Compact estate

Nedved11

Nedved11

Nedved11

Soldato
Joined
5 Aug 2003
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Looking for a compact estate for my next car. I quite like the signum idea and I'm not too bothered about how it drives. Main importance has to be reliability.
The signum 2.0T is really floating my boat at the moment. Budget is abou £2-3k so not a lot to play with. 7 seater MPVs also an option...

Feedback appreciated! Cheers.
 
Ford Focus C-Max 2 litre TDCI.

More luggage space than the Signum. More power. More MPG. Less to tax. Only 5 seats though.
 
The Signum is not an estate, its focus is rear legroom rather than cargo space. The Vectra Estate is the estate on that platform.
 
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C Max 2.0 TDCi more than a 2.0T 172 BHP signum? Hmmm yeah I see that one.

Sigum is a strange one they are quite quirky and you don't see many of them hence there cheap as nobody buys them! Get a lot for you're money in the Design trim.

I dont see it as a estate though quite small boots. If you need a boot large enough for a washing machine dont get one.

Do you need an estate? My Focus is brilliant for transporting odd bits now and then, or do you need 7 seats to carry a lot of people?
 
pokerking said:
C Max 2.0 TDCi more than a 2.0T 172 BHP signum? Hmmm yeah I see that one.
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Of course I'm not comparing a diesel C-Max to a Petrol turbo signum, but the comparable diesel engined signum. The 1.9 CDTI is 120bhp to the 138 of the C-Max unless you get the 150 version.
 
He is stating the 2.0T not the 120 1.9 CDTi. Even though there is the 150 so stillr the C Max is no quicker but this is pedantic and neither are build and bought for traffic light GP.

Still IMO the VX 1.9 150 is a better unit than the Ford. Quiter and Smoother is cheaper to buy in the Vectra and Signum providing better value for money. But nobody seems to get on with VX so I will probally get hated on. But a Signum feels better built if you compare the two. My Aunt has a C Max and it feels very tinny. I test drove a 3.0 CDTI Signum V6 befor getting a Cougar V6 and was impressed. Can get them very cheap and they are quite comfy to waft in.
 
Well when I was looking, I tested Signums. But it's a C-Max that is sat out the back of my house, I've had it for a while and I have no complaints about it really (other than I wish I'd got leather). The 2 litre turbo petrol signum might have more horse power, but it didn't feel any quicker than the C-max (and on paper, it isn't), the 1.9 150 CDTI was slower still. The 2 litre turbo petrol drank much more. And cost twice as much to tax. Also as mentioned, much less luggage space. On that alone the C-Max made more sense. I also preferred the interior finish on the C-Max (despite the lack of leather).
 
Thats why everyone is different :) I have a brand new Focus so not at all bias to Vauxhall, for me the Signum is the car id choose, you the C Max :) Strange looking on Parkers the C Max has 138 BHP the Signum 147 BHP yet lighter but slower to 60 by 0.3 second, not that it will be noticeable but seems strange its slower. Now the v6 CDTi is a lovely unit, silky smooth and has a nice shove.

They are a different car though, both different to each other.
 
Gearing has a lot to do with 0-60 times, cars like that will be geared for real world driving not 0-60 times. You probably need to grab another gear in the one with the slower 0-60.
 
If I didn't mistake it, you mentioned reliabilty and Vauxhall in the same post....

On a serious note, you want something reliable, go look at a Honda Accord or Avensis estate (avoiding both diesels). I'd expect either to be more reliable (on average).
 
Thanks guys. The vauxhall 1.9 diesel really puts me off with all the bad rep it's got with reliability that's why I thought the 2.0T would be a better option as it's a solid engine. The 1.8vvt was another option. I said a compact estate but the signum fell into it as you can get enough of a flat space with the rear seats down. Never considered the c max though and 7 seats is not a must.

Also anything to look out for with the 2.0tdci lump in the ford cmax and cmax in general.

Cheers
 
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Obviously.
 
Nedved11 said:
Also anything to look out for with the 2.0tdci lump in the ford cmax and cmax in general.
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For the diesels, watch out for high mileage lady owners. In my experience when I was looking, these cars were predominantly favoured by school run mums. So they were doing short trips and never getting up to proper operating temperature. Children stains on the interior also plagued them and it took me forever to find one that had rear seats and the back of the front seats without staining on them from spilled drinks and dirty shoes. Finding one with leather seats was even harder and I gave up in the end, but I would have really preferred it. In the time since I've bought mine, I've seen one with leather turn up on usedcarsni.com and it was for sale at the other side of the country (Northern Ireland). You might have better luck on the UK mainland. Avoid anything with CVT. Engine wise, they're no different from the Focus proper range. So what is applicable to those engines is the same in the C-Max. Check everything electrical works. If it has it, check the A/C has been gassed and is working.

There is the Grand C-Max that has 7 seats. I know you said it's not important, but if it's something you've been considering I'm just saying that it is there. I haven't driven or been near one though, so can't comment on them really. However I think they're just a LWB version of the C-Max.
 
Thanks ohesecks will look into that. I've been reading bad thing about the electric handbrake so avoiding those which have them. I might even look into a petrol as I only do about 10K a year...

Zafira is also an option. Anything putting me off with them part from it being a vX!?;)
 
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