Looking at getting a used car, sacked off the idea of something really old as per my thread a couple of months ago and looking at things around the £12k mark. Me and the Mrs are quite tempted by either a Grand C-Max or an S-Max and would be looking at something around a 13/63 reg and about 30k miles.

Am I likely to be bankrupting myself, or are they more reliable now? Also are the 1.6 tdci any more reliable than the 2l? I don’t care how slow they are.

I’ve got a 1.8TDCi in a Mk2 Focus. Now 11 years old and on 140,000 miles and on the original clutch and DMF (and no DPF to go wrong).

Should mine have died 90,000 miles ago?

Yeah mate sorry, you need to go back and start again, all of your journeys since 2009 are invalid.

DMF’s aren’t any more or less reliable between marques. Simply, that they are prone to earlier failure than SMF’s. This will largely be down to the driving style of the owner(s) i.e. lots of stop/start, short journeys will lead to quicker failure than only motorway driving.

Personally, I think that the scare stories have distorted the perception of failure frequency (similar issue to DPF’s). Yes, if it goes, it’ll be a £1000-1500 bill, but it will likely be >80,000 miles (more likely >100,000). If the car has been otherwise reliable this is not an unreasonable expense.

Based on 6 years with a Mondeo I would say the DMF is the most reliable part of the car.

Door seals
Clutch pressure plate
Immobiliser
Power steering pump
Air con
Instruments
Interior trim
Brakes
Engine warning light (cooling)
Engine warning light (turbo sensor)
Bonnet release catch

not so good

And don’t get me started on brake lights

We use SMAX in work. Absolutely rubbish. Loads of electrical issues, DPF issues, eats tyres…my money would go on a Toyota Verso.

but it will likely be >80,000 miles (more likely >100,000)

I don’t think it’s *likely* to fail at any point. It just *might* fail. I don’t think it’s inevitable unless you abuse it.

Engine warning light (cooling)
Engine warning light (turbo sensor)
Bonnet release catch

Had these with my Mondeo too.

eats tyres

And this!

And would add DMF to that, plus constant suspension problems, plus some other, expensive engine fault that kept putting the car into limp mode that I couldn’t be arsed getting fixed given the money I’d already sunk into the car so just traded it in.

I’m afraid I wouldn’t have another diesel Ford. In fact, I don’t think I’d have an old diesel anything.

…plus some other, expensive engine fault that kept putting the car into limp mode that I couldn’t be arsed getting fixed given the money I’d already sunk into the car so just traded it in.

I’m afraid I wouldn’t have another diesel Ford. In fact, I don’t think I’d have an old diesel anything. Plus several million

I don’t think it’s *likely* to fail at any point. It just *might* fail. I don’t think it’s inevitable unless you abuse it.

I didn’t say it was likely to fail. I said that if it fails, that failure would likely occur at higher mileage.

Hmm, this is giving me food for thought. Anything recommended in the huge boot econowagen genre?

I’m not fussed on diesel, but second hand petrol options are limited without going astronomical on fuel consumption.

Hmm, this is giving me food for thought. Anything recommended in the huge boot econowagen genre?

I’m not fussed on diesel, but second hand petrol options are limited without going astronomical on fuel consumption.

I had the same quandary a few months ago. My ageing Mondeo was becoming a money pit and I took out a £9k loan for a used car. I was going to go for a used diesel Audi A3 but my heart wasn’t in it. After a lifetime of dealing with dodgy second-hand car salesmen and backstreet garages, I spent my £9k on a brand new Dacia Logan II.

I went for the turbo petrol one. It’s a Renault engine. Economical enough (50+mpg), 0-60 in 11secs will never break any speed records but the turbo gives enough of a torque boost that I can still overtake the slowcoaches on the moors without having to thrash it. It has the biggest boot in its class (only a Volvo V70 is bigger, apparently)and is well-enough-equipped (built in hands free & Bluetooth, electric windows) for me. It comes with a generous warranty and it’s a great bike/tent/kid carrier.

Brand snobs hate it, but every review (apart from Clarkson’s) really rates it.

I paid a bit extra for metallic paint but didn’t bother going for the alloy wheels trim level. I figured I’d drive on steel wheels and if, for some reason, I wanted alloys at a later date I could fit them. I don’t expect that to be the case though!

And I have the peace of mind of a brand new car with a long warranty and Renault servicing network.

Find a dealer and have a drive. You’ll be surprised 🙂

Just had to replace the dmf and clutch on our smax 2.0tdci 140bhp. 59 plate/87000 miles. £450 parts £450 labour + vat. Ouch.
To be fair that is the only thing apart from the odd bulb that has gone wrong. Owned since new.

To be fair that is the only thing apart from the odd bulb that has gone wrong. Owned since new.

You’ve been lucky and I hope you stay lucky. One of the headaches with an ageing diesel Ford is the design of the turbo and turbo actuator. They are sold/replaced together, so any problem with either means a £1000+ bill that you can’t put off.

For me, it felt like playing turbo roulette every time I got into my Mondeo 🙂

Cheers hebdencyclist. I’ve just learned that the wife has gone to look at a Mazda bongo today that she wants us to test drive. Apparently we need a camper van in our lives. She could have told me this before I’d spunked over a grand on the car she thinks we should sell!
I can’t imagine a bongo with 94000 on the clock is any cheaper to run long term!!

I had to google Mazda Bongo 🙂

No idea if they’re practical/reliable but they look like great fun.

If it’s a Bongo the 94k is probably KM’s as they’re all imports, they’re pretty reliable as they’re old tech Diesel engines but also pretty juicy, think 20-25mpg,

It’s a Renault engine

Good luck with that. 😆

Good luck with that.

I don’t need luck. I have a 7yr warranty.

What’s wrong with Renault engines?

Anyone with any experience of the Zafira tourers? Petrol or diesel?

Bongos are great and you get a lot for your money, mine never let me down but mpg was terrible, I never got more than 25mpg out of mine!

Dmf went on our 2007 Focus 2.0 tdci a couple of years ago at only 40k miles. I think lots of short journeys did for it.
Replacement was only around £400 I think, so not that bad.

I know someone with a Zafira diesel (not the Tourer). It came with the 100,000 mile warranty, and it’s had a few fairly big repairs covered under warranty. However, the Vauxhall garage reckons it’s been reliable (ie more reliable than other Zafiras) due to the way it’s been driven. At just over 100,000 miles the DMF is making some ominous noises.

I’m not convinced by these newer diesels either. I like the torque of the engine, but hassles with the EGR valve, DPF and DMF aren’t great. It’s not been anywhere near as economical as the official figures either, and it seems to use loads of fuel when ‘regenning’ as well.

I wonder if something like a Honda Jazz might not be better. It’s obviously a different class of car, but it has versatile load carrying and seating. Also, its available in a hybrid version.

I dunno how people get these EGR disasters. I could pop mine off in about half an hour, and I did – it was a bit grimy inside but no biggie.

Can’t imagine what you have to do to get one seriously clogged – and even then it’s only a valve and a bit of pipe.

I don’t need luck. I have a 7yr warranty.

Is this on of those 7 year warranties that actually has so many clauses, reducing responsibility and payouts, that a usual 3 year warranty that covers more is better? Yes I am looking at you Hyundai et al…