Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: U-33 on April 24, 2015, 10:37:05 pm
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I've made the executive decision to sell my Nissan and go for a brand new Motability car. Tomorrow I'm test driving a Citroen C3 1.2 VTR auto (I like Citroens, had a Pallas, two BX's, and three Picassos)
Any of you guys got or had a C3? Impressions...comments?
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I have a rule when it comes to cars- British, German or Japanese.
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Swedish cars for life! However I've nor had any experience of the c3 sorry Richard!
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Make sure it comes with a maintenance contract
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Liz has a C3 1.6 Exclusive with an auto box and all the toys. I've had a BX, ZX, Xantia and C5 - this is the best of the lot; I love it.
DM
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My Dad had a Citroen CX back in the late 70s great car till the suspension failed..... the repair cost was double the glasses guide price for the car :o
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I have a rule when it comes to cars- British, German or Japanese.
That's an interesting one. For example The Citroen C1 is made in the Czech Republic in the same factory as the Peugeot 107 and Toyota Aygo (all the same car, different badges and tail lights). Some Toyota, Honda and Nissan models are built in the UK. Most Toyota Yaris are made in France. When you start to look at the engines in those and other cars you can find more variations with shared production facilities and even one manufacturer supplying engines, or part engines, for another.
And of course as well as the engines various other bits for each car are often made somewhere else and just bolted on in the assembly plant.
So you can't really shop by 'nationality' any more. These days you really need to look for reviews and reliability info on the specific model rather than make of car. And of course the availability of a dealer nearby is often a factor - more so if you buy a rubbish car of course :-)
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Rich ,what's the other options you can get ?
Aid
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Hi Rich.
if you want a quality built French car, why dont you put an order in to Gazou Autos...then you know it will be wheely good.. {-) {-) {-)
frank
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I think I'll keep quiet on your choice Rich, Erm....
You already know my opinion on the new Citroen and to top it off with their auto box. >>:-( {-)
If you really are interested I can always bring that C4 VTR auto down and you can have a drive, I'd put money on it your be looking for something else pretty soon.
And that's me keeping quiet :-X
How much you looking for for your car? son keeps on about buying a car to learn in, problem is it will be the bank of dad that has to pay for most of it.
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No 1 priority is to make sure it has a boot big enough for the Motorflote and
George's Commode %% %% .
Seriously, though Rich they are not a bad car these days and go for miles on a
cupful of Diesel.
Ned
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Ned, with the amount of boats he now has he would be better off looking at a Transit {-)
Another thing to think about Rich, being the VTR it has the sports front seats, they are ok for short runs, but anything long distance and your know about it.
Remember when I drove us up to Norfolk, we were both moaning about stiff backs and legs.
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Loads of information...thanks guys, much appreciated.
Ian...you know the Nissan, 2 new tyres, new battery, recent service, loads of MOT left on it...make me an offer I can't refuse and it's yours.
Chaps...with Motobility you can choose from a huge range of cars, as I guess you probably know. I had five major things to consider..
(a) no deposit needed
(b) only half of my DLA to be used for the hire costs
(c) economy
(d) automatic transmission
(d) my subs must fit in the car easily
Three cars made it to the short list...the Citroen, Skoda Citigo and the Kia Picanto.
I didn't like the Skoda, the Kia was ruled out early because the dealers were miles away...the Citroen dealership is five minutes down the road. When 'er that was indoors and I were still together we had three Picassos from this dealer, and couldn't really fault them on their service, they would come and collect the car for service, and leave us a replacement, then bring it back when the work was done. They even collected the car from work a couple of times, so no problems there.
So, that's how I arrived at the C3...plus (and sorry Ian ;D ) I like Citroens. You can't beat them for comfort, access to the interior is excellent, even for an arthritic old fart like me, and all my subs fit in the boot easily without folding the rear seats down.
I'm not fussed about running costs, tax, insurance, etc...that's all factored into the lease charge. All I do is to put the key in one end and petrol in the other, and that's it. For £222 per month with everything included, and no deposit...that's pretty good in my book.
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Hi Rich.
if you want a quality built French car, why dont you put an order in to Gazou Autos...then you know it will be wheely good..
{-) {-) {-)
frank
Thank you Frank
The delivery deadlines are very long.
The box of speeds is automatic and the safe with luggage is very big
Inertia is right, never I had a perfect car, except the C5 break *
* It is a car completed for the strong men
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I had a Picasso 2ltr diesel Exclucive, it was a brilliant car, very economical. But it used to pitch
And roll quite a bit,(newt wrong with suspension), that's how they were.Left you feeling a bit
Sea sick at times.
I now own a Toyota Verso 2.2 D4-4 and it is far far bette ride.
John
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:o Its the luck of the draw you can get a good car and you can get a stinker whatever make it is,these day's all cars are pretty good so I say pick the car that ticks all the boxes of what you want it for,I have a ford s-max which I can fit all my boats in and to keep SWMBO happy has 7 seats to fit the grandchildren in,so whatever you pick I am sure you will happy with it,happy sailing and motoring with your new car,Ray. %)
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Thanks guys...my Pallas was like a ship in a rough sea, but it was so comfortable. My BX14 was good, but the BX16RS was a different animal altogether, it went like the proverbial off a shovel, went round corners as though it was on rails, and was still comfy despite the harder suspension. A work mate had the BX GT, the one with the big wing on the back...now that was one tasty piece of French engineering.
The first Picasso kept having hissy fits with it's electronics, so much so that in the end the dealer replaced the car. The dashboard went mad several times, the stereo was replaced three times, they even replaced several of the black boxes, but it wouldn't cooperate, so we had a new car in the end. The dealers tried so many things with it, so I can't fault them on their persistance.
My days of tearing about in a car are long gone now, nowadays it's all down to economy and comfort, plus there's the lady to consider...she has siatica in her hips, so roll cages and racing seats are out of the equation.
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Well chaps, the deed has been done...I've placed an order for a C3 Exclusive Automatic 1.2litre, not the VTR, a much better spec for less money. Cruise control, Bluetooth phone connection via the stereo, and a dead man's handle as well. It's a lovely deep purple colour called Karma Purple, with a black/grey interior, air con, and it has fancy led daylight running lights as well. Oh, and parking sensors as well.
Well pleased with it...now all I have to do is wait.
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Dead man's handle???
Is it a loco or a hearse ???
Ned
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Does this mean I can be navigator on our next sub trip then?
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If you behave yourself... %)
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Hi Rich,
what about a Nissan Qashqai ,good big flat boot with the rear seats down and plenty of head room (have a bad neck and back).Im picking one up on the 30th April.
PS. dont get a Microcar.Have had one since last June and RAC been out 9 times,a total disaster. >:-o >:-o >:-o >:-o
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Ned...got to have a dead man's handle, I got so used to having one in the sweeper.
I did ask about having a LHD car...they said yes, no problem, but when the lease is up I would have pay the difference between the resale value of the LHD versus the RHD one...and that work out to be expensive, so I settled for RHD.
MickyR...the QashQai is too expensive for me, I only want to part with half my DLA payment, hence the order for the C3.
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Ned...got to have a dead man's handle, I got so used to having one in the sweeper.
They were fitted to make sure the council driver was awake {-)
Just like the council workman who stamped on a snail.
When asked why he did it, he said 'It's been following me all day'
Only Joking Rich :-))
Ned
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Did you know that the engine in the Smart 4/4, ("built by DB") is the same unit developed and built by Renault for the Twingo?
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Also many VW models are built in China, Mercedes in the Czech Republic, and if you lot leave the EU, the Mini will be built in Rumania.
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My wife's got an 05 plate diesel C3.
Sounds like a French tractor, first thing, but it's in the laughably cheap tax bracket and turns in 50+ mpg.
Build quality is a bit tin canny, but it's a giggle on the bends. The brakes are PHENOMENAL - you think about stopping, and a millisecond later you're still, with people behind you having palpitations. Bodywork? Starting to spot with rust in high-traffic areas: door cill, rear arch, but not too awful yet.
Would I have one?
No. The diesel is an absolute pain to work on unless you have tiny hands and long arms. And the deep boot would be a pain for big, heavy boats. I'll be sticking with my Note with fold-down split seats and no lip to the hatch.
Andy
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I don't do big heavy boats any longer, my X craft and Neptune will fit in the boot easily, and the Akula goes in an angle quite easily.
What surprised me was just how nippy it is for a 1.2litre three cylinder engine with an automatic transmission...it's not in the same class as my old Scorpio was, but it should be a lot less of an alcoholic. The steering is nice and light, ideal for my arthritic wrists, and with the dead man's handle on the wheel, parking should be totally effortless.
Working on the car isn't going to be a problem for me...I don't touch it. Servicing, maintenence, insurance, road tax, one set of tyres in the three years, breakdown and recovery, is all in the Motability package. For less than £250 per month, that's not bad in my book...
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, parking should be totally effortless.
You should of whipped down to Fords and test drove one of those that's supposed to park it self, I'd love to find the tightest space I could find and let it try, when it hits the car behind just say to the salesman, it wasn't me, it was the car. {-)
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You should of whipped down to Fords and test drove one of those that's supposed to park it self, I'd love to find the tightest space I could find and let it try, when it hits the car behind just say to the salesman, it wasn't me, it was the car. {-)
Hmm...not too sure about that, mate. I'm too much of an old fart for that sort of thing, I think...besides, if the parking thingy is powered by Microsoft software, it's just as likely to crash and write off a whole street full of cars .... %)
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The latest model C3 (from 2009 onwards) is a totally different car from the old 1.4 petrol one we had (2002 model). The build quality and thickness of metal in the bodywork are vastly superior. There are no annoying rattles inside the cabin; no loose fittings or irritating catches that don't work. In short, it's surprising when you see that it's a Citroen................and it goes like greased weasel pooh.
The problem with all of the main manufacturers and Motability is that they want such a hefty deposit and monthly payment for what is essentially the same car as the C3. See if you can get a 1.2 Fiesta or Corsa Auto for less than £250 a month.
DM
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ok2
Thought of you in this car?
It is one Citroën, it is good price here, all people are satisfied with it and it is spacious.
The maintenance is economic.
(http://i19.servimg.com/u/f19/15/37/42/64/cactus10.jpg) (http://www.servimg.com/view/15374264/3710)
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Spot on, DM...the C3 is nil deposit and £53.75 per week. The cheapest Fiesta is still nil deposit, but I'd lose all of my DLA benefit...£111 per week. Apart from the fact that I wouldn't go to our local Ford dealer after the fracas last time we had a car from them, I still have half of my DLA allowance to put into the coffers.