Rating The Citroens

Uhh . . . (scratches head) are we discussing XM issues here or wishes?

There's always one stickler for rules

It should be in another forum but don't let that stop you chiming in

Of course
Actually I don't give a . . . about the rules. But you should see how some other XM forum I know is moderated

I have driven a C4 yes, although it was the very top of the range coupe HDi 110. I really liked it, i did think it was a bit slow though. Ok its a normal car to drive but its one of the better mundane cars of today. I loved the steering wheel and all the functions in the middle, they are very reasonably priced and a very funky looking car, in coupe style.

You have had two Cxs? Did you buy another after your problem CX? I saw your listing for the white one? Looks a nicely cared for example, something you dont want to keep?

The ride gets close to a Seraph and an S-class? Well id say it should be better! Ok it wont handle as well but as far as absorbing the bumps goes very little beats the way a Cx floats along the road, and yes i have been in both cars you have mentioned, albeit the S-class was the earlier square type from the mid 90s, modelled on a breeze block (no idea what model that is!).

Oh, and I like your idea, a nice diesel would be on my wish list too, not sure about the S1 trims, don’t forget you will need new wheel bolts if you do find a set J

Didn't they do some Hydractive Xsaara's early on? Were they so bad noone wants one so far?
Might be handy for about town.

My first car was a Visa GT my dad passed on to me, I was quite attached to it really and it went quite nicely, but it had bad rear end damage and lived a couple of years longer than it should have really anyway, so it got scrapped soon after I got the first XM. Hookes law rather than Boyles law suspension though.

I think XM's will do me for now... wouldn't mind a nice manual Se and/or estate.

Xsaras never had hydropneumatic of any sort, as far as I know. The smallest car that did was the GS.

And no, I've never driven a C4. The only Citroens I've actually driven have been the BX, AX and XM I bought for myself, but none have disappointed. I'd expect the C4 to be a bit more conventional (well, perhaps not more than the AX), but the coupe looks pretty.

Hi

I'd probably agree with the original list. However a ZX 16v Volcane would be much higher up my list. With passive rear wheel steering and very sorted handling they werer probably one of the best handling Citroens ever. Also have you noticed how many old ZX there are still around. I think I'm right (never certain with Citroen) that this was the first car that they galvinised. You see some fairly pristine old ones around here.

Cheers

Tony

I believe the BX was galvanised too. For fun factor, the Volcane would be great, but it doesn't have the looks of the others.....

Hi Sam

You are probably right. Just after I wrote my comment I went out and an old boy in a H reg BX diesel drove past. He stopped and I had a good look - absolutely no surface rust - so probably galvinised.

Cheers

Tony

PS. Is the Pleuriel not on the bottom of the list or have I missed it?

Bx's will rust but to be fair they put up a reasonable fight to resist the ravages of the weather.

I've been out as a passenger (but not driven) in my sister's C4 saloon and it's just too damned
hard on it's suspension - why the hell do all the manufacturers seem to think we'd all love BMW
rigid suspension travel, especially considering the truly appalling state of our decayed road
network that tries to pretend it's not worse than a 3rd World banana republic.

Forget the Pluriel, for a laugh a minute that Citroen engined helicopter would be a bundle of
laughs...

If you're interested in unusual Citroens you really owe it to yourself to drive a GS. ASAP!!

If there was one car I deeply miss not having around the place as a daily driver, it's a 1220cc
GS, even when I can go out now and drive the amazing Activa, V6 engined Xm and Xantia
and even a CX GTi T2, the G's big brother. I have plenty, just need to get my ass into gear
and get one sorted and up on it's feet again - a particularly fancy using a LHD 1972 vintage
one with it's cyclops bathscale speedo and Peter Snow swingometer rev counter!!

OK, it'll likely be a bit rough in certain areas in comparison to cars now almost 40 years
it's junior, but it'll show them a clean pair of heels even from it's tiny air cooled flat 4 boxer
engine and be an absolute delight on the twisties; in many ways it out alfa's the Alfasud with
a good dose of flair, individualism and outright hardcore Citroen idiosyncrasies and fabled
quirkiness! These are now probably the biggest secret older generation Citroen today.

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on January 11, 2009 11:46 am

I had three GS's; a Pallas, a GSX and a GSA. The pick of the bunch was of course the later GSA but the engines in all of them were a delight, smooth, responsive and with no hassles from coolant leaks

They had only three letdowns: A propensity to rust (which is why you won't see many around now), the fuel consumption was heavier than expected (32-33mpg only), and if the exhaust manifold pipes rusted through, as they did, you had to lift the engine to change them.

Their centrepoint steering was a delight, the hydropneumatic suspension was improved even further by the reduction in unsprung weight through the inboard front brakes - and weren't the brakepads easy to change? No jacking up and removing roadwheels.

If Citroen produced a galvanised new GSA now with cast iron manifolds I'd be sorely tempted! As long as they didn't change the spaceship instrument panel.

Derek

Sadly all the Citroen-ness came to an end once they clambered into bed with the bores at Peugeot.

Surely the GSX was the pick of the bunch as it had the 1300 engine but I guess it was a
4 speeder!? Did it have those funky high back front seats; was it orange too?

Thing to remember mind, was the whole front end unbolted off to give unrivalled access to the
engine to change the belts etc and fix the cylinder head return O rings. Yes, to lift one side of
the engine to give the exhaust pipe access one bolt holding one of the two front engine mounts
was all you needed!

I learned all the early spannering on a G and now nothing phases me!! The inboard discs were
a great invention - the hub is truly tiny with two chunky ball joints!

Andrew

After developing the GS, SM and Cx Citroen were stretched to breaking point and then when
it all went pearshaped with the Suez crisis Citroen collapsed financially.

As I recall, poor old Citroen was ordered into bed at gunpoint by the French Government to
whore herself with an equally reluctant Peugeot but because all the bias was in Peugeot's
favour as the still solvent manufacturer they were the stronger partner.

At least Citroen existed long enough to make the Xm although of late they've almost become
a badge engineered Peugeot the way Ford did with Ghia.

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on January 10, 2009 06:34 pm