Still a good car

I agree that it is a great car to drive although traction control should be standard! However the problems I am now experiencing are getting expensive. At 50000 had both the front wheel barings replaced, reversing lights packed up and now back in the garage at the electrics are shorting out somewhere. The means the wipers, lights , alarm etc work randomly when you turn the ignition of. The only way to stop it is to disconnect the battery. This happened in Wales and spent 6 hours on a transporter back to Brighton courtesy of the RACas the garage there was not even willing to look it. Also had a new bonnet lock andalternator. Think the car is awful and will be changing it ASAP.
I had a Citreon Picasso before this with 75000 on thr clock and it was a lot more reliable than this car which is saying something!!

I have to say that although I'm just in the early days of C-Max ownership - it compares favourably with the previous cars I've had:

Peugeot 206 SW 1.4HDi - Too cramped in the back
Megane Scenic - When it rained, I got 6" of water in the footwell. Handled like a rubber dingy.
Range Rover P38 V8 - 16mpg... say no more!
Vauxhall Frontera 2.2i LWB - Too slow & thirsty & unwieldy
Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon - Used a litre of oil per 100 miles!

This is the car I feel most likely to hang on to for a while. It's got the useful space of the Scenic, the economy of the 206HDi, and almost the handling of the Alfa (or at least it will do if I lower it a bit and fit 18's!).

I'm amazed by the power of the little 1.6Tdci engine, as it feels more like a 2 litre to drive. Even last night, picking up my in-laws from Doncaster Airport, with 4 adults and 2 suitcases, it managed nearly 60mpg over the 120 mile journey. That'll do me nicely.

I have very mixed veiws on the c max. I do think it is a great car to drive and it does all I need it to do as a family car , but that's it. I must say from my experience it is a very unreliable car. I have had enbless problems with mine one thing after another breaking. I now no longer enjoy driving as I am constantley worrying aboutwhat will break on it next and how much it is going tocost me to repair. I mean the air con is just a nightmare I have had new pump , new condesor . new pipes fitted all in the space of 4 months , and now the air con clutch has gone. Ican have half a tank of petrol and the warning light comes on. I have had new parts due to this problem and it still is happening. I have had endless problems with the E.P.B resulting in a new actuater, new wiring , new button , new moduleand endless software updates. The radio broke meaning I had to have a new one and the clock onitloses time. I had to have a sensor replacedas the car would not accelarate meaning I got rear ended "BOOM BOOM" . I have had paint issues whitch I must admit was not the car it was the working onit. I think the only good thing about owning my c max so far is this club and the great people on it

I'm also in early ownership with my Cmax and its a bag of mixed thoughts.

Although i should be happy i'm struggling to bond with it. And i think i might be one of the lucky ones where this car is going to treat me well long term.

Great driving position in traffic jams and when doingmotorwaywork but my Mondeo TDCI was better handling and better mpg. (i was in a mondeo today but i don't think i could sit that low down again)

This best thing about the Cmax is this community.

And the best car i've owned so far, and i've had a few was the Chrysler PT cruiser 2.2crd.

Glad to hear some interesting reports from everyone Let`s have more.Maybe if Ford do read these posts,they will do some thing about the problems we havw all had.No I don`t work for Ford, I`m just an interested C-Maxer who thinks we all deserve the best for our cars,by our cars and especially our dealers !!!!


Who knows,the power of the internet might do US some good