Citroen C3 1.4 SX

I have had my car three years it's an auto and to be fair it's a dream to drive...when it's not in the garage being fixed. So far to date I have spent well over £2000 putting faults right and at this very moment it is in the garage and they have discovered it needs a new BSI unit. The car isn't worth the money as I know the shock absorbers need replacing. It's a shame because I love this car to drive but the unreliability is shocking. There has been fault after fault. The longest I have gone without any work is 4 months. Shocking car for constant break down.

Within a couple of weeks of purchasing the starter motor died, the head gasket went and the engine cuts out several times a day.

My Citroen C3 Xs 1.4 was an economical choice after writing off my Peugeot 306XSi and I thought I'd find the adjustment hard. But its nippy enough without getting me into trouble, VERY cheap to run & insure, came with all sorts of extras (CD player, electric windows, ABS brakes, airbags, front arm rests) that usually cost more. Its been one of my most reliable cars to date and I am surprised by the other negative comments on here. The only dislike I have is that the rear seats don't fold flat or level with the boot space so this can be a nuisance if you are transporting larger objects. I got mine a day before its 3rd birthday and have never regretted it. I thought I'd keep it a year or two until my insurance record was better but ended up not wanting to give it up!

Five years and 40,000 miles of trouble free transport, no major faults or horror stories, no problems at all but it is boring as are most second cars. Serviced once a year and fuel tank refilled once a month, the grandmother I'm married to loved it!

Citroen C3 SX Auto.

Bought mine new in 2003 and had problems with the onboard computer within weeks. Actually met my brother in law at dealers when I took my car in for checkup and he was there with same problem - his citroen was 6 months older than mine! This seriously put doubt in my mind about my 'perfect little car!'

Good points: - roomy for a small car, nippy both about town and on motorway, nice looking and fairly comfortable. I particularly liked the head room as I'm tall and the arm rests to stop my shoulders from aching.

Bad points: - the windscreen shape is bad because when pulling out onto main road the columns block/restrict your view of oncoming traffic so you have to move back and forwards to get a proper clear view, so this is a bad design.

All seemed well until about 4 years ago when I got locked inside at home and couldn't open the doors to get out. Had to climb into back seat and flag a passing neighbour down to hand my key out so he could open the doors to get me out! Scarey stuff.

Funny how things start to go wrong just after the warranty runs out!

To date, she's gone through 4 batteries!

Other day door locks starting acting up again so took her up to Kwik Fit only to be told 'this car is a death trap!' If anything hit me I would not get out!

Got the AA to recover it to a Citroen dealer repair place so am without it until Wednesday next by earliest.

Thing is NONE of the warning lights alerted me to any of the problems so that tells me the onboard computer is unreliable! Citroen really needs to get their checks done and watch what they put into the cars before they kill somebody!

Over past 2 years one thing after another has gone wrong besides the electrics and it's cost me a total of £1.200 in repairs so far.

I will never consider another Citroen again.

Citroen C3 SX Auto.

Bought mine new in 2003 and had problems with the onboard computer within weeks. Actually met my brother in law at dealers when I took my car in for checkup and he was there with same problem - his citroen was 6 months older than mine! This seriously put doubt in my mind about my 'perfect little car!'

Good points: - roomy for a small car, nippy both about town and on motorway, nice looking and fairly comfortable. I particularly liked the head room as I'm tall and the arm rests to stop my shoulders from aching.

Bad points: - the windscreen shape is bad because when pulling out onto main road the columns block/restrict your view of oncoming traffic so you have to move back and forwards to get a proper clear view, so this is a bad design.

All seemed well until about 4 years ago when I got locked inside at home and couldn't open the doors to get out. Had to climb into back seat and flag a passing neighbour down to hand my key out so he could open the doors to get me out! Scarey stuff.

Funny how things start to go wrong just after the warranty runs out!

To date, she's gone through 4 batteries!

Other day door locks starting acting up again so took her up to Kwik Fit only to be told 'this car is a death trap!' If anything hit me I would not get out!

Got the AA to recover it to a Citroen dealer repair place so am without it until Wednesday next by earliest.

Thing is NONE of the warning lights alerted me to any of the problems so that tells me the onboard computer is unreliable! Citroen really needs to get their checks done and watch what they put into the cars before they kill somebody!

Over past 2 years one thing after another has gone wrong besides the electrics and it's cost me a total of £1.200 in repairs so far.

I will never consider another Citroen again.

My partner wanted a economical car and had her heart set on a C3, huge mistake.

It's a 2002, where do you start?

Central locking sometimes works, sometimes doesn't.

Ditto the radio.

Ditto the speedo.

Power steering just stops working when it feels like it.

As for performance, it might be economical but it's slow, slow, slowwwwwwwww.

Need to go into 2nd for any slight hill, into first on corners where any other car will cruise round in third. Foot almost to the floor to get away in first or reverse.

It's been to the garage several times, checked over by the RAC and no one can find a fault.

It's horrible to drive, don't even think about overtaking unless you have a mile of clear road, certainly don't use it for a journey of any distance,you'll regret it.

My advice? Take the bus or use a bicycle until you find a decent car, it will be much more pleasurable!!!

Had 9yrs from new. Just had new tyres, brake discs/pad.

Citroen C3 1.4 SX Automatic - 02 Plate (2002)

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This must be one of the worst cars I have ever come across. Even more it is in my posession, but at least i can relay the horrible issues with the car and try to make sure I stop as many people as possible buying one of these.

Bought from a dealer in March 2010. In that time it has had the following problems. Head Gasket completely replaced - oil in the collant tank is an alarming site and a warning of this!!!. Fan replaced as motor failed. This caused massive overheating in the engine. The coolant got so hot it blew the connection hose off of it's tank and then smoke billowed from under the bonnet. Temperature guage stuck shut. Electric Heated rear screen does not work - never has. Has been checked - apparently all the elements are OK, the fuse is OK, so dealer has no clue. Worst is yet to come. The gearbox has a fault where at random times the car jolts, you hear a

purchased this car after i had my ford focus 2003 wrote off in an accident. This is the strangest CAR i have ever owned. one day runs like a dream, next day its a french nightmare!! AGHH!! so far the romote central locking has worked - then not worked - then worked! ive been lock out of the car, ive been unable to start it. Had engine man light MIL come on several times - RAC cant find problem. This car is a nice to drive car, but its a nightmare. i will never buy another french car again. have had peugeot, renault and citroen - they are all RUBISH!!! ALL HAD PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM, OK IF YOUR RICH AND WONT TO THROW MONEY AT YOUR LOCAL GARAGE.