picasso EGS queries when buying

The Minister of Finance and War has said she's thinking about "going automatic" in car terms. She loves her C3 Picasso, to the point where she insisted on another when her first one got written off.

She asked me about "an automatic Picasso". That means one with EGS, then? EGS in basic terms is a 6-speed manual with electronically-controlled clutch operation and gear shifting. Have I got that right?

In the real world how does driving with EGS compare to a "proper" automatic?

Are there any known reliability problems or regularly-occurring issues with EGS?

I may have other questions once we start looking seriously, but your answers to these will determine if we go ahead and start searching.

TBF, unless one comes up locally she'll stick with her current car as long as she can. I'll travel all over the country for what I think is the "right" car - she just wants the nearest one to home and to-hell-with the colour, spec. mileage, condition, and everything else that's important when buying a car. Currently on AutoTrader the nearest Picasso with EGS to us is 90 miles away - I haven't mentioned it to her yet as I doubt she would travel that far for it (I've known her baulk at 30 miles!).

Hi

If anyone said to me they wanted and automatic, an EGS or sensodrive would not be my first thoughts. The EGS and sensodrive are manual gearboxes with a clutch coupled to a robot that operates the gear selector and clutch solenoid.

While you get to the same result (self changing gears) you get there very differently.

Full PRDNL auto feels different to the robot boxes. It has clutch slip which you don't get with the robot controlled boxes

I don't know what prompted the request for auto. If it's based on previously driving a full auto then EGS won't feel the same but how important is that?

EGS and sensodrive have a clutch and these fail, very mechanical like a normal clutch and gearbox with extra electro mechanical actuators (the robot). They show a common fault of sport and snow symbols flashing.

EGS ups the game over sensodrive with a hydraulic system to control the robot gear changes. It adds another level of complication and points of failure.

The question is, "do Citroen make a full auto C3 Picasso on the years you are looking at?" I would really get the potential driver to fully test drive them (hill starts, motorway on ramp etc) before making a purchase.

C3CAR wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 3:36 pmwhat prompted the request for auto

She CBA for various physical reasons changing gear anymore. To be fair she has said several times over the last year that if it wasn't for her 90+ year-old parents she would have already given-up running her own car.

StuBeeDoo wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 5:20 pm

C3CAR wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 3:36 pmwhat prompted the request for auto

She CBA for various physical reasons changing gear anymore. To be fair she has said several times over the last year that if it wasn't for her 90+ year-old parents she would have already given-up running her own car.

Thanks.

Not a car nut then

I would recommend getting some test drives in them to get the feel. I guess all that will be possible after lockdown?