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[Z3M Roadster]

When pressing the headlight button on the keyfob the nearside sidelight no longer illuminates, however open and then close the drivers door and it mysteriously turns on. How does that work? Only a few miles until I hit the big 50k and not long until the next service.

[Rich_Eason]

Overall, how do you think the car has managed the last 50k miles?

 

From your experiences do you think there is anything that needs a change in terms of quality, layout, build?

 

Anything that hasnt stood the test of time? Positive and Negative points?!

 

What about the next 50k miles?

 

Questions questions questions! :angry:

 

Just be interesting to see what your views will be as an owner that has spent more time and milage in a C4 than perhaps the rest of the forum owners. :ph34r:

[Z3M Roadster]

I ordered the car at the tail end of 2004 without seeing it as there were none available so my decision was based on the positive reports in the automotive press.

 

To this day I still think the car is better looking than its counterparts and came with a load more toys as standard than anything else in the price bracket.

 

Unfortunately in my experience it certainly hasn't been reliable and the electronics have really let the car down (car has been to 5 different dealers 17 times now and some of the original faults are still recurring) Also when I collected the car it had stains on the front seats, so I took it back and they valeted the interior, this is when they found out that it was infact water which stained the seats! They then chemical cleaned the interior and scotchguarded it which improved it but not ideal. I have since seen that the sx interior has been changed on later models, probably due to this fact but Citroen never issued a recall. Also I have had quite a few bits of trim replaced which have simply dropped off

 

The main problem is the dealers and their service departments which appear to be run by monkeys. None give a toss and few listen you my suggestions of what could be wrong so inevitably when I go to collect the car it will be in the same condition as when I dropped it off and the mechanic will say they can find nothing wrong or they can find something wrong but don't know how to fix it.

 

My worst experience is with a dealer in Islington who gave the car back to me with my handsfree kit broken off and oil over the drivers seat and headlining. Initially they denied all responsibility and accused that I did it! Needless to say I didn't and they finally agreed to replace both front seats and clean it.

 

It sounds as if mine has been an isolated incident but have seen a number of the faults which mine has, mentioned by other forum users.

 

All in all I still like the look of the car but Citroen need to seriously think about built quality and reliabilty and thank god its a company car.

 

As for the next 50k, will it actually make 100k? Probably yes but not without more things falling off and a couple more breakdowns. The 1.6Hdi still pulls as well as it did when new, just makes a lot more noise now and the whistling turbo is getting louder. Luckily and due to cautious parking the car is still in very good condition with only stones to blame for any blemishes. The interior has also worn well with no creases or wear to the bolsters or material on the door.

[Stuey]

I think that is the only real issue with the car is the build quality, it is good but but it next to something like an Audi there is no competition, but then again I didnt pay 25-30K for it so you get what you pay for. That said there are a lot of cars that are more prestige and more expensive that arn't nearly as good. Mercedes Benz for example are really struggling from what I hear.

 

A company car driver such as yourself will be testing the mettle of any car given to you whether it be a Citroen or BMW or whatever you may have and 50K miles in under 2 years is a lot of wear and tear.

 

How have you found consumables lasted?? brakes and tyres etc? my brakes are starting to squeek a bit so I think it is about ready for a new set of pads but I think under 10K is pretty shoddy...

[Z3M Roadster]

First set of fronts lasted 35k which I was extremely impressed with. I am still on one of the original rears, the other somehow got a stanley blade through it.

 

Am on my second set of discs and pads and they squeak like buggery. I still can't get used to the over servod brakes which are a major flaw.

 

I am also getting some rattles from behind the dash and the boot trim but live with these.

[Stuey]

35K is bloody good! maybe it is because you have much more engine braking than I so you can just drop down a couple of gears whilst I have to brake...

 

The over servo'd brakes...I really dont think they are that bad, when someone else dives the car they say the brakes are harsh but when i had the 307 for a month I found them to be the same...

 

I have the same rattle behind the dash, sounds like it is coming for the centre console per chance??

[Z3M Roadster]

I don't like engine braking, prefer to use the brakes as ultimately that's what they are there for.

 

I also drove the car relatively hard and still the tyres lasted and obtained a steady 54mpg.

 

Yes the rattle comes from the centre console

[Rich_Eason]

I have the same rattle and think I have found the source or perhaps one source!

 

The sound deadening panel behind the injectors on mine is loose as one or more of the retaining clips are broken. This frequently rattles against the bulkhead panel when the engine idles.

 

The other rattle is a high frequency vibration when traveling at motorway speeds. Sounds like a plastic panel is resonating.

 

Build quality wise I'd say the C4 is certainly up there with the likes of the Focus, some of the C4's details are perhaps a bit lost, but then could say the same for the focus's i have driven. In comparison to the new Focus I'd say its pretty fair cop. At least the C4 doesnt have the plethora of multiple plastic panels the deeper you go into the foot well...its all one type. Packaging I'd suggest the C4 is better never been in a similar sized car with so much leg room.

 

If it was going to be built to BMW, Audi quallity then it would have a price tag to match.

 

Weak points interior wise the only real major concerns I have is some of the exposed wiring for the seat belts especially when the seats go down.

 

Brakes catch me out once in a while but have now got used to them...

 

Few trim rattle sin the door

 

Other than that I am pleased as punch.

[Stuey]

very good sum up that Rich!

 

you can see why Citroen can price it so low when you start poking around and looking under things. But you have to be looking to notice, I had my head down near the pedals this morning to put a cover back over some bolts behind the clutch pedal and it is pretty bare down there but hey hum.

 

There are quite a few exposed wires under the bonnet but that is not my domain...The RAC will deal with it if it breaks...

[Rich_Eason]

you can see why Citroen can price it so low when you start poking around and looking under things. But you have to be looking to notice, I had my head down near the pedals this morning to put a cover back over some bolts behind the clutch pedal and it is pretty bare down there but hey hum.

I guess the designers assume you will never look in these parts as, apologies for using the same example, my old focus was like this, especially under the glovebox where there was a raft of chemically blackend metal panels with surface rust and exposed phillips screw heads.

 

Its all much of a much these days, what you gain in one you loose in the other but then the other doesnt have that is what you have gained!..... :blink:

[Stuey]

I guess the designers assume you will never look in these parts

 

Its all much of a much these days, what you gain in one you loose in the other but then the other doesnt have that is what you have gained!..... :blink:

yeah, nobody goes sticking their head under there in normal circumstanses...

 

and your second paragraph...have you been drinking this mornig Rich??

[Rich_Eason]

I guess the designers assume you will never look in these parts

 

Its all much of a much these days, what you gain in one you loose in the other but then the other doesnt have that is what you have gained!..... :blink:

yeah, nobody goes sticking their head under there in normal circumstanses...

 

and your second paragraph...have you been drinking this mornig Rich??

Erm No!... but re-reading that, it appears that I lost the ability for a brief moment all hand eye engaged brain coordination!

[ham's c4vts]

Ive not had a problem with the brakes being over servoed imo, driving the clio, you get to appreciate the good brakes on the C4 and the light clutch! :blink:

[Stuey]

it does only seem to the press that have commented on the brakes, maybe it is the press cars that have bad brakes?? The Focus RS press cars where apparantly rubbish thats why they where slated everywhere and didnt sell to well. Evo tested a customer bought car and that got rave reviews, so much so they re-rated the car.

[Z3M Roadster]

Brakes aren't bad, infact they are pretty good, its just there is no feel or progression in the pedal. It's all or nothing.

[lab44]

Considering the price I think the C4 is pretty well built and reliable overall. The problems most people have experience have only been minor niggles. I've done 12,000 miles in mine and so far only a few problems - rattling door (fixed), electric window stopped working (fixed) and an engine temperature sensor broke (also fixed). Have found my local citroen dealer pretty helpful too so cant really complain.

 

Over the last few months I have seen an 05 plate BMW broken down with smoke coming out the engine bay and an 06 Golf broken down at the bottom of my road the other day blocking the whole road. Just goes to show whatever brand you buy you can have problems.

[C4VTS]

Was reading a thread on PH forum earlier about are French cars really rubbish?

It seems that some people do end up with a bad one and have endless faults but there are also others that have no faults. Just like any other make of car.

There was a C4 owner who had it for 8 months with no faults at all. :P

[wozza]

Well I have had mine over 12 months now without many issues and its coming up for 11k. Only one small rattle is appearing but i think the sub is the blame for that as its only happening on deep bass notes no other time. Just driving its not there. So will have to track down where its coming from and fix it.