Some of you will know I've had a mk1 Octavia vRS / mk1 Octavia PD130 Elegance / mk1 Fabia vRS /mk2 Octavia PD140 Elegance over the last 7 1/2 years and I've loved each one for their merits however the VAG group couldn't offer anything that suited our needs.

Due to SWMBO starting childminding we now have a need for a car wiith 7 seats. There are plenty of makes/models to choose from however there was only 1 that didn't seem to have any drawbacks. Once we have decided on the Ford S-Max we chose the Titanium model as it offered a spec that we would be happy with.

After the hunt started we found a '58 2l TDCI Titanium in metallic Sea Grey with only 60k on the clock, this also had 2 Ford Options, Leather Pack & Ford Entertainment System. After a test drive and a very good look round we paid our deposit and agreed a p/x deal on my mk2 Octavia. The car was bought from Prestige Performance Cars in Selby, this is the 2nd car (1st Octavia PD130) I have bought from them and each time they have been great to deal with.

Here's some dealer pics and a spec

Spec pinched from advert

Metallic Sea Grey.

1 Owner,

Full Ford Service History,

Supplied Serviced,

Taxed & With 6 Months Warranty,

Partial Leather Seats,

Sport Front Seats

7 Seats,

Factory Fit Rear Seat Entertainment System With DVD Player, Headphones & Remote Control,

Rear Door Blinds, Rear Privacy Glass,

Front & Rear Parking Sensors,

Dual Zone Climate Control,

Bluetooth Phone System,

CD/Radio With DAB.

Multi Function Steering Wheel With Audio Controls

Cruise Control, Auto Lights & Wipers,

17 Inch Alloy Wheels,

4 x Electric Windows,

Electric Mirrors,

New Genuine Ford Mats,

New & Old together

Convers+ Equivelant to Maxidot

Having had the car 1month now I have to admit to being very impressed with it. For a car this big and heavy its more economical than I expected and more fun to drive than expected.

Comparing this to the Octavia on the tight twisty Peak District roads it has more body roll (as expected) but still carries similar speeds to the Octavia but much comfier and much more refined. I've also never heard a standard HU/Speaker setup as good as this one, the Sony DAB radio is great and the sound quality is better than the Columbus in the Octavia, the only downside is having to check/convert any WMA files to MP3 as thats the only file format it plays.

It might be a boring 7 Seater but I have some plans for it

Done

Winter Tyres orded to fit on the OEM 17" wheels

18" Wheels bought, MudFlaps front/rear fitted

All WiperBlades replaced with Bosch items

Rainx'd windows

Quick Autoglym Polish

16" Alloy Spare Wheel sourced

EGR blanking Plate fitted

Re-programmed Shark STS to read engine codes

Todo

Refurb 18" summer wheels /b uy some summer tyres and fit them

Towbar

Larger Intercooler

Shark Remap

Bluetooth with USB upgrade

Ford Blaupunkt SatNav HU

Looks nice

Nice motor fella

Like it

Damo

Looks nice that! Really good to drive, handbrake takes a bit of getting used to!

Looks nice

Nice motor fella

Like it

Damo

Cheers guys

Looks nice that! Really good to drive, handbrake takes a bit of getting used to!

As said before, not to everones taste and I personally don't like it from behind, I think of it like the grown up Megane bum thats gone saggy as the years have passed

The handbrake feels so natural compared to the more conventional style, shame it doesn't work as well as the conventional style!

As for the drive, I much prefer it to the Octavia & as you mentioned in another thread Andrew, its supprising just how good some manufacuters can make their cars handle without sacrificing the comfort/economy/noise.

Matthew

Our next door neighbours son has one of these but it looks like a ST model as it has big wheels and 2 pipes poking out the back, looks ace for a people carrier,

On another note how the hell did you find that place just had a look on google maps, its in middle of nowhere. Thought i knew selby quiet well but never knew there was units there

The 2.2 TDCI also comes with the twin tailpipes I would have liked the 2.5t petrol though, same engine as the Focus ST but wouldn't have been pleasent stopping every 150-200miles to fill up when towing.

Prestige Performance haven't been there long, they used to be over near the Refuse Site, my parents also live in Cliffe and we use that road when we cut through to Elvington or if were going to York to visit SWMBO's parents after seeing mine.

Not much happening at the moment, I've bought my spare wheel/wheel brake/jack/tyre and have it all assembled best I can in the boot, I know its not the most elegant of solutions and it will need to be moved when using the rear seats but that will only be during school holidays or the odd weekend.

Wheel - 16" alloy from a mk3 mondeo with a ToyoProxy winter tyre (Wheel brace/Draper 1.5t jack/high vis jacket all inside the wheel)

Whilst it does sit higher than the back of the seats it doesn't interfere with the view out of the back (much)

And although I've have to slide the middle row of seats forwards a little there is still more legroom than in the octavia

I'll be getting my winter tyres (Vredestein Wintrac Extreme) fitted to my current 17" wheels at the end of this month and then selling the Summer tyres that come off to go towards some new 18" tyres for my new summer wheels.

Bought these Mondeo Zetec alloys for £80, in a bit of a state but I work with Rik_T and he has refurbished them for me at his brothers wheel/bodyshop

Before

Sanding Process (removing all the primer that had been painted on with a brush)

Primed and being baked

Painted/Laqured & being baked

Finished

I'm slightly concerned that it will make the car look a little too much like the older Galaxy/Alhambra but no-one to my knowledge has fitted these as they all want to fit the newer MSDesign Snowflakes (as below) & I like being a little different.

Matthew

My dad has the very same Setup. Don't know if you have found it yet or not but I'm pretty sure there's an aux input in the glovebox

My dad has the very same Setup. Don't know if you have found it yet or not but I'm pretty sure there's an aux input in the glovebox

Correct, mine has the Aux input, from about 6 weeks after mine was made they started fitting USB ports in the glovebox too

As mentioned, I presume it's the titanium x look awesome in these! Couple local to me, Xenons Etc really look the part

As mentioned, I presume it's the titanium x look awesome in these! Couple local to me, Xenons Etc really look the part

The titanium x I think comes with the larger wheels but you can also get the titanium x sport which comes with all the bodykit too, they look quite good for a big 7 seater

Winter tyres fitted a few days ago although I'm not overly impressed with the ability of this car in the frosty icy weather. The Octavia certainly behaved better and filled me with more confidence on the little Peak District roads that I need to drive on.

Today's trip to the stables saw me making it up approx 3/4's of the hill and well up the 14% incline before finally loosing traction and sliding back down the hill, round the corner before going off the road and using a small tree and rock to stop the car going any further, sadly this also turned the car slightly and meant the road was now impassable :( and due to the ice I was unable to get it moving. Warning triangles placed at the junctions either end of the road warning people it was closed until I could get some salt down on the road to melt the ice and get myself out. 3hrs later and I was free & had gritted the road for the council with £10's worth of rock salt.

Never had these issues with the octavia but then that was a lighter car but with more weight over the front wheels. Time to get SWMBO's Rav4 running again

Also fitted the Engine cover as it was missing from when the garage had it serviced before I bought it so now its a mass of plastic under the bonnet.

Before

After

Nearly 2 months into ownership and I love the comfort/heated windscreen & the speed the heater warms up (much quicker than the octavia)/ICE pack/refinement but miss the economy and the confidence that the octavia gave in bad weather, sadly this means we won't be selling SWMBO's Rav4 and we shall keep it to use as a winter car as I certainly don't have the confidence to drive the SMAX into the Peaks to the horse in the Ice/Snow like I could with the Octavia.

Matthew

Arrr i know that engine well

Same engine volvo put in there c30/s40/v50

Just over 1 year has gone by so thought I'd update with what I've done

 

Nothing, this car does everything we require and I've spent all my modyfication money on a CycloCross bike :)

 

Service & MOT came and went with an advisory on the nearside ball joint (slight play)

 

No issues, No failures, very comfy/quiet/relaxed long distance cruiser (trip to Euro Disney then to the south of France to visit my parents @ their holiday home).

 

I can't fault the car at all but can't think its a little overkill for our current needs, it doesn't get used as much as we thought for childminding so might look to sell it and replace it with a cheap petrol

Quick update.

 

My current SatNav is approx 7years old and the maps have never been updated, the plan was to install the Ford RNS Blaupunkt SatNav HU but this would still leave me with not being able to play .WMA files & wanting to upgrade the Bluetooth module to accomodate streaming audio via bluetooth. With this in mind I started browsing for a more suitable HU and came accross this Kenwood being sold on the S-Max Owners forum.

 

So out with the old Sony DAB 

 

 

in with the Kenwood DNX7240BT.

 

 

 

I'm rather pleased with the Garmin SatNav, very quick and easy to use although I'm not 100% happy with the audio, whilst the sound is crisp and clear it just doesn't give me the sound that I like. It's better than the OEM Sony in some aspects but it feels lacking in others.

 

In other news I now have a set of 18" summer wheels waiting for tyres (money just spent on the HU) & a set of Eibach Pro springs ready for fitting

 

Matthew

Edited 22 March, 201412 yr by matt@theforce

Matt it's looking good!

I had a 2l diesel 63 plate as a hire car, seriously bit of torque, really enjoyed driving it, quick and comfortable and mega practical (until it came to parking it!!)

Edited 22 March, 201412 yr by JoshH

Matt it's looking good!

I had a 2l diesel 63 plate as a hire car, seriously bit of torque, really enjoyed driving it, quick and comfortable and mega practical (until it came to parking it!!)

They are a little large, it usually overhangs at the front/rear in carpark spaces but otherwise I find it easier to judge than the octavia

A few before and afters of the Eibach springs, about 20mm drop all round but not very noticable which I think is down to its height

 

 

 

 

If I was to describe that drop mate I wouldn't say the car was lowered I'd say that is how it should have come out the factory. Very subtle but has really transformed the stance. I think it looks really good.

sent from my Galaxy Note 3

If I was to describe that drop mate I wouldn't say the car was lowered I'd say that is how it should have come out the factory. Very subtle but has really transformed the stance. I think it looks really good.

sent from my Galaxy Note 3

 

I couldn't agree more. The drop is very subtle but the tiny 17" wheels and the offset don't help show the drop in the arch very well, perhaps I should have fitted my 18" wheels before lowering as it would have shown it off a little more

Winter is over, although we didn't really have a winter. Gave me chance to get some new rubber sorted for my 18" wheels.  It doesn't look bad for a people carrier, it certainly doesn't drive like one, its just lacking a little bit of poke now but a great car.

 

 

Matthew

Hi Matt, I'm intrigued by the S-Max and seriously considering it. How do you find the 2.0 diesel. I assume its the 140bhp version? I'm toying between the 2.0 diesel and the 2.5t petrol. I really need some economy so I guess the diesel will probably end up being the one I go for. I'm just concerned 140bhp is a bit low..

Yes, I have the 2l tdci 143bhp (251ftlb) engine.

 

Supprisingly there doesn't feel to be any difference in performance between my old pd140 (standard) and the 2l tdci (standard), the smax does feel slower but thats down to the smooth acceleration rather than the lumpy punch of the pd140 as there isn't any noticable difference on the road. On paper they are approximately the same.

 

I've got a remap on my todo list but in all honesty I doubt it will happen, its a big/heavy car and suprisingly agile and nippy for what it is.

 

Depending on your budget you can get the newer 2l tdci with 160bhp (251ftlb) or you could get the 2.2tdci 172bhp (295ftlb). We looked and test drove a 2.5t, oh my lord, what a fantastic package but I couldnt justify the fuel/ved costs for one. If I had the budget at the time, I would have bought the 2.2 Titanium X-Sport but that was more to get the bodykit than the extra power from the engine.

 

Don't expect any of the diesel engines to be overly economical (depending on what you class as economical) or unless you do alot of motorway/a-b road cruising, see my sig for our average since we bought the car, we've had a high of 51mpg on a motorway run through France (fully loaded) down to 37mpg doing 5-20mile journeys.

I do a 50 mile round trip for work each day and the Ceed is averaging 37mpg overall. Its a mix of back road blasting and then a road for 15 miles usually stuck doing 50mph. The 2.5t is so tempting but fuel is going to be an issuei think. I'm looking at similar spec to yours but without the rear entertainment.