I bought a 10 year old car (Citroen C3 ) about a month ago and am really regretting it. I didn't want to spend too much as I needed one in a bit of a hurry and so I picked this one as the mileage was low as was the price.

It's an automatic but it's not auto in the sense I've become used to. I can feel it change gear and it just doesn't drive smoothly at all. Is this common in smaller automatics? I never once was aware in my previous car of the change in gears but this one is dreadful. When I try to accelerate it sort of feels as though it's slowing down when the gear change happens, almost as though it's pulling me back and I get the feel of myself lunging forward in the drivers seat.
If anyone else drives an automatic (particularly a smallish car, mine's a 1.6 engine) please let me know if it's normal to be very aware of the gear change?

I hate the car but am stuck with it now for at least the next 6-12 months

The C3 is known for being a bit notchy, but does depend how you drive it, especially if you've been used to large engined cars in the past.

There is a software update for the automatic gearbox on these, might be worth checking if its been done.

If its not the software and its a lot worse than just a juddering change then you may well have a faulty or failing box. A fluid change might help, best place I've found for automatic problems is the Chester Automatic Transmission Centre: 01244537070

I had an automatic 1.6 Ford Mondeo and never felt a gear change at all, exactly the same as 2L ones that I hire on our trips to Cananda.It does sound that your Citroen needs looking at.May sound like a daft question with a 10 year old but did you get it from a dealer, if so there may be an active warranty.

Sorry to say it, but that was your first mistake, buying a French car, especially a 10 year old one.

Your second mistake was buying an automatic, they're not appropriate for British town driving.


It's not an automatic, it's a semi-automatic. It has a manual gearbox and gear changes are made by electronics activating solenoids to move the gear levers.

CLICKY for more info on semi automatic gearboxes

Quote from the above: "Despite superficial similarity to other automated transmissions, semi-automatic transmissions differ significantly in internal operation and driver's 'feel'"


It's normal for semi-automatics. There's nothing you can do about it, though as the Dr says, try changing your driving style to see if the computer controlling the gearbox adapts. Barring that, set the car on fire and get another one

Yes, Mike I'm realising now that it was a mistake I bought it from a dealer and did test drive it first too, but obviously didn't go far enough to feel how it drove.

I've begun taking it out of auto mode and changing the gears myself, but that in itself is very odd because in order to change gear it's a different configuration than a standard gear stick. I was coming up Holm Lane the other day and instead of going from 3rd to 4th gear, I ended up going from 3rd to 2nd which it didnt like and I'm sure passers by must have heard the engine scream.

I've not yet got to the point of wanting to set it on fire, but I've wanted to beat it with a stick like Basil Fawlty


PS the MPG is really shite too

Thanks The Dr, I'll give them a ring too and see what they think

nearly all smaoo (cheap) automatics i've been in, the gear change has been jumpy. which is precisely the reason i'll be getting a manual.

What a load of ignorant rubbish.

Whatever. Go ahead and buy one, you'll find out soon enough why it's a bad idea.

DSG FTW!!!

and what is that supposed to mean. We dont all understand your language.

Think the smart cars are similar (jerking on gearchange).

Get yourelf a Haynes manual, there great.

I had no idea what this meant either but Mr Google gave this answer, which still does not explain what ASE17 meant.

http://ferrisgti.blogspot.co.uk/2008/02/golf-gti-dsg-ftw.html

Direct shift gearbox, German engineering, best as always.

for the win.

You're on the internet zipper, get with the times

I thought he was swearing Ste, LOL and if it dont look like a Hillman Minx I`m lost

Dsg ftw. missjahjong (did someone go for the wine)

I already have a ten year old French car. Its absolutely fine because its in good condition and has been well maintained by the previous owner. Ditto all my previous cars (306s and 307s) and that of friends and colleagues on the Pug forums.

The "don't buy a French car" is nothing short of xenophobic ignorance, mainly because many Peugeots for example were built in England, the same place as your precious "Japanese are best" - Nissan, North East using parts made in South American or Eastern Europe. Maybe that's why there have been so many recalls on Japanese cars of late and the JD Power survey shows a drop in customer satisfaction.

Not to mention the fact that Pugs and Citroens use parts from Valeo, Bosch, Pierburg, Lucas, Siemens and many other third party companies who supply parts for many other vehicles. The Peugeot 307 and 407 has the same engine as the Ford Focus for example. A quick Google shows that Citroen buy in a third party gearbox, so maybe you should vent your anger there?

Incidentally, have a look at the latest What Car / JD Power survey - a Citroen got the award of best supermini.

Get with the old timers - seems to be a modern copy of the old Porsche Tiptronic gearbox originating in the late 60s.

French cars are better than they were - especially Citroes and Peugeouts - but it don't mean i would recommend then (yet)!.

Think the overall thing may be that autos and small cars aren't the best mix - an auto gearbox needs a heavier car to smooth out the power delivery.

DSG Gearboxes are superb. You dont feel the gearchange at all.

Flywheels are a bit shit though

Well said STE ,,, allot of people know allot about nothing on this site

Hey, I resemble that remark . LOL

Eh? You look like a remark? send us a pic

Mmm, I would but looking like nothing, looks like erm... nothing lol.
Oh, FTW.. my mate in USA is called FTW on the Net, he has it tattooed on his arm. To him it means F**k The World. Thats what confused me. Cheers

LOL "For The Win" , get with it

Nice on Zipper.......

Small engine + autobox is a poor combination unfortunately.

Slightly back on topic..... I have to say one of the best cars I ever had (kept it from new for 9 years) was a Mini 1000 Automatic. Small engine + auto box was fine. A friend had an indentical one, same year but manual. He got 2mpg more than me! Not a big deal. It had an AP box fitted. Beautiful changes - or you could drive it "manual" if you wanted to. Stuck in snow? Idling speed and just go from "D" to "R" a few times. Bingo you were (usually) out whilst lesser mortals were going nowhere.

Borg Warner and AP seemed to have the autobox world to themselves then. I've had a couple of pre-selector boxes on vintage cars with centrifugal clutches and fluid flywheels. Pure brilliant engineering! Oh dear - showing my age!

Depends on the car. The Pug 107 and its clones Citroen C1, Toyota Aygo seem to do OK with their auto box.

Ask Graeme Robb for advice, Robb's garage by St Hilarys in Wallasey. He is an expert on automatics and a genuine guy. Might be a belt slipping.

What Car/JD Power? Don't make me laugh. The rankings depend on how much the car companies pony up in advertising.

This is an independent site you can trust to tell the truth: CLICKY

3 year old Citroen C1 (aka Toyota Aygo, aka Peugeot 107) - water leaks everywhere, failed water pumps, failed cambelt tensioners, rotten exhaust back boxes, premature clutch failures, windows falling out, keys stop working, cat converter failures, power steering failures, safety recalls for sticking accelerators and clutches burning out due to them fitting ones that were too small to save money.

If it's that bad on a 3 year old car, what's a 10 year old one going to be like?

Yeah, I'll rush out and buy one. Not.

Hi Mike, pretty sure all that would depend on who has been driving the car and in what manner.
I seen a little old lady driving a Nissan Micra in front of me the other day, we were at the roundabout on St Hilarys brow, with her manner of driving I'm surprised the little cars clutch wasn't bursting into flames on the spot.

How interesting that you post a link to the "What's bad" section which has just three lines. Yet when you click on "What's good" it scrolls on and on:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/citroen/c1-2005/?section=good

Yes, there might have been problems on the Mk1, but they're dealt with under warranty, and then ironed out in the Mk2 model. So won't trouble any owner. This has been the case with countless cars where the long term road testing guinea pigs, aka the owner, reports things back to the dealer, which in turn goes back to the manufacturer who makes the revisions in a mk2 or facelifted model. I'm surprised you don't know this. Do you know anything about cars?

But its funny how you slate the Peugeot and Citroen but make no mention of the Toyota Aygo, even though its the same car made in the same factory in the Czech republic, just has a different badge slapped on it.

Lets face it, you probably have a grudge against French cars because you once had a bad one down to your own poor checking over and you feel you have to tell everyone to avoid them for ever more because you believe your own lies from your armchair expert vantage point!

Or you're just xenophobic against the French, like The Sun and its readers.

I have had loads of Renault 5 Turbos, now they were trouble but i would have another one anyday

Renault, Peugot,Citroen are all the same vehicle basically, only body styles. I had a C5 which I hated, low mileage diesel. Did 60mph on the motorway but had to fed with money all the time.
But, when alls said and done, it's what you like. French cars, German cars, italian cars, all different characters.
Personally, I love my Subaru, but it like money being spent on it too.

I have to citroens the newer one (manual) gearbox was rubbish but the an older looked after one I had the gearbox was fine and yes as gibbo said the c1 and aygo an 107 are identical in and out just the badge an all the drive the same most pugs I have drove I have found to be fine