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Hi Tommy,

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Hi Keith,

The extra spec probably won't make much difference I'm afraid. Once there's a few basic items such as air conditioning, a decent stereo and some nice wheels, most second hand buyers don't care about spec - they're only interested in the car itself, its history and its likely reliability. With that in mind I'd say you're looking at a value of between €8,000 and €9,000.

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Hi Eimead,

Assuming your mechanic already tried HT plug leads and the actual spark plugs the next thing to look into would be injectors.

Hope you get to the bottom of your problem

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Hi Deck,

There seems to be a bit of split in S-Max ownership between those who have solidly reliable cars and those who keep suffering annoying niggles. Electrical faults are surprisingly common, and can range from knackered windscreen wipers to a fault that drains the battery over the course of a couple of days. Other have complained of some loose-fitting interior trim, especially around the doors. Keep an eye out too for clonking noises coming from the steering, stiff brake pedals or the diesel engine cutting out mysteriously.

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Hi Reg,

Well, there are a couple of good options around although few of them offer quite as much space as the S-Max. The Citroen C4 Picasso, Volkswagen Touran and Toyota Verso are all smaller than the Ford, but offer plenty of space for five, with room for seven at a pinch. Or you could try the always-excellent SEAT Alhambra (sliding doors are handy in tight car parks) or even the (not very common) Mazda5.

If none of those tickle your fancy, and if you’re looking more for a proper five-seater with jump seats for another two, allow me to pull out of the hat my always-ready answer to seven-seater conundrums - a Mercedes E-Class Estate with those clever folding seats in the boot.

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Hi Barry,

To be blunt, you're going to struggle to get a decent diesel engined car at that price level. There do seem to be one or two diesel Peugeot 307s or Renault Méganes around at that sort of money but we'd advise serious caution before purchase - neither have a great reputation for reliability. 

Unless you're covering mega-miles every week, you would probably be much, much better off getting a tidy 1.4 petrol hatchback, perhaps a circa 2002 Toyota Corolla? Really solid on the reliability front, excellent fuel economy and affordable motor tax. It would be a much better idea than going all out for diesel but ending up with a less reliable car.

What do you think?

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Hi Mary,

Let us know which way you go

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Hi Peter,

Probably about €9,000 on a trade in, maybe slightly north of €10k if you sell it yourself. 

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Hi Paul,

Yes, it is actually. Fords tend to do very well on the tough German TÜV reliability and quality surveys and the Mondeo is no exception. Just one thing - the 1.6 petrol is a touch underpowered so check to see if it's been thrashed hard keeping up with traffic. 

The timing belt should be changed every 160,000 kilometres or 96 months with inspections in between officially, though we'd recommend more frequent changes than that.

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Hi Tony,

There are some nice Ford Fiesta automatics around, usually with the 1.4-litre petrol engine that should fit your needs rather nicely.  Or better yet, what about a Honda Jazz 1.4 ES with the CVT automatic gearbox? We found one online for just over €16k and it's a cracking car - high quality, reliable, spacious and with a terrific 1.4-litre engine.

Let us know what you think