Should I go diesel or petrol for a Ford C-Max?

Thinking of buying a 1.6 Ford C-Max from the UK, but have heard mixed reports about the diesel models. Would I be safer going for the petrol one instead?

Catherine Brosnan (Kerry)

Jun 2014 Filed under: importing

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Expert answer

Hi Catherine,

Not necessarily. The 1.6-litre diesel used in the C-Max is an engine used in a huge variety of cars, from the C-Max to the Focus to the Mondeo to various Citroens, Peugeots, Volvos and even the occasional MINI. This means that, by and large, it's a decent engine with good reliability prospects and millions of miles of use in a massive number of cars to reveal any bugs.

That said, there are a couple of issues to watch for and mostly it's to do with the turbocharger, which can occasionally be a weak point. Usually it's down to a failure of the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, and it can be pretty easily fixed. Watch the parts prices and shop around for quotes if anything does go wrong. Alternators can give trouble too, so be suspicious of any engine or battery warning lights.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe