Still Happy With The C4?

[barns]

:P

Just wondering if you are still happy with the C4's after all the recent recalls and paint problems.Haven't got mine yet (hoping for the 8th of May) but i had endless problems with present motor (just sold on ebay) but put it down to being a dame vectra but issues like air bag recalls and brake squeals,these must have had months of tests before launch especially the air bags being a safty feature.

I still can't wait for new motor but you guys who have had a while would you buy again knowing what you do now? and would you still recommend...................

[wozza]

Id buy a VTS in the future if they had a faster turbo'd one. I just want something a lot quicker next time.

 

The airbags work there just being reprogrammed to deploy differently in the event of a frontal impact.

 

Brake squeal well you get it with any car with disk brakes just on this its a little louder. And not all the cars were effected by some of the other recalls. The last one my car didnt need anything doing to it they put it on the lifters had a look said mine was fine. Took less than 15 minutes.

 

The brakes and reprograme they said should take about 3 hours so its not that long really. Most of the problems arent that bad just a case of making sure the car is as safe as possible. Its a new car expect things like this to happen. Sure the mercedez A class was recalled more than this if i remember right.

 

And the Audi TT was recalled a fair few times as well. Its just what happens when you buy a new car thats why they usually release a 2nd phase of it with all the problems addressed.

 

Recalls affect all cars cant really be helped. It happens with every marque just those with the more expensive cars dont moan as much cause they bought a more expensive car half the time.

[Stuey]

now then...how to put this nicely :P

 

The car itself is great, wouldnt change it. Its tonnes of fun to drive, likes being thrown around when you feel like it and is well behaved around town. Very economical (Ham might disagree a bit :D ) looks funky, loads of kit very good value for money and the depreciation is looking minimal looking on Autotrader and many more plus points which im sure everyone on here will agree with me on

 

The downsides are obvious though....as for reccomending I probably would, but I would say give it a year when all the teething problems are out of the way. As for yours you should be fine as all the recalls and niggles should be fixed on yours before you pick it up...

 

A friend of mine ordered a Focus ST nearly 2 months ago, it still hasnt been delivered as Ford keep finding some major problems with them so its not just Citroen. As I said in one of the other threads recalls hapen to every new car regardless if it is a 13K Citroen or a 350K Maclaren it happens.

[barns]

Yes its true all new models tend to have recalls and at least citroen are addressing the problems better than vauxhall did. last car was an 01 vectra,engine management problems every few months gear box faults clutch problems and finally drive shaft problems and this wasn't an early model been around since day dot.Ended up with engine rewire new computer and altered running temp stopped faults but drank the juice.....

 

so as long as proper fixes are given can't complain :P

still not sure if i like the cabin clocks being central but the out side of both the 3 door and 5 door make it stand out for me and prob reason we went for c4 in the end........................

[wozza]

There one of the best looking cars on the road currently.

 

They drive well are very comfortable handle well.

 

I think they need to stick the V6 lump in one though :P Should fit in there without much problem....Hmm ideas lol.

 

My cousin saw it the other day and she didnt like it but meh its the first time i met her and she liked Corsa's so that says everything. And i should have got a silver one...nah lol.

 

I did let my uncle take it for a spin the other day though and he now wants one. Was asking about prices and what you get with them etc really interested it seemed.

[ham's c4vts]

i've had mine now for four months, i do have the odd rattle now and then, but i'm putting it down to road surfaces and the cold of winter, as when its been warm inside they seam to go, the fuel consumption isnt too bad either, as i get (according to the computer) 27.7 mpg around town and some times it gets a bit of welly now and then so it aint too bad. no worse on same town driving as my 1.6 16valve xsara.

the only faults so far was the xenon bulb that went, so that wasnt fault of the car and the other is the side heated screen which has been looked at but not sure if its ok as the weather is ok now. ill have to boil a kettle up to steam inside to check it we i get time.

i would of liked the 138 bhp diesel but to recoup the difference in fuel saving against the cost of the car wasnt worth it imo, so i'm happy with my choice.

we'll have to ask again in a years time lol

[Mat]

Had mine for nearly a year now. Been in for one recall (ABS), not yet heard if it needs the airbag one.

Problems so far:

- Sun visor fell off. Citroen put new mounting on

- Passenger door wouldnt close properly. Citroen Fixed handle

- Rear windscreen seal began to come off. Citroen pushed back in

- Glovebox door fell off one of hinges. Citroen put back on

 

Now:

- Windscreen cracked by stone, just in front of windscreen air vent during January frost - coincidence?

- Roof rack mounts have gone rusty, causing problems with Thule roofrack

- Rear brakes squeel at low speeds

- Seal coming off rear windscreen (again)

- Wind deflector pulled off front windscreeen by carwash, despite manual saying can go in carwashes.

- Drivers seatbelf doesnt recoil any more without being 'fed' back.

 

I think that is all. Overall i am very happy. We shall see how happy i am when i go to Citroen and ask to get some of the above fixed. Currently waiting to see if i can get it done at same time as recall, if i need one.

 

No problems with paint, that i've noticed (except the scratch i managed to put into the drivers door, whilst in a multistorey carpark :P )

 

Not overlly impressed with petrol consumption. No matter what i do, can't improve on 33mpg (by trip computer)

 

One very good point. I can get two full sets of golf clubs, a trolley, and a couple of pairs of shoes, and jumpers n coats in the boot. More than can be said for my father-in-law's BMW 5 series!! He has to put the 2nd bag on the back seat.

[Mat]

I knew i'd forgotten something:

Drivers door has recently started making a clunk noise when i close it, sometimes not closing properly.

[wozza]

33mpg out of a 1.6 is pretty good to be honest. CHeck most manufacturers 1.6 petrol figures there aorund 30mpg,

[Welshguy]

Mat - thats an interesting point you made about the windscreen...I also had my windscreen replaced by Citroen as a crack was slowly making its way up the screen - I asked what had caused it and they said a stonechip, but I wasn't so sure...looked like a stress fracture to me....and the fact that they didbn't argue about replacing the windscreen (if it was a stonechip) is the giveaway!!

[daveash]

Got my 2.0hdi vtr+ in December ( cost £12,950 on the road, metallic paint road tax for 12 months and registration ) faults so far have been 1, intermittent loud bang/clunk from under car on fast take off ( reported by others on previous posts ) managed to replicate this fault with the technician in the car, he thought it was the suspension! i thought it was the exhaust ( i was right ) adjusting the exhaust cured this. 2, rattle from passenger door ( sounded like the speakers, the had two goes at this as the factory fix had already been done, cured at the second attempt but in doing so have introduced another one that is yet to be fixed.3, the rear suspension creaked from new ( apparently a common problem with this car ) hte garage ordered and fiited a complete new reas suspension ( honestly ) the auto air conditioning will not regulate on the drivers side ( always on hot ) the have ordered a complete new unit, so another trip for that fitting.Still like the car though as its very economical and goes like stink!

[hertsnminds]

Not overlly impressed with petrol consumption. No matter what i do, can't improve on 33mpg (by trip computer)

Which trip computer are you looking at there are 3 MPG readings, the first is instant MPG (like an economy meter) the 2nd and 3rd are over a distance since last reset.

 

I use the 2nd as a between fill ups reading and the 3rd as an overall reading (since I bought the car). You can reset the 2nd or 3rd by holding in the button on the end of the wiper stalk.

 

I would reset one of the trips and find a nice A road that you can do about 10 miles of driving on at 60MPH, you should see an improved MPG figure.

 

33mpg out of a 1.6 is pretty good to be honest. CHeck most manufacturers 1.6 petrol figures there aorund 30mpg,

My Pluriel was giving closer to 40MPG from its 1.6 petrol engine.

 

Ian

Black 55 VTR+

[wozza]

Thats exaclt what i do reset the 2nd one everytime i fill up and use the 3rd one as an overall since i got the car.

 

Mine seems to be averaging 29.3mpg over the entire time i have had the car which is ridiculous and i cant see it being my driving style thats the cause of the problem as im a smooth careful driver around town i have my mad few minutes but it shouldnt affect it THAT much.

[syrup]

I use mine the same way. I'm averaging 35mpg & 30mph. I use super unleaded and hope it improves as it becomes run in, only 2500 miles so far.

[Fizzo17]

Yeah I do the same too. I am getting 30.6 mpg out of my 2.0 vtr+ since I bought it 10 weeks ago. Done 1500 miles so far.

[hertsnminds]

Overall since new the reading was 50mpg until the odometer went over 6,000 miles now it's up to 52mpg.

 

A tank can vary between 56mpg (motorway driving) and 46mpg (town driving) which can be as much as 100 miles from the same amount of fuel.

 

It can seem strange, like today started with 170 miles left in the tank (after a couple of days around town) went on a motorway run of about 60 miles and by the time I got back the reading was about the same (having increased to as much as 220 miles left during the journey).

 

Ian

Black 55 VTR+

[wozza]

See due to me living in the city centre it think thats whats causing mine to dip down so much 29.3mpg at an average speed of 19mph.

[stratos]

I find the onboard computer very optimistic as far as fuel consumption goes, well they would do it that way wouldn't they :o. Overall OBC gives my average mpg as 33.9, brim to brim (real) mpg is 29.6. Not to bad since I drive it quite hard, do not tick the 180 box if you want economy, be a smoker. Oh - average speed for last 2100 miles 49mph :o

[wozza]

As hams said though the 1.6 doesnt give much better economy than the 180 he has might be my driving style but i doubt it.

 

Will try driving it as softly as i can and time things a bit more just dont think i can improve the MPG due to the low speeds my car is doing most of the time.

[barns]

Well it seems the yanks like the design of the c4 according to the sun today in the motor section they have given it the '2006 world car design of the year 'beating the bmw3 and honda civic so maybe even yanks have got something right for a change! :o

[syrup]

At least they have some taste.

 

 

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y39/bobtim/usa_2a.gif

[wozza]

Makes a change I suppose for once there not calling them cheap euro econoboxes.

[Safety Engineer]

Got mine (2.0HDi VTR+ Hatchback, Oriental Blue) end of feb and have just racked up 6,500 miles in it. Very happy with the car, have had the recall for the airbag but not other recalls or faults getting 40mpg, but am doing a lot of stop start in London, on long motorway runs am getting about the 55-60mpg mark and comparing the computer to what I'm actually putting in it's pretty accurate.

 

As for the centre console it's great, being on the shortish side I find that when I adjust the steering wheel it often obscures part of the speedo, with the centre console I can read the speedo out of the corner of my eye without having to look away from the road. :blink:

 

I've had the new 1.7CDTi Astra (two of) whilst waiting and they were absolute dogs, lots of electrical problems, kept going into 'Limp Home' mode, and were appalling to drive.

 

Had a focus - same price spec as the VTR+ but was very sparse on kit in comparison.

 

Used to have a 1.9d Xsara very economical but a bit underpowered.

 

Like it a lot my my main gripes would be the wing mirrors, they look nice but they taper down at the point you want most vision out of them, the accessory socket is ignition activated (the Xsara's wasn't and had a big enough battery not to be a problem for the sort of kit I left on charge or running amber beacon for construction sites), and last but not least only one reversing light down low where it gets all mucky - the Xsara had two reversing lights so why step backwards????

[barns]

got rid of the vectra because of the same engine management problems pain in the arse.infact ran it the last 12 months with light on never stopped infact it ran better in the emergency mode wouldn't have another vauxhall all based on same engine and you never see an empty vauxhall service department,thats why i said bugger it and chose something a bit different....

[Mat]

and last but not least only one reversing light down low where it gets all mucky - the Xsara had two reversing lights so why step backwards????

Coupe has two reverse lights, both high up :blink: