Test Drive Ford Mondeo Hatchback 1996 - 2000 Hatchback

There is an opinion ...

We are always happy to guests, especially what they appear not with empty hands. The other day, a young man named Mykola went to the editorial office - to share the experience of operating two completely different cars, Toyota Land Cruiser 100 and Ford Mondeo. Both cars fell into his hands, as they say, from scratch. The first time spent about 10 thousand km, the second - 90 thousand km.
 

Being an experienced mechanic, Nikolai has a serious rally experience - all this allows you to consider his opinion rather reputable. Note, it was only about the lack of cars - apparently, our guest considered less interesting. For some reason, Nikolai asked not to publish his surname. We will not - not in the name of the case. Here is the essence of the story.
 

Toyota Land Cruiser.

 
SUV Toyota Land Cruiser 100 from 4.7 liters was purchased last year. Patency - somewhere at the level of the UAZ, even better, which allows, for example, to park in places inaccessible to other machines. But it is not necessary to overestimate the possibilities of the car - moving somehow through the not very large Zealed snowy bunch, Nikolai heard an unpleasant grinding under the bottom - which the meanings did not give, deciding that this is the sound of crumbling ice. And only then, having stopped to the pit, found that it was all healthy scratched from the bottom - the truth was without breakdowns.
 

The inclusion of inter-axis and rear differential locks causes terrible sounds in the transmission - as if some gear is cleared. Maybe nothing terrible, but extremely unpleasant.

 
Riding around the city is very cold and frankly dangerous even for the prepared driver. The number of steering wheel turns from the stop to the stop significantly exceeds the desired one. This deprives the management of acute and increases the likelihood of an accident - the driver does not have time to venture, and even the usual skid can have deposits. Special training on ice outside the city did not give the results, moreover, and the pleasure of such a ride former athlete did not deliver at all.
 

Factory tires do not keep the SUV during braking, break off into its large mass. Installation of other rubber, with a smaller pattern and spikes, somewhat improved braking abilities. At the same time, the likelihood of driving has decreased and the way out of it has been facilitated.

 
The gasoline consumption was (depending on the driving style) 20-22 l / 100 km against the promised dealer 16-17.
 

Metallic steps in winter are simply dangerous - slides leg. As a result, two passenger women were seriously injured. The problem was solved by the sticker of the waterproof skunding E 16, and the appearance of the car did not deteriorate from this - on our roads the steps are rarely clean ...
 

Large gaps between wheels and wings turn Land Cruiser into dirty. It seems that the dirt machine collects specially. Especially getting the back door. It is double, with a connector on the belt. When loading it is enough to raise the upper sash, the bottom can be or omitted, or leave as it is. In this case, in the first case, the knees are dirty, and in the second - stomach. To avoid this, Nikolai attached from the inside a closet, which - throwing it out - you can cover the lower sash.
 

Seriously cutting out the cabin easy to smell with dirty shoes. It is not easy to clean the upholstery, the exit - you can put the bucket mats from domestic cars. In the cargo compartment fits well the protection of the VAZ-21099 trunk - almost like native. Light leather seats are also quickly dirty, but also is well mounted with ordinary soapy water.
 

The antenna does not have a remote drive and sticks out over the roof of centimeters on forty - there is a risk of tearing it to some random branch. If it is lowered to flush with the upper point of the car, it will be a good dimensional indicator that allows you to control the situation at the entrance, for example, in a low garage.
 

It seems that the buttons of the windows were placed on the basis of Japanese ideas about ergonomics - they turn out to be somewhere under the wrist of the European. You have to press them with your fingers right, and it is inconvenient. For 10 thousand kilometers of the most serious (and only) breakdown, the death of the headlight washer fuse has become a breakdown.
 

Ford Mondeo.

 
The second car is Ford Mondeo 1995 release with 1.6 liters engine. Acquired new in Belgium, not adapted for Russia. To date, 90 thousand km passed. Our guest called this car with a vacuum cleaner for the family budget and the confirmation simply listed the manufactured repair work.

 
30 thousand km - replacement of the front suspension levers due to dead silent blocks. On the service, for some reason they are changing only in the collection. By the way, the externally European and adapted levers for Russia are identical.
 

60 thousand km. Muffler rotted, the front brake discs were worn out, and replacing the levers.
 

80 thousand km. Replacing the clutch disk, basket and extrusion bearing (about $ 1000).

 

In addition: replacement of brake pads every 20 thousand km and then after 10 thousand km. After 50 thousand km each, it is 15-25 thousand rubles, which is approaching the price of a new eye.
 

Strong knocks in the front suspension did not disappear even after installing new racks, levers, tips and all sorts of rubber, which suggests some constructive flaws.
 
 
 
 

Source: Magazine Motor