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New C4 (B7) Information and Musings

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FrankBullitt   
Wed Apr 03 2013, 09:03am

Member No: #19238
Joined: Apr 12 2011
Location: Cambridgeshire
I notice there isn't a sticky on specification and product details like there is for the C4 Picasso and can't quite find the information I'm looking for on the B7 C4.

We're already thinking of Pablo's replacement at some point and one option is a C4 1.6HDi; naturally, I'd like the 110bhp version but I notice these are quite rare compared to the 90bhp and also the performance difference on paper isn't that significant - I'm guessing the 90 feels similar to our heaver C4P with the 110, and the acceleration of the two cars is difficult to compare with the 110 having the 6-speed 'box.

One thing I can't identify is when the C4 got the 8v engine as the 90bhp version has 170lb/ft I'm guessing this is a worthy upgrade, I'm also assuming the other foibles of the DV6 engine (small sump, on-the-button oil changes and protect the turbo at all costs) remain with the 8v unit. I'm sure the C4 was released with the 16v unit but has since been superseded; are there any obvious 'tells' other than seeing the car in the flesh and checking under the bonnet?

I'm also keeping half an eye out for DS4's - they are still quite expensive, but I am hoping that as supply increases prices will soften a little - at the moment it seems to be £10K for a 12 month old C4 HDi 90 VTR+, £11.5K for a C4 HDi 110 VTR+ and £13K for a DS4 HDi 110 DStyle (although all DS4's appear to have the 8v engine).

I'm not buying just yet but like to get my eye in well before! I'm still not completely taken on the rear 3/4 view of the C4 but the overall package looks great.

All thoughts on my random musings greatly received.
BigJohnD   
Wed Apr 03 2013, 10:01am

Member No: #82
Joined: Jan 22 2007
Location: Hoylake
This needs confirming, but I'm pretty sure you can tell the 8V engine by the code 9H0 (or 9H08) in the VIN - VF7 **9H0* ********.
FrankBullitt   
Wed Apr 03 2013, 11:02am

Member No: #19238
Joined: Apr 12 2011
Location: Cambridgeshire
Cheers John, really useful information - looks like we will be waiting longer to replace Pablo, Mrs FB has just rang me to advise she is being made redundant for the second time in 6 months!
BigJohnD   
Wed Apr 03 2013, 11:18am

Member No: #82
Joined: Jan 22 2007
Location: Hoylake
FrankBullitt wrote ...

Mrs FB has just rang me to advise she is being made redundant for the second time in 6 months!

Oh dear! I hope there's another job around the corner.
FrankBullitt   
Wed Apr 03 2013, 04:04pm

Member No: #19238
Joined: Apr 12 2011
Location: Cambridgeshire
BigJohnD wrote ...

FrankBullitt wrote ...

Mrs FB has just rang me to advise she is being made redundant for the second time in 6 months!

Oh dear! I hope there's another job around the corner.

Cheers John, we'll sort something out - at least she knows her boss wants to keep her but has simply been unable to secure the budget this year...the work still needs doing, mind, but there will be nobody to do it!
riven1962   
Wed Apr 03 2013, 04:28pm
Member No: #18905
Joined: Mar 23 2011
Location: Widnes, Cheshire
FrankBullitt wrote ...

Cheers John, really useful information - looks like we will be waiting longer to replace Pablo, Mrs FB has just rang me to advise she is being made redundant for the second time in 6 months!

Really hope Mrs FB gets herself another job ASAP. It's not nice to be made redundant as I found out a while back now. Good luck to her.
CamM   
Fri Apr 05 2013, 12:02am

Member No: #19249
Joined: Apr 13 2011
Location: Sydney
FrankBullitt wrote ...

Mrs FB has just rang me to advise she is being made redundant for the second time in 6 months!

All the best to Mrs FB for finding a replacement job!
FrankBullitt   
Thu Sep 26 2013, 05:50am

Member No: #19238
Joined: Apr 12 2011
Location: Cambridgeshire
I'm back on this thread again.

Mrs FB has started her new position, heads PA in a local senior school and 6th form which is good news on many fronts of course. However, applying man maths this really means a new car is on the cards...

A few things strike me; firstly, I am looking at petrol as we don't really want or need a diesel (Pablo did 370 miles last month); I was impressed with the VTi engine in a DS3 bit have noticed the performance stats for the DS4 with the same engine are way, way slower even than the C4 so it must be a chunky monkey - needs a low pressure turbo version but you can only have this with a traditional slusher; can be had as a manual with various Pug's, new C4P and EGS on the C4 and old C4P. I've asked if a manual is coming for the DS4 but the dealer hasn't come back to me. I occasionally see C4 Exclusive's with turbo and EGS combo; does anyone have any experience of this at all? Is the EGS the same as the diesel Picasso ticking time bomb? Otherwise it's a full fat DSport with 200bhp but I don't fancy 19" wheels to a) replace the tyres on and b) be left without a spare.

We could stretch to a new car if the deal was right but it seems they don't make the DS4 I'd want to push myself a bit for and I'm still not sold on the C4's rear 3/4 view...
Dave_Retired.   
Thu Sep 26 2013, 12:58pm

Member No: #1
Joined: Aug 07 2006
Location: Northumberland
FrankBullitt wrote ...

I'm back on this thread again.

Mrs FB has started her new position, heads PA in a local senior school and 6th form which is good news on many fronts of course. However, applying man maths this really means a new car is on the cards...

After the GP a C4/DS4 are going to feel small inside........

The DS4 is really a 2+2 from what I have seen of them.

When your looking around, sit in the front seats and make them comfortable for you and your wife to drive/travel in, then try and get into the back seats leaving the front ones set, especially in the DS4
FrankBullitt   
Fri Sep 27 2013, 05:14am

Member No: #19238
Joined: Apr 12 2011
Location: Cambridgeshire
I'm 6'4" and always do the 'me behind me' test in any car, you'd be amazed how many don't pass this that ought to (Peugeot 407 was the biggest surprise, there's no rear space at all) and those that do with ease (Mk5 Golf and current C4 stand-out). The C4P is great and if we'd had more children then that would be ideal but for the three of us it's a bit excessive, we managed with my A2 whilst FB Junior was little where rear-facing and forward facing bulky isofix seats seem to take more space than people do! There's only ever more than three of us in on infrequent occassions unless Mrs FB is taking friends and sprogs around in which case rear room isn't an issue (she is 5'3").

My concern with the DS4 is more that the visibility out for FB Junior will be restricted as I'm sure one of the reasons he's such a good traveller being that his 'throne' (centre rear seat) gives such fantastic vision. My long-list is;

C4
DS4
Pug 2008
Nissan Juke
Nissan Qashqai
Renault Captur (driven a 0.9tce, much nicer than I expected...)
MINI Clubman
New Pug 308

Cars that have been dismissed:
Volvo C30 (Mrs FB doesn't like 3dr cars as she hates travelling in the back...not that she ever does in any car we own!)
DS3 (same reason...)
Honda Civic (new one too dull, don't like the spec)
VW Golf (dull)
Audi A3 (dull)
Renault Megane (dull)

Also, finding a nice petrol engine is becoming very difficult indeed with the proliferation of boat-fuel!
BigJohnD   
Fri Sep 27 2013, 05:50am

Member No: #82
Joined: Jan 22 2007
Location: Hoylake
FrankBullitt wrote ...

Nissan Juke
Nissan Qashqai

A look at the Nissan owners webpages is not encouraging.

The cars come with lots of toys, but there are complaints about warranty restrictions, poor fuel consumption and for diesels, far too many DPF faults and failures. And I understand there is safety recall out for timing belts on some Qashqais. And they look awful to me!
FrankBullitt   
Fri Sep 27 2013, 06:23am

Member No: #19238
Joined: Apr 12 2011
Location: Cambridgeshire
Eye, I've had a butchers around the forum and diesels do seem to have DPF issues but any 'make forum' will have the same - on here you'd have kittens when reading about DPF issues, EGS boxes and DV6 turbo's made of chocolate. I'm not going diesel though so most of the QQ issues aren't important to me, and the timing belts were earlier. VAG forums are full of DPF issues and Variable Geometry Turbo's going west, BMW swirl flaps and so on plus every DI petrol seems to suffer from injector failures. Perhaps I'll just get a 1971 DSuper5 and be done with it!

I like the QQ but the 1.6 petrol seems a bit lame and the 2.0 petrol is now now only CVT which I don't fancy! That's what I mean about a nice petrol engine being rare, I had a look for C5's but gave up as the best (only?) I could find was a '59 1.6 THP (too old...)
Dave_Retired.   
Fri Sep 27 2013, 06:33am

Member No: #1
Joined: Aug 07 2006
Location: Northumberland
Don't forget that the C4/DS4 petrol engines are a joint Peugeot/Citroen/BMW development so are in lots of other cars......

BTW the New C4/DS4 Spec sheets are here: - Click Here -

The New C4 Picasso are here: - Click Here -

We also now have the New C4 Picasso owner handbook available: - Click Here -
FrankBullitt   
Fri Sep 27 2013, 06:47am

Member No: #19238
Joined: Apr 12 2011
Location: Cambridgeshire
C6 Dave wrote ...

Don't forget that the C4/DS4 petrol engines are a joint Peugeot/Citroen/BMW development so are in lots of other cars......


Eye, I was just suggesting you can go onto any forum and build a perception the products have all the reliability of Oliver Reed
FrankBullitt   
Wed Oct 23 2013, 07:26am

Member No: #19238
Joined: Apr 12 2011
Location: Cambridgeshire
FrankBullitt wrote ...

I'm 6'4" and always do the 'me behind me' test in any car, you'd be amazed how many don't pass this that ought to (Peugeot 407 was the biggest surprise, there's no rear space at all) and those that do with ease (Mk5 Golf and current C4 stand-out)...


I must have imagined that.

Bad times, we popped into Citroen Birmingham on Saturday as we were passing and discovered in both the C4 and DS4 there is insufficient room for me with Mrs FB behind me (she's 5'3"...) unless I really compromised the driving position, visibility being sat in the back of the DS4 was an issue too so I suspect FB Junior would get hacked-off.

We sat in a C4 Picasso (fine, and the passengers glovebox now being sculptured helps legroom no-end) but we won't be getting another people carrier.

Sadly, we tried the DS5 (depreciate to our levels in the next 6-8 months perhaps) and it has less space than the DS4/C4 which seemed to be down to mammoth seats and form over function.

Petrol C5's are rocking horse doo-dah so I can see our next car won't be a Citroen unless the C-Cactus gets most of the C4P space with none of the 'fertility wagon' charm.

Fingers crossed.
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