The never-ending story (of the delivery time) of the Citroën C3 Aircross
In November I suspected that the long delivery time for the Citroën C3 Aircross could become a never-ending story. In the new year we will know better. Yes, the never-ending story is indeed endless. As a reminder: We ordered in February 2022, soon we will involuntarily celebrate a 1-year anniversary.
After all, the Stellantis branch keeps in touch with the waiting customer. This is theoretically encouraging, even if the news is negative. While it shows, the C3 Aircross does exist. But in addition to the endless delivery time, there is another problem. The C3 is not delivered as ordered. Let's talk about current new car problems and rising prices.
An email from the Citroën dispatcher
According to various contact persons, the C3 is either in Bremerhaven or in Zeebrugge. The fact that it really exists is confirmed by an email from the dispatcher that I received in the first week of January. The content is not pleasing, the C3 will not come in the quantity ordered.
"I have received information that the Citroën C3 Aircross you ordered will be delivered without the City Package 2 option. We cannot fully retrofit this option."
"I would like to apologize to you for the inconvenience, due to the difficulties in obtaining the material, individual components cannot currently be produced for many models."
The C3 problem, as I call it today, is not necessarily unique to Stellantis. It applies to other brands as well. For the past few months, production has been done with what was available. In addition, option lists are streamlined everywhere and features are deleted. Then comes the year-end sprint for the electric car premium. Stellantis pulls vehicles from other countries and pushes them into the German market. The burners remain in the ports.
Lack of equipment entitles to termination
Now the traffic jam is cleared. What to do if equipment is missing? City package 1, on which package 2 is based, is probably also missing from the vehicle ordered. This means that comfort controls for the power windows, electrically folding mirrors and the reversing camera are not on board. The latter is certainly missing, perhaps the other options.
The lack of equipment allows the cancellation of the order, after which a grace period must first be set. A phone call with him dispatchers in Neu-Isenburg doesn't really get me any further. The contact person is friendly, he is easygoing, but he cannot change anything. Incidentally, he did not assemble the C3, which is why I wrap my disapproval diplomatically.
New car prices rising across the board
What to do? A dealer friend of mine advises setting a grace period and insisting on a contractual delivery. I'm considering terminating the contract and converting a Saab. However, that's just the theory.
The facts show an order that is almost a year old. A good price and a matching full service offer that you (probably) wouldn't get anymore at the moment. Then there is the knowledge that you are on the home stretch.
A look into the Online configurator confirms my guess. The Citroën C3 Aircross can no longer be configured like a year ago. The City Package 2 has obviously been canceled and prices have generally increased. The configurator calculates a price increase (list price) of more than €3.000. Adjusted for features, it would be even more, an increase of more than 10% within a year.
Do we have an alternative? We don't have any in mind that would appeal to us. I don't want a Chinese electric car, even if another distributor with exciting products is starting nearby. We wish us (for what may be our last combustion engine), we agree in the family, a Citroën. Perhaps out of reminiscence of the past, good experiences from the past and out of sympathy for the Doppelwinkel brand.
Probably also because we like European cars. Always!
What's next? Hard to say! I don't make the decision. I'm the one with the old Swedish cars, my wife is the one with the Citroën. She makes the decision.
With images from Citroën Communication
- Sequel follows -
Before the crisis, Toyota stocked up on chips.
The VW group probably not…..
You are probably right. Stellantis may not be the best home for the Citroën brand either, but the alternative would be not to have any new Citroën at all.
leaflet
A side effect of the articles related to the C3 order is that my Saab grows even more dear to me.
He's just there. When I need it, I get in and drive the car, even drive a Saab and don't miss anything. It has enough wheels, brakes, cylinders (4 each) and power. He wowed me when he was new. He doesn't do that anymore. We are an old married couple, the darned 7th year is long behind us, but we are no longer on cloud 7.
There's probably a song by a German bard (I'd rather cloud four with you). It somehow also fits well with the Swedish “Lagom”, which was the topic here on the occasion of Christmas wishes. At this point I am with my SC. It's consistent. We harmonize. The relationship is unexcited. The chrome glasses are no longer cool sunglasses - more like reading glasses. And yet my lady is still fashion-conscious and attractive, has just bought new shoes. 17″ original Saab, less than 6.000 km on the clock, not a single scratch in the paint, in the aluminum or in the four hub caps. Her shoe closet is full to the brim and I accept her quirks, her fetish, I'm glad she doesn't buy handbags. It's Lagom just the way it is.
I stay true to my ladies. The oldest Swede (Volvo) is even my vintage. When I drive her in the winter, she asks me if she wouldn't get me from A to B just as well without the seat heating as this young Saabiene did?
And somehow she's right. We need a lot more lagom...
The PSA Group has always only looked at the costs and mostly treated the employees badly.
Today there is the receipt under the new name Stellantis. Dependence on cheap suppliers!
Toyota, for example, shows how things are going better.
I would cancel the Citroën again….. however, if it is the woman’s dream car….then just keep waiting and take it as it is delivered!
I don't think the situation at Toyota will get any better. Friends of mine are going through an eternal drama with Skoda, my neighbor is waiting for his ID and will probably cancel because he no longer wants to be put off.
The drama is everywhere.
Our experience with Stellantis has been good so far. Sure, there's always room for improvement with some topics, but the bottom line was that everything was positive.
It will be okay. 1 year waiting time is tough, but it's not better anywhere else!
Do not give up!
…and discovered another “new topic” for the blog:
Let's talk openly and honestly about the current and basic waiting times for SAAB spare parts.
Could be exciting..., although everyone involved is certainly trying very hard.
I would cancel the ordered Citroen. Instead search function: similar model 5 years old used. Any color. Consistent.
I'm excited to see how the story develops...
LG
The development of Saab spare parts is currently not very encouraging. But I can't do anything about it. I get calls about this every day and I admire the workshops that get involved and improvise and somehow manage to make the customers happy. Hats off!
I don't make the Citroën decision. If it were about me, I would have preferred a completely different solution.
When ordering a Trabant, you didn't know what color and configuration you would get after 10 years...the main thing was that the Trabi would come 😉...unfortunately many current developments remind me of the end of the GDR.
oh man
In the last article on the subject, I was still in favor of definitely sticking to the order. It's no use getting in line again...
But now I don't know anymore. Too late and not ordered? I can only think of something between fatalism and cynicism. Here's the cynicism:
Buy a Leclerc (it also has a hydropneumatique) and do good with it...
Okay, of course that's nonsense. Just saying I'm completely at a loss.
In these difficult times, when everything is getting more expensive, especially the new cars, you are very happy if you have your (old) Saabs and can continue to use them and hopefully will be able to use them for a very long time. The condition is that the spare parts are still available and remain affordable. There are no price increases, price worries that the successor model is no longer affordable (at all).
Window regulators with comfort switching...I wouldn't miss that much as a Saab driver, because so far I've only had it in the convertible, the others just don't have it. The reversing camera could even be retrofitted in the Saab. Is something like that still that easy with a modern car from 2023? Can this be integrated at all?
What I don't understand about the so-called premium manufacturers is that in 2023 they will charge a few hundred euros extra for a dimming interior mirror. I find that almost cheeky. I had it retrofitted to my Diesel 9-3 a few years ago for less than 50€.
In any case, I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll get to the vehicle soon.
I ordered my Saab 9-5 NG sports suit in 2011 and am still waiting for the delivery. That's a year's waiting time at Citroën.
🙂 🙂 🙂
... I've seen a chic 9-5 NG SC in the "sales room" at "my" Saab dealer (even as a right-hand drive, I think).
So yours will definitely be delivered soon! 🙂 😉
PS:
I've been waiting for a disc for my 2022 Saab since around April 2011.
(in Q1/23 there should be a solution {hopefully!})
…. SAABista are apparently capable of suffering and also patient! 🙂