The New C3 16v Hdi Sx

[AlanFC]

Well picked up my GLW's new C3 SX 16v HDi in Black. It looks well wicked and has 2 bhp more than my Picasso!! It goes like a train.

I think I got a very good deal £8995 OTR from my local dealer who was happy to negotiate. (Belmont, Dundee). I only hope I don't have the aggro that Giles, Mooseshaver and Pork Pie are having (hope you reach a satisfactory conclusion soon guys). I hope this is not an omen but the indicators do not self-cancel after turning right. The dealers seem good (I bought my Picasso from them new last October) and I'm confident it will be sorted at the 1,500 mile check.

What sort of REAL LIFE mpg figures can I expect? The quoted figures seem quite optimistic. I tested a lot of motors before choosing this.

The Honda Jazz's ride quality was nothing short of atrocious, impossible to live with. It would have worn your teeth down in no time, shame really 'cos everything else about it was good.

The Toyota Yaris diesel was very nice and refined but with absolutey zero luggage space and comfort wise came nowhere near the C3's rather plush interior. Truthfully I found the design a little too quirky.

The Hyundai Getz did not seem to benefit from 20 years of car design if you get my meaning. It just seemed prety flimsy and utilitarian. If only the car was as attractive as its 5 year warranty.

The Skoda Fabia was a very nice drive but the interior seemed pretty basic and the controls seemed very fragile. The seats were a bit on the hard side. The styling was bland both inside and out.

So it came down to the C3.
The design is definetly of the times. Combining practicality with style. The ride quality is not bad at all - the HDi 16v has 15 inch wheels. The boot is a useful size. The rear legroom is better than my Picasso in that on the C3 your feet can slide beneath the front seats. The performance in terms of oomph is the best of all the superminis I tested and the (quoted) mpg does not suffer either. Shame about the interior plastics ( I wonder how many chickens they had to slaughter). Only other gripe is that the power steering is ever so light compared with anything I've ever driven. I suspect this might be detrimental in high cross winds?

I do hope that I'll still be singing its praises in a few thousand miles. (Its only done 44 miles!) If it starts playing up then its a case of three strikes then out! Back to the dealer for refund or replacement no fartassing around! ( Good old Trading Standards)

Regards,

AlanFC

PS. Honestly, it is my wifes car!

[AlanFC]

Well this is interesting.

I've clocked about 50 miles on the car and managed to stall it at the lights, on starting it again I lost my power steering so I pulled over after a few hundred yards, Switched the engine off for a few minutes, restarted it and power steering resumed!
Can anyone shed any ideas?

Regards,

AlanFC

[mooseshaver]

"What sort of REAL LIFE mpg figures can I expect? The quoted figures seem quite optimistic"

From mine I have seen 60mpg when driving at between 70-90mph to wales.
Have found it do 65mpg, but never on short runs. Also air-con seems to randomly affect the economy from drastic loss to about 5miles less on the first segment of fule (if that makes sense)

[pork_pie]

I have regularly managed overall figure of between 60-64 mpg. Motorway runs alone perhaps 66-68.

I assume this will improve with age as I still reckon the car has not fully run in.

Mines done nearly 10000 miles and I have hated every mile driven.

[mooseshaver]

" I have regularly managed overall figure of between 60-64 mpg. Motorway runs alone perhaps 66-68."
It doesn't count if youre C3 is on the back of a recovery vehicle.

[pork_pie]

Good point ben.

Or infinity MPG because my car is in my garage doing absolutely feck all.

I refuse to drive it on principle.

My car never has been on a recovery vehicle yet.

Still no word on my parts yet.

[mooseshaver]

"My car never has been on a recovery vehicle yet."
Mine's been on TWICE. And the front spoiler is ever so close to the ramp as it goes up. Bet it clattered it on the way back down.

[pork_pie]

And when your masterpiece in Gallic engineering was on the tow truck, were you allowed to sit in the car and witness the smoothest ride imaginable in a C3?

[mooseshaver]

I was sent away the second time, presumably to let the guy knock the front spoiler off on its way up the ramp.
The first time I sat in the cab of the truck. And yes, trucks are quite nice to ride in. Loads more headroom than a C3, usefull for tailgating the dickhead in the astra who did it to me this morning on the way to work. He sat on my bumper when I was at the speed limit. Lost him everytime I pulled away from a junction, and he was back again a while later when he caught up with me.
My 92hp HDi is nice for that sorta thing.