Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car

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Thu 6 Apr 2017 16:13
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - Misslgl88


Bought from an independent garage (2011 Ford C-Max) had it 5 weeks and the clutch went, not just a wear and tear clutch part the actual clutch plate was In bits, garage we bought off wouldn't fix it as had had car over 30 days ended up costing us £800 at local garage and now the steering has gone, it's electric steering so no easy pump to change or part going to cost £1800 for a new steering rack, surely that's something that shouldn't go like that!

I've had the flaming thing 6 months and has nothing but problems, it really stings as it's financed so currently paying for s car that's sat in the garage for long periods of time, I'm in district nursing so need my car, I'm on annual leave this week but god knows what I'll do next week or for weeks after as could take 5 weeks, no second car and no one to borrow off either wish there was some way I could just cut my losses, I can't afford to be paying money out hand over fist for the next 4 years if the first 6 months have been anything to go by

Edited by Misslgl88 on 06/04/2017 at 16:13

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Thu 6 Apr 2017 16:58
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - RichardW

Sorry to hear of your troubles....

The clutch is unfortunate, but unlikely to be covered under any warranty as always considered wear and tear sadly.

Rack is a different matter however - that should be covered under the 6 month implied warranty from the Sale fo Goods Act (assuming you bought it retail at a garage?). Getting them to cover it might be another matter... I haven't heard this being a common problem, so I'd have thought a 2nd hand rack could be sourced from a write off to repair more cheaply.

Is it a 1.6 diesel.....?

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Thu 6 Apr 2017 17:51
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - Misslgl88
It is indeed a 1.6 diesel which I hear are bad for problems anyway but I've had 3 fords second hand now with no issues so thought this would be fine.

I have looked around on internet but not much coming back for steering rack, mechanic at garage tried to source one but can only get from Ford, it's going to take so long due to the part needing to be sent to Ford then new part sent, put in and then sent to Ford to be programmed in or something. Mechanic suggested finding a spare and repair at a breakers yard but no luck so far and I've read conflicting advice about second hand parts not registering with the computer or something?

Anyway I'm just very angry at the minute the seller, who is a registered dealer but not a big chain, has been less than helpful when the clutch went I phoned up and the owner said I was out of the warranty but if I could get it up there, 100 miles away, they'd look at it. Wasn't sure how I'd get it there so said I'd phone back when I sorted someone to take it, phoned back a day later and kept getting assistants saying he's phone back, left several messages and phoned several times but got no where so had no choice but to take it to the garage it's in again with this time as needed the car fixed asap for work.

Just very frustrated
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Thu 6 Apr 2017 18:19
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - elekie&a/c doctor
Unusual for a steering rack to fail on these.last one i looked at with a suspected rack fault turned out to be a faulty battery.I would also get the charging system tested.
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Thu 6 Apr 2017 18:26
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - SLO76
It's always worth paying a bit extra for an approved used car from a main dealer rather than buying from dodgy Joe's backstreet yard. Cars end up with these guys largely because they were rejected by main dealers, they're either rough and need work or they're tatty with above average mileage or lack service history.

Sadly you've bought a pup I'm afraid. This model was designed when Ford was struggling with mounting losses during the global recession and was built with cost cutting as a priority. The 1.6 PSA diesel is prone to problems and the 1.0 Ecoboost is no saint either. The car itself is on the whole a retrograde step from the previous model.

You don't mention how many miles it's done but I'm guessing it's above average? Personally I'd get shot of it, it's very likely that it will be a never ending moneypit. Best route is to take out a cheap rate loan to pay off the finance then flog it or trade it in for a more robust petrol engined model, preferably something Japanese.

Edited by SLO76 on 06/04/2017 at 18:28

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Thu 6 Apr 2017 19:31
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - Misslgl88
It had 62,000 on the clock when I bought it. Battery has been tested and no problem with it. Thinking will have to try and get rid but credit rating not great so probably won't be able to get a loan
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Thu 6 Apr 2017 20:13
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - gordonbennet

SLO76, can you stop telling people to buy Japanese pretty please, we'll eventually be in the market for a replacement for wifeys 2002 Outback (hopefully several years yet), and hoping to get another trouble free Forester or Outback for near enough scrap money, but if you keep telling people the virtues of Japanese petrol cars i can see that elusive bargain disappearing down the road with yet another now wise ex european car driver beaming to themselves.

So you know what to do, tell everyone how expensive those impossible to get parts will be, and how those pesky Datsuns rust away before your very eyes, and how boring they are and how the Major down the road won't speak to them ever again, and get them back into prime German Diesels pronto, there's a good chap.

:-)))

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Thu 6 Apr 2017 20:34
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - SLO76
Sorry gordonbennet, you're totally right! What on Earth am I doing? Those of us in the know depend on cheap Jap stock for cheapo motoring joy.
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Thu 6 Apr 2017 20:45
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - gordonbennet
Sorry gordonbennet, you're totally right! What on Earth am I doing? Those of us in the know depend on cheap Jap stock for cheapo motoring joy.

Exactly...:-))

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Mon 10 Apr 2017 13:07
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - John F
Sorry gordonbennet, you're totally right! What on Earth am I doing? Those of us in the know depend on cheap Jap stock for cheapo motoring joy.

Absolutely. Our Xreg Focus 1.6 Zetec auto (Yamaha engine, Mazda gearbox) is worth next to nothing but performs flawlessly ;-)

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Mon 10 Apr 2017 13:54
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - SLO76
"Absolutely. Our Xreg Focus 1.6 Zetec auto (Yamaha engine, Mazda gearbox) is worth next to nothing but performs flawlessly ;-)"

One of the best cars ever made. The Mk I will be a classic one day.
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Thu 6 Apr 2017 20:29
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - SLO76
That's why the main dealer offloaded it, these engines are known to be trouble and dealers who value their reputation largely avoid any beyond 50,000 miles.

Your credit does complicate things a tad. Your rating is something you should protect with every breath in your body. A damaged rating will cost a hell of a lot of money over a lifetime and it's difficult to recover from. But things happen and life isn't always smooth, is it? If you have a mortgage you could ask your lender to extend your loan assuming you have enough equity. Only do so if you intend on overpaying by the same or higher amount that your finance deal was costing so that a short term loan doesn't become a longterm one with vastly more interest paid.

You could look at the likes of webuyanycar or other similar buying groups. Most local dealers would buy in stock like this assuming it's not needing paint and there's no warning lights displayed so shop around. They would then settle the finance assuming the car is worth more than the outstanding loan. Difficulty is that you'd need another car quickly.

Try speaking to your own bank about a loan. I'd normally tell you to just persevere with what you've got but this will likely be a constant drain on your finances. Though to agree with what was said above I've never encountered a faulty steering rack on one of these or any other modern electrically powered Ford set up for that matter so it's worth getting a second opinion on the rack.

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Thu 6 Apr 2017 20:44
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - gordonbennet

My post above was tongue in cheek, well almost )

OP if i was in your shoes i would do as suggested and shift this car on as soon as possible, but from that point i differ with my honourable fiends above.

I would seek out an unfashionable petrol car such as Toyota Corolla or similar with 12 months MOT for around £1000 tops, one with a decent ownership history, and would avoid like the plague any more loans, you might something half decent on your local facebook selling group or ask around your friends if they know of anyone wanting shot of an older well looked after car.

I'm none too sure what a credit rating is to be honest, whatever it is it wouldn't interest (no pun) me in the slightest, in my honest opinion the only thing one should ever pay interest on is on the roof over your head, which will, even allowing for the next bust (which will be blamed on Sir Nigel Farage i have no doubt), eventually be worth more than you paid for it.

No one needs a new or newish car, nor any other things they can't afford, and if someone needs finance on any item bar their house they really can't afford it.

Edited by gordonbennet on 06/04/2017 at 20:46

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Thu 6 Apr 2017 21:23
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - SLO76
Largely agree. The only car I've ever borrowed for (sort of) is the CRV on my drive currently and this was after finding a contract lease that worked out over 4yrs less than I estimated I'd lose in depreciation had I bought one even with a decent discount. Leasing firms get huge discounts and a bit of online shopping around can bag you a great deal. Ours was over £60 a month less than Honda wanted initially. Hierarchy also volunteered to stump up for half of it if I bypassed my aversion to spending more than £2k on a motor.

It's quite possible to run a car on next to nothing, in fact I've made it a bit of a hobby over the years to buy and run a motor over 6mths to a year then sell it on for a price which covers any maintenance costs. I've a long list of (mostly Japanese) motors I've run that have ultimately cost me pennies to run year to year and not one has let me down, even the £300 Mondeo I went round Europe in. Managed to get £300 back for it despite the Dukes of Hazard paint job.

However I would add that borrowing has never been cheaper if you have good creditworthiness and for those with little mechanical nous it makes sense to take out a low rate loan to buy something that'll rarely see them standing in a garage service department facing a carnivorous service manager waving a big unfathomable bill.
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Fri 7 Apr 2017 09:56
Ford C-Max - Issue after issue with car - pd

There appear to now be a few cheaper options on the racks.

Reconditioned (with warranty) for the 2010 on C-max racks seem to be available for about £250-£300 if you look around.

e.g.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-FOCUS-POWER-STEERING-ELECT...2

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-FOCUS-MK3-POWER-STEERING-R...~-

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