Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Please note that it is not permitted to have referral links posted in your signature. Keep these links contained in the appropriate forum. Thank you.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2055940817/signature-rules

Focus C-Max - Opinions

Options
  • 29-07-2010 4:11pm
    #1
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Folks

    My missus is expecting so need to change the 3 door Focus to something with 5 doors and a bit of room.

    I was thinking about a 1.6 TDCI C-Max.
    She does about 6k miles per year so maybe a diesel might be overkill so if anyone got a petrol version who might give their opinion on this.

    Any opinions on the C-Max in general? She loves the Focus, we have had it 9 years now.

    Will be spending 8k max so I think I will manage to get a 2006.

    So really the questions I am asking

    Are the C-Max as good as the Focus?
    Is the 1.6 petrol power wise and economical and would getting a TDCI be over kill?
    Size wise, are they much bigger than the Focus.

    Is there any other models (Renault Scenic don't like) which I am forgetting.

    Thanks


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,817 ✭✭✭Stevie Dakota


    Owning a Focus and having driven a C-Max I see no point in the C-Max at all. I think the 1.6 Focus is bang on for what you need, nice to drive and reliable. I have 2 kids who have plenty of room in the back of mine and the boot is fine for buggies and clutter.


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭yop


    Owning a Focus and having driven a C-Max I see no point in the C-Max at all. I think the 1.6 Focus is bang on for what you need, nice to drive and reliable. I have 2 kids who have plenty of room in the back of mine and the boot is fine for buggies and clutter.

    Ok, thats interesting now. I would have thought that the C-Max was bigger! I must check the stats now on the size of both. :)


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭yop


    Just to update the stats on this ;)

    The boot in the C-Max is 510 litres, the standard focus is 385. So plenty of extra pram room :)

    The C-Max is 1 inch longer.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,220 ✭✭✭leex


    Having owned a 00 Focus once upon a time and rented a C-max on holidays I'd say the main obvious space gain is in headroom. Having a family of 2 ourselves and having gone through the buggy/pram stage I suggest considering a Focus estate if you want to stick with Ford and low'ish engine sizes.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,444 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    I have one, and the boot is bigger indeed although to my mind the extra volume comes a lot from extra height rather than depth, so maybe take the pram along for a test drive before buying.

    It also seems roomier inside (extra headroom?) to me than normal Focuses I've been a passenger in, which would make sense as it's slightly taller too. Overall the differences are quite subtle but all add up to a better package IMHO.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 1,220 ✭✭✭leex


    leex wrote: »
    Having owned a 00 Focus once upon a time and rented a C-max on holidays I'd say the main obvious space gain is in headroom. Having a family of 2 ourselves and having gone through the buggy/pram stage I suggest considering a Focus estate if you want to stick with Ford and low'ish engine sizes.

    Similar money to a Focus estate, stays in Ford family, arguably safer and with a huge boot but with extra road tax:
    http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/LX-STEEL/201029198925169/advert?channel=CARS


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭yop


    thanks lads.

    My missus loves the high seat position, maybe because she is a nosey bird :)

    Have the Mondeo ST myself leex so one Mondeo in a house is plenty lol


  • Registered Users Posts: 258 ✭✭Churchy


    My wife's C-Max is much bigger inside than a Focus.
    Boot can swallow a buggy & usual paraphernalia when about and about with kids.
    High up driving position is a plus but probably the best advantage is that the seats are higher up ,making loading and unloading kids into the child seats easier.
    I wouldnt worry about a Tdci for 6k miles a year the 1.6 petrol is fine and very reliable.


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭yop


    Thanks Churchy, thats a very good bonus as my wifey is petite so that wud make life easier for her.

    Thats good to know about the petrol, what I have noticed though that the VRT is much higher on petrol C-MAX as opposed to the diesel. 55+ mpg on the diesel, she wud barely need to fill it once per month lol


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,625 ✭✭✭✭dr.fuzzenstein


    Have a 1.8 TDCI Cmax, servicing costs may be higher, make sure it doesn't have a particulate filter as there's a tank of stuff to be refilled, if buying second hand make sure it's serviced and timing belt has been done.
    Love it for the room, mpg is about the 50, but because it's taller and heavier it won't be as sharp around tight corners but it's no truck by any means, in fact I've been told that compared to other MPV's it handles quite nicely.


  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭yop


    Have a 1.8 TDCI Cmax, servicing costs may be higher, make sure it doesn't have a particulate filter as there's a tank of stuff to be refilled, if buying second hand make sure it's serviced and timing belt has been done.
    Love it for the room, mpg is about the 50, but because it's taller and heavier it won't be as sharp around tight corners but it's no truck by any means, in fact I've been told that compared to other MPV's it handles quite nicely.

    Am looking at the 1.6 diesel, keep the road tax down on it.

    Thanks for the heads up on that.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,625 ✭✭✭✭dr.fuzzenstein


    yop wrote: »
    Am looking at the 1.6 diesel, keep the road tax down on it.

    Thanks for the heads up on that.

    Had a look under the hood of the 1.6l diesel, it seems to have a completely different engine.
    The 1.8 lump is the same as found in ancient Escorts since the 80's and near indestructible, not sure about what the 1.6 is or where itr comes from, anyone here know, curious myself.


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭yop


    I would suspect that the Focus "standard" and C-Max have the same engine?
    A review there says its French?

    http://www.stevelarkins.freeuk.com/ford_focus_tdci_review.htm


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,625 ✭✭✭✭dr.fuzzenstein


    Says it has a particulate filter, unless that is going to result in lower road tax, don't go for it.
    The filter needs an aggregate to run which is supplied via a separate tank which needs to be filled up every now and then and that's not cheap.
    Also, if you're doing short runs (anything less than 30-40 km motorway) the diesel filter will block up and needs to be cleaned/replaced.
    I would stay at least several miles away from diesel particulate filters until the technology improves.
    I bought the 1.8 precisely because it doesn't have such a filter. Actually, check out this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055509032


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,903 ✭✭✭cadaliac


    Says it has a particulate filter, unless that is going to result in lower road tax, don't go for it.
    The filter needs an aggregate to run which is supplied via a separate tank which needs to be filled up every now and then and that's not cheap.
    Also, if you're doing short runs (anything less than 30-40 km motorway) the diesel filter will block up and needs to be cleaned/replaced.
    I would stay at least several miles away from diesel particulate filters until the technology improves.
    I bought the 1.8 precisely because it doesn't have such a filter. Actually, check out this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055509032
    +1
    Yeah that 1.6 is from PSA (Citroen and Peugeot). The filter is an issue with them alright. - Well, on the 407 it is for sure. Generally known to be a good engine though.
    Interesting point about the 1.8 - good to know. :cool:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,817 ✭✭✭Stevie Dakota


    DPF's are the work of the devil. Avoid!


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,625 ✭✭✭✭dr.fuzzenstein


    cadaliac wrote: »
    +1
    Yeah that 1.6 is from PSA (Citroen and Peugeot). The filter is an issue with them alright. - Well, on the 407 it is for sure. Generally known to be a good engine though.
    Interesting point about the 1.8 - good to know. :cool:

    Not just the filter, the aggregate tank needs to be topped up every 80-100k kilometers and that looks likely to cost several hundred euros
    So running one of those can quickly become massively expensive.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,903 ✭✭✭cadaliac


    Not just the filter, the aggregate tank needs to be topped up every 80-100k kilometers and that looks likely to cost several hundred euros
    So running one of those can quickly become massively expensive.
    Eloys fluid in the tank and the tank is very hard to get at too, apparantely.


  • Registered Users Posts: 51,201 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    Eloys additive refill cost me €220 incl VAT for my S40 1.6d at 80k miles which uses the same PSA engine.


Advertisement