Citroenmads Citroen blog.

[Citroenmad]

It sounds like you've had a busy weekend Chris , I bet you could quite easily spend a weekend on your fleet just cleaning/ tinkering , we've got four and that's enough at times .

Mark

Yes, I feel worn out Ill have to recover at work tomorrow

To be honest cleaning and tinkering could well be a full time job here, its never ending. The upkeep of 10 cars is too much at times, even things like regular oil and tyre pressure checks can take a couple of hours. Then there is parking them, remembering when they are due services, MOTs and road tax. Keeping them in running condition, doing any maintenence that crops up etc. We are very lucky to have them but its coming to a time when we have more than enough. Weekends should probably be more than just about keeping our Citroens fit and healthy

Which is why we plan on letting a few go before the year is out, three or four of them will be finding new homes, hopefully. I don't imagine that we will be down to 6-7 cars for a long period, but I don't fancy having 10 here again. At least it will give a slight break over winter and also the possibility for some new projects next year.

[ashy90]

It sounds like you've had a busy weekend Chris , I bet you could quite easily spend a weekend on your fleet just cleaning/ tinkering , we've got four and that's enough at times .

Mark

Yes, I feel worn out Ill have to recover at work tomorrow

To be honest cleaning and tinkering could well be a full time job here, its never ending. The upkeep of 10 cars is too much at times, even things like regular oil and tyre pressure checks can take a couple of hours. Then there is parking them, remembering when they are due services, MOTs and road tax. Keeping them in running condition, doing any maintenence that crops up etc. We are very lucky to have them but its coming to a time when we have more than enough. Weekends should probably be more than just about keeping our Citroëns fit and healthy

Which is why we plan on letting a few go before the year is out, three or four of them will be finding new homes, hopefully. I don't imagine that we will be down to 6-7 cars for a long period, but I don't fancy having 10 here again. At least it will give a slight break over winter and also the possibility for some new projects next year.

May I ask why on earth you have 10 cars?

Are they all Citroens? One Citroen Xantia was bad enough for me!

[Citroenmad]

May I ask why on earth you have 10 cars?

Are they all Citroëns? One Citroën Xantia was bad enough for me!

We are a family of four drivers, which makes things slightly better, though that is still 2.5 cars each Though really the question is, why not!?

What else could they be? Actually, we have never had so many Citroens before, we have had 10 cars a few times but often with a mixture of makes.

Currently the fleet is:

1955 Citroen Big 6H - Owned 31 years
1983 Citroen 2cv Beachcomber - Owned since November 2011
1994 Citroen XM S1 TCT Prestige - Owned since May 2012
1995 Citroen XM 2.1TD VSX Estate Manual - owned 3 years
1995 Citroen C15 6 wheel conversion - Owned since new
1998 Citroen Xantia Activa - Owned 18 months
2002 Citroen C5 HDi 110 SX - Owned 3.5 years
2005 Citroen C5 HDi 138 VTR Estate - Owned 3 years
2006 Citroen C5 HDi 138 VTR Hatch - Owned 18 months
2010 Citroen C1 Splash 5dr - Owned from new

Which, for our sins, are all on the road and usable. The 'C's are our daily drivers, the rest full in our spare time A good few people think we are traders, though its not like that, we usually keep cars a fair while.

As I say, we are planning on thinning them out, hopfully down to 6 or 7.

[red_dwarfers]

I'll be interested to see which ones do eventually go up on the market.

I get comments from neighbours about me changing my cars so much they can't keep up...I've bought a grand total of 3 cars in the last 4 years and sold 1 hmm.

If I were to make a note of which cars I think you might sell, encrypt it and email it to you then send you the password to open it once the cars are sold and guess right...would you buy me two Wispa bars? Just a slightly tipsy proposition of course

[Citroenmad]

I think one of them, if it does go on the market, will be a surprise but it might well be for sale at the ICCCR!

Sounds like a deal Kev It would be interesting to know which you think we might sell

My neighbours have given up knowing what cars we have, I still dont think they know how many we have, let alone what we have

Its probably not a good thing that I'm already looking about to see what might be next. Need to sell not buy, Ill have to keep reminding myself, its my fault we have 10 cars in the first place

[red_dwarfers]

Thing is, you're influenced a lot by your parents so if they have a lot of methods of transportation, you've got little hope from the word go. You went down the car route, sister went down the horse one

Ideal, I'll send you an email sometime before the ICCCR. You'd better start saving up, these Wispas aren't as cheap as they used to be (so I'm told)

[Citroenmad]

Well this is true, however I am responsible for finding 8 of the 10 cars It is my hobby and we all need one of those

My sister drove my XM Prestige today, I didn't think she would ever drive an XM but I think she quite liked it. She didn't say that of course

[andmcit]

It's now the world's worst kept secret that Paul is having the black Prestige, you've already
floated out the idea of the red Xm estate going so the remaining car can't really be the
Activa as you always rate it so highly here surely? That leaves the fleet of C5's which will
never be sold (although I can't see their appeal personally) so unless the C15, the Traction
or the Beachcomber go it doesn't look good for the Activa though you'd be down to one
car yourself Chris? Where's the fun in owning just a C5 after having a TCT Xm and Activa!!?

[Citroenmad]

yep, both XMs are on the list but the activa is definitely staying with me. I've no doubt that ill have another XM at some point. I'll miss the XM!

C5s are the daily hacks, so they are staying. At least for now but if I sold mine it would only get replaced by another daily hack.

The Traction will never be sold.

It is the beachcomber, it was only intended to be kept for a year or so.

The C15 is a possible, though only to the right person .. we are still undecided about that one.

[ashy90]

May I ask why on earth you have 10 cars?

Are they all Citroëns? One Citroën Xantia was bad enough for me!

We are a family of four drivers, which makes things slightly better, though that is still 2.5 cars each Though really the question is, why not!?

What else could they be? Actually, we have never had so many Citroëns before, we have had 10 cars a few times but often with a mixture of makes.

Currently the fleet is:

1955 Citroën Big 6H - Owned 31 years
1983 Citroën 2cv Beachcomber - Owned since November 2011
1994 Citroën XM S1 TCT Prestige - Owned since May 2012
1995 Citroën XM 2.1TD VSX Estate Manual - owned 3 years
1995 Citroën C15 6 wheel conversion - Owned since new
1998 Citroën Xantia Activa - Owned 18 months
2002 Citroën C5 HDi 110 SX - Owned 3.5 years
2005 Citroën C5 HDi 138 VTR Estate - Owned 3 years
2006 Citroën C5 HDi 138 VTR Hatch - Owned 18 months
2010 Citroën C1 Splash 5dr - Owned from new

Which, for our sins, are all on the road and usable. The 'C's are our daily drivers, the rest full in our spare time A good few people think we are traders, though its not like that, we usually keep cars a fair while.

As I say, we are planning on thinning them out, hopfully down to 6 or 7.

That is quite some list! I think if me or my dad got any more cars then my mother would leave! She can't stand having 5 cars in the household.

[Citroening]

Suprised that you're flogging on the 2CV Chris - seen the light? Joking aside I thought you'd hang onto that one given the praise you've given it...

Time to get a CX into that fleet Chris... Or a C4...

[Citroenmad]

Ashy90, we are a very understanding family Probably more like we have always had far too many cars!

Franklin, I do really like the 2cv and any trip anywhere in it is a real occasion/experience I still remain that a 2cv is one of the most fun cars to drive, especially if you like to stay legal! Anyone who I give a ride out in the 2cv can not stop laughing, its excellent! Though it was only a short termer and it'll only be in the way over winter, when we'll want the garage space back.

I wouldn't mind a CX actually, they have never really been my thing but its probably because I have had very little do with with them. I did like the TRS we had a few years back though and it would be pretty cool to have one now

C4s are very good value and nice cars but more of a daily car, perhaps if the eldest C5 moves out at some point.

[andmcit]

A Cx! That IS a surprise - certainly more than you announcing a car cull!
I do recall you saying the CX styling doesn't work for you Chris?
I do tend to remember who says things like that!

[Citroenmad]

The one thing a CX does is rust and I can not stand rust! Its very expensive to get rid of, very hard to get rid of and I can't do any of it myself (well, wouldn't want to). No, your right there Andrews, I apprciate its lines more now but I guess its before my time, I tend to be into cars from the 90s rather than the 80s.

This is no good though, the cull must leave us with less cars, not spaces for me to fill

I have have a list on the go, which is growning, of possible replacements for my Prestige. Though I can see me leaving that until next year, ill stick with the C5 and Activa for a bit.

So, anyone want a XM estate or 2cv?

[Citroenmad]

Both me and my dad had an excellent week down at the ICCCR. The turnout was huge, mostly foreign cars, which really made the event. To see the slightly different cars which we didn't get, to see different cars from the usual events and the traders which you just dont see here, fantastic.

We took the C15 and 6H down on Tuesday, on the way we were met with torrential rain, so had to clean the cars again once we were there. Still, after that the weather was great, Thursday and Friday were scorchers. Wednesday saw the cars move into the museum and be positioned into their set places. My dad was quite taken with having his Traction in quite a focal point, on one of the roundabouts ... the interior museum was set out like a small road network with a 'Keep Left' theme, very well done.

Those of you who saw our cars will have noticed some for sale signs on some of them. There were a few bites but no definites yet, I'll be advertising the 2cv and XM estate soon, probably with slightly revised pricing. My dad is still unsure about selling the C15, so I can see that staying now. Im keen for the 2cv to go and really the XM estate does not get enough use, someone else might as well get some enjoyment from it.

I took the XM estate as our run around to and from home, the hotel and the showground, its done over 550 miles and has been very impressive, its not often it gets such regular use. Together with driving the XM TD all week, talking XMs and seeing quite a few very nice examples I have concluded that XMs are without doubt one of my favourite Citroens. I have also found new interest in my Prestige too, it was my choice of car for my commute to work today, where I was drawing up a list of things which I would like to do with it before the CXM. I think Paul might need to hang on a little while longer before he gets his hands on it

During the week the XM, 2cv, C15 and Traction were all there for the duration. The C1 and Xantia also made the trip for a day each too. That is a fair few miles covered, nearing 1000 miles Ive driven this week. Not a patch on what most people have driven to get there, there were people from all over. I was speaking to someone from Italy with a very nice XM, another family was from Austrailia, people from far and wide.

So all in a great week