DPF and Powershift - Mondeo deal breakers?

[Mighty_Liam]

Hi guys,

The family is getting bigger so I'm looking to upgrade into a midsize wagon, with the Mondeo being my first pick. We had the opportunity to live in Europe for almost 5 years recently, so I can appreciate European build quality but also the quality of their diesel technology. So I am really keen to get into a tdci, also had a drive of the 2.3lt petrol and found it a little underwhelming, so we are talking MB or MC Zetec tdci wagon. However, the thing is that we live in the suburbs where 90% of our driving with be short trips at around 15min length or under.

I've been reading around the forums and figured out the sticking points, and my decision on a Mondeo really hinges on 2 questions:

1) How serious is the DPF issue with "city" driving? Outer suburbs is probably more consistent with combined mileage than pure city, but is a 25min drive at 80km once a week enough to keep the DPF operating normally? Should I really look to a petrol?

2) I'm aware the wet Powershift in the Mondeo has less issues, but i see many ppl taking out the extended factory warranty to cover themselves or sticking to an MA/MB. We are planning to keep the car beyond any extended warranty period, is the Powershift that big a risk? Do I choose a late plated MB?

Hoping that you experiened Mondeo owners and drivers out there can help get me to the right decision, any tips or opinions welcome! Thanks in advance.

Cheers.