Keep your C3 happy

There’s not much to these first-generation C3s, so servicing is a simple and cost-effective proposition. Richard Gunn is your guide.

Citroën introduced the C3 as a Saxo replacement in mid2002. We’re now on the third generation, but the first was notable for being part of the French marque’s attempt to reintroduce a more distinctive look to its vehicles. The C3’s side profile was similar to that of the 2CV, a touch that Citroën enthusiasts appreciated and a nice link with the company’s idiosyncratic past.

Despite the compact dimensions, the mainstream cars were only available as five-door machines with 1.1-, 1.4- and 1.6-litre petrol engines, plus 1.4- and 1.6-litre diesel units. However, there was also the left-field Pluriel variant, a convertible with five different configurations. This was a car that definitely conformed to Citroën’s traditionally quirky way of doing things.

Our model here is a 1.1, the entry-level version with the 59bhp engine also found in the C2 and 206. It’s a compact and simple unit and there’s plenty of room to work on it. That means DIY servicing isn’t much of a challenge at all, especially with the bonus of there being no power steering fluid reservoir (it’s electrical, although it can play up) and, on a later car like this, the transmission being ‘sealed for life’.

These Citroëns are now cheap to buy and cheap to run. Put in the elbow grease to do your own maintenance and you’ll save even more.