Citroën C4 Hatchback (2004 - 2010) 2.0i 16V Exclusive 5d Auto (2005/55) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

It says Nice looking car, nice interior ... but it forgets to say "Don't judge a book by its cover" At times it has said "Listen. He drives a car with noisy unsafe brakes." At other times passengers told me it says "He believes jerky Auto-gear-changes are normal." This gives me the chance to tell them about the problem and how poorly it has been handled by dealer and Citroen.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Nobody likes it. My family has lost the last 7 months from my retirement because of the time I have spent on writing letters and emails, making phone calls, online research and driving to and from the dealership. The car has spent so much time under repair.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Never. Neither would I willingly deal with this dealership or even Citroen UK again. Photo shows the hatchback water channel AFTER it was supposed to have been valeted.

What are you likely to buy next?

Probably a diesel Auto Jaguar X-type ... but ... After 7 months of prevaricating and failing to repair, replace or refund, the dealership has today agreed to swap me into a 2006 (55) C5 2.0 VTR Diesel 6-speed Auto Hatchback to avoid Court action. I hope it is better than the petrol C4 but I am losing a lot of things that are on my C4 Exclusive. The C5 is a much lower-spec car but it gets rid of the C4 I wish I had never seen. I am sorry for the next owner.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchise

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£8,695

When did you buy the car?

July 2008

Did you get a good deal and why?

No. I paid the Citroen dealership's asking price and they replaced a badly bulging and damaged front tyre but would not replace its badly damaged wheel. When the tyre got a puncture, the tyre supplier pointed out that the tyre pressure sensor was mis-aligned and the inflation valve's neck had been mis-shapen. The car was not valeted although it was promised when the car was advertised.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

To get smooth Auto Transmission after 2 years driving a Manual Peugeot 407. This C4 is Top-of-the-Range PLUS £3,000 Options Pack - Sat Nav, Integral Hands-free Car Phone, Black Leather Seats (Electric), Heated Seats, 4x Memory for Driving seat & Mirrors, Multi-CD Changer.

What was the dealer like?

All "Sweetness and light" while I was buying, but turned to difficult and then impossible after they had twice replaced the whole Auto Transmission and still not cured defective Auto gear-change performance.

What's it like to drive?

Even after 2 complete replacements of the Auto Transmission this particular car still has unacceptably jerky and jumpy downward Automatic gear-changes (4 to 3, 3 to 2) when slowing in traffic under light throttle. Rear parking sensors are useful but not infallible. At times acceleration seemed disappointing for a 2-litre engine and the Auto transmission reduces fuel economy by holding 3rd gear for most town driving 30-40mph. Tiptronic can overcome this but should not have to. The Sat-Nav is very user-UNfriendly and uses very small phone keypad buttons. It does not use Postcodes which is a serious drawback.

What's it like to park?

Parking is made easier with rear bumper sensors but they sometimes fail to detect objects.

Have you had any problems with the car?

There can surely be no French word for Trouble-free. I have regretted the purchase for over 7 months. Downward gear-changes when slowing in traffic under light throttle pressure are jerky, jumpy and uncomfortable. Several managers and Technicians experienced and acknowledged the defective changes. When faced with the prospect of County Court action the dealer immediately changed to blaming my driving style, and later changed again to saying that ALL C4 2.0 Petrol Autos perform this badly, adding that my car therefore has no faults. Citroen UK HQ sent a technician to inspect the car. He experienced and acknowledged the fault, carried out some work which made no difference and promised to report fully on his findings, comparing my car with another similar C4. Despite being ask

What's most practical about your car?

Directional Xenon headlights, self-levelling.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Automatic operation of headlights and front wipers and the Head-up display screen with large-print digital Speed reading. The CD multi-changer would be a favourite BUT it takes 16 seconds when told to change from one CD to the next. The front armrest doubles as the lid of the CD multi-changer BUT it is on downward-sloping runners and cannot be stopped from sliding forwards and getting in the way of the driver's left hand / arm. Altho I don't have one, I would have loved the panoramic glass-roof fitted to many Peugeot and Citroen models.