Adrian_L

This forum (and this post) isn't about GM Yes, Ford has had SERIOUS issues. The SE had unacceptable battery problems. There's no getting around this fact. And GM had serious problems too. And Toyota. That billion dollar fine must have hurt. I am grateful Mlsstl added his articulate thoughts. I don't happen to agree with them--but I didn't agree with my dad when he was about to buy an Infinity G35 and found an "average" rear crash test result which became a dealbreaker (he later bought a Volvo). There is a certain type of person who is highly cautious and frankly, buying a C-max hybrid does involve more of a "risk" than buying a Toyota Corolla. Ultimately, not everyone wants to deal with the potential teething problems of a new build.

I wanted to buy a 2014 but they were just too expensive in March. When I found out that my 2013 was built in November I told myself "hey, it's actually a 2014 after all". Well, not really. After 4000 miles, lifetime average is 47 mpg. Mostly city driving on flat roads. Will be switching from 5W20 to 0W20 upon my first oil change. A wonderful and rewarding car.

It's unbelievable on the Tuxedo black model--the top of the bumper needs a wipe at least every week.

Some of you may have watched this already. A pretty good online review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8RYVjrb80o As is usually the case, the comments section will reveal that there are a lot of wing-nuts out there.

Keep it clean. This isn't the Escalade forum.

These things happen. You can't put a price on a service department you trust.

Ditto. Thanks for the thoughtful feedback. If any SEL owners with a build date of say Oct '13 and later have any dead battery issues, I sure would like to hear about it.

Sorry, you lost me. If the spare tire and leg room were not deal-killers then the only thing left is the battery issue (according to your original post) Since the (late '13 and '14) SEL has no battery issues, then just buy an SEL. Be brave. A Subaru will not make you smile the way this car does ;) Sorry I have to give you my 2 cents. Frankly, I'm surprised there's not more passionate defense of our cars here. Kostby responds with a cheerful "tell us what you're going to buy?!" Seriously?? I think there are moments in history where a shift takes place and when the new "paradigm" takes over people think differently. I have had my C-max for 4 months and frankly, it is hybrid or all-electric from now on. And not just because of the price of gas or planet-love or anything like that. I just love arriving at work (30 min drive) and being told I used a pint of gas to get there. A pint!! And then there is the quality of the ride--the silence at red lights. I could go on. Maybe you have to own and drive a C-max to understand what I'm feeling. If someone offered me a Subaru and a $5000 check for my C-max I wouldn't take it. 27 mpg? Please. Speaking of crappy fuel economy, why was I driving a ridiculous V8 Audi with 335 horses I never needed? When fuel injection replaced carburettors, everyone wondered why carburettors hung around for so long. Ditto with records and CDs. When something is better, the inadequacies of the original comes into sharp focus. Who would want to listen to crackly old records when you can listen to pure digital sound? Gas vs Hybrid electric? There won't be any gas-only cars in 20 years.

We're not talking full size spare here. We're talking about those little mini "limited speed" spare tires designed to get you to the garage. They're pretty darn small so I imagine you could (assuming you don't have 2 kids) put one on the floor behind your front seats OR in the trunk. Search the postings because some forum members have sown covers for these mini tires. OR - you could be the first C-max owner to mount a spare tire on the hood, Land Rover style?? Ok....maybe not such a great idea.

The original "Bridge" (Bron/Broen or something like that) was a terrific Danish/Swedish miniseries. We watched the first episode of the US version and didn't watch the second. lol. Nobody calls my C-max "gay"! I hope that enforcer meets an untimely end.

It'll be on your window sticker or you can just look up the info on the specs page of the brochure: http://www.ford.com/services/assets/Brochure?make=Ford&model=C-MAX&year=2013

That is embarrassing. I'm still ashamed to admit I drove an Audi V8 that got 17.5 miles to the gallon. At one point it cost $110 to fill it up with premium (It's Canada--we drive over the border just to get gas) I love the "moment of truth" when you end a C-max journey at it tells you your mpg. 60.3 today!

I take back what I said about Ford not identifying the battery problem. 13B12 was the battery fix recall and does not affect newer builds.

Thanks for the feedback. Some parting thoughts: The lack of thigh support in the driver's seat was a concern for me but far from a dealbreaker. I'm 6' tall and haven't noticed any discomfort on long journeys. Many C-max owners buy a mini spare tire and throw it in the trunk or put it under the seat. Hardly any SEL owners experience battery problems and it seems limited to early SE models. 2 dead batteries in a year in a new car is certainly annoying, and Ford's inability to locate the problem is unacceptable, but having said that it is far from the catastrophe some C-max owners would have you believe. I'd gently point out that at least three or four times my dad's Volvo 850 refused to turn over. He towed it to the mechanic. They changed the oil and it started up again. No explanation from Volvo was ever given. Oh---and the seat heaters both burned a hole in the seats. No such thing as a perfect car. But if you're the type of person that wants guarantees that nothing will go wrong---buy Toyota. Adrian Vancouver

From June 2014: https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2014/06/12/ford-motor-company-lowers-fuel-economy-ratings--for-six-vehicles.html Where's Ashley or John Sparks when we need them. Please respond before AS2014 gets pelted with eggs!

I'm slightly ashamed to say I bought our C-max from my least favorite dealership because of price. But none of the others were willing to match the price. I think I probably mentioned some of these already. Dealership Q&As. Q: What is the all-electric range of the Energi with a fully-charged battery? A: Well, the car uses gas and electric together (Ivan: Key West Ford) Q: Does the pano roof open? A; I'm sure it does. You just have to find the right button (Jennifer, Key West Ford) Q: What does that little green car symbol mean? A: No idea, sorry. It's probably in the manual (Jennifer, Key West Ford) Q: When does the gas motor kick in? (test driving an Energi) A: It ONLY turns on when you have the heater or A/C on. (Jennifer, Key West Ford) Q: Does the gas motor run when the elecric motor is on? A: Basically the electric motor is running the transmission all the time. The gas motor just recharges the battery (John--Richport Ford) Q: How does the C-max hybrid mileage compare with Prius? A: These are Prius killers! Ford bought the hybrid technology from Toyota!" (John-Richport Ford) And last but not least: "Be careful with your FOB. They are $400-$500 to replace!" (Jennifer-Key West Ford)

Don't get me wrong, I think the Energi is a great car. But the statement "alot of cargo room", is simply not true. Shouldn't you be over here, partner? http://fordcmaxenergiforum.com/

I don't get it. Where are the cool "we're killing Prius" ads on TV?! I watched a half dozen Prius vs C-max hybrid comparisons on YouTube etc. and the verdict was the same every time--C-max: better car, better options, a level higher of interior luxury and a more fun ride. Thank heavens for independent research, eh? My saleswoman didn't know what the green "ready to drive" symbol meant. She thought the glass roof could be opened and had no idea that the Energi had an all-elecric range.

You have GOT to be kidding. My wife and I figured you could get 2, maybe 3 of those little flight attendant suitcases in there. It was an absolute deal breaker for us. The space is tiny.

I was like a kid at Christmas opening my envelope last Friday..............but it turned out the be the 14S04 recall notice. Darn!

WD40 works great on sticker residue. I also used Plastikote spraypaint over the dealer's name on the licence plate holders. Car looks much cleaner. You wouldn't walk around advertising Nike or Gap, would you? That would look ridiculous.

My (former) Ford dealership continues to amaze with their flee-flowing steam of misinformation. It appears from the Ford parts website that the hybrid FOB is $85. However, it doesn't state whether it is a type 1 or 2.

I'm confused too. The car was towed because it had a dead battery? I'd get a booster pack if I were you. I think mine was $50 on sale and has got me out of a jam many times (not with the C-max but with a VW van). I know you want a permanent fix but...... Correct me if I'm wrong, but the original post was referring to brand-new 2013 models on a dealer's lot. They have not had previous drivers as Bull alluded to.

Could have been a BB gun. There was an idiot who hit about 50 cars one night around our 'hood. My old Volvo's driver's window looked just like that before I replaced it with a piece of glass from a wrecking yard.

No way. The climate control will not engage unless you turn it on. There is a (car running) issue with the A/C engaging without "permission" (i.e. after the climate control on/off switch is pressed and the A/C was off before) but that doesn't happen when the car is off in a parking lot. As to the original question: SEL models seem largely immune from battery problems. A November 2013 build would bode very well. I like to tell myself that my Nov. 2013 built SEL is more-or-less a 2014.