Boring CMax gone over the bridge

[rainagain]

I just 'saved' this from the bridge, lets see what you can get for less than scrap money nowadays:

A 2004 Focus CMax with 110,000 miles, four months MOT and no service history.

Complete with, scrapes

Rust

A bit more rust

A dent

Another scrape, probably more round the other side, I bought it in the dark so I've no idea and I've parked in a bush.

Missing trim

Some more rust this time inside

The interior is surprisingly free of child debris and bite marks

Needs a new clutch rubber

I don't think the alloys have ever been cleaned, previous owner nicked the valve caps all round, I'm assuming as they thought they were going to bridge it.

[rainagain]

I was chatting to the owner when I picked it up, I asked him if he had it serviced recently. He thinks he might have had the oil done last year but he's not sure, in his words "I never have much luck with cars". I can't help feel if he looked after them he might get on a bit better!

So far on the job list:

1. new number plates as I don't know how it got through the last MOT as the front plate is almost unreadable (already ordered from ebay)

2. Work out why the steering wheel shakes from side to side when going over bumps (front wishbones?)

3. change the oil and possibly air filter once I've checked it and maybe even the fuel filter

4. give it a good clean inside and out

5. look at power steering leak

6. tidy up the body work

7. think about changing the cambelt if the rest of the car is ok.

8. replace clutch rubber

9. polish headlamps

 

[beko1987]

Assuming it doesn't need much other than your time and labour it should be a nice little motor when done! Good luck

[sierraman]

Which diesel is it? 

[rainagain]

5 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Which diesel is it? 

2.0 TDCI 136

[sierraman]

Good engine that is. It’s actually a chain and a belt, chain across the cam/exhaust and a belt from the exhaust cam to the pump/crank etc. I’m assuming it has the DPF? 

[Split_Pin]

Similar set up to the 5v VAG engine.

Well saved, anything that doesn't go to waste is a good thing. It looks a perfectly good car from the list of what needs doing.

[catsinthewelder]

@rainagain for 2, check the power steering fluid level (hidden under the o/s headlight on my hatchback).

[Dobloseven]

I love bottom of the food chain stuff like this. You can't go wrong if it's less than scrap money.Like betting on a horse and the nice bookmaker gives you your money back if it doesn't win. Four months Mot gives you time to get the measure of it and work out if it's worth doing anything with. I use Cillit Bang burnt on grease stuff for Alloy wheels. Costs about 2 quid, spray it on, scrub it a bit with someones toothbrush you don't like much. Hose it off, seems to do a better job than proper wheel stuff costing much more. 

[rainagain]

22 minutes ago, catsinthewelder said:

@rainagain for 2, check the power steering fluid level (hidden under the o/s headlight on my hatchback).

I think it’s low as the steering was randomly getting heavy on the drive home. The owner did say one night it got really heavy, they called the AA and the patrol guy added some oil under the bonnet and it was fine again. I’m assuming this was the power steering fluid. 

[sutty2006]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these in a colour other than grey. Top purchase! 

[junkyarddog]

2 hours ago, sierraman said:

I’m assuming it has the DPF? 

On a 2004?

[catsinthewelder]

42 minutes ago, rainagain said:

I think it’s low as the steering was randomly getting heavy on the drive home. The owner did say one night it got really heavy, they called the AA and the patrol guy added some oil under the bonnet and it was fine again. I’m assuming this was the power steering fluid. 

Oh dear, I need to replace my leaky pipes.  Fluid is annoyingly expensive CHF.

[sierraman]

37 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

On a 2004?

True, thought it was newer than that... 

[stuboy]

1 hour ago, sutty2006 said:

I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these in a colour other than grey. Top purchase! 

my step dad has a late reg black in slushomatic flavour

[Dobloseven]

1 hour ago, stuboy said:

my step dad has a late reg black in slushomatic flavour

Is it a proper slushomatic? Or a dual clutch affair? 

[Stroller133]

It could have a DPF if the first owner was a fleet. Unbelievably they were a cost option, as the company car tax was discounted if it met the euro 4?

[stuboy]

Just now, Dobloseven said:

Is it a proper slushomatic? Or a dual clutch affair? 

i dont know..

[RoverFolkUs]

1 hour ago, Dobloseven said:

Is it a proper slushomatic? Or a dual clutch affair? 

 

1 hour ago, stuboy said:

i dont know..

Powershit (yeah, dual clutch, robot manual whatever you wish to call them) in pretty much anything beyond the MK1 Focus era, apart from the Fusions. I think

Proper torque converter affair in the MK1 Focus, ever so grabby, classic Ford automatic.. MK2 onwards was powershit. Same goes for the Focus C-Max and later C-Max

[Andyrew]

Looks like a decent motor hiding under the neglect. 

 

[ProgRocker]

My parents had a 2005 CMax, 1.6 diesel. Zetec spec I think. I didn't like it as much as the 1999 Renault Scenic 1.6 16v Sport it replaced. 

[Dan302]

Love to see a second chance at life given to cars destined for the bridge, will follow with interest.

I nearly bought an identical car from a chap at work (same colour/engine) for £100 but something in the front suspension snapped when he was bringing to work for me to collect and it wasn't worth the cost of having it transported, shame it would have been ideal for me.

[Noel Tidybeard]

17 hours ago, sutty2006 said:

I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these in a colour other than grey. Top purchase! 

neighbor had one in the silvery blue that crocus's came in

[cobblers]

17 hours ago, catsinthewelder said:

Oh dear, I need to replace my leaky pipes.  Fluid is annoyingly expensive CHF.

We use gallons of it, we get it from westway oils 100l at a time.

They charge about £12 for a 1 litre bottle but if you look on ebay you can get it from other sellers for about £9.

 

[rainagain]

1 minute ago, cobblers said:

We use gallons of it, we get it from westway oils 100l at a time.

They charge about £12 for a 1 litre bottle but if you look on ebay you can get it from other sellers for about £9.

 

Is it this stuff:

[cobblers]

correctamundo,

Also called Pentosin, CHF11S, CHF202

[sierraman]

I spilt about a million quids worth the other month. Really though unless the perennially leaking pump union is leaking then you shouldn’t need to top it up. 

[RoverFolkUs]

Ive used this type: 

Got 2x 1L bottles and it was only £14

When it was pissing out I managed to get 2x 1L tins for £11 but that was a one off

It's a tenner a bottle or so at Halfords 

I found the entire system is less than a litre on my 1.6 petrol. Might be more on the dervs with the EHPAS pumps

[Split_Pin]

I was gutted my neighbour scrapped his 03 Fusion. That was a good car, MOT to March and I think it just needed a wheel bearing and possibly a fuel pipe or maybe a tank. 

That said, he probably got more at the bridge than I'd have coughed up.

[rainagain]

This was pressed into action tonight. A family member was visiting from abroad and had borrowed a Corsa off their friend. Of course as all Vauxhalls are shit it shat out it’s coolant after only a couple of days use. 
 

I topped up the power steering fluid.

and checked the oil. Is this on the correct mark?

It looks over filled to me. It also has another fault it seems the exhaust is leaking into the cabin. Is there anyway to get the outside temp in degrees C whilst keeping the rest of the trip computer in miles? I could only find metric or imperial in the settings and nothing for the abomination of mixed units we insist on using in the UK.