Has anyone got a Citroen Xsara Picasso? Do you like it?

[marthamoo]

Our car seems to be at the money pit stage - we've just spent ?240 on it and the problem is still not sorted; it's been in the garage all week and we are car-less. Unless they can fix the problem (something to do with the ABS) it will fail its MOT (January). So we're thinking it's maybe time for a new one...a few people at dh's work have Xsara Picassos and like them but I want to know what Mumsnetters think

martha mine has good fuel consumption, under floor tidy holes etc, fold down trays, the works

we paid extra for a 'modutop' which has extra storage and little windows in the ceiling

'buy a berlingo multispace buy a berlingo multispace'

if you go for the best model it is still cheaper and has all the bits, and you can ponce it up with air con and stuff if you want

I can fit holiday equipment for four people including a wheelchair in mine.

ooh! ooh! and it has sliding doors like a van so you won't get them blown away as your kids doddle into their car seats

I'll shut up now. (Unless you want me not to... )

Marthmoo - we can fit our ENORMOUS tent, all our gear and 2 children in ours! The 'camping space' was what sold it to us

You like your Berlingo then, Cappuccino ?

OK...we'll have a look at those online too! We have found some nearby Xsaras though and are possibly going to have a look at them on Thursday. We really need to take a deep breath and accept that our car has had it - and tell the garage to stop trying to fix it. But neither of us knows a thing about cars so it's hard to shake that feeling that we will walk into a showroom and get sold a complete lemon...

We only have two children and two bikes, Clary - we'd fit

tessasmum - we do seem to travel 'heavy' - atm we have a Rover 820 and when we camp we have an enormous roofbox, and every inch of the car is packed to capacity. Dh thinks with the passenger seats pulled forward we wouldn't need a roofbox to go camping in a Xsara.

I'll just have a quick look at Berlingo Multispaces.

if you're going to a Citroen dealership Marta you can look at them while you're there....

They're a bit...er.......van like

hmmph

well if you only like the look of a car then you would think that

however if you are looking for good fuel economy, lots of storage space, great price, solid lasting engine, big boot space and fold down trays...

and they don't drive like a van

We'll have a look if they have any when we go...really it's lovely, not van-like at all, what was I thinking?

There is lots more height in the Picasso (compared to an estate) so you can fit masses in, believe me, we don't camp lightly anymore!
We also take out the middle seat for extra room.

good thing, martha

wouldn't want to have you down as one of those shallow women who just wanted a pretty ride...

i have one.... i had 3 very funky cars before i bought this..the pram & 2 kids wouldn;t fit in my two door convertible..funny that!!

very very reluctantly bought one ! i love it !!!!! so rooooooooooooomy......! and reliable and cheap to run....

will go back to impractical car again when babylulu older though!

It's all relative, lulumama - compared to our current car the Xsara is funky

at my terrible shallowness.......

fate or what - buy it, you just might like it!

egypt - that's a bit spooky, isn't it? We're after an automatic though (dh has been driving an automatic for the last five years and is not keen to go back to a manual). Nice colour

jura - thanks for your post too - I think the automatics are all 2l so that might compensate a bit in the nippiness department.

It's all moot anyway - the garage fixed the car. I have mixed feelings about it as it still might fail its MOT in January and then we will be stuffed. And the final bill was almost £400 But at least we have it back for now...

Thanks to everyone who contributed - I still think we'll be in the market for a Picasso at some point, just not quite so urgently.

We've had our Picasso for nearly 2 yrs and I love it. DP isn't so keen and would prefer something that isn't such "a girl's car" (his words not mine!).

We went on holiday to France for 2 wks and, despite luggage, pushchairs etc for 2 adults and 2 DC (DS was not quite 1 at the time) there was still loads of room to bring lots of wine back -amazing what you can fit into those cubbyholes in the floor!

The only thing I find a bit of a pain is the turning circle is a bit crap compared to our last car (Golf) -although we do have some very tight bends on little roads near our house so thats probably why I notice it.

Dh loved ours from a driver's point of view; seating position, controls, large digital speedo, vision good, double sunroof means a nice light roomy interior, and because he's tall the added height is good. He liked the position of the handbrake and the three full seatbelts in the rear, and he liked the versatility - it has lots of spaces for tucking things into. Since we got rid of it for a Touran, though, he has admitted that actually there were a lot of things about it that he didn't like as well.

From a passenger's point of view, I hated it. It has a very soft suspension, so you feel every bump, no matter how slight, and I always felt I was being thrown around too much. The quality of the interior isn't that great, and we didn't find it particularly economical either.

I love mine