2001 Citroen Picasso SX from UK and Ireland - Comments

Regarding the query about the stereo system. I contacted Citroen about the Sat. Nav. and they told me it was manufactured by Siemens (you don't get much better than that!). As the Sat. Nav. uses the stereo as part of its audio interface, I would guess that the stereo is made by Siemens - or perhaps another German company. Blaupunk comes to mind for two reasons;

i) Citroen have used Blaupunk for years on other models (I used to have on in a GS), and

ii) Blaupunk is also a German company so there is a greater possibility of Siemens collaborating with a 'local' company.

There is currently no CD auto changer in the Picasso options book - but there again, there is no rear parking radar - but my local dealer has already fitted such a system on a Picasso recently supplied, so I guess there must be one round the corner.

PS: I wish Citroen had gone for the dual sun roofs as on the Scenic. It's one of the few aspects that I prefer to the Picasso.

Paul.

Paul@jazzmusician.co.uk

Hi, It's me , Vic again.

Just an update on the mpg figures. I made a mistake -- it is actually a lot better than I thought. My error was to include the initial fill into my total fuel used. I have actually used 199.62 ltrs (43.92 galls) to cover 2516 miles giving an impressive 57.28 mpg. I guess that the large discrepancy between the indicated mpg and actual reported earlier must have been to incomplete filling of the tank at the start of the calculation period . I must admit that the majority of this has been very gentle driving whilst running the car in but the last 260 miles was at high speed along the motorways, I have not tried putting my foot down yet but no doubt that will come. However being higher allows you to see the road ahead much easier and so enable you to anticipate hold ups thus avoiding the use of the brakes which are the real fuel users.

My one regret is that I did not order the automatic air con. My Xantia's had this option and I now realise how useful it was , never having to adjust the fan or temperature settings. As they say you don't appreciate something until it no longer there .

On a lighter side we purchased the official car mats -- very nice, with the embroidered Xsara logo -- so nice in fact we have now bought some more mats to protect the mats we bought to protect the original carpets.

Vic.

I have just put my deposit down on a diesel Picasso and found these reviews after the event. I was a little apprehensive and bought the car out of gut feeling after being fairly sold on a Scenic. I often carry large loads ; drum kit, and a touring exhibition. I did a size test on the two with some of my clobber and the Picasso won. It drives well and I have found the comments here really useful. I get mine in a few days so I'll come back to the site. I'm replacing a Peugeot 405 estate. It's interesting to read what people had previously. RB.

Despite ordering our Picasso at the weekend (see excited comments from Lynda above) they're now playing silly bu**ers with colours and options. I wanted Cool Mint, digital AC and a sunroof. Oh, and alloys but they're dealer fit. I'm getting different answers from different dealers. One dealer claims to have phoned 70 Citroen garages and can't find my car. Jamcar.com "guarantee (ahem)" delivery, another dealer claims to have found my car and wants a deposit (but can't guarantee a delivery date!)

I saw a Storm Grey colour in Banbury last night so am thinking of adding a second colour preference to make things easier.

We also had some advice to wait until August when bargains will be around due to dealers clearing the forecourt of Y-reg cars.

The CD multichanger box is a Citroen option (it's in the options book) but costs an almighty £390!

You can specify a Blaupunkt CD tuner head unit and CD changer too but don't know the cost. There are two navigation systems, one is the Clarion NA6270RZ, the other the Daytona MS5000.

Hope this helps,

Paul.

mail@paulmoss.com

To quote:- On a lighter side we purchased the official car mats -- very nice, with the embroidered Xsara logo -- so nice in fact we have now bought some more mats to protect the mats we bought to protect the original carpets.

Now that is getting a bit sad, you could at least have said to give extra sound proofing :-)

I went off on Monday to test drive the secondhand Diesel SX.

It is red and has done 10,000 miles, the dealer wanted £11,995 for it, but I got a wee bit off for cash ;-)

So I will collect it on Saturday.

I did not notice anything untoward from the Diesel engine or the Vinyl Sunroof. It opens the top right up and I think my kids will get more fun from this than the glass one.

The car is also fitted with Digicon and nice fluffy mats as above, but I think one set will do.

Guess what, the trolley had already gone missing! (dealer will replace it)

And they have even left 6 months tax on it and given me two years extended warranty.

It has a few stone chips on the bonnet, but otherwise is spotless.

Something I had not realised, I thought it would atract the £110 band 'A' Tax disc charge, but no, it was registered pre march 2001 so gets clobbered for £160 :-(

The Government really know how to screw things up, if you have a pre march 2001 1000cc or 1500 cc petrol you get a discount regardless of age, but a virtually new efficient diesel, absolutely nowt.

So if anyone else is looking to save a few quid on a secondhand one, wait for a Y plate.

Otherwise over ten years you will pay as I will an extra £500 quid minimum in rip off tax unless I have misunderstood the entire thing.

Another bonus I am selling my nice fast Mondeo V6 to my brother-in-law, I would rather he had it than a dealer who will profit from it.

I noticed in the Picasso option brochure that a wood or aluminium trim kit is available, then whilst travelling the web I found some pics, have a look here.

http://www.citroen-auch.com/boutique/p173.html

There are lots of other options, it is a pity Citroen do not include these options on the UK site. Note the prices, I wonder how they compare with UK ones?

Re CD I thought it would be a Clarion, I will have a browse of the Siemens site.

Ttfn

Keith.

An update to my last comment. 3 dealers over the last 4 days have said "to qualify for the special deal, you have to register the car before the end of June." This was beginning to mean we were being forced into choosing our 2nd best option (colours etc). RUBBISH! www.citroen.co.uk says the car must be *ordered* by the end of June and *delivered* by the end of July. We've since confronted said dealers with this fact and they've acknowledged it's true.

Watch out for this, it seems dealers are wanting to sell cars but not telling punters the whole story.

Paul, mail@paulmoss.com

I was very interested to read Paul Moss's comments about the Sat Nav. system. My dealer told me that they knew nothing about the sat nav, so I contacted Citroen direct. They were very helpful, told me that it was manufactured by Siemens and sent me an instruction book for it free of charge!

The thing that is puzzling me now is whether the two that Paul Moss mentioned are good as/better/worse that the Siemens one that I think I am getting! I don't know for sure yet as I'm still waiting for the car to be delivered (my dealer also tried to find the one I wanted from one of the other dealers in the UK with no success).

Rather interestingly, I couldn't see any reference to a multi CD changer or choice of sat nav systems in the Picasso option book.

Paul.

Paul@jazzmusician.co.uk.

We've just ordered a new 1.8SX in Quartz metallic and according to the dealer there are a number available. Expect delivery next weekend. They are keen to complete orders by end of June to quote the dealer: "as we don't know what the deal will be after June". I was told by a Renault dealer, while shopping around, that Citroen are changing the engine and are trying to clear their old stock. Put this to my dealer who acknowledge a change in the 1600 but stated the 1800 was a new engine.

Now a few questions for you Picassoites: 1. I have a Grundig 10 disc changer which the dealer will fit in the Picasso. Will it fit under any of the seats? Don't want to inconvenience boot space as in my previous car. Dimensions 8x25x17cms.

2. Dealer states he doubts the steering wheel controls will be compatible with the Grundig. Any knowledge?

3. The Picasso will fit in my garage, but the ariel won't! Does it lay flat? If so, does it affect radio reception greatly?

4.I've heard a great deal about fuel consumption of the Diesels. What is the average consumption for the 1.8? (I know what the book says!)

Lastly, why pay all that extra for a sunroof, when the air conditioning is totally useless when its open?

CD.

CD. A few comments regarding your questions.

First of all, it is the RADIO that determines compatibility with peripherals (eg steering wheel controls and CD auto changer). If you are proposing to have an existing CD changer fitted to a Picasso radio, then the important thing is whether your CD changer is compatible with the RADIO. I would doubt whether your CD changer will be compatible with any radio other than the model (s) for which it was intended.

On the other hand, if you buy a radio that IS compatible with your CD auto changer and have it fitted to your Picasso, then I doubt whether the steering wheel controls will work.

There is another problem that you may not have thought of regarding the DISPLAY for the radio. Unlike many other car radios, the one fitted to the Picasso does not have an integral display - the display part of the radio is built in to the Picasso digital intrument display. This has the advantage of it being very difficult (if not impossible) to nick the radio from a Picasso - because even if you did, it would be useless unless you had the display also! The bad news is that if you had a conventional radio fitted to your Picasso, it would not make use of the Picasso's instrument display. Not a complete disaster - but...!!!

I am still trying to find out what make of radio is fitted to the Picasso as a standard item because I have ordered Satellite Navigation with mine and although I've not received the car yet (been promised another four weeks!), I'm a bit uneasy about having ordered a radio/sat nav system when I don't know what I'm getting.

Citroen told me that it was a Siemens sat nav system that used the radio as an interface, but I read Paul Moss's comments earlier with interest where he stated that the SN system fitted is made by Clarion or Dayton. I've not seen this referred to in any Citroen documentation so I've asked Citroen to confirm this - but no reply as yet. If Paul Moss reads this, I would be interested to know where he got this info. from?

My dealer has no idea about any of these complexities - just as well we have a discussion group like this. Absolutely fantastic. Thanks to whoever runs it and thanks to all that contribute.

Paul.

Paul@jazzmusician.co.uk.

HI!

It was very interesting to read the comments of the previous contributor regarding Citroens' attempt to clear stocks, as there might be an updated model of the Picasso with new engines.

Yesterday (Sat 23rd June) I was in Sheffield, and there was a Reg Vardy advertisement on the back of a bus..."Brand new Picasso 1.6LX's 5 year Citroen warranty (yes 5 year) £9995!!!

As I have metioned before in previous comments, it is very surprising that the 1.6 110bhp motor or 110 bhp turbo-diesel have not been introduced earlier on the Picasso, especially bearing in mind the size and weight of the car (when loaded up). If the uprated 1.6 petrol engine had been available when we bought our Picasso, I don't think the diesel would have been worth the extra money, particularly the 90 bhp version.

Can you still get the full length vinyl sunroof? We expected the usual drawbacks of wind noise and durability associated with this type of opening, but it has proved to be fine... so far. It is however a real a boon in the lovely weather we are currently experiencing, almost like a cabriolet such is the size of the opening. I wonder though how you would close either of the sunroofs if the electrics packed-up?

Regards.

Kevin.

More on CD changers/Navigation...

Paul, I emailed you privately about this, did you get it? For the benefit of others, my source of info was very simple, the latest Picasso "Accessoirie" catalogue I got from our local dealer. I'll list what's on offer on the "entertainment and navigation" page:

* CD Autochanger ref: 6564.30 (badged as Clarion in the pic, shown mounted in the glove box)

* Radio Cassette.

* Blaupunkt CD Tuner RNS 149.

* CD Changer for the above.

* Clarion Nav System NA6270 RZ, Citroen ref = 9473.KW.

* VDO Daytona MS5000, Citroen ref = 9473.NK.

Hope this helps, mail me if you need any more info.

Paul, mail@paulmoss.com.

Paul.

Many thanks for your reply. Yes, I did get your email and have replied in more detail to you. Thanks again.

For the benefit of all our readers, it just shows how useful this site is.

I've had more information about CD autochangers and Satellite Navigation systems for the Picasso from this site than by own dealer (from whom I have ordered my Picasso) and even Citroen UK!!!

Dear oh dear. You would think that they knew everything about the products they are selling.

I'm now going to confront my dealer with a few probing questions!!! Watch this space!!!

On another completely different matter, I read in a Picasso review that the drivers seat is height adjustable. As I'm still waiting for mine, is there anyone out there that might know (I've ordered a 1.8SX).

Paul.

Paul@jazzmusician.co.uk

Well I (we) now have a red 2.0HDi SX. I have spent the weekend getting used to it.

It has just over 10,000 miles on the clock and the previous owners family have not broken anything. I think the little tables on the rear seats are stronger than they look.

The dealer (R G Tolley in Colchester) did a cracking job on prepping it for collection apart from the odometer reading you would think it was new.

First impressions, it is much noisier to drive than my Mondeo but that was to be expected and I will learn to live with it.

A combination of the background noise from the engine which contrary to the road tests I read is not that quiet! it is just drowned out by other noises at higher speed. There are quite high levels of surface road noise the vinyl roof is slightly noticeable, when closed, I think it generates a bit of drag or it could be that the vinyl is just not as good an insulator as steel or glass, but it is very nice when open you can for example stand completely upright when getting out of the back seats not something that could be done with the glass roof.

I was toying with the idea of obtaining a CD changer/new head unit but I am going to wait a while first, The car is noisy enough to spoil listening at low level and the standard speaker setup is poor with the front tweeter in the dashboard overpowering the door mounted ones as soon as the volume is turned up.

I like the audio controls on the steering wheel but I am not to sure about the value of interfacing audio with dashboard it does limit ones choice and adds perhaps unnecessary complexity.

The advertising suggest that the audio volume varies with speed but the manual says consult your dealer to enable this?

The build quality is exactly as I have read good on the outside and interior but elsewhere it looks very much as if the design was not very refined, lots of spot welds etc. I also noticed that with the bonnet open the wiring looms are very badly bound with lots of exposed individual leads. There are two very sharp runs of metal that follow the full length of the inside edge of the headlights (watch your fingers). The paint is well finished externally but elsewhere there is what appears to be just undercoat e.g. where the rear seats locate, under the bonnet etc. The bonnet also has some sound proofing held in place by some huge grim looking metal tabs.

Driving the car is interesting I have spent the last 6 years with my V6 automatic Mondeo and gears are a something of a novelty! I found the Diesel felt very laboured in top at anything below 40 whereas the Multipla I drove recently pulled strongly in top from 30 mph.

The gearbox is smooth, I drove two new demonstrators both boxes were stiff and notchy but as I have read elsewhere they free up nicely or at least mine has.

The car has shown an average mpg of 49.6mpg over the last few thousand miles with its previous owner I reset the trip computer when I filled up and it is currently claiming 53.2mpg even with my naff gear changes.

I am impressed with the range of the remote central locking (approx 30m this afternoon) I wonder if it is still the original battery.

Something I have just noticed, the interior lights are clever they come on as soon as the doors are unlocked, they then dim and go out when the ignition is turned on and gradually come on again when the ignition is switched off.

The headlight leveling system is motorised and interesting to play with but of all the controls it is not backlight so you have to find it by feel.

The Auto aircon is just that, the fans are noisy flat out when the system first starts to bring the temp down and then after a few minutes it reduces the fan speed and from then on just gets on with it and is hardly noticeable probably well worth the extra £200.

I don't know what to make of the Digital Dash I think Citroen should have produced one for right hand drive as the speedo reading is a bit to far out of my line of site, so I shall reserve judgement until I have been to scotland on holiday later in the summer.

What I REALLY LIKE is that it thinks it will do just over 600 miles on this fill up which was about £10 less than I would put in the Mondeo for a range of 370 miles :-) :-)

The rear seats a marvelous, previously when the kids fell asleep in my Mondeo they would slump forward, with the Picasso seats reclined they are or at least they look more comfortable as we found out today coming home from the seaside when the both dozed off.

The rear windows really do need to be electric with an interlock as both my boys are now able to wind down the rear windows on the move I will definitely be removing the handles.

So there you have it some good and some bad points but definitely a more practical family car than my previous one.

I will report back once I have done a few more miles in it.

Ttfn

Keith.

Me again...

Check out these links:

http://www.citroen-auch.com/boutique/c16.html

An online version of the "accessorie" brochure complete with pictures. This however lists a PIONEER nav system!!

http://www.citroen-auch.com/boutique/index.html

Also, check out:

http://www.citroen-viby.dk/tilbeh/salgstilb.htm

Twin tailpipes! =:-|

I hope to receive my Picasso HDI in two weeks. Has anybody tried using a tuning module (eg Tuning Box or Powerlink). If so did it make a difference and was it worth the money?

I noticed from the accessories pages identified in earlier messages that a cruise control can be fitted, has anybody got any experience of it?.

Regards.

Tom.