Used Citroen C6 review and buying guide (2005 to 2012): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Citroen C6 should you buy?

No year of Citroen C6 stands out as better or worse: it was sold from 2005 to 2012 as a single generation, and there are no known faults on record for it. That isn't a clean bill of health. It sold in small numbers here, so there's simply little on file, and the car you're looking at has to prove itself on its own paperwork.

Buy the one with a history of work done by people who know the car. Routine mechanical and electrical servicing is within reach of a Peugeot or Citroen specialist, but the hydraulics need a garage that knows the C6 in particular, so a car that's been looked after by one is the safer bet. Pass on one where the wishbone bushes have been left to wear, as they can go from just over 3 years old.

Which C6 engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

Nothing on record points to a C6 engine or gearbox to avoid, and nothing marks one out as proven either. There are no known faults and no service intervals on record for this model, so the lack of warnings is a gap in the data rather than a sign that every version's sound. Treat each engine and gearbox as an unknown and judge the one in front of you.

That puts the weight on the individual car's history. Ask for invoices covering every service, because routine mechanical work doesn't need a C6 specialist, so a gap in the stamps has no good excuse behind it. Where the paperwork thins out, the risk is yours to carry, since there's no record of faults to tell you what to listen for on this engine or that one.

What should you check when viewing a used C6?

The wishbone bushes come first, because they can wear once a C6 is just over 3 years old. Ask whether the wishbones have ever been renewed and want to see the invoice; if there's no record of it, get the bushes inspected before you agree a price. Worn bushes are cured by fitting a new pair of wishbones, so it's a job to know about up front.

Crouch down and look at the inner edges of all four tyres. One owner found the C6 scuffs its inner shoulders when it's driven with a speed cushion between the wheels, so the way over them is one wheel on the hump and the other on the road. Another owner found very few places could set up a C6's alignment properly, so ask when the geometry was last done.

Ask for receipts showing the hydraulic work went to a C6 specialist rather than a general garage. If the instrument displays go blank on the drive, press the Dark button before blaming the electrics: one owner found it shuts off everything except the speedo and the warning lights. It's also worth asking for proof that any recall work has been carried out.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Citroen C6 cost to run?