R9UKE's French Car Blog...

[KP]

£700 for a current c6?!? Is that working or a cat a/b?!?

The brakes are a bit snappy on the older cits, something the new ones always lack IMHO

[KP]

I hope so!! The best ones will be pre rfl increase, 3.0v6 petrol or 3.0 v6 hdi I would think or ones with tgv rear seats

[R9UKE]

A C6 owner has to wait quite a while for that return as well. Wonder what the electronics will be like at that age. Same with my Renaults I suppose

[KP]

50/50 on a good day then

[CitroJim]

I'm surprised the Xantia Activa and V6 never get mentioned in these so-called guides to future classics...

I'm even more shocked to see a Fraud Ka in there. Still I guess with how they dissolve they will get their place based on rarity...

It's all bollocks really as you just can't predict it. Old cars become classics due to processes none of us really understand. Explain the Morris Marina

I mean, when they were contemporary (and I remember them) who'd have ever thought something like the Fraud Escort MK1 would become a car that 40 years on people would pay silly amounts for...

Or for that matter, even the Morris Minor? It was a wretched old thing 40 years ago and remains so to this day in my eyes.

It's a funny old world...

[ragger]

It could be something to with what I have heard called the "40 year rule"; when folks (blokes?) have been driving for that long, they get all nostalgic for the cars they learned to drive in or that their parents had when they were nippers and dreaming of driving.

I did learn in a Mini and wouldn't countenance one now, nor have I ever owned one; my first car was a Minor and I have fond memories of it (for assorted reasons... ) but I don't want one now. But then I got my first Renault 4 (1966 vintage) and I had several more over the ensuing ten years or so, and would love another today.

Rob

[myglaren]

Like you, I learned in a Renault 8 and wouldn't want one (although the girlfriend had one for a while).
Had a Hillman Minx as first car and would avoid like the plague.
Renault 4 Disaster after that, loved it
3 Hillman Imps. Never again.
1 GS 1220 Club, Fantastic.
1 Renault 11 TXE Electronic. Insane. Not sure I would want another but highly entertaining especially when the voice synth 'woman' went on a rant
I Citroen Visa 11E, bought by mistake, thought it was an AX until I got it home Great car.
Volvo 265 GLE. Hmmmm.
Ford Fiesta. Far better than I had expected but never another one thankyouverymuch.
BX 1.9RD estate. Brilliant car. Wouldn't say no to another in good nick and a twenty year warranty.
Xantia 1.9 TD LX. Excellent and did thousands of miles before a milkman numpty reversed into it and wrote it off (did drive it for a year though.

Some may be classics, others not. All depends on the one with the cash I expect.

[CitroJim]

It could be something to with what I have heard called the "40 year rule"; when folks (blokes?) have been driving for that long, they get all nostalgic for the cars they learned to drive in or that their parents had when they were nippers and dreaming of driving.

Not me Rob, I learned in a Morris Marina I have about as much desire for one of those as a hole in the head... Bloody awful things. My dad had one for years until he saw the light and swapped it for a Renault 5...

I had a Mini for a short time as my first car and hold a little affection for them but not nearly so much as I have for the cars that followed it - a couple of Renault 4s. Wonderful cars that severed me really well in my late teenage years and early 20s. They are the only cars, with the exception of a Turbo Metro that stand out in my memories of all the cars I've had. Actually a Poxhall Viva does but for all the wrong reasons...

[Citroenmad]

Another nice update Luke. Your 206 looks very nice, thats a desirable spec level. Great cars too, I do sometimes miss the one I had.

You seem to be enjoying the Xantia then, I know how expensive they get to run! I used mine daily for a while and was never away from the petrol pumps £20 a day to go to uni and back

The brakes are a bit snappy on the older cits, something the new ones always lack IMHO

Yes, they are a superb feature. Do you know it yours still has the spring in the pedal Luke? My HDi has had it removed, I only have to blow on the pedal before it stands on its nose

[DHallworth]

Chris,

The spring is still in the pedal on Luke's.

David.

[R9UKE]

Cheers Chris. I'd forgotten what a great little car the 206 was. Mum got rid of hers three years ago and I hadn't been in one again since. Love the long dash which gives it a big car feel

Well I'm glad the spring hasn't been removed in the Xantia because its hard enough to get used to as it is! Not so bad when I've been driving it day to day but when I'm hopping in out of different cars all the time it's a guaranteed whiplash moment first time I brake haha. I do love the car though, especially now the rear height corrector has been cleaned and swathed in WD40 and copper grease and working well!

[CitroJim]

Excellent Luke I thought you might end up loving a Xantia V6

I find it depends on the car as to whether or not you want the spring. Both mine are springless and good because of it but I've tried it with other Xantias and they feel much better with the spring..

All I know is that if you do make the pedal springless it makes swapping between cars harder. I even find the XM brakes initially odd after a period in the Xantias...

[R9UKE]

I'll be leaving it in then!

Can't believe it took me so long to get one, Jim. Worth the wait though!

[CitroJim]

The main thing is Luke you got there in the end

[KP]

Here here Jim now we can work on the other thing he really needs to migrate to