Back in December 2011, I bought a Mondeo MK3 with a damaged engine(broken exhaust valve). I then bought a donor car which I used to practically rebuild my 1.8LX into a nice shinny 2.0 Ghia. I swapped engine, wheels, interior, dash, grill, chrome trims, even the 6CD radio.
I created a thread on this forum to basically catalogue my quest. It can be found here:-https://talkford.com/community/topic/191992-mondeo-mk3-18lx/
I had no idea back then that I'd still have this car almost 10 years later. It has never once let me down, never once not started at the first turn of the key other than when warm after a visit to a shop etc, you know the usual, fuel evaporation so starts on the second try.
I also can't believe that in all that time, I have only clocked up 25K....I feel I really must get out more
In all that time the biggest problem I have had is springs, I've had to change individual springs five times, I think the near side front twice and all other legs once. I've had to replace the windscreen, brake pads, brake pipes and both rear bearings....oh and the rear subframe bushes. Other than that, just oil and filter changes every couple of years. Oh I almost forgot, I had to rebuild the drivers window actuator twice.
One thing I probably haven't done enough of, is give it the care and attention I should have and it has now become quite tatty looking. Not enough washes, no cleaning of MAF's EGR's or any breathers and the engine light came on just before xmas. I reset to check continuity and it stayed off for 2 or 3 weeks but came on again after xmas, probably due to not being run. I reset it again but it came back on the same day.
The car has become a bit of a bone shaker over the past couple of years and with a load of work to do for the MOT at the end of March, I finally decided it's time to move on. I did think long and hard about giving the engine a good overall and then rebuilding the suspension etc but in the end, I decided it's time to move to a Mk4. I've had a MK1, MK2, MK3 and was looking at jumping to a MK5 but I found a really good MK4 1.6 TDCI, lovely and clean with a genuine 109K on a 61 plate.
So I just decided to post this thread to say goodbye to my beautiful Mk3 as I move to the MK4 section of the forum. I started cleaning windows for a living back in Feb 2013 and my Mondeo has been my office ever since. I should have kept my office cleaner and have perhaps used my MK3 as a bit of a workhorse but, we had so much fun along the way.
Inccidently, I'll be sadly looking to retire her to the metal man in a few days time(the coming weekend) so if anyone is looking for a decent 2.0L engine with a genuine 113K, please let me know ASAP. The car itself has probably clocked up anything over 170K as the original clock had clearly been wound back or swapped out(it was at 123K on last mot before I had it but clocks showed 75K), but the engine and every other part I took from the donor were at a genuine 88K back in 2011, I know this from the mot checks at the time, I used the clocks from the donor because I wanted the trip computer and as I say, those parts are now at 113K.
I always grow attached to my cars, I always feel a sense of betrayal on my half when I change cars and saying goodbye to my Mk3 is gonna be the hardest yet.
I created a thread on this forum to basically catalogue my quest. It can be found here:-https://talkford.com/community/topic/191992-mondeo-mk3-18lx/
I had no idea back then that I'd still have this car almost 10 years later. It has never once let me down, never once not started at the first turn of the key other than when warm after a visit to a shop etc, you know the usual, fuel evaporation so starts on the second try.
I also can't believe that in all that time, I have only clocked up 25K....I feel I really must get out more
In all that time the biggest problem I have had is springs, I've had to change individual springs five times, I think the near side front twice and all other legs once. I've had to replace the windscreen, brake pads, brake pipes and both rear bearings....oh and the rear subframe bushes. Other than that, just oil and filter changes every couple of years. Oh I almost forgot, I had to rebuild the drivers window actuator twice.
One thing I probably haven't done enough of, is give it the care and attention I should have and it has now become quite tatty looking. Not enough washes, no cleaning of MAF's EGR's or any breathers and the engine light came on just before xmas. I reset to check continuity and it stayed off for 2 or 3 weeks but came on again after xmas, probably due to not being run. I reset it again but it came back on the same day.
The car has become a bit of a bone shaker over the past couple of years and with a load of work to do for the MOT at the end of March, I finally decided it's time to move on. I did think long and hard about giving the engine a good overall and then rebuilding the suspension etc but in the end, I decided it's time to move to a Mk4. I've had a MK1, MK2, MK3 and was looking at jumping to a MK5 but I found a really good MK4 1.6 TDCI, lovely and clean with a genuine 109K on a 61 plate.
So I just decided to post this thread to say goodbye to my beautiful Mk3 as I move to the MK4 section of the forum. I started cleaning windows for a living back in Feb 2013 and my Mondeo has been my office ever since. I should have kept my office cleaner and have perhaps used my MK3 as a bit of a workhorse but, we had so much fun along the way.
Inccidently, I'll be sadly looking to retire her to the metal man in a few days time(the coming weekend) so if anyone is looking for a decent 2.0L engine with a genuine 113K, please let me know ASAP. The car itself has probably clocked up anything over 170K as the original clock had clearly been wound back or swapped out(it was at 123K on last mot before I had it but clocks showed 75K), but the engine and every other part I took from the donor were at a genuine 88K back in 2011, I know this from the mot checks at the time, I used the clocks from the donor because I wanted the trip computer and as I say, those parts are now at 113K.
I always grow attached to my cars, I always feel a sense of betrayal on my half when I change cars and saying goodbye to my Mk3 is gonna be the hardest yet.