Looking at a Citroen C2 any advice

[Logbert]

I am looking for a learner car for my stepdaughter. Insurance quotes tend to lean towards the C2. I have found one for sale at a local dealer which I can go see later on today. Car is Citroen C2L1.1 3dhatchback year 2004 42k miles price £2,400

What do I need to look for and does price seem fair. Any advice much appreciated

[ajb85]

Hi there, used to sell C2s for a main dealer. Very economical cars, but economy is just about all they lend themselves to. They came as quite a disappointment after the Saxo. They are VERY cramped in the back with no legroom to speak of and silly individual seats. Would your stepdaughter appreciate this assuming she has friends to entertain?

Otherwise they give no trouble generally. Clutches only have a short life so it may have had one. If it feels particularly weak and high on bite then obviously this will need renewal. I seem to remember my C2 demonstrator went through two power steering ECUs, but I thought that was rather unusual.

There are far better choices out there. Is a Renault Clio that much dearer to insure? Some people will smirk, but one of the best value and most reliable of hatchbacks available is the Hyundai Getz; the 3dr 1.1 GSi to be precise. I have bought and sold around 8/9 of these in the last 18 months, and cannot fault them. All bought by first time buyers too, so I'm assuming insurance must be favourable.

Let us know how you get on.

[MysteryLemon]

Someone on the family has one. Never had any major issues with it iirc. Just the usual servicing and maintenance such as brakes and exhaust etc.

They are small inside though. Front not so bad but full sized adults won't be too happy in the back and the boot is tiny!

She's actually selling it at the moment or is at least looking for a new car for this very reason. She's due to drop in a month and has finally realised what I've been telling her for the last 8 months. You can't fit a buggy in the boot. Not even a small one.

[Logbert]

Thanks for that much appreciated... I will go see the C2 tonight. Check the clutch out and that,

I hear what your saying about rear legroom. But to be honnest we feel it might not be a bad thing ( discourage her from taking too many passengers)

Been looking at the Ghetz, they look alright , every time we do an insurance quote it comes out about £250 more.???

There is an awfull lot off choice out there in these sort of cars,, very confusing

[300bhp/ton]

Logbert said:

I am looking for a learner car for my stepdaughter. Insurance quotes tend to lean towards the C2. I have found one for sale at a local dealer which I can go see later on today. Car is Citroen C2L1.1 3dhatchback year 2004 42k miles price £2,400

What do I need to look for and does price seem fair. Any advice much appreciated

I'm sure few will agree with me. But I think learning in a small car is the wrong thing to do. I think people should learn in at least a mid sized or even a large car. It'll make them appreciate width more so and they'll be better at controlling smaller cars. It also won't induce a fear factor some people get in having to drive a big car. Sure, take your test in a small car as it'll be easier for the parking maneuvers. But learn in something better sized.


For example, one of my best mates learnt to drive in a Nova, he was then terrified about having to drive an Astra as it was "too big". If he'd learnt in a Vectra the Astra would have proved no such problem.

[Riknos]

300bhp/ton said:

I'm sure few will agree with me. But I think learning in a small car is the wrong thing to do. I think people should learn in at least a mid sized or even a large car. It'll make them appreciate width more so and they'll be better at controlling smaller cars. It also won't induce a fear factor some people get in having to drive a big car. Sure, take your test in a small car as it'll be easier for the parking maneuvers. But learn in something better sized.


For example, one of my best mates learnt to drive in a Nova, he was then terrified about having to drive an Astra as it was "too big". If he'd learnt in a Vectra the Astra would have proved no such problem.

I agree with the above. I learnt to drive in a mk1 Focus, whilst friends were learning in their K11 Micras. I definitely had an advantage when it came to driving bigger cars.

[mig25_foxbat2003]

I've test-driven a couple for my girlfriend, they seemed OK places to be, quite a grown up drive for a small car.

But she ended up with a Panda, and I fell in love with it. Wonderful little thing. Worth a look, especially as they're even more insurable than a C2?

[ajb85]

mig25_foxbat2003 said:

I've test-driven a couple for my girlfriend, they seemed OK places to be, quite a grown up drive for a small car.

But she ended up with a Panda, and I fell in love with it. Wonderful little thing. Worth a look, especially as they're even more insurable than a C2?

+1 Pandas are crackin lil' cars!

[JayTee94]

There is a PH'er called c2james. He has a 1.1 example like the examples that you are looking at. It maybe worth a PM to him so he can express his thoughts.

[M4cruiser]

I would advise spending more time looking around. The C2 is not one of my favourite cars, it's tinny and noisy.

There are plenty of others in the same insurance bracket. Individual choice matters, but my favourite of the small city cheap cars is the Daewoo Matiz.

[Logbert]

Decided to get the C2. Car is very tidy and runs and drives well, full service history, the garage which is selling it will do a full mot and service, 3 months warranty, 12 months road tax, and full tank off fuel.
Also what swung it garage owner has been friends with my dad for over 50 years. Will pick it up next weekend

[Six Fiend]

I had huge fun in a C2 as a courtesy car. Put over 1500 miles on it in a week (courier at the time). Great handling, rammed it full of stuff with the seats down. Easy to park and considering it was a courtesy car it was coping well with the abuse it was getting!

[C2james]

JayTee94 said:

There is a PH'er called c2james. He has a 1.1 example like the examples that you are looking at. It maybe worth a PM to him so he can express his thoughts.

Yeah my C2 has been a great first car so far, nothing major has gone wrong with it and the only things I've had to race since buying it was (since 2009) a new track rod end and a new wheel bearing, I chose to upgrade the pads and just replace the standard discs with new ones. The only weird thing that has happened is the fuel line to the engine popped off but it just clips back on so that's not an issue.


Yeah feel free to PM me.

[Hark]

Logbert said:

Looking at a Citroen C2 any advice

Yea, don't.


Worst car I've owned.

Bought new but had lots of stuff changed under warranty. Had the 1,6 VTR with flappy paddle box. Loads of gearbox issues that are well documented online. At the time Citroen said noone was having any issues.

Had ecu flashed, then new ecu, all manner of other fixes and after 3 months of the car being at the garage constantly Citroen replaced the car.

All went well then 2 years later same issues with the box. Flawed design.

If you HAVE TO buy one then buy a manual.

[C2james]

No offence but the vtr was the st one.

[ruff'n'smov]

Reading the previous posts, see you've gone for a C2. Step son has one and loves it ...when I was looking for him an alternative when he told me he wanted a C2. I couldn't find anything in that bracket as new as good as economical etc. etc, good choice I think, We changed the Wheels 14" to 15" wider ones too up rated the discs and pads and this has made a great difference to the cars 'stance'...lol, and its driving manners.

good luck with it.

edited 'cause I'm a tard and can't spell look , correctly

Edited by ruff'n'smov on Saturday 6th October 13:55

[Jamie VTS]

I have the vts , it's a pretty good little car, typical poor plastic French interior but it offers fairly good performance vs petrol and insurance costs

[Logbert]

Picked it up this morning, just a few pics. What do you think?
Seems very tidy no marksand runs really well. Yeah chuffed with it really