Mondingo petrol

[plod]

The plodmobile crapped out on me this morning

Ignition went doolally again, and had smoke coming out from the column cowling as sounded like the starter motor was stuck on

Played with the ignition, and sounded better, but sounded like starter was trying to kick in again.
Drove it to my mate's about two mile away, and last half a mile, stereo was dropping out, along with heater, and felt like going to cut out, although it didn't.

Stripped the ignition out AGAIN and the wires were red hot, and the plug on the back of the barrel was partially melted.

Went with my mate to one of his mates who is breaking a D9 and stripped out the ignition out of that but it is different.
On way back he offered to do me a deal on the 07 plate Mondingo he was driving which has 57k on it - he wants 4k
The plodmobile was his before me, and I bought it off him for £300 a month 6 years ago for a total of £1500
He's offering to deal me a similar deal, bought we haven't spoke about actual figures, but i'm thinking of going back down there and seeing if he will do me a similar deal.

Now wiring from stealer is couple hundred quid, a place on ebay Neat parts, who I have bought off before, is selling replacement wiring for £34.99

"IF" I repair the plodmobile, I will have to buy the part, and fit it, and what am i left with?
In january it is a 14year old car covered in hailstone damage - roof, bonnet, front wings boot AND it needs new strut top bearings, and I still have the backplate I had off Dai to fit which necessitates a hub changing, although I think it's going anyway, AND it has 186K on it. Also I think with the problems with the backplate, MAY have overheated the disc AGAIN as I can feel a warped disc underfoot, as the backplate doesn't hold the shoes in place anymore as the pins keeping dropping out.
I do believe what with the tax do at the end of the month, it needs a good £500 spending on it to get it straight.

So I am serious tempted to go back down to my mate ( was going to ring him a short while ago, but face to face seems so much better given circumstances ) and discuss what sort of arrangement we can come to.

I generally drive short distances - 2 mile to work and back, so a petrol is probably far more suited anyway.
I didn't fancy the idea of problems with the Ford diesel engine with DMF's and injectors and the like, so never considered a mondingo before, but being petrol, given the price of fuel, proabably isn't any dearer to run than a diesel anymore.

The car feels huge inside, and well equipped, and the reviews from Parkers and Honest John are very favourable, and the latter only criticisng the size causing problems with parking, and as the misses just said, you drive a 7.5t, so how hard can it be to park lol

As I am paying over the odds for Insurance due to modifications, i'm sure i'll save money on that, the tax is cheaper, and my mate bought it from Warrington, and said he was amazed on how good it was on fuel.

So two questions:
Do you think it would be the better decision NOT to fix the plodmobile, and get the Mondingo, and secondly, breaking the 406 would net me the best return, as with the dents and ignition problem as a going concern it's not worth a lot, but has plenty of nice stuff on it, so would anyone be interested in parts off it???

Stuff to include:
17" wheels - 2 new tyres in May this year, and two new tyres May last year ( I only average 6k p.a )
Black leather with NO RIPS AROUND SEAT SWITCH
Powerflow zorst with decat for the HDi engine
Black ash door and dash trim, and ashtray
Reconditioned rear calipers
I also have a brand new pair of front calipers for sale
Wiper arm with trip function - new a couple of years ago
Indicator stalk - new a couple of years ago
Radio control - new a couple of years ago
Custom painted dash
Custom painted door handles
Chrome dash rings
D9 air vents and handbrake button
D9 centre console
Leather coupe steering wheel
D8 HDi engine with new clutch fitted 7k ago to include ECU remapped to 140bhp
Strut brace
Rear Spoiler

Sure plenty of other bits, but gauging interest

[Busman]

I certainly think that if your driving includes a lot of short local type trips, then petrols are fine, possibley better. The gap between the pence per mile figure is now so fine that most people would be fine with a petrol. Although they are still fairly complicated elictricaly wise. But you probably have to ignore that, all cars are complicated.
When you have people like mjb telling us that his v6 coupe does 35 mpg pottering around, then it's so tempting. As a comparison, my HDI110 estate does about 45-50 pottering around. So, allowing for diesel being more expensive, the difference is small. By my maths, mjb costs 17 pence per mile and mine is 14 pence per mile in fuel alone. Not a huge difference.
The bigger issue for me would be if you trust this Mondeo to be a good car. If so, then go for it.

[plod]

I get 41mpg out of mine, so think the difference is even less.

He's a good mate, and don't think he'd let me buy it if it was a lemon
Said it has full service history as well.
I've got it till tuesday to run round in, if I buy the bit to repair my car

He said if I can put 2k down, he let me pay him the rest monthly, as he needs the money to buy a 500bhp Scooby that the owner has spent 30k on, which is up for 6k.
He said he's owed money left right and centre, and if people paid him up, or wasn't buying this scooby I could just pay him monthly like I did last time.
Only problem is, I ain't got 2k Shame really
Did consider applying for loan, but when I spoke to credit card the other week, they said I couldn't increase my limit as had bad credit - don't know why? well not without a credit check, well, maybe because i've only got the credit card, and no other finance, phone is a work thing, so not enough to work off i.e you need credit to get a good credit history after all! No credit, no credit history
Thought about asking the misses to apply, but she has a 3 week temporary contract where she has been for last two years , so without a proper contract, I think i'm stuffed

[Busman]

Ahh, the old lack of cash problem, don't we all no what that feels like?

[rwb]

Definitely sounds like it's number is up.

The mondy sounds like a big commitment, especially when you can pick up a very nice 406 for under £1k (probably) -- and even less for a sparker. Which is kind of where I am right now: I could borrow and get what I want (although I swore I'd never borrow again), get a nicer 406 for cash and a couple of very tight months, or polish up my turd...

[Busman]

Definitely sounds like it's number is up.

The mondy sounds like a big commitment, especially when you can pick up a very nice 406 for under £1k (probably) -- and even less for a sparker. Which is kind of where I am right now: I could borrow and get what I want (although I swore I'd never borrow again), get a nicer 406 for cash and a couple of very tight months, or polish up my turd...

A very good point that.

[plod]

Been round my parents, and they will sort me for the 2k deposit - didn't push up, just explained the predicament and they offered.

Need to speak to my mate and see if he can take £100 less a month, and put that towards paying my parents back, as they said interest free, and as long as it's back with 2 years, but I said I would break the 406 for as much as I can get and give them all the money.
I have 4 Revolution quad line stunt kites with very little use - 2 of them cost me £245 each, the other two £170 each, plus a bag that cost £100, plus spares, so owe me over a grand. I haven't used all 4 of them more than a dozen times. I'm thinking if I can get £500 for them I can pay them that straight back, and maybe i'll only owe them £700-£800 which means I can get away with paying them £100 a month back.

I will put up a proper for sale thread tomoz after speaking to my mate, and put one on the facebook page of the 406oc to gauge interest

[rwb]

Does this mean we need a Mondeo corner to add to Volvo corner?

[Busman]

Does this mean we need a Mondeo corner to add to Volvo corner?

Or perhaps rename the site ''The I once owned a 406 many years ago'' forum?

[steve_earwig]

Does this mean we need a Mondeo corner to add to Volvo corner?

Oh no no no no, then it'd be a short bit of crap driving and we'd be in BM bluddy W midden, followed closely by my disappearance

[plod]

Does this mean we need a Mondeo corner to add to Volvo corner?

Or perhaps rename the site ''The I once owned a 406 many years ago'' forum?

Well, maybe Ford should be allowed in the Volvo section after all

[Bailes1992]

You know it makes sense!
MK3 Mondeo is a cracking car! The petrols are relitivley simple although they also have DMF's and pretty good on fuel!

[plod]

Can't get over how big it is inside
Spacious isn't the word

No turning back now, mate has done the log book and sending off tomorrow

[plod]

So was scratching my bloody head trying to find the fuel flap release on the mondingo

Tried gently pushing on the front of the flap in case it just pivoted out

Had to google the bugger in the end
I know it's anti siphyon but can't say I like the fact that it's so easy to access

Other than that i'm well pleased

Although........all those years of hankering after a trip computer, i'm not sure I like it now, after all, ignorance is bliss

[Doggy]

Does this mean we need a Mondeo corner to add to Volvo corner?

Or perhaps rename the site ''The I once owned a 406 many years ago'' forum?

Well, maybe Ford should be allowed in the Volvo section after all

Clearly this needs to be a forum for 406's dammit!

(and maybe a section for different taxis from 'other ranks')?

Good luck with the Mondy, Dave - looks smart.