New Daily Driver - 2008 Ford C-Max Zetec
Discussion
Well I sold the my 2007 Honda Civic Type R three weeks ago. I had it for just over 11 months. Amazing engine and good handling but the ride was unbearable. Every ripple shook the car and made it pretty uncomfortable for everyday use. Also the plastic boot meant you couldn't use a cycle rack and you couldn't fit a roof rack with out modifying the roof and trim panels.
Anyway. I had only ever planned to keep it for a year or six months.
Mrs BakerStreet believes that her Citroen C3 will do her for life. This is not something that I want to happen. The 2004 C3 is cramped, noisy, slow and trim is falling off in every place you look, so I decided to buy a medium sized family car for her to buy off me in a year's time. We needed something with a decent sized boot to swallow our new dog (Greyhound), so it was always going to be some kind of estate. However, I don't like the look of medium sized estates. I never have. Also we maybe hearing the sound of tiny feet in roughly 9 months time...
So I started looking at mid size MPVs. I looked at the Merc B-Class, Citroen C4 Picasso 5 seat and the Ford C-Max. The Merc was more expensive than the other two and I was only looking at a year newer than Mrs Bakerstreet's C3 and usually higher mileages too. I was also fearful that of the Merc went very wrong we would have to take it back to Mercedes and the costs could be crippling!
The C4 was a strong contender, but I didn't really like the way it drove and the wheels look like they are off a shopping trolly. Also the 1.6 diesel engine didn't seem to be most reliable lump.
Step up, the Ford C-Max. I've always liked the way they look and ticked many boxes for us. Spacious inside, big boot and handled well enough. I looked at about 4 and this one was the best compromise on mileage/history/price/distance from home. I wanted a Titanium as the interior is much nicer, but they were much more expensive than the Zetecs and rarer in my price range. The Zetec has everything my wife needs (AC, electric windows and mirrors)
A few issues have presented them selves in the first week, but thankfully nothing serious. There is a slight wheel wobble at 65-70mph. I shall get the wheels tracked and balanced and hopefully that will cure it.
I managed to get a bit knocked off the price as the rear pads were quite low and it only had one key. I sourced new parts from Ebay (much cheaper than GSF or Euro Car Parts) and got a friend who is a mobile mechanic to fit it it all. Apparently sliders were siezed up, but they were cleaned out and now move as they should
New key was cut and programmed by a local mobile company. Quite pricey at £150 all in. I shudder to think want the prestige brand keys cost.
I have a few short term plans for it:
New mats
Kenwood double din stereo for hands free calling and iPod control
Rear parking sensors
Rear Load Liner
Long term plans:
Roof Rack
Tow Bar
Heated seats
My Initial Thoughts
The clutch travel is far too long and the general position of the pedals is quite poor. They are too far forward. The gear linkage on mine is little sloppy, but its not something that I'm that concerned about.
The steering is no where near as direct as the Civic, but thats no surprise and there is a bit of body roll, but it was better than the C4.
Its not the classiest cabin in the world. The lack of full size arm rest is a bit annoying. You get a single one on the driver side similar to the ones on trains and its a bit too thin and the angle is all wrong. You do get aux input, which is quite handy and my Civic didn't have that as standard. Steering wheel is leather, a good size and nice enough to look at.
The brakes are good. A decent amount of feel and and being a Ford the consumables are cheap
I went for the 1.8TDCI and it has a similar amount of torques than the Civic it has replaced and with 115bhp and 5 gears, performance is perfectly adequate for every day use. I did think about having it mapped, but having driven it for a week, I'm not sure I see the point. I haven't gone through a complete tank yet, but its what I was expecting at 45-47mpg.
I know this isn't a very PH car, but I thought I'd share it on Readers Cars anyway Now that I've bought Mrts Bakerstreet a new car, I will hopefully be allowed to go and buy a D3 or an M3 for my car in a years time
Anyway. I had only ever planned to keep it for a year or six months.
Mrs BakerStreet believes that her Citroen C3 will do her for life. This is not something that I want to happen. The 2004 C3 is cramped, noisy, slow and trim is falling off in every place you look, so I decided to buy a medium sized family car for her to buy off me in a year's time. We needed something with a decent sized boot to swallow our new dog (Greyhound), so it was always going to be some kind of estate. However, I don't like the look of medium sized estates. I never have. Also we maybe hearing the sound of tiny feet in roughly 9 months time...
So I started looking at mid size MPVs. I looked at the Merc B-Class, Citroen C4 Picasso 5 seat and the Ford C-Max. The Merc was more expensive than the other two and I was only looking at a year newer than Mrs Bakerstreet's C3 and usually higher mileages too. I was also fearful that of the Merc went very wrong we would have to take it back to Mercedes and the costs could be crippling!
The C4 was a strong contender, but I didn't really like the way it drove and the wheels look like they are off a shopping trolly. Also the 1.6 diesel engine didn't seem to be most reliable lump.
Step up, the Ford C-Max. I've always liked the way they look and ticked many boxes for us. Spacious inside, big boot and handled well enough. I looked at about 4 and this one was the best compromise on mileage/history/price/distance from home. I wanted a Titanium as the interior is much nicer, but they were much more expensive than the Zetecs and rarer in my price range. The Zetec has everything my wife needs (AC, electric windows and mirrors)
A few issues have presented them selves in the first week, but thankfully nothing serious. There is a slight wheel wobble at 65-70mph. I shall get the wheels tracked and balanced and hopefully that will cure it.
I managed to get a bit knocked off the price as the rear pads were quite low and it only had one key. I sourced new parts from Ebay (much cheaper than GSF or Euro Car Parts) and got a friend who is a mobile mechanic to fit it it all. Apparently sliders were siezed up, but they were cleaned out and now move as they should
New key was cut and programmed by a local mobile company. Quite pricey at £150 all in. I shudder to think want the prestige brand keys cost.
I have a few short term plans for it:
New mats
Kenwood double din stereo for hands free calling and iPod control
Rear parking sensors
Rear Load Liner
Long term plans:
Roof Rack
Tow Bar
Heated seats
My Initial Thoughts
The clutch travel is far too long and the general position of the pedals is quite poor. They are too far forward. The gear linkage on mine is little sloppy, but its not something that I'm that concerned about.
The steering is no where near as direct as the Civic, but thats no surprise and there is a bit of body roll, but it was better than the C4.
Its not the classiest cabin in the world. The lack of full size arm rest is a bit annoying. You get a single one on the driver side similar to the ones on trains and its a bit too thin and the angle is all wrong. You do get aux input, which is quite handy and my Civic didn't have that as standard. Steering wheel is leather, a good size and nice enough to look at.
The brakes are good. A decent amount of feel and and being a Ford the consumables are cheap
I went for the 1.8TDCI and it has a similar amount of torques than the Civic it has replaced and with 115bhp and 5 gears, performance is perfectly adequate for every day use. I did think about having it mapped, but having driven it for a week, I'm not sure I see the point. I haven't gone through a complete tank yet, but its what I was expecting at 45-47mpg.
I know this isn't a very PH car, but I thought I'd share it on Readers Cars anyway
Now that I've bought Mrts Bakerstreet a new car, I will hopefully be allowed to go and buy a D3 or an M3 for my car in a years time The following is completely biased as I work for a Ford indy
You really cant go wrong with a C-max as a family car, so practical, cheap, reliable and genuinely quite entertaining to drive.
I nearly bought a 2.0 TDCi Ghia a while back and I don't even have a family to put in it!.
I was just impressed with how good they are and the shove from the TDCi's is quite surprising too.
Enjoy
You really cant go wrong with a C-max as a family car, so practical, cheap, reliable and genuinely quite entertaining to drive.
I nearly bought a 2.0 TDCi Ghia a while back and I don't even have a family to put in it!.
I was just impressed with how good they are and the shove from the TDCi's is quite surprising too.
Enjoy
Good car. We have had an '05 2.0 TDCi Ghia for nearly 8yrs now and it's been great. Not too big, not too small, drives well, good poke, tinted windows and blinds in the back for the kids, comfy leather seats and front and rear parking sensors as standard. Perfect family car for not too much money. Low rent interior only negative that springs to mind.
Hope you enjoy yours.
Hope you enjoy yours.
My wife has one and they are staggeringly practical. My 2 lads are currently into cycling a fair bit and we take the bikes in her car. 2 mins to remove two of the rear seats and the three of us can fit in the car with 3 bikes. One full size MTB and 2 kids bikes inserted without reducing seat height or taking any wheels off.
Have you tried the limo seats yet? Remove the middle seat and push the 2 outer seats back to make rear passenger space enormous?
Tip - after years of clearing the grey cloth Zetec seats (messy kids), I paid £250 for a full leather interior off Ebay. Wish I'd done it earlier as it really makes the interior feel nicer.
Have you tried the limo seats yet? Remove the middle seat and push the 2 outer seats back to make rear passenger space enormous?
Tip - after years of clearing the grey cloth Zetec seats (messy kids), I paid £250 for a full leather interior off Ebay. Wish I'd done it earlier as it really makes the interior feel nicer.
We have a 2005 Zetec 1.6 TDCI which is coming up to 9 years old. Can honestly say it is the most practical, fuel efficient, comfortable, spacious and cheap-to-run family car we have owned. Been used for everything from race transport for our eldest son's Junior Rotax Kart, camping holidays,, transporting everything imaginable to our local dump!, etc
We love of and will definitely buy another.
We love of and will definitely buy another.
i just picked up a 11 plate c-max titanium less then a week ago, and i must agree the amount of car you get for the money is unbelievable, luckily mine was spec'ed with a lot of the optional extra's which is a huge plus coming from a honda accord sport, which did the job, but was very basic inside.
Im glad there is some more people out there enjoy this car, it may not be a very PH car, but for my current needs i can think of no better car.
Im glad there is some more people out there enjoy this car, it may not be a very PH car, but for my current needs i can think of no better car.
We've had two cmax's. Great family cars. First was a 1.6 tdci 2009/09, bought pre-registered with 0 miles on the clock at a huge discount. We ran that car for 60,000 miles until March this year. The only defect was a bluetooth module, replaced under warranty. We replaced it with a 2013 1.6 tdci Titanium, pretty much the same car, 115 ps rather than 110 ps and now with a six speed gearbox. Great handling for a family car, roomy, cheap to run, decent stereo system. As others have said the rear parcel shelf design is very poor, the roller blind fitted to the Focus estate is far better. Otherwise no complaints.
Just bought an 06 plate C-Max 1.6 Zetec with 33k on the clock - 3 Grand.
Loads of room and surprisingly a nice drive with good handling although the 1.6 petrol is a bit gutless in this size of car. I would have preferred the 1.8 but this came along with low miles and apart from a few exterior scratches it was mint so money was parted.
This missus is more than happy with the family bus so I can concentrate on saving for a fun car
Loads of room and surprisingly a nice drive with good handling although the 1.6 petrol is a bit gutless in this size of car. I would have preferred the 1.8 but this came along with low miles and apart from a few exterior scratches it was mint so money was parted.
This missus is more than happy with the family bus so I can concentrate on saving for a fun car
SlowV6 said:
Good car. We have had an '05 2.0 TDCi Ghia for nearly 8yrs now and it's been great. Not too big, not too small, drives well, good poke, tinted windows and blinds in the back for the kids, comfy leather seats and front and rear parking sensors as standard. Perfect family car for not too much money. Low rent interior only negative that springs to mind.
Hope you enjoy yours.
Yes, ours came with tinted windows and pull blinds. I quite like the tints. I think they look quite cool. Hope you enjoy yours.
Parking sensors are on my list to buy, but it might have to wait a while.
We fitted our dog guard yesterday evening. We bought a Travall one from Amazon. £40 cheap than Ford official one and seems the fit quite well. It doesn't rattle which is a big relief.
The wheel balancing didn't cure the wheel wobble, so I called the local Kwik-Fit who did the balance reayd to book it in for tracking and they said' Yeah, the machine is on the blink, so just take it to another kwik-fit and they will do it for free innit'. I wasn't best pleased.
I shall take it someone else later on in the week. Just to be on the safe side, I shall get tracking done. There is loads of life in the front tyres, so I don't want poor alignment to cause un-even tyre wear.
I put in the mats today. Not the nicest looking mats. I wish I'd bought the Ford ones, but the new mats are better than what was there before, which was nothing and the colours match ok.
I was going to go for a Kenwood double din stereo, but other things require money at the moment, so it looks like its going to be a Parrot kit instead
Its not a slick solution like the Kenwood, but it will do the job. Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff