Citroenmads Citroen blog.

[R9UKE]

The Xantia Exclusive seats are just immense. One of my favourite qualities of the car, especially the adjustable side support - great feature for someone like me who struggles to fill a seat, the Xantia fits me like a glove. Trailblazer looks excellent, good move there.

[CitroJim]

You've got the same problem as me Luke S1 Xantia V6 seats are good and a close second to the best of all: S1 Activa leathers

Neither are quite as good as XM seats thought but you'll find there's room for two of you in them Luke

Another 'like' for the trailblazer Chris

[bxzx16v]

The activa is looking as good as ever Chris , the tailblazer does look the biz .

Mark

[ragger]

Neither are quite as good as XM seats thought but you'll find there's room for two of you in them Luke

Not being in possession of a narrow stern, I really can't fault the seats in the XM. Also, being a touch arthritic of back, I find the leccy adjustment invaluable on a long journey.

Rob

[CitroJim]

I can't fault them either Rob

[Citroenmad]

I do like XM seats but I have always found the cloth seats that bit more comfortable than the leather ones. Speaking of leather, I've just been giving my HDis seats a good feeding.

The 2cv went in for its MOT this week, which it sailed through without one advisory, excellent! This year marks its 30th Birthday, so its not doing badly. I've been using it a bit this week, mainly for darting around town, great fun! The other day I had someone come and say "your car is awesome!" As I'm driving round with the roof rolled back, I often hear people say "look at that car" etc. You don't get that with many cars!

The aerial on the Activa was getting pretty old and battered, which was giving very poor radio reception. In fact, the metal had snapped under the rubber coating. Xantias also have a very short aerial which never seem to get great reception around here. So I have swapped the Activas for a new genuine Citroen base and longer metal aerial. The radio reception is fantastic and unlike the original it can be unscrewed.



The C15 is now back in use after its winter layup, I say use but it never gets much of that! Hopefully this summer it wil be out and about more than it has been in previous years, I might bring it to the CCC Wetherby meeting.

As ever I'm always looking around for other cars I would like, I half fancy another XM. I have been finding myself missing my honest Rover 75 lately and nearly went to look at a superb MG ZT-T last week but didn't. I keep telling myself I don't need another car ... how long that will last I'm not sure!

[Hell Razor5543]

The Xantia standard aerial can be unscrewed PROVIDED it is greased ASAP. Gracies' was seized, and I managed to replace it with one that has the same base end, but is much longer. I vaselined the thread on the new one before fitting, and had no problems since.

[Citroenmad]

The one on my Activa was seized into the base, the rubber had become detacted from the metal inside and so it rotated but the fixing didn't. It was knackered. I shall keep the new one with a bit of grease on though

It lives under a car cover and so a removeable aerial is a huge advantage. I'm always wary of car covers as they can trap moisture and do more harm than good. However, find a decent one which breathes and it should be fine. Ive used this on for the past two winters now and much prefer it to leaving the car out in the elements. It has kept the paintwork looking good, there is no rain water collecting inside doors etc and moss, bird crap etc cant effect the paintwork either. It also keeps the car out of direct sunlight which is good for the plastics, interior, tyres etc. This one I have keeps the car bone dry even in the worst weathers and I've yet to find any condensation under it when removing. Very happy.

[CitroJim]

What car cover is that then Chris? I'd like to find a good one to cosset the Activa a bit come the winter...

Great news on the 2CV MOT MOT testers must love them, hardly anything to check and what there is to check is dead easy!

[Citroenmad]

What car cover is that then Chris? I'd like to find a good one to cosset the Activa a bit come the winter...

It's a generic cover which I got as a cheap try at covering it up but was surprised by the quality. Its quite a heavy waxy looking thing compared to the other two covers we have - which have recently appealed to some seagulls who have torn one of them to bits They have been put off this waxy like one. I've had it on the last two winters and its still in as new condition and still does the job nicely.

After some trawling I've found it, this is the one. I can't remember if its the L1 or L2 in size though. For what it is, im impressed with the quality. It doesn't leak, its heavy duty, the interior is lined in soft material and it doesnt seem to build condensation - no doubt as the wind blows through and under it. The only down side is there is no ties on the front and back, only through the middle. It does have elastic on the front and rear so it does fit pretty snug anyway.

I'd recommend that make. Having had far more expensive covers in the past, this seems good quality and for very little money.

[CitroJim]

That's excellent Chris, thanks. I've seen some adverts in Practical Classics and so on offering them for several hundreds of pounds..

On your recommendation I think I'll invest...

[Citroenmad]

That's excellent Chris, thanks. I've seen some adverts in Practical Classics and so on offering them for several hundreds of pounds..

On your recommendation I think I'll invest...

I've just bought another one from that brand but in the smallst size. I don't think its worth paying hundreds when there are these which do the job just as well. My Activa certainly has done well with it. Another bonus of a cover is the car is always clean when you want to use it, as it must be clean to be covered over.

I hope your happy with it

[Citroenmad]

Well I don;t feel as though I have stopped for the last few months! Certainly a busy period of my usual things and a fair amount of treking about the country too. In the last month or so Ive been to the Scottish Highlands, down to Southampton and a good few places inbetween! All in my tursty HDi Xantia, which has covered over 1000 miles in the last week alone.

I went to the Simply French day at Beulieu last weekend. I made a weekend of it and set off on Saturday, drove down to Brooklands to have a look around the museum, which is very good. I then went into Mercedes world to test out how their cars interior quality holds up to many visitors. Its not something I would usually look at, Mercedes but Mercedes World is pretty unique with its three level showroom, displaying new and also classic Mercedes. Its always packed with people looking, buying and driving on their test track. I have to say, a modern Mercedes certainly doesn't grab me, I'd have taken home a Smart instead



I then drove the rest of the way to Beaulieu, staying overnight ready to get there early in the morning. The turn out was pretty good, 3x Renault 15, Renault 20 and 30, Citroen Light 15, Hvan, a few Ds, Gs, 2cvs and a whole host of more modern things, Renault Clio V6s, Avantimes, Peugeot 607, a great mixture of cars.

I had been wanting to go to Beaulieu for ages and so took this as the perfect opportunity. They also have a topgear World show which has a lot of the cars that they have made or modified in their challeneges. Great to see them and the rest of the museum too. All in, a very good weekend.

My HDi Xantia did the trip with ease, 730 miles round trip in total comfort. I have to say, as much as I liked my C5 on a long distance run, the seats are pretty poor. I've done a good few 5 hour trips in the Xantia recently and have not felt the need to get out for a break as I might in the C5, the seats seem perfect for me.

Putting all of these miles on my cherished Xantia Exclusive is still not sitting well with me, despite me enjoying every mile I cover in it. So my on going search for a cheap to keep daily hack goes on. No idea what that will be still, something ordinary I don't care too much about for my commute probably, keeping the Xantia for my longer journeys.

I went down to the Northern CCC meeting at Wetherby this weekend, yesterday I was in the HDi and had to battle some pretty decent floods!



Today I took the Activa and didn't encounter one bit of rain, just lots of nice sun, so much so that im now pretty red and sunburnt




I also took along the Sinclair, I wasn't sure if I would get it out at first but I did. It did have lots of test drives by many people It went along in the ideal tansporter ...

I have used the C15 a few times myself this week, after it sailed through its MOT again. Its definitely going to have to hav emore use this year than last.

A great weekend this has been, thanks to all who gave me a ride out/drive of their cars. Driving a 1960s 2cv with traffic clutch was an experience!

[DHallworth]

Was great to catch up Chris.

Thanks for the run in the C5! I've already been on eBay looking for one... Not sure what I'd use it for though! The run in your Activa was good too We'll need to meet up one day in the borders or something and take both of them for a blast!

David.

[Citroenmad]

No problem, you were one of many who took it for a test run I've no idea what I'm going to do with it yet either, I might try and brave some local roads on a quite day

An Activa tour around the Scottish borders sounds like something we will have to do! Will have to plan something over the summer