsh]

Might be worth searching some of the threads about s max and galaxy. Been a few in the past where PowerShift owners were not impressed. Don't know if the problems would be relevant to the Mondeo but worth some research to avoid potential disappointment.

Smack was based on the mondeo estate in the first place. A lot of owners with smax and galaxy's have had powershift issues. I didn't listen to them originally, and got an smax. Went within a year of getting it. ...Nuff said!

[Phil O]

Hi, we had 2010 Mondeo 2. 0 diesel Titanium 163, towed 2006 Bailey Indianna absolutely no problem, returned approx 28 to the gallon with the kitchen sink and approx 32 when I was in charge of loading. Would return to the Mondeo again but wife's company now use Vauxhall,

[David55]

We had a 56 plate Mondeo Zetec Estate 130 bhp 45mpg solo & 27mpg towing. Plenty of power and a great towcar at around 95% of kerbweight in the dry. Despite changing the front tyres to Uniroyal Rain Sports on the front it was pretty lethal and frightening in the wet with wheels spinning when attempting to pull away at low revs on a small incline or accelerating away from road junctions even being light footed. It finally had to make way for another 4 x 4 after getting stuck again on a rally field without the caravan on the back enough was enough. Prior to this I had towed with various 4 x 4's since 2002 and have to say I prefer the better stability of a 4 x 4 I know they cost more to run but if you tow a heavier van it makes sense.

 

Maybe the Mondeo is better on lighter vans I don't know we like our caravan and don't wish to change.

Edited January 25, 2014 by David55

[Honk]

I have a 12 plate Mondeo 1. 6 diesel econetic.

 

I was dubious about the power and torque but it pulls like a shire horse. The 6 speed box takes a bit of getting used to but it pulls my van without a worry. Solo it has the same feel you expect from ford.

 

H.