200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Executive SE 4dr

Get rid before it reaches 100,000 miles!

Really enjoyed this car for the first few years I owned it. I do lots of long journeys and it was averaging over 56mpg, and even 60mpg on occasion. Then there was an "emissions update" which brought the MPG down to more like 52mpg average and 55 on a long run. This update is not reversible according to the dealers. As mileage mounted I had persistent issues with tracking even though I had 4 wheel tracking done at nearly £200 on two occasions, and yet it would still be out of alignment a few months later. I should mention that I don't bump up kerbs etc and have not had this issue with any other car.
Then there was the mysterious aircon leak which the dealers too 3 goes to locate - a pinhole in the condenser, alloy wheel centres peeled off their paint (they all do that sir), and the persistent issue with the parking brake sticking on that the dealers also never managed to fix despite replacing the cables and cleaning the whole mechanism. The parking brake would stick on if left overnight and not release for half a mile or so with persistent warning bongs and inaudible radio.
Dealers would regularly tell me that tyres needed changing with 3-3.5mm remaining and also wanted to change brake pads and disc until I insisted on seeing the proof of how worn they were. Other issues were one of the bonnet latches not locking properly unless slammed and corrosion to brake pipe ferrules etc. Other issues were suspension bushes splitting and water building up in the wells in front of the screen.
But the big killer was the timing chain issue which reared its' head at 95,000 miles. If you've not heard this then a rattle at start-up - but not every time and can be hot or cold. Dealers will want more than £2,500 to fix. It's a minimum 8 hour job as the chain is at the rear of the engine. Independents will do it cheaper but most normal garages won't touch the job (as I found).
Becker SatNav was pretty good but very expensive to update.
Although I really liked the car, and it had many good points, there were just too many issues to be able to recommend it and in the end I had to get rid of it before I wanted to as the cost of repairs was over 3/4 of what the car was worth.

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