Just had this service done: timing belt + water pump kit and coolant, fuel filter, engine oil + filter, and general checks.
I sent emails to four local shops asking for advice and a quote on the discussed items. Only saw one reply, fortunately they answered well so that was the shop I went to.
As far as the extra cleaning suggested by cobrin, the mechanic told me he cleaned the intake ducting, although the moulding is shaped so well that they don't tend to accumulate much rubbish there. The rest is not really warranted - cleaning the intercooler and hoses is "not necessary", and cleaning the intake manifold would be "very difficult". They said the EGR might warrant cleaning if the intake system is blocking up with soot, but they haven't had to do that on a Mondeo before. All up it seems that ensuring a whistle-clean intake system is a pursuit for the dedicated DIY hobbyist, otherwise as long as things are working it's best left alone.
On renewing the hose fittings, I guess something might have been lost in the retelling as they said "We don't usually recommend fitting silicon hoses in place of rubber ones as they suffer more from the oil that goes through the intake system".
Anyway, my existing ones are fine so they've left them be.
The was one issue uncovered in the service that I'll detail in another thread, but when I got back in the car it felt noticeably different, in a good way. The engine seemed smoother and quieter, a subtle but striking change from the agricultural clatter I didn't know I was used to. And where I've previously become accustomed to a certain level of doughy response, it now seems to just possibly pick up a bit more eagerly? Can't attribute these to placebo, as I wasn't expecting any change but was struck by these differences.
So I guess the work did it some good
