Jump to content

C-max - now px'd and soon to sold to some poor soul?


Stroller133

Recommended Posts

I think this car is the antithesis of Autoshie. It a 2004 54 plate Ford c-max with 2.0 tdci engine with dpf, dmf, auto lights and wipers.

 

Bad points:

Dpf removed but suspect remap bodged as it pushes out white smoke for about 20miles every 250 or so miles. No noticeable oil loss and only does it when up to temp which is why I think it's an ecu issue not mechanical.

 

Red engine malfunction light - I suspect its dpf related, there is a timer that counts down fluid based on number ic re-fills and this came on immediately after re fuelling. No problem with this issue of that's cause as dpf not in place. On since mid jan and done about 9000 miles.

 

EML light also on since feb, not sure what is causing this, has taken edge off performance but car still runs smooth, perhaps goes like a 1.8 instead of 2.0l. Only notice as wife has same car and hers pulls much better below 2000rpm (the engines strong point in my opinion)

 

Steering assist warning in dash, ecu code suggests Steering angke sensor circuit, possibly sensor, but interest suggests pump or Ecu could be at fault too! Steering is heavy for a couple seconds on start up and if you make a fast sudden turn when manouvring, but feels fine once moving.

 

Good points:

 

New refurb turbo fitted sep 13 14000 miles ago (maybe related to smoke, or EML issues?)

 

I've managed to do about 15000 miles in last 7/8 months despite the warning lights. Only limp period was when first bought car and garage had physically removed dpf, but not remapped ecu.

 

Taxes until end of oct 2014

Mot until oct (I think?) 2014

All electrics, windows, cruise, light etc function correctly.

 

3 owners from new, first owner was our firm, an employee bought it, then me.

 

I would keep it a bit longer, but the smoke bothers me, I've just moved house and new street has lots of kids playing and feel anti-social driving home when smoky!

 

Not sure anyone here would be interested, but what does anybody think at about £600? WCPGW!

 

Ready for abuse and accusations of living in fantasy world, but I'm coming to terms with the 2.5k I've put into this! Although I have done the 15k.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When my Saab imploded  18 months ago I had a 54 plate C Max as a courtesy car for 6 months. It was the petrol version, i knocked up 15 k in it. Super boring, pretty shit on fuel and wallowy... but - actually Ok to drive, and I kicked the utter tits out of it relentlessly  as my anger over the garage farting about and not giving me back my Saab grew.

 

I gave it a bloody hard half a year and didnt so much as lift the bonnet let alone do any maintenence. Tell you what though, it didnt put a foot wrong and earned my grudging respect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yea it's a Ghia. Our other one we have had since 3 years old and in 6 years/70k had no real trouble except an alternator and a mystery failure to proceed - the garage blanked off the EGR and mpg increased slightly and no repeat?

 

Strange a Saab is mentioned, that's what I'm hoping to replace it with. Was looking for one last year but ended up with a mk1 focus ghia 2.0 that also went horribly wrong and then this C-max. With the benefit of hindsight I would probably have lost less money buying a nearly new car on finance?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know what I'd be doing: getting an FCR, knocking the lights out and taking it to a car auction. These C-Max things seem to be pretty hopeless as a rule, keep hearing horror stories about them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The saab I wanted is £300 more to insure than this, which I'm not prepared to pay. Found a diesel specialist who also does re-mapping and is prepared to take a look at it. 60 miles from home though, but a mate with same car had a dpf delete done there with no problems. Nobody else wants to know, some accused me if being a master criminal?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My suggestion, cut your losses part-ex it for something Japanese and petrol. The Toyota of Gloom does about 45mpg on a long run even if you don't drive it like a nun, so the slightly higher fuel costs are probably more than outweighed by the savings in repairs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ooooh, oooh, cmax question...

 

Colleague with a 2008 cmax has a dead keyfob, any ideas how to get it open to remove the battery? It HASNT got the button that releases the blade as all the google results show...

If it's anything like the 2008 Gaylander 2 ,which was Ford at the time, it involves Stanley knives, soldering and superglue, because the batteries 'never need changing' *.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A mate of mine has a 2007 C MAX 1.8 TDCI, and it's been a pile of hassle. The alternator packed up @ about 40 k miles, and was £300-odd quid, just for the part. The EGR needed replaced (I did it, it was a fucking nightmare) and it has split a couple of boost hoses. Now it says "ENGINE MALFUNCTION" when you start the engine, but it disappears soon after. The car also does the white smoke thing now and again, but doesn't have a DPF. Sometimes it's a bitch to start, so I swapped out the glow plugs on it. Made no bloody difference!

I think NorfolkNWeigh is on the money regarding the key fob, by the way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't some of these keyfobs recharge when you put the key in the ignition?

That's the theory with the Land Rover one,but apparently after a few years they don't get a full charge. The Land Rover solution is a pair of keys and a reset for £300.

Some days 'er-indoors can spend 10 minutes dancing around her car frantically pointing both keys and swearing, you can guess who's fault this !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hehe, just sent her an email with your comments (as she's in a meeting now and I'll forget when she comes back)

 

Another tick in the 'orl new cars iz shit' box then! She bought new batteries too this morning in hope!

 

Told her to check the manual, looking around the c-max forum that's all they say to do, which is a shit answer tbh but if the info is there at least she can be sure!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like them though, as I say our other one has been great for 6 years. I am currently planning on buying another car for a while so if mine is away for a while I'm still mobile.

Regarding fob batteries, our local ford dealer supplied, changed and coded our (flick type) fob for about £10. Perhaps worth calling a ford dealer before trying anything that may ruin fob.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

A driveshaft (I think) started to rumble on my C-max and was getting louder each day. Alongside all the other problems I was getting ready to bridge it, getting about £200 for it with the tax.

I drove it this week to look at new car and thought if he can beat scrap value I'll px it. Got £850 for it! Result.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

£850 for a knackered C-Max sounds a good result, what did you buy?

 

Early C-Maxii were hopeless even when new. Electrical issues were very, very common. Remote keyfobs that unlocked more than one at a time, engines immobilised because they were too near a taxi office / mobile phone mast and my personal highlight was driving one to France with a mate once, had a Saturday night out in Boulogne eating horse kebabs and drinking too much biere before the Sunday morning ferry. At 8am the following morning we found the battery was completely kippered. It wasn't bump startable so we ended up buying an expensive battery and jump leads from a petrol station and getting it going that way. Utter shitheap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All the features worked well on mine, just dpf removal issues and pas pump/sensor. It's up for £2k now, I doubt he's fixed it?

 

I bought a Saab 9-3 saloon - I love it, not quite in autoshite territory yet, but it cost about a 10th of a new 3 series or A4 and is probably not that lacking in terms of equipment. Petrol FTW.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All the features worked well on mine, just dpf removal issues and pas pump/sensor. It's up for £2k now, I doubt he's fixed it?

 

I bought a Saab 9-3 saloon - I love it, not quite in autoshite territory yet, but it cost about a 10th of a new 3 series or A4 and is probably not that lacking in terms of equipment. Petrol FTW.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a 9-3 saloon some years back as my one and only company car. It was a competent, rather than exciting, drive and a handsome thing with superb seats.

 

I'd quite like another now they are down to the grand or so level, but like you have, I'd go for a petrol rather than the 1.9 diesel I had originally.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anything made by a defunct manufacturer is automatically in shite nirvana. See MG Rover products (other bankrupt car manufacturers are available).

 

Wonder if anyone bought a 2010-11 9-5 just before they went tits-up? Think they started at about £35k despite being a lengthened Insignia at heart. That must have made a Renault Vel Satis look like a sensible investment...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those new 9-5s are still asking 10-12k which probably isn't much worse than any 3/4 year old 30k car.

My 9-3 is the 1.8t (actually 2.0l) which is "only" 150bhp - I say that as most modern non turbo 2.0l cars are about that. It's a vector anniversary model on a 56 plate with full black heated leather, sat nav etc. So far I like driving it, the turbo is a low pressure one so comes in quite early and makes it pull well down at low revs so is a bit more like the turdo diesels I've got used to recently. A bit disappointing when you give it some though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 is a good year for the 9-3, you get the less wanky dash (rotary heating controls, trip computer on the speedo instead of underneath some inexplicable 'eyebrow' near the windscreen), but without the horror of the Edna Everage front facelift.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is absolutely no point to it, but I like the fact the night panel switch is there. I like the centre ignition switch too, although its now a gimmick but on the old 900 it was part of a security lock where reverse was locked until key put in.

Keys are a bit ropey though, it a rubber fob and I think they all fall apart at about 7/8 years old. I have a worn one and an almost immaculate one and have been advised to swap around and keep worn one as spare. If I can find an obliging Indy specialist or home hobbyist with the software I think I could buy a second hand one and have it recoded as I have 2 metal blade keys, which are only any good for getting into the car anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...