Citroen Drivers Anonymous.

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
Chlorate
Posts: 612
Joined: 25 Sep 2009, 00:55
Location: Wiltshire
My Cars:

Citroen Drivers Anonymous.

Post by Chlorate »

It seems whenever I tell anyone that I drive a Citroen their reply is almost exclusively:
"Eurgh, why would you want one of those?"
Even my little brother calls it a s**t :(

But the only reasons anyone can ever give me why Citroen are bad is:
"They're French, innit"
And "Plasticy and naff, all the electrics fail"

But my ZX has less nasty plastic bits in it than a lot of cars. And even my electric door mirror still works and it's only 5 years younger than me :D
(note: or at least it was working until that lorrey got in the way on the icy road)

And I know it's not exactly fast and it's not the prettiest car ever made. But it's comfortable, fun to drive, easy to fix and incredibly economic...and I like it :D

Seems to be so much of a stigma that goes with owning a French car nowdays. I even had a bit of an argument with someone who had just bought a Toyota Aygo, when I asked him why he didn't go with the cheaper C1 "because it's a Citroen" he replied.
:(
At least there's places like FCF where we can band together and keep them going.

What makes you lot drive French cars?

-Alex
Citroen Xantia Exclusive HDi

previously:
Citroen ZX Volcane - RIP
Peugeot 106 XN... stolen and destroyed by Kent Police :evil:
HDI
Posts: 1468
Joined: 22 Sep 2009, 15:46
Location: West Mids
My Cars:
x 7

Post by HDI »

The word is , stigma !!

Skoda were once the butt of all car jokes , not so funny now though !!

Almost all cars have their detractors , Clarkson loathes Cavaliers and Vectra's , Fords are routinely knocked , then there is Jap crap , Yank -ank , Lotus - lots of trouble usually serious (thats actually true though !!) , etc , etc. Even the German brands are heavily criticised !! A female friend of mine had a real lust for an Audi TT when they first came out and I said they're all style over function and not as reliable as you are brainwashed into thinking they are , she called me something derogatory and went ahead anyway. Six months later she wished she'd listened ! She had so much trouble with it and the dealers attitude was deplorable ! Even Audi UK were -ankers about it !!
Citroens are disliked due to ignorance of their "funny" suspension , but as u say , French cars are just lumped under the "cuz it's French banner"

I can say from experience of running Citroens as company cars that they were the most trouble free of all the cars we had over the years. Worst were Mercs !!
Now using '00 Xantia LX HDI, pov spec :(
My past Citroens :-
'00 Xantia SX HDI, now dead due to accident :(
'99 Xantia HDI 110 Exclusive, RIP :(
'97 Xantia TD SX
'96 Xantia TD LX
'96 ZX TD
'89 BX TD
'88 AX GT
'79 CX2400 Pallas (scrapped :( )
& a couple of Peugeots !
Chlorate
Posts: 612
Joined: 25 Sep 2009, 00:55
Location: Wiltshire
My Cars:

Post by Chlorate »

Seems to be a general rule that old Citroens (especially diesels) seem to be rather bulletproof.

What I like most about the TD engines is that you can theoretically take the battery and alternator out...and you could still start it. (Provided you had a long steep hill and disabled the stop solenoid...)

Bugger the stigma, I would hate to see my Citroen go.
Citroen Xantia Exclusive HDi

previously:
Citroen ZX Volcane - RIP
Peugeot 106 XN... stolen and destroyed by Kent Police :evil:
deian
Posts: 1729
Joined: 26 Feb 2006, 10:53
Location:
My Cars:

Post by deian »

When I had my black XM a few months back, I was called batman at work!

And now I have my black Xantia, I am called batman again!

I like citroen cos they are different, but above all they work, ask any other manufacturer to do different and they buy the idea from some someone else (like rolls royce did with the hydropneumatic suspension). So they hydractive system can fail, spheres go flat etc, but dampers also wear down, springs can break (as it did on my dads 51 plate mondeo the other day), other than that they are faultless car the citroens, I've had, bmw's, fords, a vauxhall, a nissan, a vw, a volvo, and none of them are as good all round as the citroens are.

Sod the others, we know the secret don't we!
HDI
Posts: 1468
Joined: 22 Sep 2009, 15:46
Location: West Mids
My Cars:
x 7

Post by HDI »

The stigma is a good thing , keeps the prices low :wink:
Now using '00 Xantia LX HDI, pov spec :(
My past Citroens :-
'00 Xantia SX HDI, now dead due to accident :(
'99 Xantia HDI 110 Exclusive, RIP :(
'97 Xantia TD SX
'96 Xantia TD LX
'96 ZX TD
'89 BX TD
'88 AX GT
'79 CX2400 Pallas (scrapped :( )
& a couple of Peugeots !
Sl4yer
Posts: 849
Joined: 12 Apr 2003, 04:29
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 2

Post by Sl4yer »

A woman at work was telling me how her 56 plate Toyota MR2 wouldn't start yesterday because the battery was dead, it having been stood over Christmas. I told her how the ZX started first time, despite the battery only just making it through last winter, having been stood over Christmas!

Must admit though, the green snow I've just cleared from where the Activa sits is a bit worrying... :?

People think of Citroens as being cheap and nasty, which is especially amusing when said person is a Peugeot fan.

James
Image
Now Citroenless for the first time in 20 years
2008 Mazda RX-8 231
2007 Honda CR-V Auto
User avatar
Featch
Posts: 77
Joined: 06 Mar 2009, 19:12
Location: Halesowen, West Midlands
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by Featch »

HDI wrote:The stigma is a good thing , keeps the prices low :wink:
Exactly. Long may it continue..... so I can afford a C6 ;)
Citroenless at the moment. CX or GS that is my dilemma!
2011 Volvo V70 D3
85 Mercedes 805d Campervan (Betsy))
Chlorate
Posts: 612
Joined: 25 Sep 2009, 00:55
Location: Wiltshire
My Cars:

Post by Chlorate »

Keeps my insurance down too. I think there's a £300 difference between my car and the Pug 306 Dturbo..
WHY?
I don't care :D
Citroen Xantia Exclusive HDi

previously:
Citroen ZX Volcane - RIP
Peugeot 106 XN... stolen and destroyed by Kent Police :evil:
Sid_the_Squid
Posts: 590
Joined: 21 Apr 2009, 15:35
Location: Hemel Hempstead (unfortunately)
My Cars:
x 2

Post by Sid_the_Squid »

Citroen suspension, can’t beat it :D and the old diesel engines are good too, coincidentally for me the xantias have been incredibly reliable, as well as being cheap, lot of luxury for not much outlay. I also like the Xantia interior, and the XM not that I’ve ever owned an XM, but from pictures you can see it looks sooo cool :)
Gone to the dark side.

Past Citroens
'99 Xantia HDi Exclusive
'99 Xantia 3.0 V6 Exclusive (Green Goblin)
'02 C5 Hdi 110 LX Estate
'98 Xantia 1.8 sx auto with LPG
'00 Xantia Hdi (110) forte
'97 Xantia 1.9D sx
'93 Xantia 1.9D lx (my first) R.I.P
User avatar
Featch
Posts: 77
Joined: 06 Mar 2009, 19:12
Location: Halesowen, West Midlands
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by Featch »

I bought my first ever Citroen in 1974, a 1972 GS Club Break, from a British Leyland dealer.
I don't remember just how little I paid but it was peanuts and the car was only 18 months old. The dealers parting words were; "You're welcome to it mate, we can't sell this foreign stuff" ..... On reflection, possibly the best car I ever had, it was a revelation, especially after a Maxi :(
Citroenless at the moment. CX or GS that is my dilemma!
2011 Volvo V70 D3
85 Mercedes 805d Campervan (Betsy))
deian
Posts: 1729
Joined: 26 Feb 2006, 10:53
Location:
My Cars:

Post by deian »

And now the only thing you can get is foreign stuff!

But the xantias are amazing value for money, especially the V6, it's quite a step up from the 1.9td's or the 1.8 lx's but for not much more,
jeremy
Posts: 3959
Joined: 20 Oct 2002, 16:00
Location: Hampshire, UK
My Cars:
x 2

Post by jeremy »

Someone said to me 'Why don't you get a new car on the scrappage scheme.'

My answer was that in the last 10 years we've purchased 3 Citroens for a total of £2450 and we still have 2 of them with full MOT's - so why would I be interested in paying the balance?

I'm very happy with 2 x ZX diesels - and even collected a Land Rover 2 litre short motor and a dismantled gearbox in my TD Aura Estate the other day! I can guarantee that was the fastest that engine had ever travelled!
jeremy
deian
Posts: 1729
Joined: 26 Feb 2006, 10:53
Location:
My Cars:

Post by deian »

There's that flaw with the scrapage scheme, yea so we get £2000 off the new car, usually that still means you need anther £4000+ to get a small car!

Pointless for me really.
Chlorate
Posts: 612
Joined: 25 Sep 2009, 00:55
Location: Wiltshire
My Cars:

Post by Chlorate »

I don't agree with the scrappage scheme...

Why on earth would I want to destroy a perfectly good car for £1000 off an £8000 new car?

Funnily enough I don't have £7000 to spend on a car that isn't going to be worth half as much next year that I can't service myself. :lol:
Citroen Xantia Exclusive HDi

previously:
Citroen ZX Volcane - RIP
Peugeot 106 XN... stolen and destroyed by Kent Police :evil:
deian
Posts: 1729
Joined: 26 Feb 2006, 10:53
Location:
My Cars:

Post by deian »

Oh and today... same idea with getting a new boiler.
Post Reply