Test drove a C4 1.6 Hdi (110) VTR 5 door hatch today. I had never driven a Citroen before, so I didn't really know what to expect.
I have to say it was a lovely drive. I was impressed that it didn't squeek or rattle, the driving seat was extremely comfortable and it took off like manure off a teflon shovel. It felt solid when I expected bits to fly off it as I drove down the road. There was no road noise! How did they do that? Also liked the idea of the fixed hub in the steering wheeel with radio and cruise controls.
Excellent kit for the money, and the final nail in the coffin (for my wallet) is that my missus liked it too, whereas she normally says "s'alright I s'pose"
What a funky looking motor, far funkier than the Focus and other Euro/Jap identikits
The showroom manager just gave me the key, no licence needed, no proof of ID.....and there was a packet of Trebor mints in a cubby hole, but I wasn't sure if he had counted them!
Anyone else driven one?
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Yes, well... ehem... nothing moves like a Citroen, you know.
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I am the only Pole over here.
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I've tested 3 C4's - a 2.0HDi VTS Coupe, a 5dr 1.6 SX petrol and a 1.6HDi VTR+.
They are a nice car to drive, the interior seems to be better quality than anything Citroen have produced before and having owned a few new Citroen's in the last 4 yrs I'd have no qualms about buying another - none have given any significant trouble and they did what they said on the tin. The C4 also brings some genuine innovation to a class thats become dull and the only competition seems to be over who has the best looking dashboard plastic.
If I was going for one it would have to be the 2.0 HDi and thats where the stumbling block came - it would still cost over £15k after discount which I just felt was a bit too much to pay. The 1.6 HDi is a nice engine - quiet, free revving and very economical but I'm used to a bit more power and torque.
The lesser models look excellent value for money up against the competition and I'd take a C4 over a new Focus (apart from the ST) any day of the week.
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We've got a C4 coupe and it's a really lovely car. The only thing I'd watch for is to make sure you get a second remote key for it. It will come as standard with a single remote key and a single "door" key. The door key works fine to unlock the car and drive, but one big disadvantage - the lock is only on the passenger side. So you need to walk around, open the lock and then back to the drivers side to get it and drive. Same when you get out of the car, in reverse.
Of course, the remote key avoids all this but if you share the car and have a key each, it's madness to use the "door" key. A lot of new French cars come like this, I've seen it on Peugeots and Renaults too.
The interior is great, lots of room and a couple of levels on which to rest your driving elbow. The displays are very clear and they have the old Saab feature of "DARK" to turn off everything except the speed (and cruise/limit if set). The fixed wheel boss is both "book" and easy to use.
The car handles well and yet rides smoothly, another Citroen speciality.
Have a good think about what you need on the car. We took out a VTS diesel initially and although it was a lot more £££s and had a few more buttons to press, it wasn't so far removed from our car that we'd have paid the extra £n,000 for it.
I don't think there's much on the road that looks as good for the same money (nothing in fact). We now find people looking at the car when we park it up or drive past them, attention I'd not really seen since we had the Avantime or just after we got the MINI before they became more common than Golfs.
Go ahead and buy one, but be sure to haggle down to the bones, there are some really big discounts to be had on these.
--Lee .. SERENITY NOW
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so......I'll take that as a thumbs up then. Just waiting for some px figures for my part-ex from a local dealer and from one of the internet thingy companies that HJ mentions a lot.
I hope a deal can be done because I really like the car
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Bold statement alert. I think the C4 is one of the nicest looking hatches you can buy new today. If not the nicest.
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Citroen pretty much hit the bullseye with the C4. Nicely styled, well built and wonderful HDi engines.
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Yep. Shows how much Ford dropped the ball with the Focus too. They had a cracking opportunity and blew it.
Although it's hard to see how they could beat the C4 anyway.
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Pretty cheapskate to provide only one remote fob though. They wouldn't get a sale from me unless another one was thrown in for free.
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You Citroen drivers have it easy. One remote is the norm for us peasant Ford drivers.
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Would love to include the C4 on my shopping list BUT
The 3 door looks oh so stunning, the 5 so so. but
Lease prices are AWFULL. costs a fortune on lease.
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Lease prices are AWFULL. costs a fortune on lease.
Thats cuz they depreciate like a lead parachute !
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Wot's all this? Citroens good cars.....
Crumbs, it's time we scotched some of these rumours! Surely they must be dead unreliable, fall to pieces, rust to bits before your eyes, cost an arm and leg to fix, need the dashboard taken out to top up the windscreen wash blah blah blah.....
I've said it before.....get a good Cit, properly 'sorted', sensitively driven and serviced by someone who knows his onions and you'll have a cracker of a motor for years to come.
Graeme
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Ohh..OHHHH - the Citroen C4. Sorry - my mistake.
You don't want one of them no. They're dead unreliable, fall to pieces and rust to bits before your eyes. Not to mention they cost an arm and a leg to fix and when you need to top the windscreen up, you need to take the entire windscreen out.
Horrid unreliable little cars. ;-)
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sensitively driven?
Ah now theres a problem.
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Wot's all this? Citroens good cars.....
I know, unbelievable! Finally, some people have admitted there more to cars than the dull and dreary word of Fords and Vauxhalls
I've said it before.....get a good Cit, properly 'sorted', sensitively driven and serviced by someone who knows his onions and you'll have a cracker of a motor for years to come.
Nah, it doesn't need to be pampered that much. If it?s serviced properly (like any other car really), they'll just keep going. Can't say any of the Citroens that passed through our family were driven particularly 'sensitively' and they never let us down (well, 1 snapped clutch cable)
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"1 snapped clutch cable"
It's the poor quality cables what let Citroens down - we had an accelerator cable go on one of ours about 15 years ago. Gives the make a bad name.
Phil
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15 years? damn french cables
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Same with the electrics - the same car had to have a new headlamp bulb AND number plate bulb!!! How unreliable can you get?? You don't forget these things - they ruin your impression of a make.
Phil
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You poor saps. Replacing cables and bulbs after 15 years?
I'm laughing my socks off here.
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late and great news.
Local Citroen dealer called me and offered me £5k cost to change. I was prepared to go to £4k. ( I based my £4k cost on the basis of target price of C4 (which was lower than cash back price offered by Citroen) and top dollar for mine, as mine is in excellent condition
The internet thingy people offered me top dollar and was over two grand less than target price. So, instead of £5k cost to change, it's down to just a smidge over £2k.
Internet thingy people will get a call tomorrow. I was really expecting them to take the micky on the PX price, but they have offered the most and were extremely helpful on the telephone. Lets hear it for www.uk-car-discount.co.uk people. (as advertised by HJ)
(PS would I be taking the micky to ask them to make it £2k even?)
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No harm in asking for a bit more £££ from the t'interweb people. You'll not regret the car though, top quality motor
--Lee .. SERENITY NOW
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Mind made up, teased myself all evening looking at the spec, colours, tech, stats,.....need to get out more!
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Here's the $6000000 question - which colour?
--Lee .. SERENITY NOW
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There is a very dark metalic grey that I have taken a shine to. Or, as with ALL my other cars, I could go for bog standard metalic silver (must have some Belgian in me somewhere!)
No to anything green or blue, or that funny gold/yellow, no black, no polar white. Certainly no to wicked red.
Some colours suit certain cars, or certain sized cars. My daughter has a Yaris in dark met' grey and it looks really good. So, I am sure that is the one I will go for.
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Tack, what car are you trading for the C4?
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Tack, what car are you trading for the C4?
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Subaru Forester XLN
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Is that the Iron Grey colour? I liked that one, but without all the painted trim on the VT it would have looked a little less good.
They do a weird purpley-lilac-grey-pink colour similar to that on some Lagunas. Not the nicest.
I personally like the black, but there's also a metallic green that is kinda camoflague colour and looks fantastic in the metal, not to mention a little bit rare.
--Lee .. SERENITY NOW
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I have never ever managed to let my brain or my heart buy a green car. Why? who knows.
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Does the C4 have a clutch foot rest ?
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Does the C4 have a clutch foot rest ?
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Can't remember, but I do remember that it felt comfy leaving my left leg as it was.
Anyway, done deal. Ordered Iron Grey metallic 5 door 1.6 Hdi 110. Delivery in up to three weeks, top dollar px on my car with the option to sell privately for more up to three days before delivery. In fact, am going to whack the car into Autotrader to see what response I get to above trade and below retail price.
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Tell you what does have a clutch foot rest.
A 1998 S Registered Mazda 626 2.0 Intrigue.
Awesome cars.
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An Intrigue 2.0 on a 98 "S". You'd be lucky, highly sought after cars those, I'm sure you'd have to pay way over the asking price if you were staggeringly lucky enough to find one.
Just checked our VT and it doesn't have a clutch foot rest, but there's plenty of room arounf it to rest my size 11s. You mught find those models higher up the range have a foot rest.
You'll be really pleased with the car, cool colour choice too. Look forward to seeing some pics of it once it's delivered. Like this one :-)
groups.msn.com/honestjohn/vehicles.msnw?action=Sho...1
--Lee .. SERENITY NOW
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Oy, leave it out. This is the "never owned a Citroen.....but hmmm page". Not the "never owned a Mazda 626 thingy.....but hmmm page".
But it could be the "know anyone who wants a Subaru Forester XLN luxury spec' at a knock down price?" page.
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Lee
What's the silver car reflected in the side of the C4?
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Yep, a Picasso
--Lee .. SERENITY NOW
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I love the look of the C4 3 door. That comes from the owner of an original C5 (which I and the dealer admit hit several branches of the ugly tree, but is a delight to drive long distances).
Has anyone seen the new citroen lilac/purple colour? It makes Misty Lilac look like silver! But then park Misty Lilac next to silver. I quite like the off-silver colours as they are a little different when parked next to a boring silver car.
Ben
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