2007 C4 Grand Picasso
Discussion
I don't expect many of you are reading this! It's not a particularly exciting car (though it is French and thus intrinsically a bit weird). However, I kinda want to keep a track of my ownership of this as, well, why not?
The requirements were "can fit my girlfriend's electric wheelchair in the boot without folding it up" (because it is a royal pain in the back to lift - the batteries are 40kg and the frame is another 35...), "can fit a child seat at the same time", and "can fit other passengers as well" (Berlingo-based WAVs lose a lot of passenger space to the adaptations). So this explains why as a 23 year old I'm driving something that could fit a 5 a side football team in...
So, yes, there it is. Future plans for it include getting a boot mounted hoist (or a ramp, but a hoist is a much tidier solution), attempting to figure out how to get an AUX connection working for the stereo (or making the - terrifying - leap to an aftermarket head unit, and dealing with the complex French electronic fun that may reveal), finding out what that very specific vibration is at 70-72mph (but not at 74 or 68 - so a wheel I guess), changing 2 tyres as one of the rears is getting low on tread and they're mismatched back there anyway. The front has Avon ZV5's on, so I might go for those, or go to another type and when the Avons wear out, change those to the new type as well.
I'm hoping it'll last me until I'm done with full time education, and there is a road trip to Menorca to be undertaken one summertime...
The requirements were "can fit my girlfriend's electric wheelchair in the boot without folding it up" (because it is a royal pain in the back to lift - the batteries are 40kg and the frame is another 35...), "can fit a child seat at the same time", and "can fit other passengers as well" (Berlingo-based WAVs lose a lot of passenger space to the adaptations). So this explains why as a 23 year old I'm driving something that could fit a 5 a side football team in...
So, yes, there it is. Future plans for it include getting a boot mounted hoist (or a ramp, but a hoist is a much tidier solution), attempting to figure out how to get an AUX connection working for the stereo (or making the - terrifying - leap to an aftermarket head unit, and dealing with the complex French electronic fun that may reveal), finding out what that very specific vibration is at 70-72mph (but not at 74 or 68 - so a wheel I guess), changing 2 tyres as one of the rears is getting low on tread and they're mismatched back there anyway. The front has Avon ZV5's on, so I might go for those, or go to another type and when the Avons wear out, change those to the new type as well.
I'm hoping it'll last me until I'm done with full time education, and there is a road trip to Menorca to be undertaken one summertime...
I think that looks rather smart in this colour - and they're very practical for your specific needs, as you say. I don't know much about the Grand Picasso but have travelled in one and it was a comfortable, smooth riding car and huge inside. I liked it.
Unfortunately you are probably right that your thread will plunge down the listings - but then my old Jag one does too! I think most Reader's cars threads do!
Unfortunately you are probably right that your thread will plunge down the listings - but then my old Jag one does too! I think most Reader's cars threads do!
Luckily I took that photo before dirt got really obvious on it. It looks filthy already. And unlike that Corsa (Which sold, I was expecting it to die first - 162,909 when I last sat in it) I feel like I should look after it a bit, so I'll be buying some buckets and sponges (on a long stick) soon...
I'm glad the original owner specced the 16 inch wheels. Aside from riding smoother (there is no point in trying for a sporty ride with this, so I shall embrace leisurely pace and smoothness) I fully expect to kerb accidentally once or twice and I might get away with it with the big sidewalls.
I'm glad the original owner specced the 16 inch wheels. Aside from riding smoother (there is no point in trying for a sporty ride with this, so I shall embrace leisurely pace and smoothness) I fully expect to kerb accidentally once or twice and I might get away with it with the big sidewalls.
I used to sell these, and had one of the first ones as a demo. It was a VTR+ 2ltr with the flappy paddles.
It was a fab motor, even had optional 17 inch wheels. I took it to Southend for the evening and got drawn into heading to good old Baz Vegas and it was getting as much attention as the modded cars at the time.
Im needing a big motor and I am very tempted by another!
It was a fab motor, even had optional 17 inch wheels. I took it to Southend for the evening and got drawn into heading to good old Baz Vegas and it was getting as much attention as the modded cars at the time.
Im needing a big motor and I am very tempted by another!
We bought one of these a few months ago (growing family) in a rather nice metallic brown colour!
The Aux port on ours is in the glovebox, is yours a VTR or exclusive? maybe it's the MY that determines if you have an AUX or not? ours is a 2008/08.
Good things are comfort, fuel economy and of course space, my wife isn't too impressed when I fold all the seats down and go off down the tip in it
Ours is the 2.0 diesel with the 6 speed EGS box, it is the worst gearbox I have ever experienced, she likes it, I drive it in manual using the paddles if I have to, if I don't I just tend to lurch everywhere
And just to add, the airbags tend to fail on the rear suspension, which can be replaced by standard suspension.
The Aux port on ours is in the glovebox, is yours a VTR or exclusive? maybe it's the MY that determines if you have an AUX or not? ours is a 2008/08.
Good things are comfort, fuel economy and of course space, my wife isn't too impressed when I fold all the seats down and go off down the tip in it
Ours is the 2.0 diesel with the 6 speed EGS box, it is the worst gearbox I have ever experienced, she likes it, I drive it in manual using the paddles if I have to, if I don't I just tend to lurch everywhere
And just to add, the airbags tend to fail on the rear suspension, which can be replaced by standard suspension.
Edited by BMRuss on Tuesday 26th January 17:01
helix402 said:
What sort of gearbox does it have?
5 speed manual. The automatic has an automated manual, which seems a bit daft, when a slushbox would have been perfect.BMRuss, mine's a VTR+, I'll have to look in the glovebox. I'd seen pictures of other cars with the Aux where the lighter socket is on the floor, so didn't think to look elsewhere really. Luckily it has conventional suspension, and it isn't as weird feeling as the reviews tend to paint it.
Quhet, it does indeed. It has grown on me rapidly! No faffing around looking for the controls when the wheel isn't straight (well, no more faffing than it takes to learn this new layout - I like the clean look of the dashboard but honestly, buttons in the conventional make sense). I sincerely believe that Citroen would try to make us steer with our feet, or maybe a tiller, if they could market it.
The chrome is peeling off of the white plastic (nylon?) cap of the gear stick. It's quite sharp and I don't want to wear gloves to drive, so I think I shall take a stanley knife to it this weekend and paint the gear pattern in a contrasting colour. Blue maybe.
Thanks for posting WST, you'd be surprised at the interest on here for 'standard' stuff.
Particularly from me as one of these has popped up at a stupidly low price near us here in Frankfurt. It's the standard C4 Picasso, so only 5 seats, 1.6 diesel, highly specced and the service history looks peachy (late 2008/ 66k miles).
WRT the gearbox, how is the 5th gear at motorway speeds? 2k RPM @ 70mph, approx, or is it revving higher?
Particularly from me as one of these has popped up at a stupidly low price near us here in Frankfurt. It's the standard C4 Picasso, so only 5 seats, 1.6 diesel, highly specced and the service history looks peachy (late 2008/ 66k miles).
WRT the gearbox, how is the 5th gear at motorway speeds? 2k RPM @ 70mph, approx, or is it revving higher?
Thanks mate. I'm interested to see if the 1.6 labours pulling the C4 around, obviously it's not going to be a ball of fire but on occasion we go cross-continent with bikes/family/holiday crap so it will need to sit at 80ish fully laden.
Boring boring boring I know but hell, it's a family car innit, and the one near me is STUPIDLY cheap (rhd so no interest)
Boring boring boring I know but hell, it's a family car innit, and the one near me is STUPIDLY cheap (rhd so no interest)
About 3/4ths of a tank into owning this and coming up with a nice short list of problems to solve.
VTR+ badges on B pillars are faded, and on the left side the V is gone altogether. I think I'll just remove these with some fishing line and a hairdrier, rather than replacing them...
A rubber seal for the rear end of one of the roof bars has come adrift and could do with a thin bead of superglue to get it back in line.
Gearstick and gaiter still want sorting, of course.
I love the speed limiter feature. I generally leave it set to 32 and then I can rattle around town without worrying about the scameras, and when I'm out of town I just turn the limiter off and cruise along at whatever speed I choose. It corners quite well for its size.
It's been discovered by a few birds as well. Not in a good way. Time to stare at all the car washing places around town and find one that doesn't use gritty sponges...
VTR+ badges on B pillars are faded, and on the left side the V is gone altogether. I think I'll just remove these with some fishing line and a hairdrier, rather than replacing them...
A rubber seal for the rear end of one of the roof bars has come adrift and could do with a thin bead of superglue to get it back in line.
Gearstick and gaiter still want sorting, of course.
I love the speed limiter feature. I generally leave it set to 32 and then I can rattle around town without worrying about the scameras, and when I'm out of town I just turn the limiter off and cruise along at whatever speed I choose. It corners quite well for its size.
It's been discovered by a few birds as well. Not in a good way. Time to stare at all the car washing places around town and find one that doesn't use gritty sponges...
In a misjudgement of the length I hopped over a kerb with a wheel the other day. No damage. Noticed the tyre (which was getting low on tread anyway) had a radial split in the sidewall. Were finances better (student) I'd have gone for the Michelin option but they were twice the price, so I went for the £119.99/pair er... Zeta ZT10 tyres. I figure that ditchfindery as they may be, they are safer than a blowout. And it also turns out that the worn tyre was... from 2009! It had a good life on there, all 80 thousand miles it managed. I've learned how to read tyre manufacture dates now.
Dread "DPF may become blocked" message popped up as I left the petrol (diesel?) station today. Kept it on the boil all the way home (luckily I filled up 15 miles away) to see if I could clear the message, but no luck, so I popped into a garage on the way home. Apparently a force-regen that the garage can do will put the cambelt under extra stress... so as it's getting on for wanting a cambelt fairly soon I guess that's going to be needed first. Bugger!
Well I guess the expense of a cambelt was... it was going to be spent some day. But I'm completely flummoxed about why the DPF clogged. I thought I did enough long/fast/high EGT journeys to keep the poxy thing clear...
Well I guess the expense of a cambelt was... it was going to be spent some day. But I'm completely flummoxed about why the DPF clogged. I thought I did enough long/fast/high EGT journeys to keep the poxy thing clear...
wst said:
Dread "DPF may become blocked" message popped up as I left the petrol (diesel?) station today. Kept it on the boil all the way home (luckily I filled up 15 miles away) to see if I could clear the message, but no luck, so I popped into a garage on the way home. Apparently a force-regen that the garage can do will put the cambelt under extra stress... so as it's getting on for wanting a cambelt fairly soon I guess that's going to be needed first. Bugger!
Well I guess the expense of a cambelt was... it was going to be spent some day. But I'm completely flummoxed about why the DPF clogged. I thought I did enough long/fast/high EGT journeys to keep the poxy thing clear...
Sorry to hear. Be extremely careful from here on in. That 1.6HDI is a money pit once you start.Well I guess the expense of a cambelt was... it was going to be spent some day. But I'm completely flummoxed about why the DPF clogged. I thought I did enough long/fast/high EGT journeys to keep the poxy thing clear...
wst said:
Dread "DPF may become blocked" message popped up as I left the petrol (diesel?) station today. Kept it on the boil all the way home (luckily I filled up 15 miles away) to see if I could clear the message, but no luck, so I popped into a garage on the way home. Apparently a force-regen that the garage can do will put the cambelt under extra stress... so as it's getting on for wanting a cambelt fairly soon I guess that's going to be needed first. Bugger!
Well I guess the expense of a cambelt was... it was going to be spent some day. But I'm completely flummoxed about why the DPF clogged. I thought I did enough long/fast/high EGT journeys to keep the poxy thing clear...
Worth getting the ELOYS fluid level checked-it's due for replacement around 75k miles and a low fluid level means the FAP can't regenerate.Well I guess the expense of a cambelt was... it was going to be spent some day. But I'm completely flummoxed about why the DPF clogged. I thought I did enough long/fast/high EGT journeys to keep the poxy thing clear...
Turns out after lots of research and a bit of "oh, goddammit"-ing, a DPF does in fact have an expiry date. That is, it lasts 112,500 miles, and then it is roughly full of ash (even if it's been burning the soot properly with regens and suchlike). I don't really know what I thought they did with the ash to be honest, that is a horrendous oversight. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail and all that.
Guess what the mileage is! 112,500 give-or-take 100 miles. The DPF is currently, well, not clogged. The car is just saying "it needs changing before it does clog". And it'll be more clog-prone than if it had a new DPF...
So I'm looking at options. New DPF from Citroen is... £795, fitted and VAT etc. Reconditioned 2nd hand DPF is... £850-something.
Aftermarket DPF is about £250 but that doesn't count fitting... but I can't see it costing £500 of labour.
There's also the thought of an ultrasonic DPF clean... I'll find out the prices of that.
Bit of shopping around to do. I'm ok with even the slightly scary OEM replacement price, but I think realistically given the value of the car and its age it wants the cheapest option doing to it... I don't expect/want to be taking this thing to the 225,000 mark so I'd be happy with something that gives it 50,000+ miles of trouble-free DPF (well, except for a fluid refill) if it saves me some money.
Guess what the mileage is! 112,500 give-or-take 100 miles. The DPF is currently, well, not clogged. The car is just saying "it needs changing before it does clog". And it'll be more clog-prone than if it had a new DPF...
So I'm looking at options. New DPF from Citroen is... £795, fitted and VAT etc. Reconditioned 2nd hand DPF is... £850-something.
Aftermarket DPF is about £250 but that doesn't count fitting... but I can't see it costing £500 of labour.
There's also the thought of an ultrasonic DPF clean... I'll find out the prices of that.
Bit of shopping around to do. I'm ok with even the slightly scary OEM replacement price, but I think realistically given the value of the car and its age it wants the cheapest option doing to it... I don't expect/want to be taking this thing to the 225,000 mark so I'd be happy with something that gives it 50,000+ miles of trouble-free DPF (well, except for a fluid refill) if it saves me some money.
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