PhilW

"What's worse is that Citroen are fully aware and have a "security kit" which they will supply free if you whinge a lot but is not cheap otherwise. My brother in law has it on their Picaso but I understand it's a "single use" lock" My Bling has a "security bolt" which is basically a (rather crudely) drilled hole in the boot floor through which a long bolt goes through to the wheel and bolts it to the boot floor so that even if you were to remove the tray the spare stays there. I'm just trying to remember how the bolt is secured to the spare but I can't! Some type of threaded plate - I'm sure you could fabricate it yourself so if you need an exact description I could check tomorrow in daylight!

I just put 55 lires in mine this aft - it was showing one eighth on the gauge and the light hadn't come on. As for priming - surely it isn't too difficult these days - most new diesels are self priming and even on my old BX (and later Xantias) it could be done with the plunger on the fuel filter or the rubber bulb thing. Sludge at the bottom of the tank? Where from? - tanks are now plastic so should be no rust, or are you suggesting that the fuel is "sludgy" as supplied??!! I once completely emptied the tank on a ten year old BX that I scrapped and that had been in my garden for a further 3 years. Fuel was as clear as a bell. Since the question of sludge cropped up on another forum I was interested to note that the fuel tank on my lawn mower last week - a mower that lives under a hedge (my sheds are full of other junk!!)- was as shiny as a new pin with no sign of any sludge. Mower is 12 years old and not only mows my lawn but in an emergency has been used on a cricket field!!

That sounds like a damn good deal to me. Has your new Bling got all the extras, ABS, full airbags etc or did your old one have them anyway? And surely the warranty is for 3 years?

"the only downside was the rear seats which seemed a bit uncomfortable to me. " I'm usually in the driver's seat but my son and daughter who insisted on accompanying us to France last Easter for a few days (scroungers!! - they both professed to have forgotten their wallets!! ) said that the rear seats were very comfortable - even on a long journey and with excellent views. I also agree with Tron - I like the more upright driving position

3 or 4 years ago we had the same prob on our L reg TD. Took it to local independent for him to check. As he plugged in his machine I said that I hoped it would not be the ECU because I had heard they were very expensive. The fault code said nearside front sensor faulty and he replaced it (£75 rings a bell but I may be wrong). He also said that he had yet to have to replace an ECU - it was almost invariably a sensor. As Dickie says above - get the fault codes read. Garage I used was Eurocars in Loughborough - can recommend them if you are near

Quite right Tron. Mine is now 18 months old and there weren't many of the new shape HDis around, especially as ex demonstrators at the price I paid! Son had a lucky break with regard to this. He bought a new C2 in the summer, agreed a price etc but had to wait 6 weeks to get delivery because the colour he wanted wasn't available. As a result he got one straight from the factory and in the time he waited ABS became standard and not the (£350?) extra it was when he ordered the car. Hence free ABS! Incidentally, his C2 HDi is a cracking little car - I fancy one myself!!

Well mine is Sahara Gold (ok DVLA - beige!) and I like it. What's more it doesn't seem to show the dirt and always looks clean. Mine is HDi diesel and I think it is a brilliant engine with plenty of poke, quiet and refined at speed but economy does suffer if you cruise at 80 on the motorway. Stick to 70 and it does 50 mpg, at 80 I reckon it's down to 40mpg - but that's the brick- like aerodynamics! Agree about air con - wouldn't be without it. Also like the modutop. Mine was an ex demonstrator (no choice about colour or specs) so no passenger airbag which I (or rather, my wife!), would like. Bought from Bristol Street Motors in Nottingham - they were OK but apart from one service I haven't had much more to do with them.

"they have seen instances of the oil filler cap working loose on a few 2.0Hdi engines of it's own accord." What b*llocks! Just an excuse - bet they didn't offer any evidence. Is it worth a complaint to Trading Standards? I would be tempted to write back and say that as well as the fact that you will never use their garage again you will derive great pleasure from posting about this on every motoring/motoring magazine website you can find as well as Watchdog, local papers etc - all for the sake of an oil change and washer fill - bloody hell for what that would cost them it would be worth them giving you an oil change and washer fill even if they thought you had deliberately taken the oil cap off and emptied the washer bottle. What has happened to customer relations?

I was surprised when I read that report because I find the lights pretty good. I wondered if they had the headlight adjuster turned right down when testing them 'cos mine certainly illuminate far more than the 10 metres (on dip) that they quoted and I think full beam is very good