ACTIVA Owner didn't even look !

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KevMayer
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ACTIVA Owner didn't even look !

Post by KevMayer »

I went to LIDL today. As I drove into the carpark I spotted a green P reg Xantia. No badge on the back so I went past slowly and looked. It was another ACTIVA in my home town. How exciting.

I reversed and parked right next to it. I was in my blue ACTIVA.

When I came out of the store I was interested to see the owner of the green ACTIVA loading his boot with goodies.

I walked to mine. He didn't look up.

I opened my door. He didn't look.

I started my engine. He looked over and then just caried on.

I just thought, how can someone drive such a car and not be itching to talk to a fellow owner. I didn't bother saying anything.

I wound my window down and waited for him to start his engine. It sounded just like mine. And then he went. Obviously not an enthusiast !

Does he even realise what he's driving ?

Oh well.........
Cheers, Kev

02 plate C5 2.2 Hdi Exclusive SE (now 170k miles 03/21).

Used to have:- Xantia 1.9 TurboD SX. 1996 Blue & 1998 Silver Activa. + 1992 BX TZD Turbo.
RichG
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Re: ACTIVA Owner didn't even look !

Post by RichG »

KevMayer wrote: I just thought, how can someone drive such a car and not be itching to talk to a fellow owner. I didn't bother saying anything.
Why didn't you speak to him?
He may have been shy :wink:

Richard
1998 Xantia 1.9TD Estate (Sold - replaced with Skoda Octavia (sorry))
nick
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Post by nick »

I remember when I was a student noticing that one of my lecturers always had a set of Citroen keys on her desk, and mentioned to her that I'd just bought a BX.
She said "I've just got a new ZX but I hate it really and wish I'd kept the Cavalier I had before"
:shock:
I wish I hadn't bothered mentioning it !
Rostami
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Post by Rostami »

Nick,
Are you quite sure that it were her citroen you were interested in? :oops:
Xantia Activa 2.0 HDi (1999)
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nick
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Post by nick »

Rostami wrote:Nick,
Are you quite sure that it were her citroen you were interested in? :oops:
er.......well........

she then told me that her husband had bought the ZX for her, so I lost interest completely after that 8)
Rostami
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Post by Rostami »

Well, here were I live, most people mix up ACTIVA with Hydroactive....even some citroen guys don´t know the difference!!

Anyway, a girl in a citroen looks always sexier to me, husband or no husband! :twisted:
Xantia Activa 2.0 HDi (1999)
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Post by 406 V6 »

Rostami is very right on mixing up of the hydropneumatic systems from Citroën in Portugal, even car magazines do it, telling it's a pneumatic system, confusing HA with normal HP, etc.
I once passed a fellow C5, with an estate of the same series as mine (of the same 50 white C5 Estate batch that Citroën got as dealer cars), but while i looked happy to see another one just like mine, the other fellow didn't even bother.
People are a bit selfish, i think... or i'm one of those people the world doesn't breed anymore. :roll:
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Post by citronut »

you will all have to drive a dersh then as 99% of dersh owners wave at each other
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Post by bxbodger »

I suspect that although people on here, being enthusiasts, know about their suspension system, the vast majority of Xantia and C5 owners/drivers probably don't!! One of the features of later Xantias was anti-sink and they don't even sink when you switch them off,so unless you open the bonnet or are curious about the extra lever/buttons, you'd never know.

Millions of people drove around in BL cars in the 70's and 80's, and into the 90's, on Hydragas and probably didn't really notice its existence- I wonder how many Metro driving housewifes knew they were riding on nitrogen on the way to the shops??

We tend to forget that the vast majority of drivers arn't interested, and don't give a monkeys about whats under the bonnet!!! If I park the BX its generally ignored, even by other BX drivers- to them its just a car. I only get attention when I'm driving the Vitesse-and then probably because its raining and the hood's still down................ :roll:
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Post by Ciaran »

I know what you mean.... when I had my old XM, on the very infrequent occasion that I would pass another one (XM's are very rare here)... most times the other driver didn't even bat an eyelid... wheras I would crane my neck round to get a good look at the other car :)

Sadly, to most people they are 'just cars' to get them from A to B, and they care not about the whys and wherefores of how they work. I would hate to be like that.
It's bad for the cars too, as ignorance breeds neglect, especially where things like Citroen suspension is concerned. The amount of Xantias in particular I see being blisfully driven around, with ass or nose pointing skyward, or some other blatent hydraulic problem, is disturbing.

Even when driving a car as common as my Astra, I'm interested when I see other ones the same model and colour etc... its just something to do :)
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Post by Stempy »

I saw an old granny driving an Activa recently, looked in good nick too, so at least she was looking after it. She was just pulling into the shopping centre car park as I was going out so didn't get a chance to speak to her. A 150bhp shopping trolley can't be bad :roll:
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Post by Stewart(oily) »

Just lately BX drivers have started flashing lights and waving, they are obviously becoming a bit collectable/rare, the most waved at car I ever owned was a Reliant robin, those guys always waved, then again they have time :)
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Post by yangreen »

I was in my Audi barge the other day and one came the other way. The driver waved which REALLY confused me!

I'm used to it in the 2cv with fellow 2cv owners although it doesn't happen as much anymore sadly.

Subaru owners also wave at each other I've noticed...

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Post by fastandfurryous »

Series (split-screen for those who don't know) land-rover drivers have been doing this for years. Once, a friend of mine had someone coming the other way stand up ( roof off ) and give him a full salute!

Best reaction I've ever had was driving my 110" IIB Forward Control. Saw another coming the other way, and we both stopped, had a 10 minute conversation at the side of the road, exchanged phone numbers, and he's now a friend!
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Post by pie eater »

I'm forever looking at Xantia's, C5's, ZX's, BX's and anything interesting that's passing the other way - But I can't recall anyone in the same model Citroen EVER waving at me, or otherwise even acknowledging me. This includes my wife as well!

Mind you, I am actually very happy that hairy builders or bearded plasterers don't wave at me from their Xantia estates. That could get people talking!

However, since I bought the Eunos roadster last year, I have been surprised at the amount of flashed headlights, knods, waves etc that emanate from blurs of passing Mazda. My mrs can't stop giggling at times, and encourages me to give the Mazda wave back, of a flip of the headlights.

Now I can't make my mind up as to whether I am a sad anorak, or an "enthusiast" :oops:
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