tronboy

Mixed driving with no thoughts of driving economically, about 550 miles per tank; driven ultra carefully as if there's an egg between throttle and foot, about 650. I once achieved 700, but never managed to repeat it.

600 miles per tank is possible, but not common. Previous owner must have driven like a granny. I must say that I preferred my old 2-litre to my current 1.6 HDi, although economy was certainly poorer on the 2.0. Somehow felt torquier (it isn't on paper) and seemed quicker off the mark, but it's a noisy engine compared to the 1.6. Have fun with yours!

Well I couldn't resist a test-drive in the new M'space, so I gave a 92bhp HDi VTR a go. I must say that there were a few points scored over the previous model (mine's a 92bhp HDi Forte) but also a fair few against: Practicality: Well, the new one's a fair bit bigger, and I like the better rear seat legroom, dash-top cubby for paperwork and centre between seat cubby, but what's happened to the wonderful 3-litre bottle of water pockets in the doors then? The in-dash bottle holders are useless except maybe for pens, and the cup/can holder is too low to reach. Boot space is no wider because of plastic intrusions either side of the boot. The under-seat tray in the new car is about 25% smaller. The removable rear seats are also a welcome feature. The whole vehicle is wider but not that much more spacious. Advantage Multispace 1 Handling: No contest. The new model holds the road better and there are no rattles or rolling. Brakes are far far better although the pedals are still too close together allowing inadvertent pressing of the throttle in hard braking (no change there then) but the ABS system is much keener. Advantage Multispace 2 Performance: The 92bhp HDi is markedly more sluggish than its predecessor. You need the XTR 110bhp machine for any kind of performance, and the economy's better with the larger motor too. Advantage Multispace 1 Equipment: A mixed bag here. Some kit is better in the new car, but the instruments are dull and harder to read. The rake/reach wheel adjust and height adjustable front seats are good, and driving position 4x4-ish and lofty, but you feel as if you're sitting on the car rather than in it. Standard Radio/CD is a million miles better than the shite one in the older car and it'll play mp3 encoded CDs if you can be arsed to burn them. The Modutop is made of better quality plastic than the old version, but is missing the centre skylight in the rear and the car's a tad darker as a result. The fragrance diffuser is rubbish and pointless. Some gear standard on the earlier car is a cost-option on the new one. No fabric roof option. Bah. Colour options are all a bit dour, but at least black is on offer. No overall winner. Safety: In spite of better child crash protection which is a good thing and a multitude of airbag options, both cars score four stars in ENCAP tests which is surely a missed opportunity for the Multispace2? You can be sure that the new Kangoo rival will be a five starrer. Overall: I can't help thinking that this car is too much of a 'normal' mpv than the good old honest Berlingo, which was for me a bit more quirky. A 2CV for modern living, with a lovely air of 'one-downmanship'. It's a better replacement for the Xsara Picasso really. It's just a bit too far upmarket and complicated for a 'Lingo, and too close to C4 Picasso territory, so why bother? It's bigger; heavier and somehow too serious. And anybody else here reckon that it's also fuckinugly compared to the old one? I jumped back into my old car and it fitted me like a glove. Deal: The dealer offered me £4,500 for my old 55reg Forte with 60k on the clock and interest free on the new car. Peugeot offered me a discount of 22% off a near-identical Partner Tepee but no interest free deal. Either way, they're trying to sell them aren't they? No discount was offered on the Citroen, but it was implied that there could be room to move by giving me a better p/x price. Trouble is, I'm not totally sure that I like it enough. Now I would be far more interested in a passenger version of the Nemo. That would be a true 'Lingo substitute.

The new M'space is too upmarket, the First is too downmarket. Rubbish marketing.

Do you mean the one that's been around since 2002 or the brand new one?

The Berlingo First would be a choice if they'd not discontinued the 92bhp Hdi and de-specced the standard equipment tally and options list..

That means that the much pricier new 1.6HDi110bhp is the nearest in performance to the old 1.6HDi 92bhp

A bit disappointing that the NCAP is only 4* too. Not much improvement over the current model.

Yeah, they're in the dealers now. The old one in van and MPV version is to be marketed as the "Berlingo First" and will only be available in 1.6 petrol and 75bhp 1.6 HDi. Equipment is slashed and remote locking and side airbags are once again options rather than standard. Sunroof option no longer available, so I won't be buying one of those either.

Sadly sold my 2.0 long ago. Have a 1.6HDi now......

All good points I'm sure, although logically if fuel consumption was better, surely emissions would also improve? Smoking was noticeable only on hard acceleration, although since I was doing quite a lot of that, it was rather frequent!! Is the £105 chip that you bought available for the 1.6HDi?

I had my 2.0HDi 'Lingo Superchipped. £400+VAT and up to 120bhp. Absolutely awesome performance, better fuel consumption and I loved it. BMW 320is were fair game, and MINI Coopers were left in my wake. Even better that few traffic cops would suspect a van with windows as being anything like a target! The downside was that it smoked noticeably (don't know what this would do in an emissions test for MOT because the car was too young to be tested) and you had to use good fuel. Biodiesel from the local farm was a no-no. Go for it !

Use the cheapest, Gazole or Gasoil. Don't pay extra for the Super.

Just been to see one of the new Multispaces, and decided that I shan't be buying one. Firstly it is too big. The width especially is excessive; the commercial version seats three abreast, so you can imagine just how wide it is. Much standard equipment on current M'spaces is optional on the new one except in faux-off-roader XTR trim, that includes side airbags, Modutop, remote locking. Add in the cost of these extras and combined with the already higher list price and add in the poorer p/x you'll get for your old model..... And no fabric roof option.... It's a million miles from the Berlingo concept of cheap people/ cargo moving.

How old is the Berlingo? Most 5 door Forte models without Modutop have speaker nacelles with interior lights above the rear side windows. 3 door models don't.

The Door Cards are the interior door panels, so called because they used to be made of fabric covered hardboard in years past! They are removable by taking off the trim panel on the interior door handle, removing the bolts underneath, then pulling the entire door card off the door. You'll need to watch out for the locking button at the top of the door panel getting caught so be careful The existing speakers are screwed into the apertures on the door cards, so they'll need to be removed. As previously mentioned, the speaker grilles rotate and unclip to gain access to the screws. The speaker cables unclip from the speaker units. For neatness I bought a speaker connector kit enabling the existing wires to be clipped into that, then the connectors are slipped on to the tags on the new speaker drive units, so no hacking around of the original loom was necessary. Be sure to observe the correct polarity of the speakers when connecting new ones, and ensure they're the same on each speaker or else you'll reduce your stereo's bass response and imagery. Bolt the new speakers with suitable nuts and bolts and shakeproof washers directly to the circular aperture in the door. You'll need to drill neat and tidy holes in the door to do this. Good luck!

That's the favourite. Also applying the brakes would cause the wheels to flex back in the wheelarches a bit, so it'd make the noise louder.

It seems I can only read the "lo fi" version of this site.... Anyway. The best upgrades to the audio I can recommend for cheap money is to remove the door cards completely, fit sound deadening panels to the inside of the door skin (the type that mould with heat from a hairdryer are good) then refit a set of Alpine twin cones in place of the cheap Czech or Polish standard units. Fit directly to the door apertures, not to the door cards as per the original, and bolt them tightly in place. Refit door cards over the new installation. Next unclip the tweeter grilles in the top of the dash, unclip the wire connector block clipped to the grille and fit either a pair of Citroen supplied Harman/Kardon units for about £30 or buy an Alpine SXE-1750S kit which comprises a decent pair of bass/mid drivers for the doors and a pair of tweeter units which will fit at a squeeze, although not as neatly as the Harman/Kardons. Frankly I find it a bit stingy that Citroen don't fit tweeters as standard since the difference they make is very noticeable for a few extra francs' outlay! Anyhow, Deffo worth the effort, and the installation is easily swapped into your next 'Lingo!

Yes. I am currently arguing the case with Citroen at the moment. My car has done 52000 miles, but the dealer who replaced the clutch said that the pressure plate had failed rather than the friction surfaces worn out. They had tried to put it through as a warranty claim, but it was rejected by Citroen UK. If you'd like to PM me, I can give you my phone number to trade information. Cheers! Tron

I'd agree with Forte in that a smaller engined Kangoo seems to offer similar performance (when car is lightly laden) to a larger engined Lingo, but I have no experience of what the Kangoo is like when heavily laden. Economy is similar between Kangoo and Lingo, so I guess that engine displacement is not really an issue. Your AA road test confusingly states: Alternatives Peugeot Partner Combi Identical principal to Kangoo; little to separate in terms of ability Fiat Doblo Lacks excitement of the Kangoo and makes no real attempt to hide its van-based roots Citroen Berlingo Another popular van-based MPV. Dynamically inferior to the Kangoo but just as practical Seeing as the Pug is absolutely identical to the Lingo save for paint, badge and trim options, it's hard to see why it too isn't singled out for poor handling. Auto Express magazine rates the Doblo as the best handling of the lot. Autocar doesn't, but editor Steve Cropley owns a Lingo!

The Comms2000 unit is incorporated in the indicator stalk assembly.

OK, so I drive on mainly urban and country roads, and have clocked up 50,000 miles in my Nov.2005 'Lingo 1.6HDi92 but none of these miles have been carrying abnormal loads. Indeed most were purely driver and no passengers, no towing, and I don't drive like a granny slipping the clutch. I reckon 50K is ridiculously early for a clutch on a modern vehicle to give out. What do you all think?? TronX

What do people put these engines in then Wozza? Not many BXs about to fit new engines to! Do they go in some kind of kit car?

The Nemo will replace the Berlingo. The car version is rumoured to follow and the new 1.4HDi engine will have emissions so low that it will kick Ken Livingstone up the jacksy with no congestion charge payable on it. My guess is that it will be offered in the SWB version shown and a LWB version, effectively to kill off the ancient Visa-based C15 and Berlingo in one fell swoop. Renault are doing something similar with the Kantdo. Now Citroen have dropped the full length sunroof on the 'Lingo, I doubt that there will be that option on the Nemo. They'll probably offer a "Panoramic" glass roof. I won't be buying any time soon then.

Xsara Picasso SX and several models of Xsara saloon/estate.