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Original poster

So tell me about Citroen Zsara Picassos - good and bad

32 replies

Moomin · 19/06/2008 20:07

Have seen the car we want and can afford: Y reg Zsara. Have got a Scenic now and have been v.happy with it but it's falling to bits. Have had no huge mechanical problems and has been reliable. FIL has been slagging off Citroens left right and centre but is reknowned for talking out of his backside. What's the opinion of people in the know?

OP posts:

Washersaurus · 19/06/2008 20:10

I'm not in the know by any means, but we have one and we are very happy with it

VeniVidiVickiQV · 19/06/2008 20:13

They are great. BEst car i've had. Roomy. Drives nice. Good driving position. Reliable. Great.

One downside - the spare tyres are notoriously easy to nick. We've had two taken (one I'm pretty sure was the garage who did the servicing ). We've taken to keeping it in the boot, or, in the shed!

you can get the doohdah thing welded to stop it happening but we've never bothered.

madamy · 19/06/2008 20:22

Fab! Ours is a 51 plate - we've had it for nearly 4 yrs, done 57000 miles and so far hasn't needed anything major replacing/fixing (tampting fate here!). Has taken us over to France every summer without incident. It's a 1.6 petrol so not the nippiest car, but even when fully loaded with 3 kids and roofbox is an easy drive.

Driving position is really good, and the children can see well out of the windows as the seats are raised up. You do need to get used to the body shape when parking though - at first i was convinced i was about to bump another car but when I got out, had about 2 feet to spare!

My parents have had Citroens since time began and my sister has a xsara estate which has done over 100,000 miles.

jellyforbrains · 19/06/2008 20:25

We have one - have had it about a year and no probs so far.

BettySpaghetti · 19/06/2008 20:30

we have one and I love it (DP says its a girl's car though ).

I agree about the driving position and the high seat position for the children -its great. We test drove some brand new estate car recently and the DC were so low they couldn't see a thing -they hated it as they're so used to looking out of the side windows.

We've holidayed in Europe in it a few times and its been great. Good amount of boot space, fuel efficient, 3 decent sized seats in the back.

The only neg that springs to mind is that it doesn't feel as solid as some cars -our last car was a Golf which felt much sturdier and less tinny than the Picasso

TsarChasm · 19/06/2008 20:38

We had one - it was lovely. Lots of room in the back with three roper seatbelts. Easy to get babies in and out and a big boot too.

Small downside iirc was a bit of a blindspot through the windscreen at the sides due to big pillar thingies but you get used to it.

I miss ours actually even though dh's friend said it looked like a potato on wheels.

TsarChasm · 19/06/2008 20:39

'proper seatbelts'

wonderwomanakaeandh · 19/06/2008 20:43

I love my mine - we got a 52 plate last summer and touch wood nothing gone wrong with it (mot due soon!!)

DD1 & DD2 love being able to see out of the window plus I can get dd1 high back booster and dd2 stage 2 car seat plus any friemds stage 2/highback booster in the back very easily.

The 'pillar'things in the back can be pushed down (I didnt realise for a month!!) easy to drive (when you have got used to the size/shape) and not bad on petrol (I use around £20 a week but do lots of short trips ie preschool drop off/pick up around 150 miles a week in total)

BettySpaghetti · 19/06/2008 20:47

wonderwomanakaeandh -er, what "pillar" things?

wonderwomanakaeandh · 19/06/2008 20:52

asked dh - the headrests on the back seats that can go up and down (mine on chrome sticks!) they were all 'up' when we collected car and I struggles to see out of back windscreen then I realised I could push them all down

policywonk · 19/06/2008 21:00

I like mine. The only downside is that if you go round corners faster than about 25mph you feel as though it's going to topple over.

Washersaurus · 19/06/2008 21:06

Actually DH has commented that when he rides up the kerb whilst parking (which he isn't very good at) the whole car bends like it is made of tin foil , but he still loves it - even without parking sensors.

BettySpaghetti · 19/06/2008 21:11

wonderwomanakaeandh -aaah thats OK, I knew about those. I had visions of it being something major that I'd missed

Original poster

Moomin · 19/06/2008 21:15

Yes, what's all the '52' plate business? What year's that then?

Look slike the one I've spotted is vastly over-priced (but there again it's a dealership) but I still fancy a Xsara, as I now know it's called.

OP posts:

wonderwomanakaeandh · 19/06/2008 21:26

52 plate means september 2002 (02 plate would mean march 2002 etc etc)

Mine was priced at dealership for £6499, my car was falling apart I bargained them down to £4000 plus my car (but dh did not come with me as he'd have paid £6500) I did take both the dd's (they were 2.8 and 5months so very annoying) I actually walked out of the dealership when we couldnt agree on price and the salesman came running after me, then dd1 was hungry so he got her a sandwich from the canteen (thankfully I had a bottle of milk for dd2)!! I love haggling

madamy · 19/06/2008 21:30

moomin - have you looked for your local motability dealer? Picassos are v popular on motability and they're sold on after 3 years with a really good service history and often low milegae. Ours had 12000 miles at 3 yrs and was £6000 (I think!)

Washersaurus · 19/06/2008 21:32

Ours was a motability one I think - it is from Northern Ireland and has funny plates

Original poster

Moomin · 20/06/2008 11:57

never heard of that but sounds a great idea. What is it exactly? Shall I just google motability dealers and see if there's one in my area?

OP posts:

solo · 20/06/2008 12:22

The blind spot pillar thingy is at the front! As you sit in drivers seat and look to the right of the screen, the side quarter window has a HUGE strut which gets in the way. You learn to physically move to see around it and if you don't!!!!!!!! I completely missed a car coming up the hill towards me(I was at a junction) because of it and two pedestrians walking up towards me. They(together)blocked out the entire approaching vehicle. Luckily, I did see it in time though! PHEW!

I've had Citroen's for the last 10 years. A BX Turbo Diesel, followed by a Xantia, then the Picasso. All diesels and all 1.9/2 litre turbo's. The best car was the Xantia by far, and if I'm totally honest, I wish I'd kept it, it was FAB! but the Picasso is a good all rounder. It also has a high safety * standard(think it's 4's)and is a comfy, quick and economical car. Generally I'll get 500+ miles per tank full. I put £60 in last week, but I'll get good return generally.
The spare wheel is now locked in and is only unlockable from inside the boot with a special tool. You can have a lock put on older versions that don't have these on already as I have.
The boot is a decent size and there are three separate rear seats, each with their own 3 point seat belt.
I've had my Pic for 3.6 years now and it's just over 4 years old...so far, no problems! touch wood.
HTH.

popsycal · 20/06/2008 12:30

we have just bought a '55 reg one - get it on wed!

So I hope they are ok

popsycal · 20/06/2008 12:34

do the '55 ones have funny spare wheel?

worrying about the blind spot and the parking

NigellaTheOriginal · 20/06/2008 12:38

Had ours from new about 7 years. no problems at all. you do get used to the blind spot bit at the front - something to do with where the roof is attached to the windos/bonnet strut bit. (i'm v technical).
drinks petrol but then would imaging so does any car that size.
haven't had my spare tyre nicked but then i haven't looked for it so itmay have been.
where is the spare tyre kept?

policywonk · 20/06/2008 14:51

Yes, I'm surprised by those saying it's fuel efficient. Mine feckin isn't.

Original poster

Moomin · 20/06/2008 16:40

Is it better to get a diesel? Have only had petrol before. What's the difference (apart from price)? Is it diesels that sound like tractors?

OP posts:

solo · 20/06/2008 21:52

Mine's a diesel and I would not go back to petrol. I get around 500 miles to a tank of fuel...more on a long motorway run. I try not to use the air con because as in all air conditioned cars, it drinks the fuel.
I think it's fairly quick off the mark and before you know it, you are pushing 80+ mph! it isn't especially noisy, and surprised my Dp in that respect.

Spare wheel is under the boot accessible from the road, but you unlock it via the boot iyswim?

The blind spot is ok as long as you don't forget it's there. A friend of mine borrowed a Pic and I asked him how he found the blind spot. He said he hadn't noticed it...until the next day when he said he'd completely lost sight of a mini roundabout in it! LOL!

They are nice cars on the whole. Not too expensive. Safe. Very versatile.

You can take 1, 2 or 3 seats out of the back, so large loads are a doddle. I've had a 5' fridge in mine with room to spare.

Have I sold it to you yet?

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