Looking to buy a C4 hatchback - any tips?

[NAM]

I will be looking to buy a new car for my wife (school runs and general running around town) in the spring (possibly sooner). We really like the C4 hatch back and in particular the 1.4 petrol engine - 4 door version.

Just wondering how reliable they are - I'd probably buy an 07 plate. They seem very good value for money - quite a few low milage ones around for less than £4k.

So if you have any suggestions or tips - things to avoid/look out or etc please let me know.

Nigel

[NAM]

Evening chaps

Not been on for a while as my new C5 Tourer is behaving itself. The Anti-pollution warning message came on as I was driving back from France but strangely enouch on the Ferry it decided to turn itself off and hasn't been on since.

Anyway - we are looking to buy a C4 hatchback - just seen a 1.6 VTR with 59K on the clock (55 plate). Garage wants just under 3K. I was a bit surprised at the tax (£200) but apart from that it looks pretty good. Does anyone know when to change the cam belt? The mileage used to be around 70K but on my new car Citroen recommend 100K+ (or something along those lines).

We are taking the car out for a test drive tomorrow - I noticed there has been a bit of electrics on the tail gate (tell tale bit of insulation tape around the LH plastic pipe bit).

Any tips, thoughts or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Nigel

[Citroening]

Oh dear, we're a friendly lot having not responded to your original post...

So, yes...C4s... I've got a Coupe so not quite the same as the hatchback that you're going to look at but still mostly the same. Great cars IMO, now on my second C4 and I can see it staying for a good while. There's a few other C4 owners on here, all three with Black C4 VTS 180s - Black seems to be the colour...!

I know it's not that good to point forum members to other forums, but this website here has a huge wealth of information regarding the C4.

There is also a very helpful buyers guide here - http://c4owners.org/plugins/faq/faq.php?0.cat.4.1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regarding the insulation tape on the wires, that's covered in the buyers guide too.

Cambelt? Info here too - http://c4owners.org/plugins/faq/faq.php?0.cat.2.106" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good luck tomorrow!

[Fake Concern]

Well I would have responded if I'd been a member of the forum then!
Franklin is pointing you in the direction of a very useful site, not too easy to search, but tons of information & many very knowledgeable members. My car is also a Coupe, but most parts are the same & I love it, so much so that I bought this one after my first one was written off. The wiring on the tailgate was subject to a recall on the coupe, but the same problem cropped up on the hatch & some dealers will treat it as recall work.
Check for water in the spare wheel well as this can get in the gromit around the hatch wiring if it's been mucked about with. Everything else is in the buyers guide mentioned earlier. Hope the test drive is successful.

[daviemck2006]

I couldnt say anything about the C4 at that time either as I had a peugeot 107 then. I too have a coupe, 2.0 vts so I cant comment on the 1.6. The 1.4 I would imagine would be sluggish, my ex wife had a 1.4 16v peugeot 206 sport with allegedly 90 bhp which I would think is the same engine in the c4 1.4 and needed thrashing to get much performance and only did 39mpg average which we were not impressed with. I do love my 2.0 coupe, but I think if I were buying another it would be diesel, but then they need to be meticulously maintained or they tend to blow turbos. !.6 petrol I would think would be ok. The 2.0 says timing belt at 80000, and i think that is for all of them. Brilliant cars as far as I am concerned and very underrated.

[Citroenmad]

I test drove a 1.4 C4 a few months ago which was not as slow as I had imagined it would be, if the car is mainly to be used for town use then I would suggest its a good bet. Though apparently the 1.4 is a little prone to head gasket failure.

[NAM]

Many thanks for your replies and links to other web sites. We decided against the 1.6 Petrol engine - I was amazed at the tax (£200) and poor mpg but found a 1.6Hdi with 39k on the clock and have just purchased. Car comes with 4 new tyres, MOT, Service and full valet plus promise to fix o/s electric wing mirror. It drives well and for an 07 plate has not been used much so we are hopeful of a good buy!

So fingers crossed all I have to report is good news - we collect on 1st July!

Nigel

[spider]

Excellent.

Just remember frequent oil and filter changes (do not suction drain this engine) with the 1.6HDi

[daviemck2006]

Sounds like a good buy Nigel, If i were getting another one thats what I would go for. Like Spider says frequent oil changes, I would do 6 to 8000 miles between oil and use the proper recommended grade. These engines are fussy brutes and can take a hissy fit blowing the turbo if not fed the correct oil. Otherwise I have had no problems with mine apart from vandal damage (hardly the cars fault). However being a Citroen some people recon its compulsorily to have at least one little niggle a the time What colour and spec is it?

[Hell Razor5543]

Nah, it's not compulsory to have a fault on a Citroen, but if there isn't at least one small niggle then the car gets confused and panics!

[NAM]

Good point about the oil - it is being changed before I collect so will start the clock from then. We do about 8k a year so will be done with an annual service. I think the service interval is 12K but I'll have it done annually.

Davie asked about colour and spec - it is silver and the LX model which is more basic than the other one I looked at but I'm sure it will be fine. Has aircon and front electric windows (which work). To be honest I couldn't find another HDi one nearby - the only one within 20 miles on AutoTrader. There were plenty of the 1.6 petrol types - perhaps its because they cost more to tax and are less efficient?

I did have a look at the C4 Forum for cambelt changes - they seem very high in terms of mileage for the C4 diesel. About 100k from memory. What have you done with yours? I would probably go for 70k but with my last small car (Fiat sorry), I changed the timing belt at 50K. My old Xantia I changed at 70k but the new C5 is claiming 100k at least.

Anyway - thanks again for replies. My wife will be the main driver but I'm looking forward to anohter Citroen on the drive.

Nigel

[daviemck2006]

I'm quite sure it will be a decent car. IIRC my handbook says 80000 or 8 yrs for the timing belt on my 2.0 180, Its currently at 54000 and 6 yrs old so I'm not worried about it yet. I will probably at current usage be at 8 yrs before I get to 80000, thats if i keep it that long. I have a track record of needlessly changing cars just because I fancy something different!

[NAM]

C4 is now the new Silver Dream machine, looks and drives really well. I've just spotted one small niggle - the infamous clip holding the scuttle/deal to the bottom of the windscreen seems to have come adrift. I've had a look at C4 Forum and need to look again to see if I can fix. Has anyone had similar and if I can't find it I guess the garage I bought it from should be able to resolve.

Interestingly I read somewhere that Main Dealers were not aware of the clip holding the seal to the glass. Is this a problem on these cars or just something to keep an eye on? I don't want gallons of rain water leaking into places it shouldn't get to.

Any comments always helpful!

Nigel