So this Ecoboost SMAX I purchased - I really like it
Discussion
It's a 2011 reg with the Titanium X trim and spec and runs the 240 ST engine. Drinks like a fish, but I can't see myself replacing it any time soon.
Hauls enough crap, enough space for bikes and two growing kids. It's very comfortable and dare I say having done distances in excess of 300 miles plus over the Xmas period I have zero back pain.
Yes it's a big old long car, massive doors, crappy cupholders, no heated seats and the interface is a bit out of date. But it just ticks a lot of boxes. Anyone thinking this is a speed demon needs their head checking though. It literally feels like a bus at times. Especially fully laden which adds to the weight. Cornering is hilarious at times. Two wheels anyone?
Past history include a Range Rover, Discovery Sport, Saab 9-3, Focus ST Estate.
I would argue the discovery sport would be the only car out of those where I kind of felt the same. It did feel like it was only built to last until the warranty period was over though.
Even the wife has given up on the M140i (The other household daily) altogether and taken this as her own car now.
Win win I suppose.
Hauls enough crap, enough space for bikes and two growing kids. It's very comfortable and dare I say having done distances in excess of 300 miles plus over the Xmas period I have zero back pain.
Yes it's a big old long car, massive doors, crappy cupholders, no heated seats and the interface is a bit out of date. But it just ticks a lot of boxes. Anyone thinking this is a speed demon needs their head checking though. It literally feels like a bus at times. Especially fully laden which adds to the weight. Cornering is hilarious at times. Two wheels anyone?
Past history include a Range Rover, Discovery Sport, Saab 9-3, Focus ST Estate.
I would argue the discovery sport would be the only car out of those where I kind of felt the same. It did feel like it was only built to last until the warranty period was over though.
Even the wife has given up on the M140i (The other household daily) altogether and taken this as her own car now.
Win win I suppose.
Edited by HannsG on Friday 27th December 05:07
Great when you get such unexpected rewards.
Earlier this year, I needed a sheddy 4x4 and picked up a not so sheddy Vitara as I worked out that the newer car was actually going to cost me less to own.
It's brilliant. The auto AWD is unstoppable in fields, on tracks. The load capacity is deceptively generous and the car is really well specified. It genuinely does 60mpg plus and is eating up the miles very comfortably.
Earlier this year, I needed a sheddy 4x4 and picked up a not so sheddy Vitara as I worked out that the newer car was actually going to cost me less to own.
It's brilliant. The auto AWD is unstoppable in fields, on tracks. The load capacity is deceptively generous and the car is really well specified. It genuinely does 60mpg plus and is eating up the miles very comfortably.
We had a 2007 Galaxy Ghia from nearly new, same underpinnings as the S-max but a bit taller and it was a brilliant car, not glamorous, not fast and not something you dream of owning but it never missed a beat and was so useful.
Ours had the built in DVD system that kept the three kids quiet on longer journeys. I thought that for a big bus it drove really nicely, the steering had more feel than my M135i and it could be hustled fairly quickly and was dare I say it, quite enjoyable.
We got rid of it when we werent carting three kids about, had to drive 5 miles with all of us the other day, they dont really fit, plus dog in a One Series.
I think for most families they are a better solution than most SUV's but people want SUV's as they are more fashionable and they wouldnt be seen dead in a Ford unless they were being taken to the airport in it.
Ours had the built in DVD system that kept the three kids quiet on longer journeys. I thought that for a big bus it drove really nicely, the steering had more feel than my M135i and it could be hustled fairly quickly and was dare I say it, quite enjoyable.
We got rid of it when we werent carting three kids about, had to drive 5 miles with all of us the other day, they dont really fit, plus dog in a One Series.
I think for most families they are a better solution than most SUV's but people want SUV's as they are more fashionable and they wouldnt be seen dead in a Ford unless they were being taken to the airport in it.
J4CKO said:
, the steering had more feel than my M135i and it could be hustled fairly quickly and was dare I say it, quite enjoyable.
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This I can believe, as someone whose current family fleet is made up of 3 Fords from the 2000-06 era. Such good cars to drive, especially my Mk1 Focus... coming to it from a Mk4 Focus loan car only highlighted how steering feel has been lost in recent years and Its a shame that Ford seems to have lost its mojo a bit I during that time. I liked the older S Max better than the new tbh which is a pretty ugly looking thing..
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We had a couple of SMax diesels (2.2 and 2.0) - I often said it was the perfect family car.
Even quite good to chuck about a bit IF you don’t have passengers: with your engine, even more so!
Winter tyres saw ours get up mountains in the Alps whilst others put their chains on....gobbles up luggage like nothing else (Uni students life movements, that ski kit for four), comfy and well spec’d In the titanium trim
Now don’t need the 7 seats, & have my XC60 for any journeys needing luggage space, so finally downsized to a Kona EV....which is fun in a different way!
Even quite good to chuck about a bit IF you don’t have passengers: with your engine, even more so!
Winter tyres saw ours get up mountains in the Alps whilst others put their chains on....gobbles up luggage like nothing else (Uni students life movements, that ski kit for four), comfy and well spec’d In the titanium trim
Now don’t need the 7 seats, & have my XC60 for any journeys needing luggage space, so finally downsized to a Kona EV....which is fun in a different way!
greenarrow said:
This I can believe, as someone whose current family fleet is made up of 3 Fords from the 2000-06 era. Such good cars to drive, especially my Mk1 Focus... coming to it from a Mk4 Focus loan car only highlighted how steering feel has been lost in recent years and Its a shame that Ford seems to have lost its mojo a bit I during that time. I liked the older S Max better than the new tbh which is a pretty ugly looking thing.
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I thought the Mark 4 was supposed to be a return to form for the Focus? Every single review I’ve seen says it’s best in class? Do agree the Mark 1 was amazing though, and I still think it looks great today. .
3 months ago we purchased a Mk2 S-Max, 2.0 TDCI, 177hp, 60k miles.
It just eats the miles, I have missed a couple of turnings off motorway type roads as you sit there thinking we cant be there yet.
Yes, its a big clattery diesel around town, but sitting at 70 and you are doing less than 2k rpm, it just pulls happily. Does not really like town driving, but what large 7 seater does?. All 5 rear seats fold very flat, so you can cart huge amounts of stuff with ease. Rear facing car seat fits behind the drivers seat with it a fair way back to fit tall people.
I would say that the gearbox needs to be worked a lot, I am constantly up and down the box, and still have not worked out what gear for what speed.
I really like it!
It just eats the miles, I have missed a couple of turnings off motorway type roads as you sit there thinking we cant be there yet.
Yes, its a big clattery diesel around town, but sitting at 70 and you are doing less than 2k rpm, it just pulls happily. Does not really like town driving, but what large 7 seater does?. All 5 rear seats fold very flat, so you can cart huge amounts of stuff with ease. Rear facing car seat fits behind the drivers seat with it a fair way back to fit tall people.
I would say that the gearbox needs to be worked a lot, I am constantly up and down the box, and still have not worked out what gear for what speed.
I really like it!
Peanut Gallery said:
3 months ago we purchased a Mk2 S-Max, 2.0 TDCI, 177hp, 60k miles.
It just eats the miles, I have missed a couple of turnings off motorway type roads as you sit there thinking we cant be there yet.
Yes, its a big clattery diesel around town, but sitting at 70 and you are doing less than 2k rpm, it just pulls happily. Does not really like town driving, but what large 7 seater does?. All 5 rear seats fold very flat, so you can cart huge amounts of stuff with ease. Rear facing car seat fits behind the drivers seat with it a fair way back to fit tall people.
I would say that the gearbox needs to be worked a lot, I am constantly up and down the box, and still have not worked out what gear for what speed.
I really like it!
Yup sometimes I think should I have gone for a diesel. But we do so few miles It just eats the miles, I have missed a couple of turnings off motorway type roads as you sit there thinking we cant be there yet.
Yes, its a big clattery diesel around town, but sitting at 70 and you are doing less than 2k rpm, it just pulls happily. Does not really like town driving, but what large 7 seater does?. All 5 rear seats fold very flat, so you can cart huge amounts of stuff with ease. Rear facing car seat fits behind the drivers seat with it a fair way back to fit tall people.
I would say that the gearbox needs to be worked a lot, I am constantly up and down the box, and still have not worked out what gear for what speed.
I really like it!
Drove 150 miles today. And got around 35mpg which ain't to bad for a fully laden SMAX carrying all the Xmas and holiday tat.
Love ours - it’s 57 reg Titanium x heated fabric seats.
We’ve 3 kids and a dog it gets battered all the time constantly filthy mud kids stuff but it just goes and goes.
Looking at the Mk2 now as our heated screen is faulty needs new tyres and has a number of family “damage” on it. We frequently have 7 in it and some of our kids school friends now too have an S Max as they have been in ours and they too can see it just works so well.
Next one will certainly be auto - you don’t want stick shift with an MPV you want comfort relaxing pano roof. Might opt for the vignale ST-Line or Titanium Soort Lauren and run it for the next ten years.
I just wish they offered it as PHEV
We’ve 3 kids and a dog it gets battered all the time constantly filthy mud kids stuff but it just goes and goes.
Looking at the Mk2 now as our heated screen is faulty needs new tyres and has a number of family “damage” on it. We frequently have 7 in it and some of our kids school friends now too have an S Max as they have been in ours and they too can see it just works so well.
Next one will certainly be auto - you don’t want stick shift with an MPV you want comfort relaxing pano roof. Might opt for the vignale ST-Line or Titanium Soort Lauren and run it for the next ten years.
I just wish they offered it as PHEV
I've got a 55plate 1st gen boggo 2l diesel smax, it's on 155,000 miles. It's a shed and I've disliked it since day 1 because of the poor standard of trim and general nastiness... But... Its like a f
king cockroach, does 47mpg and believe it or not as far as people carriers go its by some way the best handling package out there, with three kids and a dog it's only going to get replaced with something equally as undesirable - so it stays, gets hoovered out far more regularly than it gets washed and it's not an unbearable place to sit and contemplate where my life has gone, there is some rust on the sills, here's hoping its terminal.
king cockroach, does 47mpg and believe it or not as far as people carriers go its by some way the best handling package out there, with three kids and a dog it's only going to get replaced with something equally as undesirable - so it stays, gets hoovered out far more regularly than it gets washed and it's not an unbearable place to sit and contemplate where my life has gone, there is some rust on the sills, here's hoping its terminal. Any Mk1 owners who have upgraded to the Mk2? Thoughts would be appreciated pros cons
A friend has the 140bhp 1.5turbo Mk2 Titanium Sport leather really like it. We went in random but he was struggling to keep up going up hill vs our 140bhp tdi we had 1 extra person plus a more loaded cabin and boot. (He wasn’t not giving all it had either to accelerate up the hill).
I don’t want diesel but aside from the 237bhp petrol which on paper up to legal speed limits is no faster than the 180/200bhp diesel and the 240bhp diesel is near identical to 62 and faster in gear.
As flagged earlier I do wish they had or do make a smack PHEV it would be ideal.
A friend has the 140bhp 1.5turbo Mk2 Titanium Sport leather really like it. We went in random but he was struggling to keep up going up hill vs our 140bhp tdi we had 1 extra person plus a more loaded cabin and boot. (He wasn’t not giving all it had either to accelerate up the hill).
I don’t want diesel but aside from the 237bhp petrol which on paper up to legal speed limits is no faster than the 180/200bhp diesel and the 240bhp diesel is near identical to 62 and faster in gear.
As flagged earlier I do wish they had or do make a smack PHEV it would be ideal.
Welshbeef said:
Is it easy to fix the heated front screen?
If its the same as my Mk3 Mondeo .... there are two fuses one for each side, the connectors also corrode, but i guess it depends on how its failed. Mine doesn't work on the driverside and only 50% on the passenger side.I keep looking at the Mk4 Mondeos and really the 2.2 would do all I want but it will only get a 30 mile run once a week.
If I was going for the mk2 S Max it needs torque and that can only be a diesel.
stevemcs said:
If its the same as my Mk3 Mondeo .... there are two fuses one for each side, the connectors also corrode, but i guess it depends on how its failed. Mine doesn't work on the driverside and only 50% on the passenger side.
I keep looking at the Mk4 Mondeos and really the 2.2 would do all I want but it will only get a 30 mile run once a week.
If I was going for the mk2 S Max it needs torque and that can only be a diesel.
Diesel was definitely the front runner but I had such bad experiences with DPFs on older cars I swore never again I keep looking at the Mk4 Mondeos and really the 2.2 would do all I want but it will only get a 30 mile run once a week.
If I was going for the mk2 S Max it needs torque and that can only be a diesel.
HannsG said:
Diesel was definitely the front runner but I had such bad experiences with DPFs on older cars I swore never again
Sadly you’ve only the weak 1.5turbo petrol 140/150bhp which in a 2,154kg unloaded 7 seater is woefully underpowered and lacking torque. Conversely the 237bhp petrol is much better BUT drinks a lot apparently J4CKO said:
We had a 2007 Galaxy Ghia from nearly new, same underpinnings as the S-max but a bit taller and it was a brilliant car, not glamorous, not fast and not something you dream of owning but it never missed a beat and was so useful.
Ours had the built in DVD system that kept the three kids quiet on longer journeys. I thought that for a big bus it drove really nicely, the steering had more feel than my M135i and it could be hustled fairly quickly and was dare I say it, quite enjoyable.
We got rid of it when we werent carting three kids about, had to drive 5 miles with all of us the other day, they dont really fit, plus dog in a One Series.
I think for most families they are a better solution than most SUV's but people want SUV's as they are more fashionable and they wouldnt be seen dead in a Ford unless they were being taken to the airport in it.
I think Ford have upped their game, I had a Fiesta as a courtesy car, and was quite impressed by the kit level, quick engine as well, and I would choose a Ford over a Nissan or Vauxhall now. Galaxies have that minicab reputation thanks to the likes of Addison Lee in London, but no one makes a better MPV. Even my 75hp Transit Connect van for work has quite a good engine note and isn't too bad for thrashing along country lanes.Ours had the built in DVD system that kept the three kids quiet on longer journeys. I thought that for a big bus it drove really nicely, the steering had more feel than my M135i and it could be hustled fairly quickly and was dare I say it, quite enjoyable.
We got rid of it when we werent carting three kids about, had to drive 5 miles with all of us the other day, they dont really fit, plus dog in a One Series.
I think for most families they are a better solution than most SUV's but people want SUV's as they are more fashionable and they wouldnt be seen dead in a Ford unless they were being taken to the airport in it.
Love the new Mustang as well, but this probably the wrong thread for that...
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