Found an ST24 i like and as soon as i get the laguna back i wanna pop down and have a lookski, but what are they like for running costs and servicing? as the laguna is pretty shit really £300+ for a cambelt etc just to get an Idea to be honest as i need to convince kaz

 

A Ford is gonna be cheaper than a fucking French car period

 

agreed

 

300 FOR CAM BELT WHAT LAGUNA YOU GOT.

ST 24 ARE EXPENSIVE CARS TO RUN BEWARE

 

Dave are they really? I got a 1.8RT Sport renault wanted over £400 SCC did it really cheap at just under 300, which was the best quote i got, why are st's expsensive?

 

Head gaskets are a fortune if they go and a mission to replace (engine and box etc out) expect over £1000 if they need doing.... Car has timing chains so no belt to worry about.... Auto boxes are a little week so avoid them..... I should imagine that the fuel costs are high being a 24v V6 2.5..... other than that they are a good car and a Ford

 

fuel costs arnt a concern as the one i am looking at is duel fuel

 

the dual fuel is good!

My cougar has the same engine, and has now done over 142k miles, so reliability can be very good.

Regarding head gaskets - make sure you change the waterpump (as they are prone to failing) pronto!

Overall the engine is very good - reliable, fairly nippy and sounds great.

 

is there a way to safe guard against hed gaskets going? anything that can be done?

 

I agree with steve . there is not much you can do to avoid head gasket failer.



Dave

 

Buy 1 thats had em done.....

 

ok, so i should budget for that then knowing me if i get one it will go within a week or 2

I think the laguna is the only car i have had not to suffer a broken cambelt and i still blew it up

 

as Said change the water pump for a metal impeller one, the standard ones are plastic and crack then just spin on the shaft resulting in the headgaskets failing, which is an awfull job to do,(partco sell the metal ones) I have a mk1 V6 which is mechanicly the same as an st24, they are quite quick mind you with loads of low down grunt.
also on the st24 or any mk2 V6 watch out for non working secondaries(they open over 3k rpm, this is electronicly controlled on mk2's and the box is between the 2 cylinder banks so gets hot and fails over time, about £150 to fix.
will never go back to a 4 cylinder mondy from now on, there that good!!
steve