Newbie - Buying A C4

[KnightFocus]

Hey guys! Just about, well, now exactly now (it's 20 to 10) to buy 2013 C4 from a Citroen dealer for £9468. It's a 1.6 diesel VTR+ with 14000 miles on the clock. Sound like a good deal? Apparently it's a 1 owner car with Citroen UK being the 1 owner and looks great!

It's so much cheaper than the equivalent Focus, Golf, Astra etc, even Fiesta in the class below!

 

Anything I need to know about them?

 

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f215/astramap/C4.jpg

 

 

Mike 

 

[Johndouglas]

It just so happens that my youngest daughter is looking at 1.6 VTR+ C4's at the moment. She's looking at 6 month old cars with low mileage and prices seem to be heavily discounted compared with new prices. Your price is similar to others we've looked at. It seems that C4's don't come with a spare wheel now but can be supplied as an extra for £75. It might make a good bargaining point in deciding a deal.

[KnightFocus]

Thanks John, I didn't even think of the spare wheel! I think as long a you have breakdown cover that shouldn't really be much of an issue, but then, I am a 42 year old bloke! However, my wife will also be using the car so I suppose it could be something to consider. 

 

I've got no trade in for them to have to get rid of and we're paying all up front so no finance for them to arrange, I was just going to ask for mats!!

 

Mike

[Johndouglas]

A can of aerosol foam is all very well but what happens when you're stuck on the hard shoulder with a torn tyre and in desperate need of a new one.   There's no opportunity to shop around.   You'll pay the price that's demanded for a premium tyre and 205sx16 don't come cheap.  

[john h]

Thanks John, I didn't even think of the spare wheel! I think as long a you have breakdown cover that shouldn't really be much of an issue, but then, I am a 42 year old bloke! However, my wife will also be using the car so I suppose it could be something to consider. 

 

I've got no trade in for them to have to get rid of and we're paying all up front so no finance for them to arrange, I was just going to ask for mats!!

 

Mike

What do you expect the breakdown service to do if you have no spare and the tyre is shredded

[KnightFocus]

 

 

Thanks John, I didn't even think of the spare wheel! I think as long a you have breakdown cover that shouldn't really be much of an issue, but then, I am a 42 year old bloke! However, my wife will also be using the car so I suppose it could be something to consider.

 

I've got no trade in for them to have to get rid of and we're paying all up front so no finance for them to arrange, I was just going to ask for mats!!

 

Mike

What do you expect the breakdown service to do if you have no spare and the tyre is shredded

Erm, at the very least get me to a garage where I can then purchase a tyre! What else would they do?

What a ridiculous question!

[john h]

Not at all, isn't it far better to have a spare on board to start with, delay in getting mobile again would be down to yourself or the recovery crew simply changing a wheel, your reply is on the assumption that any tyre issue would occur when garages are open, Sods Law  states otherwise

[Johndouglas]

Anything I need to know about them?

You probably know that these 1.6HDI engines have a weakness in the turbo, but the good news is that they are ok if the oil and filter changes are meticulously carried out on the engine at or before the recommended interval.

[paul.h]

As well as not getting a spare wheel, you also do not get a jack, a tray to keep it and the tools in, the yellow plastic tool to pull off the chrome wheel bolt covers and a wheel bolt wrench - the total cost inc the wheel/tyre will be about £200 from the dealer. If we change our 2011 C4 for another one, I intend to put the foam spray, compressor and expanded plastic wheel well filler back in and keep the spare, etc for the replacement car.

 

On the 1.6 hdi engine, there is a 90 bhp and a 110 (or 115) bhp engine. Fuel economy figures on both seem to be similar but we have had the 110 one and it goes well.

 

On the 2011 on C4 you need to take a bit of time to get used to the poor visibilty - the door mirrors are not good, the headrests are large, the rear windows are tinted and the pillars are wide. The key blade is at 90° to usual so this takes a bit to get used to. Other than that it is a good, comfy car suitable for long motorway trips and we get around 60 mpg or more on motorways, probably nearer 50 elsewhere. On the 1.6 hdi services are 12500 miles or 2 years if sooner but newer ones may be 1 year. The tyres are a common size and decent ones such as Michelins are only about £75 each and ours lasted 41k miles.

 

On the Technical Section there is a Common Problems pinned post to look at, but check the bonnect for paint problems which some have reported.

[john h]

I have a few areas where the door rubbers have rubbed through the paint but don't intend doing anything about it, door rubbers are keeping it rust free. Find the interior mirror is a little on the small side which may be down to it being mounted well forward on the screen giving a smaller view rearward, not yet appreciated the massive expanse of windscreen, blinds are usually deployed to blot out the sun. Fitted reverse sensors, its huge to reverse in tight spots. As said before its a good cruising car

[KnightFocus]

Not at all, isn't it far better to have a spare on board to start with, delay in getting mobile again would be down to yourself or the recovery crew simply changing a wheel, your reply is on the assumption that any tyre issue would occur when garages are open, Sods Law  states otherwise

 

 

 

I have a few areas where the door rubbers have rubbed through the paint but don't intend doing anything about it, door rubbers are keeping it rust free. Find the interior mirror is a little on the small side which may be down to it being mounted well forward on the screen giving a smaller view rearward, not yet appreciated the massive expanse of windscreen, blinds are usually deployed to blot out the sun. Fitted reverse sensors, its huge to reverse in tight spots. As said before its a good cruising car

 

 

 

I understand what you're saying but that could happen with any breakdown that can't be fixed at the roadside, but at least this is one thing I could avoid, sorry for my curtness.

 

In you're last post I assume you're talking about the C4 Picasso?

 

Mike

[paul.h]

I think you will find the C4 in the photo will have reverse sensors as standard, ours has.

[john h]

Indeed a c4 pic, a big yellow[ish] beastie, very easy to find in a car park

[KnightFocus]

I think you will find the C4 in the photo will have reverse sensors as standard, ours has.

 

Yeah, it does.

 

Mike

[paul.h]

The RAC appear to have set up a couple of things to help if you have a puncture and no spare, recognising about 50% of new cars do not have a spare to reduce their emissions. I would think though only one puncture would use up more than the emissions saved and there are the emissions in making and disposing of the aerosol kits. The vans carry a universal spare which is fitted and then you go to a tyre dealer to have your wheel/tyre repaired and leave the RAC wheel at the tyre dealer. They have also set up a mobile tyre fitting service. The attached says they expect about 120000 breakdowns without a spare a year and last year attended nearly 360000 tyre puncture breakdowns. http://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/2014/4/4/rac-rolls-out-mobile-tyre-fitting-service-to-meet-increase-in-puncture-no-spare-breakdowns/50095/

[john h]

That's one way to recruit more members

[grin factor]

The RAC appear to have set up a couple of things to help if you have a puncture and no spare, recognising about 50% of new cars do not have a spare to reduce their emissions. I would think though only one puncture would use up more than the emissions saved and there are the emissions in making and disposing of the aerosol kits. The vans carry a universal spare which is fitted and then you go to a tyre dealer to have your wheel/tyre repaired and leave the RAC wheel at the tyre dealer. They have also set up a mobile tyre fitting service. The attached says they expect about 120000 breakdowns without a spare a year and last year attended nearly 360000 tyre puncture breakdowns. http://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/2014/4/4/rac-rolls-out-mobile-tyre-fitting-service-to-meet-increase-in-puncture-no-spare-breakdowns/50095/

Having a bit of thought on this RAC service, its all about reducing emmisions into the atmosphere and the EU are "in charge" of this. Thing is the recovery vehicle is pumping out gases on its way to the break downs, probably much more than the car carrying a few pounds extra would? Don't make any sense to me.

[john h]

Mobile tyre fitting not much good if you have a damaged wheel which was either the cause or caused by the puncture, is this RAC move a crafty 'join us' plot. Still maintain we should all be provided with a full size spare as we were before

[paul.h]

In Watchdog on BBC1 the last 2 weeks they have shown Fiat's efforts to reduce emissions on the Fiat 500. The model introduced in April does not go up hills, it does not have enough power. Quite clever really, if you watch your fuel economy you see it gets worse as you go up hills, so by not going up hills your economy will be better. Fiat have blamed drivers but since sales have stopped, they now admit it is a design fault and next year there will be a software upgrade.

[seefive]

hmm Interesting to watch the Stig struggling with it..

[john h]

The day following that program a local garden center was having a Fiat 500 promo in its car park, didn't see anybody showing the slightest interest in the cars, wonder why