Citroen C4 Planetary Gears

A full gearbox rebuild covering the planetary sets, clutch packs and seals runs R18,700 to R45,000 at a transmission specialist. A used replacement gearbox through Pro Citroen Spares is frequently cheaper and comes with a warranty. Which is right depends on the car's value and how long you plan to keep it — we will quote both rather than push one.

A high-pitched whine that changes note with each ratio change is the characteristic sound, sometimes with a squeak or crunch at the shift itself on the automated-manual boxes. A harsh bang engaging drive from neutral points at the same damage. Catching it early genuinely matters here: debris circulating through the valve body turns a gearset problem into a whole-gearbox problem.

A specialist transmission shop can split the unit, fit new planetary sets and rebuild the clutch packs — it is real, skilled work rather than a swap. The arithmetic usually favours a used complete gearbox on these cars, both on price and on downtime, since a rebuild ties the car up for a week or more. Get quotes for both and ask how many of your gearbox the rebuilder has done.

Bare sets are rarely sold on their own, because specialists order them inside a rebuild kit with the seals, bearings and friction plates that have to be replaced at the same time. Expect R3,700 to R8,000 for the parts alone, with the labour to fit them being the larger figure by some margin. Send the gearbox code — it is stamped on the casing — for an accurate quote.

Pro Citroen Spares can source planetary sets and complete used automatic gearboxes for the C2, C3, Xsara and C3 Aircross, and specialist transmission shops are the other route. Send the gearbox identification rather than the model year — the same car was built with more than one automatic over its life, and the internals are not interchangeable between them.