Faults:

My Mother got a C3 Pluriel, in I think 2003.

It was such a good looking car, and she is not into cars, so she didn't look into the actual behavior of such a car.

We were the first to purchase this car in Victoria. Everyone raves about its appearance and its features. We love the car. But the car, is shocking.

Up to every time we stop (at lights, slow to turn), the engine cuts out, there is a loud beeping noise, and if you try to accelerate, the engine backfires. The car is semi-auto, but it switches to manual automatically, when this happens. The computer shuts itself down, and sometimes, won't restart for a few minutes, up to a day, or occasionally more. We've had the car for 5-6 years and this problem, has been re-occurring for two of those years.

The dealership in which we bought it, was hopeless. So moved to an independent Citroen mechanic, they have done nothing to fix this. Once they find something, they fix it. And "that will solve everything." 30 days, $2,000 later, again. And again. And again.

WE WANT THE CAR FIXED.

Does anyone know what has gone wrong with their Citroen C3 Pluriel, or just know, PLEASE share.

Or any further comments, thank you.

General Comments:

My advice is, it's a sure buy for a short-time. Over the warranty (ain't that the way), it's useless.

Faults:

Bought car from a local garage in Holland.

Upon taking delivery, roof would not close. Apparently a bad electrical contact. Fixed.

2 weeks later, roof would only open in first position and a loud rattle could be noticed.

Boot could not be opened.

Car was returned to garage, and with the help of a Citroen mechanic, repaired to full satisfaction.

The roof computer and roof cables were replaced. Furthermore all electric connections have been rechecked.

After extensive research on Internet, came to know there are mainly 3 rooftop issues (apart from leaking):

1) Broken roof runners

2) Roof cables

3) Gear of roof motor

Found a garage in the UK who can fix these easily without charging Citroen prices: www.chevroncitroenspecialists.com

General Comments:

A lovely car to drive, some rattles, but what do you expect from a 7 years old convertible.

No leaking thus far!

Very pleasant, light steering

Faults:

Plastic tram snapped (brittle plastic in sun and heat) - roof leaks, wind billows. Citroen won't let me just pay to get that part replaced - I have to replace the whole roof mechanism (i.e. a quarter of the car for a 2cm x 2cm x 2cm piece of cracked plastic). Price of only solution offered by Citroen = £2,000 for roof min + £500 labour to fit. Price of new plastic tram that is broken = approx £10 cost, if I could buy one.

As a consequence, have to wear ear plugs when driving above 50mph because of wind noise.

Leaking roof is ruining upholstery.

Car frequently just cuts out when driving. Potentially lethal.

Mentioned noisy roof when I bought it to dealer, was told that "that is how things are with convertibles". What sort of car manufacturer designs its vehicles such that when a tiny component breaks, you have to replace a quarter of the car at a price in excess of the total value of the car. Above all, what sort of environmental policy is this - a small component breaks, you end up having to scrap the canvas roof, the rear glass, the runners, everything. Sheer waste, inbuilt obsolescence.

Citroen's only advice to me was to start hunting around salvage yards to see if I could find the component that they won't sell to me.

Do you want / need to be doing business with a company like this? Can you afford to? Citroen were very happy to service my car at extortionate prices for the past five years, but the minute something that snaps - owing to their bad design - and a previously loyal customer seeks their help to resolve the matter, they close ranks and just refuse to show any responsibility. Totally dishonourable.

Don't buy a Citroen, unless you enjoy wasting your cash and dealing with a firm massively lacking in responsibility and fairness to customers.

General Comments:

The one redeeming feature of the car is that when you fold the seats down, you can get quite a bit in it.

However, this hardly makes up for the sodden seat, the wind noise, the rain in your eyes when driving.

And above all, Citroen's cynical exploitation of honest customers in trying to get them to pay £2,500 for a whole new roof assembly when a piece of plastic the size of a lego brick has cracked (due to poor specification by Citroen).

citroensucks@hotmail.com