New french cars...how good are they?
Discussion
Casually looking around and came across these 2 examples of the new french breed. the 508 and the ds4. Decent family cars..cheaper than the other EU badges. Question is..how good or bad are they? Can the fords, pugs, citroens do better than the japs and VW group in providing reliable, decent, vfm cars to use for .....lets say 5-7 yrs for a family????
508
DS4
508
DS4
Having had a couple of the smaller breed of french hatch backs (Clio's) found them to be very reliable with only minor niggles (washer jet and sunroof squeak) in 50k miles of motoring over 4 years.
I don't count VW's as reliable or good value to run any more than ford (in my experience) the Japanese brands in most cases have some serious longevity and offer good value for money, if a little souless ownership experience.
I don't see why one of these french cars, if properly maintained would cause significant woe over 5-7 years - most cars are capable of serious mileage these days, although you might find the depreciation cost out weighs the initial capital saving?
Cheers
Kris
I don't count VW's as reliable or good value to run any more than ford (in my experience) the Japanese brands in most cases have some serious longevity and offer good value for money, if a little souless ownership experience.
I don't see why one of these french cars, if properly maintained would cause significant woe over 5-7 years - most cars are capable of serious mileage these days, although you might find the depreciation cost out weighs the initial capital saving?
Cheers
Kris
bobbylondonuk said:
Casually looking around and came across these 2 examples of the new french breed. the 508 and the ds4. Decent family cars..cheaper than the other EU badges. Question is..how good or bad are they? Can the fords, pugs, citroens do better than the japs and VW group in providing reliable, decent, vfm cars to use for .....lets say 5-7 yrs for a family????
508
DS4
I would be amazed if one of these would last you 7 years! In my experience they drive poorly, give average reliability if you're lucky, but wear extremely badly. Personally I would never buy French again.508
DS4
I had a Citroen Saxo for 7 years (70k miles), only things it ever needed were consumables, although it didn't have much in the way of electrics.
I replaced it with with a C2 for 4 years (60k miles) with lots more electrics but the only problem it ever had was a brake squeal (sorted by the Garage).
No family so I don't know how they would have survived lots of passenger miles but I liked em.
Plus the old mans had Pugs for years now (206/7) and not had much trouble
I replaced it with with a C2 for 4 years (60k miles) with lots more electrics but the only problem it ever had was a brake squeal (sorted by the Garage).
No family so I don't know how they would have survived lots of passenger miles but I liked em.
Plus the old mans had Pugs for years now (206/7) and not had much trouble
I spent 7 years in Citroens (C2 followed by C4) until I changed car back in July. Both cars were mechanically bombproof but my old C4 had a few electrical gremlins that seemed to only effect stuff on the options list like directional headlamps and parking sensors.
I found them both really nice places to be, and used to get loads of compliments about the interior on the C4 which didn't feel half as cheap as people would have you believe.
The C4 was 6 years old when I got rid and tbh some of the interior trim was getting a little loose and creaky, but I wouldn't have been worried about keeping it for longer under different circumstances.
I found them both really nice places to be, and used to get loads of compliments about the interior on the C4 which didn't feel half as cheap as people would have you believe.
The C4 was 6 years old when I got rid and tbh some of the interior trim was getting a little loose and creaky, but I wouldn't have been worried about keeping it for longer under different circumstances.
Citroëns have been one of the most reliable cars we have owned over the years.
xantia with the hyrowatsit suspensions did 250k miles without a problem in my f-i-l ownership
both my wife and her mum had AXs which did over 100k miles with only needing an altinator
berlingo, again big miles, only needing a new exhaust back box.. after the old one was damaged when we were hit sat st the traffic lights.
and a C4 which gave no trouble.
and my mum's C3 hasn't given any trouble in the 10 years she had it. (think its been 10 years, but she's had it that long i forget when she got it!)
xantia with the hyrowatsit suspensions did 250k miles without a problem in my f-i-l ownership
both my wife and her mum had AXs which did over 100k miles with only needing an altinator
berlingo, again big miles, only needing a new exhaust back box.. after the old one was damaged when we were hit sat st the traffic lights.
and a C4 which gave no trouble.
and my mum's C3 hasn't given any trouble in the 10 years she had it. (think its been 10 years, but she's had it that long i forget when she got it!)
My first two cars were French (Citroen Saxo 1.4 and a Citroen C2 VTS) and other than for servicing, I didn't go near a garage with either of them. Ok so the Saxo doesn't have many electrical goodies, but the C2 VTS had ESP, A/C and the rest, which nothing ever went wrong.
On the other hand, I used to work at Renault for under a year and well I wouldn't ever touch one of those. Every time I sold a used one, it would be back within a month. Even the new ones weren't great. It is a big shame, as there were a few tasty looking Renault Sports on the forecourt.
If you are seriously thinking of buying the Peugeot or the Citroen, go and test drive them. The DS4 looks really nice and a much better alternative to the new Golf, which is quite dull and boring
On the other hand, I used to work at Renault for under a year and well I wouldn't ever touch one of those. Every time I sold a used one, it would be back within a month. Even the new ones weren't great. It is a big shame, as there were a few tasty looking Renault Sports on the forecourt.
If you are seriously thinking of buying the Peugeot or the Citroen, go and test drive them. The DS4 looks really nice and a much better alternative to the new Golf, which is quite dull and boring
I've had a look at both of these, but not driven them, and have seen the reviews of them. I think the DS4 is a disappointment but the 508 is probably a much better car than most people will be expecting. It looks great as well. The top spec GT has lots of kit included, good suspension and goes well. Depreciation over the first 3 years will probably be high. Probably a good buy in 2 years if you don't want to buy new.
In a word "Nooooooooooooooooo"
there is a reason why French cars , Renault, Citroen ,Peugout come in the lowest rankings of customer satisfaction surveys...because they are what " BL" was to our car industry .... "a carbuncle on the backside of humanity"!!
built by wine swigging , work shy ....lazy feckwits ......and this is from someone who lives in France ! and a dealership network who adopt a policy ...off shrugging shoulders ,palms up, c'est la vie " !!
If your French ..living in France , it makes sense...... just follow "nicole" and zee sheep... ," Papa"."je suis tres desole ma Clio est de la foutaise c'est très Merde" however I can only vouch for the "woes" of our Neighbours in France , who bemoan the relability and build quality of their French cars....yet still they follow the sheep
What I will never understand is the amount of English expat holiday home owners who proudly drive their peugeot / Citroen off the car ferry ...........
senseless !!
Why did you buy this car !!.........Do you think you look more French in it ?? ..."heres a hot tip instead ..wear a stripped pullover , stick a beret on your head and buy an old bike addorned with oinions ..it will be a lot cheaper
France is excellent for cheese , wine ...car making is not one of them !!
to prove a point
chech out JD latest customer satisfaction survey
http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/jd-power-survey-20...
city cars : 7 Citroen C1 Average , ( compare to Toyota Aygo 1 same car platform which gets excellent rating , because of poor build quality and crap Citroen dealership experience )8 Peugeot 107 below average
superminis :12 Citroen C3 Average, 14 Peugeot 207 Average , 15 Renault clio Below average
small family car :13 Citroen C4 average , 14 Renault megane average , 16 Peugoet 308 below average.
family car : 7 Peugeot 407 average, 11 Citroen C5 average 12 Renault laguna below average.
compact executive ; No French cars listed ..winner was Lexus IS !
Executive cars : no French cars listed ..winner BMW 5 series
Sports cars : No French cars listed.. winner Mazda MX-5
mpv : Finally we have a winner !! 1 Citroen C3 Picasso Excellent 2, Citroen C4 Excellent ,5 Citroen C4 above average , 8 Citroen Xsara Picasso average ,9 Renault scenic average
SUV : No French cars listed Winner .. Lexus RX
For manufacturers
Top selling cars
there is a reason why French cars , Renault, Citroen ,Peugout come in the lowest rankings of customer satisfaction surveys...because they are what " BL" was to our car industry .... "a carbuncle on the backside of humanity"!!
built by wine swigging , work shy ....lazy feckwits ......and this is from someone who lives in France ! and a dealership network who adopt a policy ...off shrugging shoulders ,palms up, c'est la vie " !!
If your French ..living in France , it makes sense...... just follow "nicole" and zee sheep... ," Papa"."je suis tres desole ma Clio est de la foutaise c'est très Merde" however I can only vouch for the "woes" of our Neighbours in France , who bemoan the relability and build quality of their French cars....yet still they follow the sheep
What I will never understand is the amount of English expat holiday home owners who proudly drive their peugeot / Citroen off the car ferry ...........
senseless !!
Why did you buy this car !!.........Do you think you look more French in it ?? ..."heres a hot tip instead ..wear a stripped pullover , stick a beret on your head and buy an old bike addorned with oinions ..it will be a lot cheaper
France is excellent for cheese , wine ...car making is not one of them !!
to prove a point
chech out JD latest customer satisfaction survey
http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/jd-power-survey-20...
city cars : 7 Citroen C1 Average , ( compare to Toyota Aygo 1 same car platform which gets excellent rating , because of poor build quality and crap Citroen dealership experience )8 Peugeot 107 below average
superminis :12 Citroen C3 Average, 14 Peugeot 207 Average , 15 Renault clio Below average
small family car :13 Citroen C4 average , 14 Renault megane average , 16 Peugoet 308 below average.
family car : 7 Peugeot 407 average, 11 Citroen C5 average 12 Renault laguna below average.
compact executive ; No French cars listed ..winner was Lexus IS !
Executive cars : no French cars listed ..winner BMW 5 series
Sports cars : No French cars listed.. winner Mazda MX-5
mpv : Finally we have a winner !! 1 Citroen C3 Picasso Excellent 2, Citroen C4 Excellent ,5 Citroen C4 above average , 8 Citroen Xsara Picasso average ,9 Renault scenic average
SUV : No French cars listed Winner .. Lexus RX
For manufacturers
Top selling cars
Edited by DBSV8 on Saturday 3rd September 06:33
Edited by DBSV8 on Saturday 3rd September 06:39
Once bitten, twice shy.
Most recent French car was a 2004 Clio, owned from new and serviced regularly. It still proved to be "typically French" and had more electrical problems than I was able to cope with.
Unless I was able to get a French shed at a giveaway price, I wouldn't go there again.
Most recent French car was a 2004 Clio, owned from new and serviced regularly. It still proved to be "typically French" and had more electrical problems than I was able to cope with.
Unless I was able to get a French shed at a giveaway price, I wouldn't go there again.
Redlake27 said:
I like the RS Megane, 508, DS3 (not sure about the DS4), the C5 estate and C6
Give me the choice between this and the dowdy-Audi equivalents ( S3, A4, A1, Avant and A6) and I'd go French every time
thanks for all the replies! there seems to be a very wide divide among the supporters of french manufacturers and the nay sayers....Give me the choice between this and the dowdy-Audi equivalents ( S3, A4, A1, Avant and A6) and I'd go French every time
But as said above.....vfm is the assessing factor....koreans are way up there on the lowest budgets with extra long warranties. But It just seems that there are alternatives to the default EU choice of C-class, 3 series, A4....the new 508 looks like it can do what they do at a much lower cost. Agreed the quality of materials and the general feel will not be as high as the Germans...that is why they are cheaper!
508, C5, C4, DS4, Laguna.....viable alternatives....but then SWMBO in all of our houses will probably have a problem with the badges...lol.
So the fords, koreans are climbing up in vfm leagues...the question is how do these frenchies actually fare in real life compared to the rest of the costlier european competition!
bobbylondonuk said:
So the fords, koreans are climbing up in vfm leagues...the question is how do these frenchies actually fare in real life compared to the rest of the costlier european competition!
Based on my experience, the German brands have been no more reliable than the Italian or French cars we've had in the household. You'll be OK, and individual. There's some to avoid - previous generation Laguna/Meganes were a bit flaky, but their new equivalents are solid, but dull - a crime for a Latin car! However, due to the badge snobbery in the marketplace, initial depreciation is usually quite high, so buy one at 12 months old. You'll get a great bargain.
Now, off to look at C6s on ebay.
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