Update Of The Little Red Bug

[red bug]

Update on wife’s little city bug with the mileage now at 34k. Since being stung on first service for £170 for just oil change and fluids check (total time for service lees than 25mins) car has been services at our local garage. Front tyres were replaced ant 20k along with one rear due to a nail in side wall other rear tyre was swapped with spare. Front disks and pads changed at 30k service. Car has gained a battle scar or two and seems to collect stone chips some of the cheaper looking plastics have become quite scratched ie trim around internal door handle. Engine still very sweet and still returning in high 50’s low 60’s /gallon. Overall a car I would recommend.

[ColinC1]

Yeh, the servicing costs are pretty steep, but if you want to retain the warrenty, its required....

 

I suppose they want to recoup some money on these cars :)

 

I am glad you are stilll enjoying the car, and I agree the front tyre treads dont last that long (2 years on).

 

Overall though, these are good value and very reliable small cars, and I would buy another once mine is a bit older, plus recommend to anyone that a city bug (C1, 107 and Aygo) is a good first or second car.

 

Mind you the name city bug, bugs me a bit (pardon the pun), as I have been up and down the countries motorways in mine on holidays, and they are just as good at cruising speeds, as they are in the city.

[TurboSlag]

Yeh, the servicing costs are pretty steep, but if you want to retain the warrenty, its required....

Any 'competent engineer' can service the car and the warranty is upheld provided they a) use genuine parts/or parts of an equal or superior standard, and :) follow the manufacturers schedule. If they are doing it for profit or reward, then they must be VAT registered. These rights are enshrined in UK consumer case law.

 

I've been doing my own routine servicing since this was incorporated into the block exemption regulations in 2000 (I'm an ex Nissan and vauxhall techie) and have never had a warranty claim declined, or even queried, with Vauxhall, Volvo, BMW or Peugeot. Many dealers will try and fob off the unwary and foist needlessly expensive servicing, and many dealers simply do not understand your rights as a consumer, but it's law. If you can't do it yourself then find a trustworthy indepenent and request they use genuine parts. A 10k mile service on a C1 (assuming you do a fairrly typical mileage) costs only £22 in genuine parts, but a dealer will shaft you for £65-£90 for a job that takes 0.8 of an hour.

[StormB]

Any 'competent engineer' can service the car and the warranty is upheld provided they a) use genuine parts/or parts of an equal or superior standard, and :rolleyes: follow the manufacturers schedule. If they are doing it for profit or reward, then they must be VAT registered. These rights are enshrined in UK consumer case law.

 

I've been doing my own routine servicing since this was incorporated into the block exemption regulations in 2000 (I'm an ex Nissan and vauxhall techie) and have never had a warranty claim declined, or even queried, with Vauxhall, Volvo, BMW or Peugeot. Many dealers will try and fob off the unwary and foist needlessly expensive servicing, and many dealers simply do not understand your rights as a consumer, but it's law. If you can't do it yourself then find a trustworthy indepenent and request they use genuine parts. A 10k mile service on a C1 (assuming you do a fairrly typical mileage) costs only £22 in genuine parts, but a dealer will shaft you for £65-£90 for a job that takes 0.8 of an hour.

 

I'm no ex-mechanic - but I can certainly service a car. If I service it myself, what should I do about the stamp in the logbook??

 

Will

[red bug]

To keep up the Citroen warranty our local garage used Citroen parts and has followed the C1 service schedule. The cost of the service went from £170 down to £80, the most expensive service was when on the last service it required new discs and pads again genuine parts were used total cost for the service/discs/pads £200. One area I was expecting to show signs of wear were the seats, but they still looks as good as the day the wife picked up the car. The only other part that has been replaced was the front wiper blade. Our plan was to p/x the car at 3 years old (next May with around 40k on clock) for a new one but with the reliability this car has shown may be we should keep it for another year or 2.

[TurboSlag]

I'm no ex-mechanic - but I can certainly service a car. If I service it myself, what should I do about the stamp in the logbook??

 

Will

Nothing - keep the receipts for the parts, and a couple of date stamped pics as you go.