Citroen C1

OddballJamie

warwicktiger wrote: »

all make in the same factory on the same production line by the same people!

More importantly also not in France.

OddballJamie

AdrianC wrote: »

Toyota owned factory in the Czech republic, joint PSA-Toyota design with Daihatsu-origin engine.

Nah, far safer to go for a nice non-French car like a Nissan...

Which is 40% owned by a French car company

AdrianC

OddballJamie wrote: »

Which is 40% owned by a French car company

...and most of whose models are based on platforms and mechanicals developed by that partner.

Taking buying decisions based on national preferences and prejudices has always been daft. These days, with cross-ownership, joint ventures and platform sharing - it's even dafter.

soolin

We have a C1 and a C3 both are excellent motorway way cars.

People tend to get very surprised when they see a C1 sailing merrily along at high (legal obviously) speeds. We've bought 4 C1s in the past 3 years 3 of which were brand new (complicated story) and we have been very impressed with them all.

The newest one also attracts no road tax at all and we were told we can take it into the london congestion zone free of charge, although we have not checked that yet.

We live in a London borough and my 21 year old son now owns one of the cars and pays approx £700 a year insurance and as it is his first car he has no 'no claims' discount.

gilbert_and_sullivan

The only thing against C1/107/Aygo at motorway speeds is road and tyre noise, but its an easy car to fit extra soundproofing where needed, makes a massive difference once done.

Superb little car, tyres and parts cheap as chips, but best to find an aircon model if possible.

soolin

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

The only thing against C1/107/Aygo at motorway speeds is road and tyre noise, but its an easy car to fit extra soundproofing where needed, makes a massive difference once done.

Superb little car, tyres and parts cheap as chips, but best to find an aircon model if possible.

I agree about the aircon, I would add that the 4 door is also better for airflow even though it perhaps doesn't look as stylish.

Our 3 door C1 does not have opening back windows and it can get stuffy in the back on a hot day. My sons 4 door has opening back windows which makes it feel better and our 4 door has aircon which is wonderful.

One other point to considers how safe these cars are. Our first C1 was 8 months old and my young son was driving it and got hit on a roundabout. The other car was travelling across a small roundabout at speed, hit him side on and slammed him into a wall. My son got out of the car with bruises from the seat belt only, the car was written off.

mattyprice4004

Anyone thinking the C1/C3 is an 'excellent' motorway car should try something built for cruising - you'll realise what you've been missing!

Recently got my friend out of a cheap Eurobox and into something wafty for his 80 mile commute. Much better for the job.

Small cars are handy, but a motorway cruiser the C1/C3 is not. And yes, I've spent a long time in both.

Panda78

Thanks for all your replies. I viewed the C3 and C1 at the weekend and decided that the C1 suits my needs for 90% of the short driving i will do.

Does anyone have opinions on the EGS please? Never used this before, so will test drive before i order at the weekend. If i understand it right, you can drive manually and use 'pedals' on the steering wheel. Sounds like it might take some getting used to?

gilbert_and_sullivan

Panda78 wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies. I viewed the C3 and C1 at the weekend and decided that the C1 suits my needs for 90% of the short driving i will do.

Does anyone have opinions on the EGS please? Never used this before, so will test drive before i order at the weekend. If i understand it right, you can drive manually and use 'pedals' on the steering wheel. Sounds like it might take some getting used to?

Yes its horrid, it will go wrong in due course when warranty runs out, even Toyota can't get it right and have moved away from this gearbox design (MMT in their language) in the rest of their range except for the Aygo, Toyota stand by their vehicles long after their longer warranty has expired in many cases so one can guess at the reasons for dropping it.

The torquey little engine lends itself to easy driving with the manual box, it will lug right down to stall speeds without the slightest problem so its almost impossible to stall and makes a brilliant dodging about or town car, unlike much of the competition which stall if you look at them shifty.

On very steep inclines or when trying to climb a steep kerb the EGS/MMT gearbox can fail to move the car from standstill, though this together with unpleasant manoeuvering is a problem with many automated manual boxes especially when matched to small engines given the right circumstances.

Panda78

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Yes its horrid, it will go wrong in due course when warranty runs out, even Toyota can't get it right and have moved away from this gearbox design (MMT in their language) in the rest of their range except for the Aygo, Toyota stand by their vehicles long after their longer warranty has expired in many cases so one can guess at the reasons for dropping it.

The torquey little engine lends itself to easy driving with the manual box, it will lug right down to stall speeds without the slightest problem so its almost impossible to stall and makes a brilliant dodging about or town car, unlike much of the competition which stall if you look at them shifty.

On very steep inclines or when trying to climb a steep kerb the EGS/MMT gearbox can fail to move the car from standstill, though this together with unpleasant manoeuvering is a problem with many automated manual boxes especially when matched to small engines given the right circumstances.

Thanks for the info, as luck would have it, the model on offer is a VTR rather than VTR+, which means a manual gearbox, which i am rather pleased about now!