I’ve been frightened away fromfrench cars, any experiences of a cmax, does the middle seat come out?

The CMax has a middle seat that squashes so it is narrower to give passengers more room when the middle seat is not being occupied. I’ve had one ad a company car and squeezed 6 adults plus baggage for a trip from Heathrow to Derby, the 6th and 7th seats are big enough for an adult upto about 5’10” any taller and it’d be a real squeeze, and like my SMax, the seats are quite low so your knees are up. Ok for short to medium journeys for an adult, but fine for kids. Dash is a bit mad, but other than that it seems like a very competent car, drives well, good body control, sliding doors are brill. My SMax is knocking on the door of 50k miles and 4 yrs old and its not missed a beat, so the CMax should be just as bulletproof.

The old one you mean? Yeah all the rear seats come out individually. I used to have one, nice car but had a few problems with it, so we got rid.

I know the diesels are plagued, but any petrol experience……

2004 1.8 petrol c-max here.

Economy is low 30’s…….so not that great……..but ours are mostly round town jaunts.

Yes – all rear seats come out separately. Can get some smart fork mount bike racks (got 2) that clip in the seat spaces. If I take a couple of seats out can get 2 29ers in ok (dropper posts compressed and front wheels out) plus plenty of riding kit.

Pretty good as a family wagon. Comfy, and pretty spacious.

Had an alternator die – which was about £230 just for the alternator! (Fitted myself but a bit tricky – engine is squeezed in)
Main problem is the alarm – can’t disable it, and every now and again it goes mental and sets off randomly every day?! (Working on that at the moment………)

We had the 1.8 petrol too, 32-34 mpg. Air con compressor went and then a pipe split when we got it fixed. Also, wheels were made of some kind of soft cheese.

It was fun to drive though, and the kids loved it.

Citroen Xsara Picasso is cheaper/better (I.e more bang for your buck)

If you are scared of French cars boy Ford will readjust that perception

54 plate 1.6 petrol here, 49k on the clock. Had it for 5 years. New front disks and tyres in that time. Very reliable so far. Crap economy though ( low 30s)

I’d say the c-max is way above the xsara picasso! Much more refined and screwed together better!

I Had a Picasso as a stop-gap car (5 weeks) after selling my mk3 mondo estate ( and couldn’t wait to get shot of it!)

Turning circle of an oil tanker! Sloping roofline wasn’t as practical either.

And I’m not anti-Citroen – wife has a Berlingo multi space and that’s been great!

2.0l automatic petrol here, 36mpg around town, low 40s on extended motorway trips.

I’m happy enough with it, not problems with it – it’s an 08 plate and so far so good.

Maybe there’s another version that wobbliscots got, but I thought they were all 5 seaters? Mine’s an ’06 1.6 petrol.

Mines fine, reliable, comfy, quiet, handles well, engines pokey enough, no wobbly plastics inside yet, etc etc. Seats are good in the back as they’re tall so give masses of legroom even without removing the middle one and sliding them in/back. Boot’s big enough to stick an airbed in and go camping with a bike. Mpg is about 35 on b-roads/town, upto 42 on the motorway (later more powerful 115ps VCT ones are actually more economical) .

Downside, the rear seats don’t fold flat so you lose almost a foot of load space unless you take them out entirely. Stereo and speakers are crap, if you like music, budget for an upgrade or get the drill out and DIY it.

If you are scared of French cars boy Ford will readjust that perception

68,000 miles and the only fault so far was a split hose on the power steering (£130), goggling it’s pretty much the only common fault with them.

Missus’ fiesta had new lambda sensor in the exhaust at 78,000miles.

Parent’s focus went over 100k until it’s CV joints gave up (wouldn’t have been expensive, but they wanted something new).

Pretty good going really.

You got me thinking now, I’m sure it was a CMax, definitely a 7 seater Ford that was smaller than an SMax.

not a galaxy?!

I think the newest shap c-max comes in a “grand” c-max guise – maybe that’s got 7 seats?

I know the mk1 and facelift are def 5 seats.

Original C-Max was 5 seats, and as others have said, the seats don’t fold flat, but are easy (though heavy) to remove. We liked ours and the only issues we had were alternator and rear hatch switch.

New version has two models. Grand version has sliding doors and 7 seats.

I’ve got a Mk1.
Each rear seat moves individually. Can fold them forward, roll forward or be taken out completely. And the Zetec model and above, the middle seat slides backwards so the left and right can slide back in in for more legroom (at the expense of boot space). Novelty that isn’t worth it.

Left rolled forward, centre one folded.

Taking seats out is pretty easy, but they are heavy. Turns it into a van though.

I’ve got the 2.0TDCi. Whatever you do DO NOT BUY THE 1.6TDCI[/B]

I know the diesels are plagued, but any petrol experience….

IIRC! Early diesel models had some issues, but anything recent gets same engines as regular Focus, which are reliable, 2.0 is quite a nice unit IMO and quite common across various Ford/Pug/Citroen.

* shameless advert in middle of thread *

If anyone wants to buy mine, they’re welcome.

05, 2L diesel with about 79 on the clock. Owned from new, few marks here and there, but it’s been a workhorse, mainly ferrying bikes and dogs here and there. Cavernous interior, mechanically sounds, except a slightly bent front wheel (oops) and a misty front headlamp. Only selling as I really don’t need such a big car anymore, so looking for something a bit smaller and cheaper to run. More than happy to chat via email, and do pictures etc. I’ll even include the roof bars 😆

* / shameless advert in middle of thread *

I had a 60 plate 1.6 tdci Titatium as a company car. It was faultless over the 80,000 miles I did in it. Averaged mid early 50’s on mpg.
I’d get another tomorrow.

@trailofdestruction

How much? I got to know the alloy repair man quite well when I had my old c-max 😆

@prawny If we start at 3k, I’m sure we could reach a figure we would both be happy with. My email is in my profile, more than happy to talk to you about it further.

cheers.

I’ll have a word with the wife and get back to you.

no problem. I’l wash and hover it tonight and get some photos done.

2.0tdci 57 plate here. Only needed a new high pressure fuel pump c.£900 fitted. Does pull like a train though even with bikes on the roof and full of camping gear it pulls like they’re not there. 45 mpg and no DPF.

I’ve got the 2.0TDCi. Whatever you do DO NOT BUY THE 1.6TDCI

My 1.6 TDCI been absolutely fine and now has 93k on the clock. It’s the same engine as used in countless Minis, BMWs, Peugeots and Citroens.

I get 50 – 60mpg, pretty good going really. We found it very comfortable for a recent trip to the Alps.

our 2.0 tdi needed a new gearbox, 2 new disc calipers (seized on), clutch cylinder failed, notchy steering (never rectified) plus the usual routine stuff. The garage said it must have been a “Friday nighter”.
Having said that I like the drive and arrangement of the car so we swapped for a 1.6 zetec petrol plus an extended warranty, no problems so far.

We had a 54 plate 2.0 TD. Very good fuel economy and a pokey engine. Build quality was good and I loved the way the seats were easily removable. The problem was the electrics were bad. It started with the alternator going, then the fuse box corroded due to a leak (apparently common), that cost a lot of money and we often saw the eng management light appear and engine briefly cut out after that. We got rid and back to good old reliable Honda.. I should never have strayed 🙂

DO NOT BUY THE 1.6TDCI

On the whole, they’re ok if they have their regular service. But the turbo is a delicate thing and must be looked after. I know of one person who’s got through 3 turbos, luckily all replaced on warranty.
I wasn’t so lucky. Missed a service by a few thousand miles so lost the warranty. Turbo blew up. Had to pay £800 for a new one. 🙁
Add insult to injury, the engine tried to seize up a year or 2 later, apprently from swarf from the exploded turbo.

Ford dealer tried to charge me £5k for a new engine!
I dug into the notes and discovered they hadn’t flushed enough oil through when they replaced the turbo so threatened to take them to court.
They gave me a new car (with a 2.0 engine) 🙂

Interestingly, the service manager at the dealership admitted to me that the 1.6 is a liability, they’d had loads through.
Google it. Its not uncommon.