Citroën SA: We're staying!

This is the description of the media involved in the media container above.

As many Citroën owners have been noticing over the past couple of weeks, some of this French marque's dealerships have been closing, leading to concerns that the brand could be leaving to South Africa. However, this is not the case.

Starting early next year, Citroën will essentially "relaunch" itself in South Africa with a brand-new dealer network - often twinned with Peugeot, but with each of these PSA brands retaining their own personalities. According to Citroën South Africa's managing director, Frédéric Chapuis, the new company will be called Peugeot-Citroën South Africa. Citroen's new slogan "Créative technologie", debuts with its new badge, and essentially an all-new product line-up.

Current owners who have concerns about service/maintenance plans and service centres during this switch-over process are encouraged to phone the company's new Helpline at 0860 211 112 or e-mail customer@citroën.com. Chapuis acknowledges that Citroën needs to change customers' perceptions about not only Citroën, but French cars in general. The focus, he says, will be centre heavily on customer satisfaction and service.

The new dealer network kicks off early in 2010 with 10 outlets, but this will grow to at least 16 by year-end. South Africa will be one of the first countries in the world to have an all-new dealer network operating under the new corporate look.

In terms of product fans of the marque also have lots to look forward to, with the launch of the quirky C3 Picasso scheduled for January, along with a facelift to the C1 city car. Coming soon after is the C4 facelift in February, the all-new C3 in March and the DS3 in May.

The new upmarket DS line-up will grow in the coming years, too, with the DS4 scheduled for 2011 and the DS5 in 2012 - DS5 could introduced Citroën's hybrid technology in South Africa. The C5 saloon, of which a few examples sneaked onto local dealership floors in the past year, will be properly launched early next year, too.

Comments

Possibly one of the most underatted brands in SA, if it wasn't for maintanance concerns I'd buy one but honestly due to the resale value and parts concern no thank you. To make it all worse the salepeople in the dealership and headoffice for that matter simply do not know how to market the brand. The C5 is one of the most comfortable 'executive' sedans in its class with one of the best suspensions, do they market that? I rest my case, as far as I'm concerns they might as well pack up and go!

Posted by: Salatiso

Great admirer of their cars- would love to buy the new C5 but these marketing guys from citroen are idiots! Here you have a company in a compettive market with no real brand presence, a poor reputation for sales, service and customer care. Please citroen- leave now for heaven sake because you simply cannot fool the motoring public anymore. I only wish you take a serious look at yourselves and do justice to the great cars that you sell. Really hope that you change - I would probably be your first customer!!

Posted by: jeff yengopal

Citroen must rather focus on changing their cars quality and after sales service than slogans and badge, I drove a C4 coupe from new, had numerous problems, expensive parts, horrible resale value, no one wants a Citroen as a trade in, luckily I sold it privately just before warranty expired. Just look at all the complaints on Hellopeter site.... Nope, never again will I purchase a Citroen, rather keep to the established SA brands.

Posted by: Anonymous

"Chapuis acknowledges that Citroën needs to change customers' perceptions about not only Citroën, but French cars in general. The focus, he says, will be centre heavily on customer satisfaction and service." Well, that had better include a Parts distribution program that guarantees delivery to any dealer within 48 hrs and PROPER After Sales support. It takes years - sometimes a decade or more - to build a good reputation, so you'd best start now - don't wait for 2010! Once Citroen SA gets real with Parts and After Sales support and word spreads, resale values will firm. Then I'll start looking at their (very appealing) products again.

Posted by: Merlin77

You would think that Citroen would have learbt from Reanault. Now they take away the franchise from AMH who has arguably one of the best logistics setups in the Country and they want to go it alone? They will end up exactly the same way Renault did. Flat on their faces.

Posted by: Phelan

I drive Peugeot 308 and a Citroen C1 and i think both cars are excellent French models. I think what is required is an acknowledgement that they are operating in a competitive market and need to up their service levels and ensure that their car parts are readily available and cost effective.

Posted by: Alfred M

I'm impressed with how Renault has managed to work itself out of the dwang in the past year or so. Hope Citroen can do the same, because the new models look great.

Posted by: Anonymous

Anyone know how the pricing of the DS3's gonna be like? It looks pretty cute and unique. I would like to have one as soon as it lands on our shores, hoping the pricing would be more competitive.

Posted by: Alfred M

I bought my first citroen about a year and a half back. I have not experienced any problems with after-sale service of any kind and doubt that I will in future! Can't wait for the new citroen launches and new dealerships! Definitely looking to buy a second car from citroen again!!!!!!!

Posted by: Albert L

Own a 2006 C3 HDi, lovely car and never had a problem until starter motor and ECU packed up in the same week. R20'000 quoted for spares alone, that is 25% of my purchase price plus the dealership experience was pathetic and unhelpfull to say the least. Bye Bye citroen, as soon as my car is fixed i'm selling it, taking the financial loss and buying local again.

Posted by: A Wilson

Great cars, but a real pity the dealerships have no clue about after sales service. The mechanics (technicians?) are dodgy at best. And what about those parts/spares prices, not to mention how long it takes to get stock? My 407 has been "engineered to be a drain on my wallet because of bad service.

Posted by: Lenny Appadoo

MY CAR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT - CITROEN C4 ON 02JANUARY2010. IT WAS ALL SORTED OUT FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES ON 27 JAN 2010 - TAKEN TO PANEL BEATERS ON 28 JAN 2010 AND TODAY I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE PARTS SO THAT THE CAR CAN BE FIXED. CITROEN MC CARTHY EAST RAND BOKSBURG SEEMS TO HAVE NO PARTS MANAGER AND BETWEEN THE PANEL BEATER AND CITROEN SOMEONE IS NOT DOING THEIR JOB!!! I HAVE HAD TO PHONE CITROEN TODAY TO TRY AND SORT OUT WHEN A HEAD LIGHT FOR A CITROEM C 4 WILL BE IN STOCK - NOW MIRACLOUSLY THEY HAVE FOUND ONE IN WOODMEAD - ALL IN ALL THE HANDLI NG OF THIS REPAIR JOB IS DISGUSTING AND PERSONALLY SHOCKING. I HAVE JUST BOUGHT A CITROEN C 3 FOR MY SON AND WISH THAT I HAD NEVER DONE THIS IF THIS IS THE SERVICE YOU GET FROM CITROEN. TWO WEEKS HAVE GONE BY AND STILL NO RESULT OR DEFINITE ANSWER IF CITROEN HAS A RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT!!!!! HOPING THAT YOU WILL IMPROVE ON YOUR SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE NEW IMAGES JUST GET YOUR WORKSHOPS UP AND RUNNING WITH A BIT OF COMPETENCE.

Posted by: PAT SIMS

Contrary to what I have read above, this is the beginning of the end for French marques in South Africa. I had a Renault and got rid of it as quickly as possible due to HUGE service expense escalations. Bought my wife a C2 which has 40000km and surprise surprise no service history at all. The "new" PCSA operation does not stand a chance of survival if they want to start with a clean slate as indicated by the Boksburg operation. For starters R900 for wiper blades and R1200 for a battery. Here we go !!!

Posted by: Rod Parker