Ford C Max Engines

[cumbriasteve]

A family member is fancying a C Max, either new or ex demo.

They have asked my advice on which is the best engine/model to get, the trouble is I am years out of anything to do with the motor trade.

Their use would be local driving with the occasional run out.

To me that suggests petrol but a 1 litre engine for a car that may have four adults at times in hilly Cumbria seems just not right to my old school line of thought...or am I wrong, I know the son in laws only getting 27mpg from a 1 litre Focus local runs.

Then we have diesels and DPF filters, my own Hyundai which is used locally has never had a problem with the filter fouling up but I know some other makes probably would have.

Are the diesel models quiet and refined?

So any owners, Ford mechanics or similar..your help is required please.

Off to do a dads taxi run now so thank you for any replies that may await tomorrow mornings read.

 

[Jlg]

What ever you do make sure you check the egzauhst and heat shealds around it for rot my nana has had two of them cars now and they have both had rot in them bits the most recent car only being 4 years old and the heat Shield had rotted around the mounting holes and fell off last week

 

[frank horton]

think I'd wait a bit over Diesel, the morons in Westminster are still thinking......but spose there's millions of em out there.........u just might get taxed outta exsistance........
there must be something Japanese / Korean that'd suit.........dont buy French, ever (mechanicaly good but "OH" the electric's) and some of the later VW's have a few prob's .....MOSTLEY with the electricals electronics..........

I'm a pre 2000 kinda guy......my reg little van is a 1.6 Reno Extra D, 70 to the gallon and no rot........scruffy as hell but who cares........
main vehicle 98-99 VW T4, 1.9TD..........thats got 360,000 on the clock...........
just sayin........

 

[Ashley Burton]

I would definitely recommend a petrol vehicle if they aren't racking up regular distance mileage. Heard a few issues with the 1.0 ecoboost engines. But there is probably more success stories than failures you don’t hear about! Would avoid the 1.6 diesel engine, But the mother in law has a 1.25 fiesta, 2012 model & she's been really happy with it. I wouldn’t be suprised if its a similar engine to the earlier 1.25 engine ford were using in the fiesta!

 

[dobbslc]

I've got a Ford Courier company van, had it from new. It's based on a Fiesta floorpan with the 1.6 diesel Peugeot engine. The engine itself seems pretty bulletproof, the 1.4 diesel in the old vans also seemed tough.
The engine is ok but gutless
(95 bhp spec) the cars are 115bhp I think. I had a drive of a Grand CMax 1.6 petrol car once and it was REALLY gutless, I thought something was wrong with it but the salesman said it was normal!
Quite a bit of droning noise from it at idle and it vibrates too. It does an average of 47 mpg tested over months without a reset of the trip meter so its a real figure, and it's very heavily loaded and driven hard most of the time, not bad I suppose!
No trouble with the DPF/EGR/ emission controls yet at 50K...... (I had a Vauxhall Zafira so I know how bad these can be.....)
Gearboxes seem to be made of chocolate! The last two Fiesta vans I had both gearboxes failed in a crunchy way and I've just noticed this one is not going into 2nd or 3rd sometimes without a crunch!
DON'T touch the "Power shift semi auto gearbox! They seem to have had major trouble with them over their lifeime! Mates 5000 mile old CMax had one go and it cost 2.5K to fix after two attemps as far as I can remember.
Not a bad drive with a fairly comfortble seating position after the Fiesta vans which were very uncomfortable for me at 5'10" (used to be 6")
Check the gearbox and interior trim for wear and tear, the dash on my van rattles badly!
Overall not a bad motor to be honest.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Thanks folks for the input so far, I have tried to guide them towards Hyundai without success, I have had my IX35 for 6years and it's only cost me £22 for rear brake pads....which when I got them out it did not need, MOT tester trying it on.

The comment re the heat shield dropping off after only 4 years is interesting, I have seen under some not very old Fords and visually they looked as you would expect a car of a greater age to look, a bit rough with tiens corroding around the edges.

The 'country hates diesels' issue is also concerning but it's anyones guess with that one I suppose.

I am taking her to the Nissan dealer today, have a go in a Qashqui.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I had a drive of a Grand CMax 1.6 petrol car once and it was REALLY gutless, I thought something was wrong with it but the salesman said it was normal!

Ah...that reminds me of a Focus hire car I once had, it was probably the same engine and after the first couple of miles we actually parked on a very slight incline to see if it rolled freely, I was conviced the brakes were binding .

 

[angellonewolf]

i got an older cmax paid 1100 has done me ok for near 30000 miles problems in that time

water in the boot got most of that and 2 tyres and a set of brake pads and disks

i know 2 close mates both got cmax desiel had them for 7 years each one doe over 130000 miles
pny problems thay had was replace altanator in the older one

 

[mechman]

Thanks folks for the input so far, I have tried to guide them towards Hyundai without success, I have had my IX35 for 6years and it's only cost me £22 for rear brake pads....which when I got them out it did not need, MOT tester trying it on.

The comment re the heat shield dropping off after only 4 years is interesting, I have seen under some not very old Fords and visually they looked as you would expect a car of a greater age to look, a bit rough with tiens corroding around the edges.

The 'country hates diesels' issue is also concerning but it's anyones guess with that one I suppose.

I am taking her to the Nissan dealer today, have a go in a Qashqui.

Heard a few iffy moans about the old squashed pie and the Nissan Joke.

 

[dobbslc]

I am taking her to the Nissan dealer today, have a go in a Qashqui

Renault engines....

 

[cumbriasteve]

i got an older cmax paid 1100 has done me ok for near 30000 miles problems in that time

water in the boot got most of that and 2 tyres and a set of brake pads and disks

i know 2 close mates both got cmax desiel had them for 7 years each one doe over 130000 miles
pny problems thay had was replace altanator in the older one

You see this is the problem and what makes accuracy to judge difficult

I had a couple of Mondeos and they were great cars, went to view another that I knew the full history of and it was rough with faults it should not have had.

It's as though they have two factories and if your car comes from the bad one you have diesel pump and gearbox issues early in the cars life.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Heard a few iffy moans about the old squashed pie and the Nissan Joke.

Yeah apparently the early ones had suspension issues, not kept up to speed on them though so going blind at the moment.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I am taking her to the Nissan dealer today, have a go in a Qashqui

Renault engines....

Really? is that good or bad, my line of thought is bad but loads of those engines doing high milage I suppose.

I hate modern cars and being asked to advise someone just because they remember me working on cars years ago means they are expecting me to know stuff I don't

 

[8ob]

think I'd wait a bit over Diesel, the morons in Westminster are still thinking......but spose there's millions of em out there.........u just might get taxed outta exsistance........
.

Have to agree, I think the writing is on the wall for diesel cars and petro/hybrid is going to be the only way forward . The Germans are banning all the older diesel cars from the cities and that will be a moving target, whats considered a clean running engine today may well be condemned within a year or two. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43211946.
We have the same coming into force in London soon with the ULEZ , can see this being rolled out across the country https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone

Bob

 

[mechman]

I've got a diesel now but I'm seriously thinking about making it my last car (I'm at an age and position where I can) I'm sick of being a pin ball for government issues.

 

[Ashley Burton]

Another thing I should have mentioned also is avoid one with an electronic handbrake! Over 1K for a replacement unit from Ford

 

[voipio]

1.0 Ecoboost Fiesta will get up those Cumbrian fells, no problem. It's a very gutsy engine, more like a diesel in some ways. Lots of torque at low revs. Zero road tax.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Another thing I should have mentioned also is avoid one with an electronic handbrake! Over 1K for a replacement unit from Ford

I hate the electric handbrake, why change something that was simple to operate with the minimum hassle to repair when required.

Same as those useless tyre repair kits, when I was on the moors and managed to rip the side of a tyre to shreds and with no phone signal, I am sure one of those kits would have been better than the spare wheel I had...NOT!

 

[cumbriasteve]

1.0 Ecoboost Fiesta will get up those Cumbrian fells, no problem. It's a very gutsy engine, more like a diesel in some ways. Lots of torque at low revs. Zero road tax.

A Fiesta might but will a Cmax with four people in it? ..... probably, but I doubt it will help the MPG having to work the engine so hard, suspect that's why son in law struggles to beat 27mpg in his Focus.

 

[500e]

Get 47 mpg out of my 1900 jtd 07 plate 140k Doblo van, loaded or empty last one about the same the also had same problems, door locks, tire wear, weak rear springs, lower pans, wiper mechanism, ride not the best, does what I want generally, 2 side doors, big load space, it has not had a soft life been ranted hard,
Looked at new one did not like the new improved!! rear suspension to meany arms & bushes for my peace of mind, reports that ride is not that much better as well with people saying they are having spring & top mount problems coupled with shocker troubles at rear.
As i don't need to carry the tools or bits any longer am at a loss as to what to change to.
Same as @cumbriasteve been out of that business for a fair time & lost track, talking to friends the consensus seems to be buy dem vehicle with warranty only keep it till warranty stops.
Have a friend with 2 Dacia as taxis done over 25k in under 12 months without a problem but Renault based I understand but they are keenly priced