After weeks of looking for an ST170, and looking at 4 in the last week alone, this morning was the final straw, I went to look at another apparent 'really good one' that I realised in 60 seconds of arriving was just another really ropey car, advertised for strong money, that needed a fortune spending to put rite, one I went to look at with Glenn last week was allegedly immaculate, after a 90 mile round trip, we soon established that it had had wings fitted that badly, the car was in one post code, the wings were in the neighbouring post codes, they were that badly fitted, I wouldn't mind, I wasn't looking for a dirt cheap car, I was willing to spend reasonably strong money for the rite car, so after the one I looked at this morning, I gave up.
Decided to start looking at what I know best, Mondeo's, I've had 6, know them inside out, back to front, and upside down. So lunch time, I'm looking on the usual places, auto trader, gumtree, and eBay. I go onto my saved searched on gumtree, and a car appeared as posted 'just now', 02 plate V6 Zetec-S, low miles for the year, and retardedly cheap, at first I thought the guy had misspelled the add and missed a 1 off the front it was that cheap. So I phoned the guy, and he said no, the price is correct, so immediately I assumed it's a shed, but thought I'll ask him the usual questions, after getting all the rite answers, I thought it's 20 miles away, I might Aswel go and look, because I can break it for a lot more than that.
So, off I go, half an hour later, I'm outside his house, at first from a distance, I thought hang on, that looks really clean. So out I get, and knock on his door, start looking round it, I was very pleasantly surprised, checked the usual early MK3 hot spots for rust, arches mint, sills mint, no dents, hardly any marks or stone chips, just the usual places every early MK3 go, inside the bottom of the doors, but even they weren't bad, just surface. So moved onto the engine and running gear, everything fine there, no nasty ticking head gaskets, really clean engine and bay, and the quietest 2.5V6 I've ever heard, I've had 4 of them previously, so I know my way around them. So took it for a drive, pulling to the left a bit, but the NSF tyre was clearly low on pressure. Got back from the test drive, in shock at how good it was for the money, infant, in shock at how good it was for a 13 year old Mondeo. So decided at the money, I was having it, I'd have been a massive dick head at the money to not take and break it if it was ropey.
So when I'm doing the deal with the fella, he gives me a load of receipts, in the last 6 months alone, new clutch fitted £400, rear drop links, wheel bearings, recent service, all sorts, I thought I knew it was a good car but Jesus, only has 3 months test, but hasn't been far since the last one, and the only advisory on that was a wheel bearing, which has been done, with the receipt.
So, I bought it, never seen paint, not even a car park ding, straight as a straight thing, and drives perfect, only done 98k miles, and even has genuine Volvo Pegasus 18" wheels off the S60R which the Volvo botters pay very strong money for, infact, I could probably sell the wheels for more than I paid for the car, because how much did I pay for it ?, 400 hundred English pounds
Just been round Glenn's to show him and give him a drive, and he confirmed its a very very good car. Might only be a Mondeo, but I've had 6 previously, and for my sins in a previous life, I seem to stick them.
Couple of pics, I'll take some better one's when I've cleaned it
Even did a history check, all good there Aswel
