A Matter of Experience – Advice from a Professional for Amateurs (Mondeo 3)

Your Mondeo cannot do without a workshop completely – for example, due to regular maintenance. At least as long as the new or used car warranty is still valid. As a new car, the Mondeo has a general one-year warranty, excluding the current mileage. Ford sets a twelve-year warranty for body metal corrosion.

After the new car warranty expires, a written contract is sent for the second year – with a maximum mileage of 50,000 kilometers – for warranty service and assistance in the event of malfunctions of all major units. In the second year, the condition is that by the fourth year the mileage must be a maximum of 100,000 kilometers. For the first twelve "months of life", Mondeo Ford provides a European-level mobile warranty, which includes a "hotline" with the user, towing, parking and car rental services. After that, the mobile promise of the Ford base service point is valid. Thus, if the repair is delayed for a longer period than is determined for Ford dealers, then you are provided with a rental car, a demo model or transport services.

Don't forget to draw up a proper contract with the workshop

To prevent possible troubles associated with the workshop or simply there is no time for self-help, the necessary experience is missing or the handy tool is expensive, then do not rush to the workshop right away. In all cases, you yourself can greatly influence the mood with which you leave the workshop. Pay attention to the rules of the game and tips below, which you should try to use during your next visit to the workshop.

Where to go with a Mondeo – to a warranty or any workshop?

The question of which workshop to find for your Mondeo is always open. In addition to the warranty workshop, there are other workshops with good recommendations. Many repairs are carried out in them at the same competent level as in warranty workshops. Oil changes, new brake pads, brake discs, tires and shock absorbers are often even better in them. However, pay attention mainly to whether the workshop has a certificate of class and whether it belongs to a motoring corporation. However, during the warranty period, you will still have the opportunity to visit the relevant Ford warranty workshop. Most often, this is due to a technical inspection or repair of units. Simple polishing or metal defects can - despite the warranty - be fixed independently or in one of the nearest workshops. If new repair problems arise, it is naturally better to act in accordance with the manufacturer's warranty.

PRACTICAL ADVICE

Inspection and warranty During the inspection, the condition and functioning of the components that are particularly important for the reliable and safe operation of the vehicle are checked first and foremost. If necessary, worn parts are also replaced. Even after 20,000 kilometres under unfavourable driving conditions, wear on parts in the brake system, wheel suspension, tyres and steering gear can be clearly seen. Regular technical inspections therefore keep your Mondeo in good shape and, above all, are aimed at your own safety. Ford recommends that the Mondeo be inspected every 20,000 kilometres (15,000 km for diesel) and have the oil changed at the same time. A full vehicle inspection should be carried out after 60,000 kilometres (45,000 km for diesel). If you drive little, you should still plan to change the engine oil every year. If you have a new Mondeo or have just had an engine replacement, be sure to stick to the prescribed service intervals and avoid self-service. Because Ford will only honour valid warranty obligations if the service work is carried out in warranty workshops.

In writing - a repair contract

Make a list of symptoms and defects that were noticed. Go through this list point by point with the workshop technician or his representative. If something is still unclear, ask about it again. Show the detected defects directly on the car. Formulate the repair request precisely.
General expressions such as "carry out in accordance with TÜV" or "repair for the holiday" are practically programmed for subsequent disagreements. For example, when you need to make a payment for work that, in your opinion, was not necessary. Always make a repair request in writing. The types of work to be performed should be specified in the contract as precisely as possible. This way, you can always show the workshop proof of the services ordered.
To never get into trouble - agree on the prices for repair services in advance. Before submitting a repair request, you can pre-divide it by the costs of materials and wages. Set a maximum price limit for additional work that usually appears. If the scope of work cannot yet be precisely determined in advance, then indicate to the workshop your specific, minimum possible cost of repair work. Make a request for the expected diagnostic costs. If, for example, your car consumes too much fuel or starts moving poorly, if the engine "stutters" or strange noises are heard on the wheels, then diagnostics will most often be more expensive than the repair itself. Therefore, also limit the search for faults to a price limit. To get answers to your inquiries, give the workshop your phone number. Usually, a response should follow if the scope of repair work has become more extensive or will cost more than the previously agreed parameters. You can also adhere to additional written agreements in accordance with the contract with the workshop. If the volume of work is increased, ask the workshop to also send a preliminary cost estimate in writing. Reputable companies, as a rule, calculate preliminary costs in the event that subsequent repairs will not be carried out. Due to unpredictable work, the current calculation of the preliminary cost estimate can be exceeded by a maximum of 15-20%.

Almost 30% cheaper – special offers on parts and services

Once your Mondeo is exactly one year old, it makes sense to make a request for parts and service. Not only Ford warranty workshops often offer a service package that includes the purchase of genuine parts at bargain prices – you can save up to 30% on this. For example, ask your Ford dealer about the "clean inside, underneath, outside" promotion. If you are paying for the replacement of units, then purchasing a new part should not always be your first choice: inquire about the availability of prepared and tested replacement parts. This way you can save your "cash" – naturally, with their comparable quality. The corresponding replacement parts can be the engine, fuel injection system, gearbox, clutch, generator, starter and water pump. An oil change at a workshop or petrol station can sometimes cost a lot of money: their employees will gladly sacrifice more expensive "juice" for your car. Ask for inexpensive grades of oil of the same specification – as a rule, your Mondeo "runs" no worse with them.

Checking with a workshop technician – calculating repair costs

After the repair, review the estimate provided by the workshop together with the repairman or service consultant. Ask for an explanation of any abbreviations and special terms that you do not understand. The invoice should include separate items such as wages, materials and value added tax. Claims may be made for incorrect estimates within six weeks of receiving them.

Remind in time - unsatisfactory repair

Unsatisfactory repairs must be reported. Master-class workshops must be responsible for them for six months (warranty obligations). Naturally, authorized workshops are also responsible for subsequent defects caused by improper repairs. If you immediately identified the first defect upon acceptance of the car, the workshop, despite the full scope of repair work, may also include the costs of their elimination. In these cases, note in the invoice that your payment will follow only with a reservation and after a corresponding call. Inform the master of your complaints in a businesslike "tone". If disagreements cannot be resolved on the spot, then contact the judicial authorities of the motorists' corporation for free assistance. Your workshop is a member of this corporation. The addresses of such authorities will be given to you, for example, in the central consumer society, in our automobile club