If you have one of these car models, you will probably have to sell it off to sell it on occasion. Buyers no longer want to, because of the many problems of its engine.
For years, the Peugeot 208 and 308, the Citroën C3 and C4, the DS3 or the Opel Corsa were among the most popular cars in France. Just look at the number of vehicles in circulation to be convinced. However, this popularity has recently collapsed, so much so that these models today become real puzzles for their owners, especially when it comes to reselling them on occasion.
The reason for this disenchantment? Their engine, the famous Puretech. When it was launched, in 2012, it appeared to be very attractive, being both compact, efficient and well suited to the ecological standards in force. This is the reason why it has been mounted on many models of the Stellantis group, which has popular marks how Peugeot, Citroën, Opel and Fiat, among others.
Only here, the Puretech engine, and in particular its 1.2 three -cylinder version, which is available in 110 and 130 horsepower versions, suffers from serious design defects, including a distribution belt that wears out prematurely in contact with engine oil. When this belt degrades, it can cause serious breakdowns, up to the engine. This failure has led to massive reminders by Stellantis.
This poorly born engine was also criticized for its overconsumption of oil and empty pump problems, directly impacting vehicle safety, in particular by reducing braking efficiency. More recently, a lack of manufacture of cooling nozzles has been identified, resulting in fire starts in the most serious cases. These problems tarnished the image of the engine, so that Stellantis has decided to remove the PureTech name from the brochures of its new models, in order to limit the damage
Despite Stellantis’ reminders and attempts to reassure consumers, PureTech 1.2 has a very bad reputation. Mistrust has won motorists and models equipped with this engine are experiencing impressive value reductions on the second -hand market. Most professional resellers refuse to take over these cars. And when they do it, it is at derisory prices. A PEUGEOT 208 of 2015, for example, can accuse up to 61% discount compared to its new price, against only 48% for a similar Volkswagen Polo. The Citroën C3 and Opel Corsa are not spared either, undergoing value falls reaching up to 65% for certain versions.
Faced with this situation, the current owners find themselves in a dead end: to sell their car at a very small price or continue to maintain it despite the risk of expensive breakdowns. Potential buyers are increasingly hesitating to take the risk of acquiring a vehicle equipped with this engine, despite the apparent good deals on classified ads.
For those who have a model equipped with the Puretech 1.2 engine, the advice is simple: scrupulously monitor the interviews and take into account the recall campaigns. If the sale becomes essential, it is often preferable to do so in networks where an extended warranty is offered, as is the case with certain Stellantis dealers, to avoid too heavy financial losses.