Our Citroen C1 1.0i Vibe E4 5 door

After looking at a number of small city cars including the Nissan Micra and the Peugot 107 we were offered a deal at the Citroen dealer on the C1 which was the best so far. A problem was the need for a 5 door hatchback, there were lots of 3 doors on offer but the C1 was the best 5 door.

We picked the car up on Friday 29 June and I was initially impressed with the general driving experience. The car was lively and responded well even with 4 adults in it. The variable valve technology of the 3 cylinder engine making it quick and it pulled well up the local hills with a load on board.

It came with a full tank of petrol and this lasted until Saturday 14 July when I put £10.00 worth of petrol in, there was a problem with the paying system at the filling station and I only had £10.00 cash on me. The mileage reading was 221 miles.

Clare has been using the car to go to work every day for the past three weeks and she has been very pleased with it. The only problem was the size of the boot which meant that some of her boxes she takes to and from school had to go on the back seat, but that gradually became less of a problem has she got used to it.
When I have been driving it the C1 has been really fun and easy to drive as compared to the Landy but then again you would expect that. Strangley I feel safe in the Citroen, more so than I did in the Rover 100 after driving the Landrover.

I filled up with petrol again on Saturday 21 July, it took just over 31 litres for £30.69 with a mileage reading of 287. I intend to keep a spreadsheet of these figures.

The petrol seemed to be lasting ages, it was Sunday 5 August when I next filled up. 30 litres for £28.19 with a mileage reading of 613 (327).

On Sunday 9 September we took our son to Manchester Airport, the longest journey in the Citroen for the last few weeks so it returned a good fuel consumption figure when I filled it up on Monday 10 September.

In January 2008 we went to Wales twice for fairly long runs in excess of 200 miles so these figures should be quite good. The rest of the time its just town driving.

On 2 February 2008 I filled the car up with premium petrol, this may have been by accident!!
Anyway we'll see what the fuel consumption works out at this week.

Filled up again on 12 February. We had been on a run to the Memorial Arboretum near Lichfield so the MPG of about 46 does not seem that much better if at all than when using normal petrol.

There was a couple of runs to Shrewsbury and back up to the 18th February, and I was particularly careful with my right foot. This seems to have paid off with the MPG of over 57.

Back to just short town runs for the last two weeks so the fuel consumption up to 3 March 2008 was not quite as good.

We had a trip to Snowdon on April 6th 2008 so this run helped the fuel consumption to reach 53.67 mpg.

A year on and the first service is due 9 June 2008

I took the Citroen into the main dealers for its first service this morning.
Picked it up about 1pm, no major problems just a slow puncture in the rear offside tyre. The total cost was £162.54 which didn't include fixing the tyre, will take it Kwik-Fit later.
After owning this car for a year we are still very impressed with it. For such a small car the space inside has been more than ample even with four adults in it. Obviously for long journeys it's more comfortable with just two but we have made a number of journeys with 3 in and included picnics during day-trips.

I went to Manchester airport on Friday 20 June to pick up relatives from California so the Citroen petrol tank was filled a bit early this time.

We went for a run into Wales on Sunday 20 July, then to the airport again on 27 July and 1st August so I suppose these runs account for the good mpg of 58.9 miles per gallon.

On 17th September 2008 the garage had a problem so I had to pay cash and I only had £10.00 on me, so the details for that fill are combined with the 21 September 2008 to give the fuel consumption figures.

Went a trip to the Lake District on 28th October 2008 with three people in the car and averaging just under 70 mph on the M6 motorway, this trip and a trip to Manchester airport only resulted in a fuel consumption of 49 mpg which was a bit disappointing. We will have to repeat the same or similar motorway run with two people and a lower average speed and see what happens then.

The fuel consumption on January 22 was a bit disappointing then I noticed it was much the same last year at this time and it's colder this year, so I suppose it's not too bad. A lot of short journeys this last week or so wouldn't help either.

The fuel consumption is still not very good, but I suppose the short journeys and the very cold weather and snow haven't helped that much.

February 20 2009 and the weather seems to be warming up a little, I have also tried to lighten up on the accelerator pedal, this seems to have helped the fuel consumption some what.

May 20 2009, I received a confirmation text message from Evans Halshaw about the service which is booked for Tuesday 9 June at 9:00 am, that seems like a good idea.

June 1st 2009, we went on a trip to Severn Valley Railway at Bridgenorth today, the fuel level indicator showed 3 bars and it made it there and back without needing to put fuel in. I eventually filled it at the local BP station.

Two years on and the second service was on due 9 June 2009 (click for the details page)

July 3 2009, I rang the Citroen parts and ordered roof bars for the C1 at a cost of £56.00 plus VAT. That seems a bit better than the Halfords version which worked out at over £120.00.

We went to Kent for a holiday from 25 July to 1 August 2009

During our week in Kent the Citroen C1 was used daily for some fairly long excursions and returned better fuel consumption than I expected.

November 2009

Although the Citroen C1 problems have been few, a problem with the key which is used to open the doors as well as for the ignition, started gradually over the last few months. It got so bad that it wouldn't open the drivers door, it was difficult to open the hatch but seemed ok on the passenger door and in the ignition. The spare key worked fine so we have been using that. I booked the car into the dealers to see what could be done.
The mechanic came to me and said he had come across some article that referred to corrosion in the door locks which also then affected the key. So the C1 will go back this week to have new locks fitted.

The new locks were duly fitted and the keys replaced, all under warranty.

Citroen C1 fuel record
Date	Litres	Gallons	Cost	Cost/L	Total Mileage	Miles since last fill	MPG
14/07/2007	10.40	2.29	£10.00	£0.96	221	221
21/07/2007	31.00	6.82	£30.69	£0.99	287	66	28.85
05/08/2007	30.02	6.60	£28.19	£0.94	613	326	49.36
25/08/2007	26.00	5.72	£25.49	£0.98	846	233	40.73
10/09/2007	18.71	4.12	£17.19	£0.92	1048	202	49.08
01/10/2007	27.27	6.00	£26.42	£0.97	1321	273	45.51
17/10/2007	25.92	5.70	£24.60	£0.95	1607	286	50.16
03/11/2007	34.54	7.60	£33.43	£0.97	1911	304	40.01
19/11/2007	27.29	6.00	£27.26	£1.00	2195	284	47.31
01/12/2007	25.40	5.59	£25.63	£1.01	2448	253	45.28
12/12/2007	24.88	5.47	£25.10	£1.01	2700	252	46.04
28/12/2007	25.57	5.62	£26.18	£1.02	2939	239	42.49
06/01/2008	27.42	6.03	£28.08	£1.02	3248	309	51.23
12/01/2008	26.76	5.89	£27.00	£1.01	3559	311	52.83
02/02/2008	28.90	6.36	£31.47	£1.09	3817	258	40.58
12/02/2008	30.98	6.81	£31.26	£1.01	4136	319	46.81
18/02/2008	26.17	5.76	£26.67	£1.02	4468	332	57.67
03/03/2008	30.10	6.62	£32.80	£1.09	4758	290	43.80
13/03/2008	23.69	5.21	£24.38	£1.03	4996	238	45.67
01/04/2008	29.51	6.49	£31.25	£1.06	5305	309	47.60
07/04/2008	27.78	6.11	£29.42	£1.06	5633	328	53.67
28/04/2008	28.36	6.24	£30.06	£1.06	5898	265	42.48
14/05/2008	28.03	6.17	£30.80	£1.10	6189	291	47.20
07/06/2008	30.05	6.61	£34.53	£1.15	6494	305	46.14
20/06/2008	22.00	4.84	£25.80	£1.17	6716	222	45.87
06/07/2008	25.29	5.56	£29.56	£1.17	6971	255	45.84
Date	Litres	Gallons	Cost	Cost/L	Mileage	Miles	MPG
20/07/2008	29.43	6.47	£36.76	£1.25	7282	311	48.04
01/08/2008	28.60	6.29	£32.87	£1.15	7653	371	58.97
23/08/2008	30.38	6.68	£33.39	£1.10	7990	337	50.43
05/09/2008	30.71	6.76	£34.06	£1.11	8351	361	53.44
17/09/2008	8.94	1.97	£10.00	£1.12	8611	260	na
21/09/2008	27.83	6.12	£31.14	£1.12	8748	137	49.08
01/10/2008	29.80	6.56	£32.15	£1.08	9041	293	44.70
13/10/2008	28.87	6.35	£30.86	£1.07	9339	298	46.92
28/10/2008	28.28	6.22	£27.69	£0.98	9624	285	45.81
01/11/2008	32.55	7.16	£31.22	£0.96	9980	356	49.72
18/11/2008	28.37	6.24	£26.36	£0.93	10288	308	49.35
27/11/2008	32.32	7.11	£29.38	£0.91	10586	298	41.92
13/12/2008	28.02	6.16	£25.18	£0.90	10850	264	42.83
21/12/2008	33.95	7.47	£29.84	£0.88	11219	369	49.41
07/01/2009	27.81	6.12	£23.33	£0.84	11491	272	44.46
22/01/2009	30.03	6.12	£26.40	£0.88	11753	262	39.66
06/02/2009	30.56	6.72	£27.17	£0.89	12021	268	39.86
20/02/2009	31.28	6.88	£29.59	£0.95	12346	325	47.23
08/03/2009	32.40	7.13	£29.45	£0.91	12654	308	45.21
27/03/2009	32.53	7.16	£29.24	£0.90	12996	342	47.79
07/04/2009	28.52	6.27	£28.01	£0.98	13322	326	51.96
29/04/2009	27.65	6.08	£26.24	£0.95	13603	281	46.20
19/05/2009	27.30	6.01	£26.73	£0.98	13874	271	45.13
01/06/2009	27.64	6.08	£27.64	£1.00	14182	308	50.66
15/06/2009	28.77	6.33	£29.32	£1.02	14474	292	46.13
Date	Litres	Gallons	Cost	Cost/L	Mileage	Miles	MPG
19/07/2009	27.53	6.06	£30.26	£1.10	14756	282	46.57
25/07/2009	27.90	6.14	£29.55	£1.06	15051	295	48.07
29/07/2009	25.40	5.59	£27.51	£1.08	15353	302	54.05
01/08/2009	15.74	3.46	£16.51	£1.05	15567	214	61.81
06/08/2009	26.35	5.80	£26.85	£1.02	15876	309	53.31
26/08/2009	27.77	6.11	£28.58	£1.03	16180	304	49.77
01/09/2009	29.68	6.53	£31.73	£1.07	16520	340	52.67
24/09/2009	31.00	6.82	£32.21	£1.04	16814	294	43.11
13/10/2009	29.06	6.39	£30.19	£1.04	17132	318	49.75
29/10/2009	28.29	6.22	£29.68	£1.05	17416	284	45.64
14/11/2009	28.34	6.23	£30.30	£1.07	17688	272	43.63
30/11/2009	28.21	6.21	£30.16	£1.07	17967	279	44.96
11/12/2009	29.33	6.45	£31.35	£1.07	18268	301	46.65
20/12/2009	29.48	6.48	£31.81	£1.08	18547	279	43.02
31/12/2009	25.09	5.52	£26.57	£1.06	18822	275	49.83
07/01/2010	27.32	6.01	£29.21	£1.07	19123	301	50.08
18/01/2010	23.64	5.20	£25.98	£1.10	19368	245	47.11
27/01/2010	27.53	6.06	£30.26	£1.10	19669	301	49.70
13/02/2010	29.37	6.46	£32.28	£1.10	19923	254	39.31
26/02/2010	26.40	5.81	£29.01	£1.10	20208	285	49.08
12/03/2010	27.99	6.16	£31.60	£1.13	20485	277	44.99

We have now owned the car for 987 days and traveled 20485 miles at a cost of £2038.88 in fuel and £499.04 for services. The average fuel consumption has been 46.89 miles per gallon. This fill of petrol was £1.13 per litre, that's £5.13 per imperial gallon.
The poor fuel consumption this last week or two was expected, there were no long runs and traffic queues during the snow and ice were very slow moving.

On New Years day, January 1st 2010 we went for a run to Llandudno in North Wales and the Citroen C1 was a real pleasure to drive.

Around Great Orme at Llandudno

Looking back to Snowdon on the A5 near Rhydlydan

Where the Citroen C1 came from

The Citroen C1 came out in 2005 as a result of Toyota wanting to break into the A-sector of the European market.
Daihatsu developed the 3-cylinder engine and the car is based on the Toyota Aygo. See the Autocar article from June 2005.

PSA Peugeot Citroën and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced today that after three years of productive collaboration they are getting closer to realizing the fruit of their joint project to design, develop and produce three all-new small passenger cars for the European market. To mark their progress so far, the two companies decided to give faces to the already named Peugeot 107, Toyota Aygo and Citroën C1 by making available the first-ever official photograph of these modern four-passenger vehicles, which are set for a 2005 sales launch and their world unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

While they share a large number of structural components, parts and sub-assemblies, the Peugeot 107, Toyota Aygo and Citroën C1 each have unique body styles that express the personalities of the Peugeot, Citroën and Toyota marques.

All three vehicles measure about 3.4 meters long, 1.6 meters wide and 1.4 meters high (details in chart). Powered by the latest generation 1.0-liter gasoline and 1.4-liter diesel engines, the compact, fuel-efficient cars also feature advanced safety and environmental protection technologies. These three new models will offer an engaging driving experience in the urban environment. The cars are primarily designed for European markets, where demand for this type of entry-level vehicle is expected to increase.

Developed on a common platform, all three cars will begin rolling off the line at the Toyota Peugeot Citroën Automobile (TPCA) plant in Kolín, Czech Republic in 2005. Vehicle development and plant construction have proceeded on schedule, as announced by both companies in July 2001. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles; 200,000 units for Peugeot and Citroën and 100,000 for Toyota.

The project is expected to contribute widely to the local community in terms of direct and indirect employment. It has already created 1,500 jobs at TPCA, with 1,500 more people expected to be hired for a total of 3,000. Total investment, including research and development and production start-up costs, is estimated at € 1.5 billion.

Brand	Length	Width	Height
Peugeot	3428mm	1630mm	1470mm
Toyota	3405mm	1615mm	1465mm
Citroën	3429mm	1630mm	1470mm

This petrol engine uses a combination of technologies to deliver competitive performance, fuel economy and low emissions. A key development target was to achieve a low weight. The engine has an all-aluminium construction and features extra-slim cylinder bores. The air intake system and engine cover are integrated, while further weight-savings are made by producing some components in resin instead of metal. As a result, the engine tips the scales at 67kg, being amongst the lightest internal combustion engine's available on the car market. It is also one of the most powerful 1.0-litre engine's, producing 67bhp, and torque of up to 68 lb-ft at 3,600rpm. The Aygo will accelerate from 0-62mph in 14.2 seconds and has a top speed, where permitted, of 98mph.

Developed to provide performance well-suited to the stop-start driving common to urban areas, with higher levels of low to mid-range torque than on the 1.0-litre VVT-i engine used in the Yaris. Longer spark plugs give better anti-knock performance, in conjunction with VVT-i, which constantly adjusts valve timing to produce both high torque at low engine speeds and more power at higher revs. Reducing the number of cylinders from four to three also improves torque performance in the low to mid-range. The three-cylinder configuration also contributes to reducing the overall amount of friction, as there are fewer moving parts than in a four-cylinder engine. As a result the 1.0 Aygo achieves combined cycle fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, at 61.4mpg and 109g/km respectively.

The engine mounting system has been improved to substantially reduce the levels of noise, vibration and harshness. Instead of the conventional three-mount design, the Aygo uses a mount on each side, positioned on a line passing through the engine's centre of gravity. The third mount at the bottom of the engine compartment is replaced by a torque rod that efficiently suppresses the engine's rotational movement, reducing vibration.

Practical and easy to park, the Aygo measures 3,405mm long, making it one of the shortest four-seaters on the market, with particularly short front and rear overhangs. Add to that an ultra-narrow 4.73m turning radius to make maneuvering in traffic and fitting into parking spaces too tight for most cars. With the wheels pushed out to the corners of the body, Toyota engineers have been able to make better use of interior space and increase the car's stability at higher speeds, so it is capable on the open road, too.

The front suspension is a development of the MacPherson system used on the Yaris. It features L-shaped arms with a higher castor angle and improved anti-dive characteristics. The damping rate of the shock absorbers and the coil springs have been adjusted to deliver a good level of driving comfort.

As on Yaris, a torsion beam is deployed at the rear, but instead is designed to feature a transverse bar with an inverted 'V' profile. This brings considerable weight-saving as the anti-roll bar is integrated into the beam rather than being a separate component. A further development sees the trailing arm bushing set at an angle to the axle, creating a toe correction action.

All Aygo models are equipped with Electric Power Steering (EPS). EPS is speed-sensitive, adapting in line with data from the car's ABS speed sensors. This means the steering has a light feel at low speeds, such as when moving in city traffic or maneuvering into a parking space, and a firmer response at high speeds. EPS also yields benefits in fuel economy, being three per cent more fuel-efficient than a conventional hydraulic power steering system. This is because EPS only operates when the driver makes a steering action, whereas for hydraulic assistance the pump is permanently engaged by the engine. EPS efficiently damps impacts from the suspension, reducing the amount of kickback and vibration felt through the steering wheel.

All Aygo models are fitted with the Bosch ABS8 system with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) to ensure the best balance of front and rear braking power in all conditions. The ABS actuator is 36 per cent lighter and more compact than in previous systems. This version of Bosch's ABS features active speed sensors that are more precise than the passive type and are able to monitor low speed and reverse manoeuvres. The Aygo employs 247mm ventilated discs at the front and 200mm drums at the rear, providing ample stopping power for a vehicle that weighs only 790kg.

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Some of the parts are made by Sabic in the Czech Republic.
Motor manufacturing is extremely important here.

Shock absorbers come from KYB

Trying to sort the history out.
Michelin saved Citroen after the WW2.
In 1976 Peugeot and Citroën come together.
In 1978 Chrysler sells its European operations to Peugeot-Citroen.
In 1998 Daimler-Benz and Chrysler agree to combine their businesses in a "merger of equals."