Citroen C4 Sedan, 1.6 (150 hp), A6
Manufacturer Citroen Russia, Kaluga
Year of issue 2013
In operation “Behind the wheel” from June 2013
Mileage at time of report 118,000 km
What happened?!
Our measured life with Citroën creaked on a nearly empty wide avenue on a sunny summer morning. I still blame myself! After being rebuilt in an absolutely empty left lane for a U-turn, I didn’t foresee that someone would overtake on an oncoming lane at a speed five times my own. After making sure there are no oncoming traffic, I make a U-turn and am hit by an ambulance Ford, driving not only without a siren, but, as the video from the street camera confirmed, even without a flash.
For some reason, lately, many ambulance drivers have decided that they can do anything. There are many conversations that they do not always miss. In the past year I may not have seen a single case in Cork Moscow. But now I count about a dozen ambulance drivers who grossly break the rules every day. And why don’t you turn on the siren? And why not drive on the completely empty bus lane at this point and not along the oncoming one?
When loading and unloading, the car could even hop on its own.
Waiting about three hours for the accident to be registered is another story. The video from the street camera and the witness who drove the car with me helped with the analysis and decision about my innocence. From this conclusion: do not release the fellow traveler in questionable cases until a final decision has been received and include his explanation in the protocol.
Repair or money?
Citroen therefore had to be repaired under OSAGO. Visible flaws: fender, door, mirror, threshold, cracked windshield, i.e. a displaced A-pillar. In addition, the front wheel turned up – the front suspension is damaged.
Insurance companies are now willing to pay out money, not trying to tamper with the services. It suited us. The first insurance rating: about 87 thousand rubles – the amount is ridiculously lower than necessary. But the insurer’s representative can and should be called a second, or perhaps a third time after a partial disassembly of the car. Experienced military personnel who work with insurance cars know this all too well.
Communication with an insurance company is reminiscent of trading on the collective farm market from the time of the USSR. You don’t always understand the logic of the assessment. But as a result, the payout has more than doubled. All right!
What are the parts from?
Obviously, the suspension parts—the strut, knuckle, and tie rod—have to be bought new. But putting new body parts on a nine-year-old car is absurd. Especially at a time when prices and delivery times evoke associations with fantasy novels.
We have decided to buy used body parts and entrust this company to professionals who will repair the car. They know what is true. After all, the Citroën C4 is not yet the most common car in the country. Something, as it turned out, is more profitable to get from Belarus!
There are of course many used body parts on the market. But many of them have already been repaired, carelessly putty and painted. Enough ads and a new “hardware” of dubious origin. But it is not clear who, where and according to which “patterns”. That is why we opted for a used one in good condition.
How many?
For the original front fender they ask about 25 thousand rubles. We bought a used one for 14 thousand.
The original windshield with heating and a rain sensor – 35 thousand rubles. Found with difficulty, but still not original for 19,800.
About 6500 rubles could be saved on the wing mirror.
The total savings amounted to more than 34 thousand, not counting the waiting time for the “original”.
Today, other emergency services are waiting three to four months for spare parts.
Enough insurance money?
The ready repair, including professional painting and wheel alignment, cost about 200,000 rubles. Not cheap, but when you look at the current prices of cars (and everything else!), it seems to be nothing. As a result, the insurance company paid 186,600 rubles. That is, we paid only 14 thousand rubles. It is quite acceptable, considering far from a new car.
Repair costs after an accident
Body parts 102 050 ₽
- Front fender 14 000 ₽
- Front door 32 780
- Outside mirror 19 890 ₽
- Windshield 19 800
- Other materials 15 580 ₽
Body 62 600 ₽
Suspension parts 14 100 ₽
- Drawbar 2400
- Suspension strut for 5850 ₽
- Rotatable Fist 5850 ₽
Suspension work (including wheel alignment) 21,000 ₽
Total: repair after an accident 201 740 ₽
Other costs – full reconciliation
Shortly before the accident, the chain damper and the phase control solenoid valve were replaced during the next service.
The front suspension also had to be repaired, which, however, practically did not cause any problems until a trip of about 100 thousand km. Now replaced the silent blocks of one of the levers, a ball joint. The oil pump pulley and an engine mount began to collapse. Also a replacement.
Also replace the battery. My batteries last strictly four years regardless of the make and model of the car. Oil consumption is the same: about 0.3 liters per 1000 km. This is normal for early Citroens. Production cars after 2015 were cured of oil consumption.
Of course, despite the replacement of some parts, the cost per kilometer, excluding the accident, has fallen from 7.5 to 6.7 rubles over the past 10 thousand km. Still not cheap of course. But I’m sure it will never be cheaper for a car of this class.
Operating and maintenance costs excluding repairs after an accident (0-118,000 km)*
Maintenance costs 0–118,000 km 792,898 RUB
of which gasoline 430 667
Maintenance costs 110,000–118,000 km 108 019
Of this petrol (AI-95, average consumption 10.7 l/100 km) 46 224
Maintenance (oil, filters, work at gas stations)17 145
silent blocks 2700
spherical bearing: 1200
water pump pulley 1850
engine support 2000
Timing Chain Tensioner 1800
Timing solenoid valve 2800
wiper blades 2250
Battery 6600
Engine oil 3400
Working at the gas station 20 050
Cost 1 km running $6.72
* Excluding transport tax, costs for OSAGO and Casco policies.
You can ask your question about the operation of any car from the “Behind the wheel” fleet – we will answer.
- Which parts have increased in price more than others are described here.
- “Driving” can also be read on Viber.
OSAGO repair today is another quest. Spoiler: you can negotiate with insurers!
