Octavia V New Mondeo

maidhc

Cyrus wrote:

why so?

Both cars have the same range of performance, both cars are reliable, both cars are well finished. Both cars handle quite well.

The Mondeo is bigger, cheaper, more modern, and looks nicer.

colm_mcm

THe only Octavias you'll see outside posh houses will have a sign on the roof

Henry Ford III

colm_mcm wrote:

THe only Octavias you'll see outside posh houses will have a sign on the roof

Correct and right!

rebel.ranter

maidhc wrote:

One must then define nicer.

Is a 316 "nicer" than a mondeo? A C180? Is a 530i nicer? If it is nicer is it a "nicer" alternative for someone doing 20k miles a year?

Well what I mean is that by going back a few years you get a wider range of cars within you budget that are a little bit more interesting than a rep mobeile. Maybe a BMW or a Merc would be on the list bu the OP may have a preference for something else.
If it was my choice I think i would be oting for an allowance if the option was available.

maidhc

rebel.ranter wrote:

Well what I mean is that by going back a few years you get a wider range of cars within you budget that are a little bit more interesting than a rep mobeile. Maybe a BMW or a Merc would be on the list bu the OP may have a preference for something else.
If it was my choice I think i would be oting for an allowance if the option was available.

I know! But people who buy "repmobiles" normally buy them to put up pretty serious mileage. A 25k mondeo will happy put up 30k a year for 4 years without costing much in maintenance. An old interesting car is unlikely to give the same service. Call me boring, but I really can't afford to be late for work/meetings/court because my car is so interesting it won't start.

Sonnenblumen

Anan1 wrote:

Times have changed, my friend.;) You'll see quite a few Octavias in the more salubrious driveways of coastal south Dublin, but very few Mondeos.

Sounds like shiny suit talk, you should tell us where are the salubrious driveways of costal south Dublin.

Everytime I see Skoda I think Aldi, Lidl and yes realise it isn't even German but built by Czechs for German owners. Ah well Club members unite!!

Mondeo is far more interesting car, better styling, pedigree but if yellow pack commiecon merchandise is your style, well Nosterovia Komrad!!

tanka006

Hi Guys,

Anyone know when the new Mondeo will actually be availiable in the dealers?

tanka006

Double post - deleted..... sorry

Henry Ford III

Soon enough. Ask a dealer.

4istic

Forget your Mondeo's or Skoda's, the best car on the market in this segment is the Avensis 2.0 D-4D. The new Mondeo is not being received that well in the press - see Irish Times todays. Apparently Ford realise now they got the design wrong!!!:D

Mailman

4istic wrote:

Forget your Mondeo's or Skoda's, the best car on the market in this segment is the Avensis 2.0 D-4D. The new Mondeo is not being received that well in the press - see Irish Times todays. Apparently Ford realise now they got the design wrong!!!:D

Every review I've read has raved about the Mondeo. The Avensis isn't class leading anymore.

Henry Ford III

4istic wrote:

Forget your Mondeo's or Skoda's, the best car on the market in this segment is the Avensis 2.0 D-4D. The new Mondeo is not being received that well in the press - see Irish Times todays. Apparently Ford realise now they got the design wrong!!!:D

Not even the most blindly optimistic Toyota nutter would claim that

Please post a link to The Irish Times article.

Henry Ford III

I'll save you the bother...

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/motors/2007/0530/1180134127018.html

maidhc

4istic wrote:

Apparently Ford realise now they got the design wrong!!!:D

The:

Passat
Avensis
Accord
A4
3 Series
C5
Laguna
407
and even 157 are hardly oil paintings. Indeed if they were the average punter would be as scared by them as he was by the original Sierra.

wingnut

4istic wrote:

The new Mondeo is not being received that well in the press - see Irish Times today's.

I don't see how you got that from the article. "...find it difficult not to be impressed by its quality, space, high specification, dynamics and comfort."

The criticism centered solely on not being 'noticed' in the car. I would question the intelligence of someone who bases the decision to buy a car on the 'getting noticed' factor. IMO it is a rubbish review and not very insightful anyway. Are they any decent Irish motor journalists, I think not!

bazz26

tanka006 wrote:

Hi Guys,

Anyone know when the new Mondeo will actually be availiable in the dealers?

It's offically being launched on June 8th afaik.

Sandwich

wingnut wrote:

I don't see how you got that from the article. "...find it difficult not to be impressed by its quality, space, high specification, dynamics and comfort."

The criticism centered solely on not being 'noticed' in the car. I would question the intelligence of someone who bases the decision to buy a car on the 'getting noticed' factor. IMO it is a rubbish review and not very insightful anyway. Are they any decent Irish motor journalists, I think not!

I think the thrust of the 'be noticed' theme of the article was, would Ford manage to make the car stand out somehow in a crowded segment.

Without expressing a preference for any of them or debating the validity of the claims to fame, the following cars in the class each got a piece of the action by some particular (perceived if not actual) characteristics

Avensis - reliability
Passat - upmarket image (in realtion to its competitors)
- the powerful/economic PD engines
- reliability
Alfa 156 - good looks
- sporty handling
Honda Accord - luxury image
- powerful engines
Saab 9-3 - exclusive/discerning quality

The last Mondeo might have had a minor eputation for relatively good handling, but little else - just mediocre OK-ness, MondeoMan, repmobile etc.

So I think the article was probing a valid question - how does Ford get the attention of the customer to try and convince him of the merits of the new one.

gyppo

Sandwich wrote:

The last Mondeo might have had a minor eputation for relatively good handling, but little else - just mediocre OK-ness, MondeoMan, repmobile etc.

I think you've been watching too much Top Gear

Sandwich

gyppo wrote:

I think you've been watching too much Top Gear

You missed my point - these are popularly perceived characteristics - not necessarily views that I hold myself.

(BTW - never see Top Gear - dont get BBC).

colm_mcm

try telling me they're not similar!

these pictures haven't been streched to fit each other.

Sandwich

colm_mcm wrote:

try telling me they're not similar!
these pictures haven't been streched to fit each other.

Similar alright.

So how come the Volve looks better?

colm_mcm

Because it's more expensive and that's a Focus saloon you're comparing it with!

copacetic

4istic wrote:

Forget your Mondeo's or Skoda's, the best car on the market in this segment is the Avensis 2.0 D-4D. The new Mondeo is not being received that well in the press - see Irish Times todays. Apparently Ford realise now they got the design wrong!!!:D

are you kidding? have you got a different article from the link?
going by the actual link that was posted they thought it was fantastic but didn't get noticed like a sportscar?

gyppo

Sandwich wrote:

You missed my point - these are popularly perceived characteristics - not necessarily views that I hold myself.

(BTW - never see Top Gear - dont get BBC).

Popularly perceived characteristics alright - soundbites that JC and his buddies at the BBC have been droning on about for years..

Henry Ford III

Sandwich wrote:

......

The last Mondeo might have had a minor eputation for relatively good handling, but little else - just mediocre OK-ness, MondeoMan, repmobile etc....

Substitute "best in class" for ride/handling balance and you're there.

tred

4istic wrote:

Forget your Mondeo's or Skoda's, the best car on the market in this segment is the Avensis 2.0 D-4D. The new Mondeo is not being received that well in the press - see Irish Times todays. Apparently Ford realise now they got the design wrong!!!:D

Rubbish, send me the review. Everyone i have read so far has rated it as good a drive as a 5 series BMW. It looks fantastic and If i had chouce of Mondeo or Skoda, I wouldnt even let the skoda come into it. The only worry about new Mondeo is, as its the very first model, it could have teathing issues, but for the TDCI engine, its suporb. I have a 2.0 TDCI myself and its way superior to the VAG 1.9

4istic

What I am saying is that Ford designers have been conservative in the shape of the exterior and this Mondeo will be dated in 2 years time, as the Primeria was for Nissan 1 year after it was launched. Hate to say it folks but the Avensis is still the top selling car in this segment 4 years after it's launch. Yes I am an Avensis driver so maybe I am biased, but i know someone working for a Ford dealer and their opinion is one of "they could have been bolder with the design - it's not going to move the Avensis and Passat driver out of their respective models":)

Henry Ford III

4istic wrote:

What I am saying is that Ford designers have been conservative in the shape of the exterior and this Mondeo will be dated in 2 years time, as the Primeria was for Nissan 1 year after it was launched. Hate to say it folks but the Avensis is still the top selling car in this segment 4 years after it's launch. Yes I am an Avensis driver so maybe I am biased, but i know someone working for a Ford dealer and their opinion is one of "they could have been bolder with the design - it's not going to move the Avensis and Passat driver out of their respective models":)

With the very greatest of respect - that's a load of rubbish

If you are happy in your Avensis all the best to you. The outgoing Mondeo beat your car hands down dynamically.

The new one will be in an entirely different league.


p.s. The current Focus isn't that bold a design either. Doesn't stop it being the class leader, and the best drivers car too.

gyppo

4istic wrote:

What I am saying is that Ford designers have been conservative in the shape of the exterior and this Mondeo will be dated in 2 years time, as the Primeria was for Nissan 1 year after it was launched. Hate to say it folks but the Avensis is still the top selling car in this segment 4 years after it's launch. Yes I am an Avensis driver so maybe I am biased, but i know someone working for a Ford dealer and their opinion is one of "they could have been bolder with the design - it's not going to move the Avensis and Passat driver out of their respective models":)

You probably should have said that the best selling car on the market in this segment is the Avensis in your previous post.

You could hardly call the styling of the avensis, passat, or many others radical either. Seat tried a radical restyle with the current Toledo model, and its blown up in their faces. So, its no wonder car designers are conservative when it comes to mass produced items.

TomMc

Yes, but VW & Toyota owners tend to have no imagination so stay loyal to those marques regardless of what the opposition does. There is a case for Toyota owners who value reliability most of all, rather than the more involving drive of a Ford. VW owners have proved that a perceived image of been more upmarket is more important to them, than Ford's superior dynamics.

Ford's Mondeo is always going to be designed & packaged in a way which appeals to their main market, first & foremost - fleet sales. Where private motorists are concerned they are really competing with the Vectra, Laguna, 407, Mazda 6, Primera drivers et al, more so than the big two.