Much against my better judgement I have just bought a new car, a 2ltr Turbo 
Diesel C-Max.

I really wanted a petrol focus but since 'er indoors has a bad back the huge 
doors on this seemed like a good idea and autotrader seemed to thing the 
2ltr TD has the best emissions and fuel economy.

Plus the back goes down REALLY flat making bags of room and apparently it 
should be able to take a trailer with no problem, so ideal for scouts stuff 
too.

So why is everybody I have spoken to telling me they are crap and its going 
to cost a fortune to keep on the road?

-- 
Stephen Rainsbury
ESL Agathoid Explorer Scout Unit
www.agathoid.org.uk(remove this bit)

In message <F7rkk.35795$E41.2986@text.news.virginmedia.com>, Stephen 
Rainsbury <stephen@rainsbury.net-spamnet-.invalid> writes
>Much against my better judgement I have just bought a new car, a 2ltr 
>Turbo Diesel C-Max.
>
>I really wanted a petrol focus but since 'er indoors has a bad back the 
>huge doors on this seemed like a good idea and autotrader seemed to 
>thing the 2ltr TD has the best emissions and fuel economy.
>
>Plus the back goes down REALLY flat making bags of room and apparently 
>it should be able to take a trailer with no problem, so ideal for 
>scouts stuff too.
>
>So why is everybody I have spoken to telling me they are crap and its 
>going to cost a fortune to keep on the road?
>

I've no personal experience of the C-Max and don't know anyone who has. 
All I can do is give some information from the latest Which? Car guide:

Customer Score 74% (the Best Buys are in the range of 83-92%).

Emissions ratings look quite good, but there is no information on petrol 
and diesel versions separately, they are all lumped together.

A general quote: '...for reliability, the C-Max can't match the Focus 
... and the diesel versions seem particularly prone to problems'.

Sorry not to be more encouraging.
-- 
Brian Smith
8th Muswell Hill Scouts
http://www.8thmuswellhill.org.uk

"Brian Smith"  wrote in message 
news:7DM$SoBrqtkIFwtz@bsmith.demon.co.uk...
>
> A general quote: '...for reliability, the C-Max can't match the Focus ... 
> and the diesel versions seem particularly prone to problems'.
>
> Sorry not to be more encouraging.

Thanks, I don't normally buy car magazines, and we were actually looking for 
a focus or mondeo so I hadn't researched it at all. A typical case of heart 
and head.

-- 
Stephen Rainsbury
ESL Agathoid Explorer Scout Unit
www.agathoid.org.uk(remove this bit)

>A general quote: '...for reliability, the C-Max can't match the Focus 
>... and the diesel versions seem particularly prone to problems'.

Ho hum, take that with a pinch of salt.

The C-Max and the Focus II use the same "chassis", and they use the
same engines/ transmissions. So, if there is a reliability problem it
will be with build quality rather than the mechanics. Or does someone
at Ford classify mechanical components for reliability and send Grade
A to the Focus line, and Grade A- to the C-Max line... I think not.

I'm never convinced about some of the stats. Peugeot come way down the
reliability league but we have hardly had any problems in, about
300,000 miles from three different cars.... 

In any case, if you've bought that car already.... ;-)

Ewan Scott
http://www.claytonwestscouts.org.uk

http://www.whitleybeaumont.co.uk

"Ewan Scott"  wrote in message 
news:rra694tmp2eej9f7dtha7oi7847dos85l1@4ax.com...
>

> The C-Max and the Focus II use the same "chassis", and they use the
> same engines/ transmissions. So, if there is a reliability problem it
> will be with build quality rather than the mechanics. Or does someone

It was a straight choice between the C-max and a Mondeo. Same price, same 
mileage, same age, same size engine and according to the dealer its 
basically the same engine (2.0TDi)

He couldn't understand that I was actually put off by "the features" such as 
electric parking brake (WTF?) and air conditionioning. I am quite happy with 
wind down windows and a sunroof, which this doesn't have :(

-- 
Stephen Rainsbury
ESL Agathoid Explorer Scout Unit
www.agathoid.org.uk(remove this bit)