Citroenmads Citroen blog.

[Citroenmad]

Thanks Dave and Kev

Kev, did you get my e-mail?

I am now near Niort in a little hotel to see friends in the area, I have driven 750 miles so far, with a further 160 to drive tomorrow until we reach our house for the two weeks.

I do like driving in France, once you get used to the French way of driving and start to join in it becomes easier. Knowing that drivers will undertake in busy but fast traffic (80-90mph) and then cut in a gap which might be slightly longer than their car takes a bit of getting used to The drive down today was pretty easy, very quiet toll roads for most of the way, I just had the cruise set to 82mph (130kph) which made it very easy. My satnav also warns me of speed changes and cameras, which is quite handy. I wish UK motorways were as fast flowing.

I have seen 3 tidy Renault 4s, lots of Safrances, 3 early Xantias with chevrons on the bonnet, one Xantia badges just 16v (the MI16 engine?), a C6 with a caravan on tow, two deserted H-vans, 2 2Cvs, one forgotten about CX saloon and one CX Safari 25 DTR - which I stopped to look at and got a few pictures of. There are loads of C5s, they are everwhere, especially the C5III, loads of Peugeot 607s too.

Tomorrow should be an easier day as there is less driving. My C5 is going like a dream, 750 miles at 51.3MPG with plenty of use of the AC and fast crusing speeds, very enjoyable.

Kev, its a good place to visit, I have been coming here for years now. Its a different way of life over here and so makes a nice chilled out place for a holiday. Plus, if you like driving and French cars, it would appeal even more

[Citroening]

CX Safari 25 DTR - which I stopped to look at and got a few pictures of.

That's what I like to hear!

Enjoy your holiday!

[Dieselman]

Have you seen any XM scrap yards yet..those strut tops are a beckoning...

Have a good holiday Chris.

[Citroenmad]

I have not even seen one XM on the road yet! Still, my first day in France so there is plenty of time. XM Strut tops and Activa rams ...

Thanks

I have brought a forgotten about laptop with me, thinking ill never be able to get the Wi-Fi to work in the house, but its working in this hotel. Pretty good for staying in touch with people without being cut off in the usual rural French style

[bxzx16v]

Have a great holiday

Mark

[robert_e_smart]

No Xms is a shock, and no mention of BXs either. Are they endangered as well?

[ragger]

Have a great holiday , Chris.

Let your dad know that while the leak hasn't gone completely, it has improved by about 95% - result!

BTW there's more to France than scrappies!!

Rob

[davetherave]

In france i found that on the roads, xantia were like vermin, and only a very few xms sighted.
Dont think i saw any cxs actually running though.

My experience with french scrappies was not great, the ones i went to just couldnt be arsed, and the prices they wanted were similar to the cost of my car!

[Citroenmad]

Its been 32 degrees for most of the day here, just about right. Right, back to the cars ...

Xms are in short supply, though I have seen about 6 now, including one estate and only 2 off those were S2 cars.
BXs, I have seen a few of now, about 3-4 phase 1 models and 3-4 phase 2 models. I have also seen a phase 1 Sport BX today, and the remains of what was, two years ago, another Sport which was for sale at the time.
Xantias are popular, though almost all are basic specs with black bumpers even on the S2 Xantias. Today I saw a dark red (same colour as the current ebay car) MK1 Activa! It had twin exhausts so maybe a V6? Though it wasn't badged as a V6, just Activa. I took a good few pictures of that car.

Today we have just been pottering around locally as we spent the last 3 days in the car (900 miles to here), however I have made a good few car spots and revisited places I went before. One place looks to restore 2cvs, though most have sat for years, and another has a few DSs parked up. Expect pictures at some point.

Rob, that is very good news, hopefully it will continue to get better, it seems to have reduced the need for major repairs, which is what matters. Indeed there is a lot more to France than scrappies, in fact I have not seen one as yet. I do enjoy spotting the old Citroens/Renaults etc but its only ever when we are out and about visiting other places and the scenery is fantastic around here. I spotted a lovely early R5 today, in bright orange, it had not been on the road for a few years but it was a straight and rust free car, I want it!

[Citroenmad]

Well im back at home now after my two week holiday in France. Its somewhere I have been going to for years and somewhere I might eventually like to end up. Anyway, we had a good holiday, saw lots of fantastic places, met friends out there and generally had a relaxing time. The first week was really warm, 32-37 degrees, but the next was dull with a bit of rain but the sun eventually got out most days.

My C5 has gone without fault and has been a real pleasure to take. I have driven just short of 3000 miles in the two weeks with an average of 50.3MPG, so pretty impressive given the AC was never off, the drive down and back was sat at high speeds and lots of pottering about around the Dorgogne was done. The last time I went I took my first C5 and said I would not of wanted to do the trip in any other car and the same applies for this one.

There are still lots of older French cars in use and stood around, which is very nice to see and always something I enjoy seeing, especially the more rare ones.

Still its back to relality and work tomorrow and in a few more weeks I start back to uni. Im not looking forward to having hardly any time again once I start back, so it was nice to have a break away.

I have not driven the Activa since the National CCC event, I might wake it up this week for commuting to work and back or I might just leave it be. I'm not quite sure what im doing with it yet, as I don't want to use it through the winter I was planning on getting it MOT'd when its due next month, so its ready for the road as and when, and putting it on SORN at the end of this month, as its tax is due and I don't want to re-tax it just for it to sit around. Its rear ram is leaking, Jim very kindly sorted me out the bits I need to repair it and so its just a matter of getting it done. Mind, its a bit of a task! So I doubt it will pass its MOT with a leaking ram, so that will need doing before then. I hope otherwise it will pass, if not then depending on when I get time depends on when it sees the road again. Im in two minds with what to do with it at the moment, I'm sure after my first drive in it after 4 weeks it will bring me around again

With my uni commute starting again soon I have been thinking about getting something to run along side my C5 to share out the miles. The Activa will cost me a fortune doing 70 miles a day and I don't want to use it for that either. So I have my thinking cap on and eye out for a cheap something or other, possibly an auto (not sure about that yet) but most likley a diesel. It should at leats be of interest of me, the main criteria! I would like a diesel XM, maybe a S1, but we will see. I might end up with something or nothing

My French mile muncher:


Three wheeling!

[red_dwarfers]

Welcome back

Share out the miles? A likely excuse

[myglaren]

Welcome back Chris!

My son was in France at the same time as you. Car (306) performed beautifully until he dropped his friend off a mile from here and on re-starting it it wouldn't go into gear, then stalled when he did get it in.
Chewed up a baulk ring by the looks of it

[Citroenmad]

Thanks, I would say its nice to be back but im not sure it is

Share out the miles? A likely excuse

Hmm, good one though!

[Citroenmad]

I have been searching for a set of reasonable 16" C5 alloys in the 'Monza' style (these are fitted to C5I Exclusive SEs and were optional on Exclusive) for a while now, usually they are up for silly prices but I found a set at a good price. Two tyres are good, 6mm, one is at 3mm and the other on the markers. I got them for the C5I SX, as it has small looking 15" alloys and narrower tyres, it looks under wheeled. Not to mention its original wheels are bubbling and have flaking paint now. Not helped by the limited washes it gets so its front wheels are constantly under a black coating.

I test fitted one this evening as it being a 2.0 C5I it has a much tighter turning circle than the larger engined or later C5s. Though the wheels only scrub on the inner arch liner when on full lock and in the high suspension setting.

Its bumper graze has still not healed!


Which do you think looks better?

Has to be the 16" Monzas for me, but its my sisters car and hates the wheels since I test fitted them. Im a fan of the C5Is looks (rare I know!) and I think they suit those wheels perfectly. Had they not have had a bald tyre I would have just stuck them on, though now Ill need to decide what to do with them.

My C5II is not the right period for them, though I might well try them on mine to see what it looks like. I may well put winter tyres on those instead of the 16" steelies and trims I have to go on over the winter.

[XantiaDaveEire]

Has to be the new alloys ,they look a million miles better ,and more suited to the style of the car imo