Car Jack Recommendation - Ford S-Max

slave1

Hi all,

We have a 2009 S-Max and for the first time in years got a nail in the tyre yesterday. As you may know they come with those foam can thingys. Anyhow, I'm not a fan of them so had a spare at the house and just changed the wheel. I used an old jack from a Renault 19 and whilst it got the car up it started to buckle when lowering so at 1,721kgs the S-Max is obviously too much.
I really do not have a clue on car jacks and would perfer a compact one if at all possible as the storage compartment in the rear of the S-Max is very tight on space.
By coincidence Lidl have one next week for €27 but it's a bit big.


Or a scissor style one from eBay at around the same cost?

Would ye folk in the know have a particular recommendation or other advice?
Cheers

sean1141

Out of the two I would go with the trolley jack. Also have you room for a spare wheel if the car was not designed for one?

sf80

I had to lift the car recently to check the front tyre, a BMW; the jack that comes with it looks like a toy but worked great and it's very compact (left me thinking where's the other half of it. I still don't think I would get under the car with it in place, but for lifting a wheel I think it's spot on.

slave1

sean1141 wrote: »

Out of the two I would go with the trolley jack. Also have you room for a spare wheel if the car was not designed for one?

No room per se for a wheel so I just leave it at the house and on longer journeys it pops into the general "boot" area.

tossy

I've never used the 'widow makers' that come with cars,you can get a nice compact hydraulic jack in halfords for a couple of quid,the come in a case and won't take up much room in most modern boots.Plus with a trolley jack you can roll it under the car and use a chassis leg as a jacking point - much more secure.

Jammy Donut

I'v been using an Aldi one for a while now, Perfect job!

Only cost me €20

Rowley Birkin QC

Aldi usually sell axle stands at the same time that they sell those jacks. If you're planning on doing any kind of work with the car raised up they are a must have.

useless

The folks on the Smax owners club forum seem to favour the jack from the Mondeo.

creedp

useless wrote: »

The folks on the Smax owners club forum seem to favour the jack from the Mondeo.

That'swhat I use also .. got it together with a Mondeo space saver as a breakers yard. Once too often stuck on the side of the road with an empty can of foam and a flat tyre!

slave1

Thanks folks, tracked down a Mondeo jack at a breakers for €13 so going to go with that and pick it up next week.

slave1

creedp wrote: »

That'swhat I use also .. got it together with a Mondeo space saver as a breakers yard. Once too often stuck on the side of the road with an empty can of foam and a flat tyre!

Just popped into my head that perhaps a space saver could be left it the car permanently given its size, but would a space saver be okay on a car the size of a S-Max????

sean1141

Depends on the size of a space saver. On my leon which had 17' alloys as standard the space saver/spare was a 16' rim with a 205/55 tyre!

useless

slave1 wrote: »

Just popped into my head that perhaps a space saver could be left it the car permanently given its size, but would a space saver be okay on a car the size of a S-Max????

This question has been done to death on the owners club forum. Some lads say no, it's dangerous, if Ford had thought the car could be run on a space saver they'd have included one, you could invalidate your insurance etc are the usual arguments against.
The arguments for are that the tyre gunk is useless, an empty Smax isn't much heavier than a laden Mondeo (which comes with a space saver), that taking a chance for a short journey at low speed would be ok.

I have membership of two breakdown organisations (one is free with work, the other is part of my comp insurance) and a piece of paper in the car with some numbers for mobile tyre fitters:-)

Skuxx

Rowley Birkin QC wrote: »

Aldi usually sell axle stands at the same time that they sell those jacks. If you're planning on doing any kind of work with the car raised up they are a must have.

Lidl have them next monday, 2 for €11 or €13 can't remember which, but seem like very good value!!

Greyfoot

alan1990 wrote: »

Lidl have them next monday, 2 for €11 or €13 can't remember which, but seem like very good value!!

I think 11.99 for a pair but not sure either

Skuxx

Greyfoot wrote: »

I think 11.99 for a pair but not sure either

Your right €11.99 a pair

http://www.lidl.ie/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_ri_ie/hs.xsl/index_22714.htm

Greyfoot

alan1990 wrote: »

Your right €11.99 a pair

http://www.lidl.ie/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_ri_ie/hs.xsl/index_22714.htm

Happy days, I am off to buy two sets on monday then.