Citroen C3 Pluriel road tests and consumer car reviews

Citroen C3 Pluriel 2005

I am sure by reading other reviews that this car should be recalled by Citroen, as I also find I have a dangerous car. At this time I have had 4 breakdown in as may weeks due to the engine cutting out. The car was cutting out on roundabouts, T junctions, supermarket ramps etc, and jerking itself back into action again. I took it to a Citroen garage and they reset something. It then started to happen again and actually broke down in the middle of the road; it just pipped twice and then stopped, and it was not possible to change gear or restart. It was taken to a Citroen garage where they fitted a clutch acuator; that breakdown cost me £730.00, and I was without a car for 2 weeks. I got my car back and was just building up ’trust’  again when the same thing happened, exactly 74miles from when I had collected it from Citroen. So it’s back in the same Citroen garage, only this time the receptionist there told me they think it’s the gear acuator this time,(how many actuators does this car have for goodness sake?) I am still waiting for the engineer to return my calls to find if this is the case! I agree that this car is a danger on the road, perhaps if we could get Citroen to recall, or notify Watchdog or Trading standards, or even get Ministry of transport inspections involved? To all who have a roof leak. I took my car back to the Citroen garage from where purchased within a week and was told to open and close the roof weekly as this would do the trick-obviously this does not work, but I have my own cure: Put folded tea towel above sun visor on drivers side , a tea towel on the passenger seat, and a rubber mat on drivers seat, this is not for incontinence, but to stop you slipping and getting wet when you get into the drivers seat. Not good, but does the trick and saves on upholstery shampoos. Should Citroen have offered me a recall on this? I purchased my car Sept 2009 would be grateful on any feedback. This is the 4th car I have ever had, and definitely the worst. My first was a Morris 1000, then singer Gizelle, and brilliant Riley Elf of which I had for 30 years just before this car. What a change in manufacturing!

Responses to this review

I am responding to myself as nobody else has. Read my report and you will see that I was awaiting news of my car which was again in Lincoln Citroen garage. Well it was the gear acuator this time. The cost was £747 less £60 for goodwill! Still a discount of some sorts for the trouble I expect. Anyway, I collected my car on Tuesday 19 July (husband in tow just in case of breakdown), paid my bill before they handed over the keys of course, left their garage, went to a petrol station then filled car with just three notches worth of discount petrol. I still did not trust the car enough to give it a full tank. Today (21 July ’10), two days and 19 miles miles from collection of car, yes it broke down again. Well not exactly broke down, but would not move from 1st gear. I went down one way street in panic, only to realise what I had done and turned round before I was caught on traffic cameras to find somewhere to park up and to phone RAC. I made a phone call to husband to put him in the picture. He came out to wait for two hours for the RAC with me. Nice RAC man checked car and said it was okay in manual drive although we could not get more than 1st gear out of automatic drive. So the RAC man followed husband the 18 miles back to Citroen in Lincoln whilst I went home to do other things. I have filled you in with most of the long story, although I have still cut it short, mainly to point out it is not just the breakdown of a car numerous times, the call-outs, the cost, the frustration, the lack of trust of the car, but to explain the knock on effect of all that goes with it. Just remember what it says at the beginning of customer reviews of this car - ’The Citroen C3 Pluriel embodies the spirit of a true leisure vehicle and will transform your journey into a new travelling experience and take a step out of the ordinary’ - Jill Chalmers from Nottinghamshire

Hi, I live in Newark, it sounds to me that your car may be suffering from water ingress in the electrical system. If I was called out to this car that would be what I would look for. I used to work for the country’s biggest breakdown company, can’t say who but I had a yellow van. Hope this helps, cheers - Bogger from Nottinghamshire

Citroen C3 Pluriel 2010

I bought my C3 pluriel from new, having owned one for the 4 years before. My old car was great and I only decided to trade it when something went wrong with the gearbox. I’ve had nothing but trouble with the new one, it’s been back to the garage 10 times and is there now; I’ve been driving round in a courtesy car for the past 2 weeks. The biggest, and most dangerous, problem is that the car has cut out whilst driving, once at 70mph, one whilst approaching a roundabout, and another time whilst actually on the roundabout. Citroen don’t seem to have any idea what the problem is and I’m reluctant to drive it as when it cuts out, the power assisted steering goes and you can’t turn ... and at 70mph that’s scary! I was also comforted to read that it’s happened to other drivers including going up a steep bank in 2nd gear, as that has also happened to me, the car just cut out. It makes you into a nervous driver. Having taken it up with Trading Standards, I’m now about to take the garage/finance company to task over this, a reluctant course of action and one which no new car owner should have to bear the onus of; if I’d bought a kettle and had this many problems, the shop would have had no option but to replace it by now!

Responses to this review

I bought a 54 plate C3 last year and loved it up until a few weeks ago when it started just cutting out, once on a roundabout and twice at a traffic light. It’s the 30amp ignition fuse that’s blowing and so far they can’t find out why it’s doing it! So please if you get an answer to your problem, would you please let me know as I am now scared to drive it?! Thanks - Jackie from Lincolnshire

Citroen C3 Pluriel 2004

Loved my C3 but leaks in passenger footwell and now the front windows won’t work,. What is going on? The car has been well looked after and it’s gonna cost a fortune IF i decide to fix it.

Citroen C3 Pluriel 1.6 2003

I know there are problems with the roof leak but nothing is perfect. I had English sports cars in the 50s and 60s and they all leaked. Finally I let my heart rule my head and I bought a new ID19, followed by a DS21, two years later. As the story goes, four cars pull up at a city road junction. A Jag, a Rolls, a Ferrari and a DS. Which car are the pedestrians and other motorists looking at? The Citroen of course! I still have my DS and the Pluriel as well as my 2 litre HDi Berlingo and I’m saving for my retirement gift to myself, a C6. Citroen, the world’s best.

Citroen C3 Pluriel 2004

Do not buy this vehicle, the roof will leak, it may take a while but it will and they will refuse to repair. Mine is so bad that it is un-driveable in the winter months. Citroen should be ashamed of themselves, they’re selling a vehicle they know to be unfit for the purpose it is sold, unless you live in an entirely rain free country.

Responses to this review

Oh gawd what you say is scary!! I’ve had my pluriel about 2 months now and don’’t seem to have leaky problems but Im now scared it may do in the near future..Mine is housed on the road too not in a garage - Denise from Lincolnshire

I’ve had my Pluriel for 7 years, kept it outside (no garage) year round in the north of England and never had a leak (except when some "nice" person smashed the side window and that hardly counts!) - Kelly Lancashire from Cheshire

Citroen C3 Pluriel 2007

I have just bought my C3 Pluriel and I love it so much. It’s fun to drive, great on fuel (I’ve got the 1.4 diesel). I was initially put off this car with bad reports about the roof leaking but so far mine hasn’t. I love its quirkiness and can’t wait for the summer so I can use the roof properly. The stereo is fantastic too. Nothing bad to report so far.

Citroen C3 Pluriel 2003

Can you help? I have a problem with a broken front passengers seat, runner sliding selection bracket. With part number printed on 00024698 plus 4 >POM< size 2"ins or 50mm in length. Is it possible to purchase replacement without changing the complete seat frame base, at £252 approx?

Citroen C3 Pluriel 1.4 2004

I’ve had mine for six months now, just about the longest I’ve kept a car as I get bored. I love this car to bits, it’s fun, fairly economical and it’s not a run-of-the-mill car like the rest of the cars but the down-side is mine developed a leak but it’s not major and if you take the pillars out and replace them it does seem to stop it till you go over a speed bump!!!

Citroen C3 Pluriel Cote D'Azur 2006

Roof leaks, boot lid leaks, door hinge bolts loosen, hinge on boot lid now broken, and it looks like £3000 to replace entire roof - and Citroen are saying it is not covered by warranty! Do not buy.

Responses to this review

Hi there...I have Pluriel 1.6 sensodrive and my boot lid leaked too..I had some silicone put around the seals and it seems to have stopped the leak....I seem to use an awful amount of petrol I dont know if this is the norm? - Denise from Lincolnshire

The roof on mine decided to smash itself up on my ’04 example, quoted £3,000 by several garages to replace it. However, one helpful Citroen garage pointed out that all of the runners for a side of the roof could be bought in a kit for £55 so for £110 I was able to buy all the parts needed to repair/recondition my roof (it takes a day of hand-to-hand combat with the roof to fit the parts). Put it all back together - no leaks, no wind noise/flapping at speed. Result! Other than the roof mine has behaved itself for the five years that I’ve had it - Norm from Gloucestershire `

Citroen C3 Pluriel 1600 2005

I love my C3 Pluiel but I have to say that the roof leaks dispite getting it repaired by Citroen. I have the 1600 and I do find it a bit thirsty on petrol but other than that, I love the car, its such fun!

Responses to this review

Hi Pippa. Two reviews have said the 1.6 is thirsty. What MPG is considered thirsty? - Robert Hamon from Hampshire

Citroen C3 Pluriel 1.4i 2dr

Very affordable fun stylish car. I think it’s really good for the money you pay and so far I’ve had absolutely no problems although I have heard of other people having problems with leaky roofs? I can’t fault mine and I’m extremely happy with it.