Nearly made a terrible mistake...

[loonymoon]

.. and changed my SEAT ibiza for a Citroen C1.....

I've been thinking for a while that my 1.4 SX just doesn't give very good performance for a car that is also really not that economical (33mpg) or particularly cheap to tax. I don't do that many miles a year (6000) and wouldn't mind if it's slow if it's also economical!!

So for a few days I'd been looking around at so called "economical" vehicles and was seriously considering selling the ibiza for a Citroen C1 or similar (Aygo, 107) for it's cheaper road tax and running costs.

The C1 seemed to offer nearly the same sort of performance in a much smaller and lighter car, so i thought it might be more fun to drive. I don't find my 1.4 all that much fun as it requires so much kicking to get it going!!

However I discovered that to "downgrade" to a C1 would cost around a grand more than my Ibiza is worth which would really negate it as a cost saving exercise and I had to come back to my reasons for liking the Ibiza which were:

It's SOLID (well apart from some interior trim that's crap) - well a lot more solid than a C1.

It's sexy .

It's been very reliable (better the devil you know).

It's comfy.

SO, I'm keeping it as I have no finance on it and it seems a sensible option.

Maybe one day I'll have a new or nearly new SEAT Ibiza ecomotive which would give me all the advantages my current Ibiza has with the same (or perhaps better) performance and loads better running cost.


one day... one day when I'm not trying to save for a house deposit

 

[PLuKE]

What was you thinking?!. Sorry to say but the cars you was looking at are alittle girly IMO, But my mate hired a C1 out in Spain and he said it sounded like a V8 (3cyl engine) was pretty nippy and handled very very well. But nothing is better than a hire car.

Luke

 

[loonymoon]

What was you thinking?!. Sorry to say but the cars you was looking at are alittle girly IMO, But my mate hired a C1 out in Spain and he said it sounded like a V8 (3cyl engine) was pretty nippy and handled very very well. But nothing is better than a hire car.

Luke

Well that's OK because I am a girl

 

[Crafoo]

Well that's OK because I am a girl

Good comeback lol

I think you have made the right descision to stick with what you've got, like you say you don't owe anything on it which has to be a good thing if you are saving for a house.

 

[stezo2k]

Ouch, that is quite a downgrade. although i personally hate all french cars, its all about german/japanese cars if you ask me (SEAT being an exception although they technically are VW/german)

33mpg is pretty low for an ibiza, i've seen high end petrol cupras not far from that. you should get a service done if it hasnt been done in a while, it can really help (even slightly with performance) i can get around 350 miles per tank on mine and mines a 1.2 so theres not that much difference in the engine.

I completely agree about the ibiza being sexy (yeah the interior could be better but with small mods like chrome bits and cupra/fr interior parts) even after owning mine over a year, when i get out of it i keep looking and admiring it, its such a nice design. i prefer it to the new ibiza.

I personally would stick with what youve got and if you want to change in the future theres always diesel ibizas (ive seen one do 600 miles per tank and that was an FR) or of course the ecomotive. I personally would go the diesel route in the future, you'll get performance and great mpg

 

[Crafoo]

I get 30mpg from mine (petrol FR) with fairly steady driving.

 

[PLuKE]

Well that's OK because I am a girl

I knew that .

Luke

 

[chispadete]

Ouch, that is quite a downgrade. although i personally hate all french cars, its all about german/japanese cars if you ask me (SEAT being an exception although they technically are VW/german)

whilst for the reason Seat can be ok and is the exception you really should look up a car before you slate it, as you fail.

due to the C1, being the same platform, engine, running gear and so forth as the Aygo, which guess what, yes its a JAPANESE car, which as you say its all about... so infact you actually contradict yourself a little over 17/18 words. well done.

back on topic, i had a c1 once for a hire car, found it revved well, handled well for such small tyres and was really good on fuel, the interior was actually good for such a cheap car, and rattled less than a mates mk4 ibiza dash does so wouldnt say its a downgrade for that. size yes, style thats ur choice what you like, spec depends on what spec you got in the ibiza, lowest spec wont be much different. but for the reasons you wanted to swop, as you say no point due to costing more to get in the 1st place

 

[loonymoon]

Ouch, that is quite a downgrade. although i personally hate all french cars, its all about german/japanese cars if you ask me (SEAT being an exception although they technically are VW/german)

33mpg is pretty low for an ibiza, i've seen high end petrol cupras not far from that. you should get a service done if it hasnt been done in a while, it can really help (even slightly with performance) i can get around 350 miles per tank on mine and mines a 1.2 so theres not that much difference in the engine.

Yeah, normally there's no way I'd think of a French car but the C1 is basically the same as the Toyota Aygo and Pug 107 as it was a joint collaboration between Toyota and the french brands. The engines in the petrol 1.0 vehicles are Toyota engines.

Unfortunately the 1.4 75ps ibiza is a bit of a slug, I did post a thread quite a while back about mpg in the ibiza and it didn't seem like I was alone bigger petrols seemed to get equal or even better economy.

The problem with the low powered 1.4 is that it's got a massive flat spot just at the sort of rev range you need for pulling away and I used to stall it loads of times until I got used to giving it the necessary welly - it's that heavy right foot that makes it not that economical. Bigger engined cars aren't so bad as they don't get driven quite so flat out all the time.

I've had the 1.2 as a courtesy car and I actually found it a bit more lively to drive, at least at the lower end. The 1.4 would probably have it on top speed, but I reckon the 1.2 is faster from a standstill!

The Ibiza ecomotive is definitely one I'll think of in the future.

 

[Torquemonster]

Lot to be said for not having finance on a car.Well,up to a point.If it's not going wrong then fine.But if running repairs start to drain your finances,then sometimes you've just got to bite the bullet and get finance.
The C1 is a good wee car.But as they say 'it's a cheap car,cheaply built'.Like most things in life,you only get what you pay for.
I'd rather have an i10 if i was going down that route.Better built,more kit and far less likely to go wrong.Oh,and a 5 year warranty.

 

[loonymoon]

back on topic, i had a c1 once for a hire car, found it revved well, handled well for such small tyres and was really good on fuel, the interior was actually good for such a cheap car, and rattled less than a mates mk4 ibiza dash does so wouldnt say its a downgrade for that. size yes, style thats ur choice what you like, spec depends on what spec you got in the ibiza, lowest spec wont be much different. but for the reasons you wanted to swop, as you say no point due to costing more to get in the 1st place

Cross posted.

If it had been possible to almost directly swap for a C1 I probably would have, as I liked everything I read about the little car (except rather a lot of reports of water ingress into the footwells which scared me a bit).

I don't mind small ill -equipped cars, I used to have bottom spec 1988 mini - which had nothing electric except the starter!!) . Though I do like that my SX has a fair few toys and I guess I have got used to the climate control, I think some C1 models did have aircon but it's quite rare.

 

[loonymoon]

Lot to be said for not having finance on a car.Well,up to a point.If it's not going wrong then fine.But if running repairs start to drain your finances,then sometimes you've just got to bite the bullet and get finance.
The C1 is a good wee car.But as they say 'it's a cheap car,cheaply built'.Like most things in life,you only get what you pay for.
I'd rather have an i10 if i was going down that route.Better built,more kit and far less likely to go wrong.Oh,and a 5 year warranty.

Yeah at the moment the ibiza is only on 42000 miles with FSH -so hopefully far from dying - and I've had a cambelt changed and 4 new tyres. If I went for a used C1 now I'd not only have to pay extra even for a used one, I'd not know the devil!!

Finance at the moment is not an option really as I'm trying to pay off all my debts to enable me to save some cash.

The BLUE bizza I think should stay with me for a while longer.

 

[chispadete]

Cross posted.

If it had been possible to almost directly swap for a C1 I probably would have, as I liked everything I read about the little car (except rather a lot of reports of water ingress into the footwells which scared me a bit).

I don't mind small ill -equipped cars, I used to have bottom spec 1988 mini - which had nothing electric except the starter!!) . Though I do like that my SX has a fair few toys and I guess I have got used to the climate control, I think some C1 models did have aircon but it's quite rare.

Hehe noticed the 1st bit of post our posts, glad to see a girl that has done her research

Id have to agree, a direct swop would have been worth your while, as the road tax alone over a few years would save you £££ then the near on double mpg would have helped too.

For future reference there doesnt seem to be many forums for those cars, but i did a quick search and found a C1OC.co.uk forum that might help ya

AC on them when i looked into them (when i had the hire car) is a option and a costly one, so doubt many have them as sorta makes no sense as kills mpg which is the reason you buy it, and cos they are cheap right?!

 

[IainW]

Good decision. There's far too many stupid C1s on the road!

The nearest dealer to here is a Citroen one and the roads are full of the damn things. Those and Picassos, but that's another story......

 

[loonymoon]

Hehe noticed the 1st bit of post our posts, glad to see a girl that has done her research

he he, I usually do do a fair bit of research when considering something like this. I suppose I wish I'd not chosen the 1.4 Ibiza, my research didn't tell me that, as the 1.2 or a diesel 1.4 might have been better in the first place. Heck I've had it for 3 1/2 years and as I don't do much mileage really the economy shouldn't worry me that much.

Other than that and the stupid lack of a boot light there's not too much I don't like about the Ibiza.

 

[Torquemonster]

The reports of water ingress with the C1 are correct.Some dealers are so inept at fixing the fault they end up giving you another car(like for like).Then you can cross your fingers it doesn't start leaking as well.

 

[kseriesmike]

I think the ibiza would take a fair bit of beating.

I've driven a peugeot 107 which is the sister to the C1. I hated the driving position and the pedal setup, with the pedals being the worst. The pedals were too close together, my foot was pressing against the side of the footwell while trying to use the accelerator, and the clutch was horrid. I coudnt rest my heel to use the clutch as it came up so high, I literally had to kick it up and down. lol
Having said that, the engine was suprisingly pokey for a 1.0L and the suspension was nicely setup to minimise roll while cornering. The seats were firm and reasonably comfortable.

I actually drive a Rover 25, but spend a lot of time in my wifes ibiza 1.4 SE. The ibiza always feels so refined after driving other small to mid sized hatchbacks. The K series engine (no i dont change headgaskets once a week ) in my car is more lively to drive but lacks the smoothness and refinement of the VW engine. Overall, the ibiza is better put together and has the feel of a heavier more solidly built car, but in a good way. I always thought fuel economy was better on the ibiza too. but i think it really comes into its own on the motorways.

 

[stezo2k]

whilst for the reason Seat can be ok and is the exception you really should look up a car before you slate it, as you fail.

due to the C1, being the same platform, engine, running gear and so forth as the Aygo, which guess what, yes its a JAPANESE car, which as you say its all about... so infact you actually contradict yourself a little over 17/18 words. well done.

Well technically it isnt an exception as VAG is german owned. Yes i am biased but I don't care

At the end of the day its my personal opinion, I don't expect anybody else to agree with me. I don't like french branded cars because everybody I know which has one (i.e pergeot/renault) has had reliablity issues. Plus I was talking about brands not a specific car

p.s thanks for making me look stupid, its appreciated

 

[chispadete]

Well technically it isnt an exception as VAG is german owned. Yes i am biased but I don't care

At the end of the day its my personal opinion, I don't expect anybody else to agree with me. I don't like french branded cars because everybody I know which has one (i.e pergeot/renault) has had reliablity issues. Plus I was talking about brands not a specific car

p.s thanks for making me look stupid, its appreciated

Haha, you do all that by yourself JK of course! Thing is, its about as Jap as Seat is German.... thats my point.

 

[Leigh15]

You must have an amazingly heavy right foot to only achieve 33 mpg - I'm getting 32.5mpg from my petrol Leon FR!!