Ford C-MAX - Long distance commuter

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Wed 13 May 2020 19:32
Ford C-MAX - Long distance commuter - Zippy123
There are a few of these available, low mileage, couple of years old and lowish cost -about £10 to £12k for a 1l 125hp petrol.

They tick some boxes: price, upright /higher driving position, space etc.

Any views from the forum appreciated and is the auto any goood?

Thanks
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Wed 13 May 2020 21:00
Ford C-MAX - Long distance commuter - badbusdriver
There are a few of these available, low mileage, couple of years old and lowish cost -about £10 to £12k for a 1l 125hp petrol. They tick some boxes: price, upright /higher driving position, space etc. Any views from the forum appreciated and is the auto any goood? Thanks

Firstly, the 1.0 Ecoboost Ford engine does have a reputation for failure. For this reason, while i'd be happy enough getting a new one and replacing it before the warranty was up, i certainly woudn't be buying one a couple of years old.

Secondly, as far as i can see, you don't get the C-Max with that engine and an auto transmission. No 1.0 auto's on Autotrader, and according to the specs on the model review on this website, the auto is available with the 1.5 turbo petrol, or the 1.5 turbo diesel, or a if a bit older, the 2.0 turbo diesel and the 1.6 n/a petrol. But regardless of what engine, the auto is not good either being Fords notorious Powershift dual clutch automated manual. Ford no longer use this gearbox because it caused so much problems, they have reverted back to a torque converter auto.

So while, as far as i can tell, your 1.0 125hp auto doesn't actually exist(!). If it did, it would be the worst combination, so avoid!.

Edited by badbusdriver on 13/05/2020 at 21:01

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Wed 13 May 2020 22:17
Ford C-MAX - Long distance commuter - SLO76
Probably the worst thing you could buy. Ford’s 1.0 Ecoboost has a reputation for failure and the Powershift automated manual gearbox is notoriously unreliable with class actions against Ford in several countries against them. If you want a C-max for distance work I’d go with the 1.6 Yamaha designed petrol or the 1.5 diesels but leave the auto well alone.
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Wed 13 May 2020 22:41
Ford C-MAX - Long distance commuter - Zippy123
Thanks for the info gents!

They seem to be a lot of car for the money and clearly there’s a reason for that.
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Sat 16 May 2020 11:59
Ford C-MAX - Long distance commuter - thunderbird

Bit late to the party I know but here is my opinion of the C-Max.

Back in 2008 we were looking to change the 1.8 petrol Mk Focus for a new motor. Went to see Mr Ford about a new Mk 2 Focus 1.8 petrol but he tried hard (very hard) to convince us that the C-Max was a better buy, cheaper and bigger. We tried 3 in all (he was that desperate), a 1.6 petrol, a 1.8 petrol and a 1.6 diesel. The 1.6 was terrible, the 1.6 diesel was better (but since we already had a 1.6 diesel in a Mk 2 Focus was not the car we went to buy) and a 1.8 petrol (the engine we wanted in the hatch) and it was the best.

But what did it do that a normal Focus didn't, for us nothing. Did not care for the higher seating position, did not like the very basic scratchy plastics, the shape looked like an inflated Fiesta and the noise form the wheels/suspension/engine was dreadful in all 3.

After looking at loads of other Focus like cars we bought a Focus 1.8 hatch (the one we wanted originally) form a dealer who listened to us and let us decide.

The press might have liked them but that was possibly simply because their opposition was even worse making the C-Max the best of a bad lot rather than a good car.

Edited by thunderbird on 16/05/2020 at 12:00

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Sat 16 May 2020 12:34
Ford C-MAX - Long distance commuter - primus 1

Is it a little unfair to label the eco boost engine as prone to failure?, yes they had issues early on, but this was with the de gas pipes corroding and eventually losing coolant, causing the engine to overheat and then fail, this has surely been sorted by now?, I even think ford contributed to having engines repaired/ replaced foc, admittedly after lot’s of customer/ media intervention, I think the failures were mostly in focuses,but fiestas were also affected,

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Sat 16 May 2020 14:46
Ford C-MAX - Long distance commuter - Bromptonaut

My understanding too is that the eco-boosts problems were down to a single weakness in the cooling system which is now solved. Bit like the so called diesel of doom in PSA etc vehicles. Problem was with 16valve versions and was engineered out before the bulk of applications were swapped to the 8 valve.

I tried a C-Max when replacing my written off Roomster last year. Nice car, plenty of power and the 3 cylinder didn't have that 'out of balance' noise that plagues some similar motors - for example in the Pug107/8. Loved the sliding doors and it had a nice stereo and quite a few other toys. Expensive though for what is essentially a re-skinned Fiesta

Eventually settled on a Skoda Fabia which was at least £3k cheaper.

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Sat 16 May 2020 17:43
Ford C-MAX - Long distance commuter - Zippy123
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I tried a C-Max when replacing my written off Roomster last year. Nice car, plenty of power and the Expensive though for what is essentially a re-skinned Fiesta

I think the B-Max is based on the Fiesta and the C-Max is based on the Focus.

Edited by Zippy123 on 16/05/2020 at 17:44

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Sat 16 May 2020 18:02
Ford C-MAX - Long distance commuter - badbusdriver

Bit late to the party I know but here is my opinion of the C-Max.

This review concerns the first generation C-Max, not the car the OP is (or was) considering.

Is it a little unfair to label the eco boost engine as prone to failure?, yes they had issues early on, but this was with the de gas pipes corroding and eventually losing coolant, causing the engine to overheat and then fail, this has surely been sorted by now?

When i looked into the ecoboost problems, what i found being cited was that it didn't have the neccessary coolant capacity. Ford were so preoccupied with making the engine as small and light as possible, they missed this rather important factor. Given this problem has shown itself in our UK climate, makes you wonder how it manages in warmer climes!. The pipes you mention may well have been another contributing factor, but as to whether or not there are no longer any issues?. As i have said, i'd be quite happy to get an Ecoboost equipped Ford new (with the intention of replacing it before the warranty was up), but i don't think i'd chance it with my own money.

I tried a C-Max when replacing my written off Roomster last year. Nice car, plenty of power and the 3 cylinder didn't have that 'out of balance' noise that plagues some similar motors - for example in the Pug107/8. Loved the sliding doors and it had a nice stereo and quite a few other toys. Expensive though for what is essentially a re-skinned Fiesta

I think it might be the B-Max you are thinking of Bromptonaut, it has sliding doors and is based on the Fiesta floorpan. The C-Max is based on the Focus, and while the 7 seat Grand C-Max is equipped with sliding doors, the regular 5 seat version makes do with conventional doors.

Edited by badbusdriver on 16/05/2020 at 18:03

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