Dom's How To Lose Friends & Alienate People With Citroëns

[DOMW]

Well my name is Dom and I haven't used any LHM for 3 weeks now... Its a tough life, everywhere I look I see chevrons!

I'll start off with my cars:

The most famous of my cars is the Mouse Mobile, a 1975 CX 2000 in rouge soleil without the usual DIRAVI steering. It acquired its nickname from the condition of the car after years of storage:



It was uncovered by the Ruggs and after much badgering from me a deal was struck and the CX found a home in Gloucestershire. It needed a lot of work to get back on the road, but was not as rusty underneath as I had feared really. It passed an MOT test 2 days before the (then) CXM Rally and it made the journey there and back with ease. It even survived a test drive with a certain Irishman!







I’ve got 2 GSs a ’72 1220 Club estate and a ’79 1130 Special saloon. I realised I’d never been in a G before and so that was my reasoning for buying the first and I just couldn’t let the scrapman have the second. The second is for sale if anyone's interested......






The 2 newest editions our both CX GTi Turbo 2s. One black, one white.






Enough of those old Citroens, lets bring things (a little!) more up to date. My daily hack is a ’99 Xantia X 90hp HDi, with the added luxury of Forte seats! It may be a lowly X, but it’s done me proud and still strong at 208k if a little rough round the edges. She’s too busy to stop for photos, but I’ll get one when she stops to catch her breath!


And now for something completely different; a 1949 U23 tipper. It appeared in the right place, if maybe not the right time (is there ever?). I had a bit of drama with the crown wheel and pinion missing chunks here and there Although it was still driving I didn’t fancy having to arrange to have it picked up if it failed on me. Some e-mails to a very kind man in the motherland and one rear diff turned up at my door! All fixed now and its been taken to a couple of local steam rallies, but nothing too long distance yet – not the fastest commercial in the world! I managed to justify buying it when it was used to haul some tree remains, as illustrated below:




Stack ‘em high is my motto.
They are the key players, but theres plenty of other Citroens in the family from 5HP to XMs, but more of that later.

So if you need to lose friends, get neighbours and family members to stop talking to you, just send me a PM.

[Citroening]

Nice intro Dom - and great title too!

No LHM for 3 weeks?!!

[CitroJim]

Fantastic Dom I love the Citroen Ute, that is as cool as a polar bear's paws

I got through 5 litres of LHM on Saturday All the empty bottles are still sitting in my recycling bin for all the world to see.

[robert_e_smart]

The Mouse mobile is excellent. What a car!

[Citroenmad]

Excellent start to a blog Dom

Don't forget that unusual C15...

[DOMW]

Thanks for the comments guys.

I guess I tempted fate! The GSA Service van required a light top up of the green stuff today... Thankfully it was light!

Family stuff has got in the way lately, so not much change to speak of. The Xantia was treated to wash and polish and had some very noisy droplinks replaced! The radio is on the lowest volume I've had for quite a while.

The black CX has now had all of it's welding done though and is not far from MOT time. I changed the front carpets for the correct later type and took the opportunity to put some leather seats in. Its looking decidedly mean now! The Friesian style mirrors and faded rear bumper will be sorted in the next week or so. I'm hoping to put some miles on it first and then get the major bodywork sorted out. Its solid, but could do with a door, the bonnet has crazing and another door has 'pickled' up, seemingly through reaction and not rust.

Not forgotten the C15 Chris, just ones of those grey areas as to whether its my brother's or mine! Theres 2 Activas in there somewhere as well!

[red_dwarfers]

Good to see a blog, I guess I'm lucky to get away with just having two. I haven't lost any friends...yet

[CitroJim]

I haven't lost any friends...yet

Nor me but I can honestly say through Citroens I've gained hundreds

[DOMW]

Its been a while since my last confession and I have mixed emotions. My HDi Xantia has been sold after 7 years of faithful service to all the family.



But as they say one door closes and another opens. I've now been enjoying the use of an Activa and me likey a lot! Its an S1 in that lovely Mauritius Blue. I've been a passenger in a few (including Dean's beast!), but this is the first one I've been behind the wheel of. I'm really impressed at how it handles and I find myself making journeys that little bit longer. A really smooth car to drive. A contrast to the HDi, the clutch and gear changes are light and the car is very quiet in general. Fuel ecomony doesn't seem much different to the XM CT Turbo Auto I had though! My brother has been busy checking and charging all 10 spheres on his rig. While he was at it, the air-con was regassed and is once again nice and cold.


The black Turbo is now on the road and I've manged to get a few jobs done. The VIP cloth interior has been swapped for some leather and one mirror cap is nice and shiny! On another happy note, my dog approves of the carpets in a CX:



I've happily put a few hundred miles on the CX already, so I can safely say its worse on fuel than the Activa but just as special to drive!


On the GS front, my blue Special went in for it's MOT test and failed on both rear wheel bearings (which were advised last year, so no surprise really) and a leaky front exhaust pipe (well it is a GS!). After finally managing to source a pair of bearings, it is once again MOT'd and on the road. I've been less lucky with the white Estate, which decided to lose all drive and throw bits around in it's gearbox - to be investigated.

[CitroJim]

Pleased you are enjoying the Activa Dom A good 'un is really a lovely car to drive and not to be missed. An HDi is great for the day to day stuff but for pleasure an Activa is hard to beat.

I see you have excellent taste in dogs One day when I retire and have the time I'll be having a dog and it'll be a Springer Love 'em to bits. Their personality and mine are not too dis-similar...

[DickieG]

Dom is your Springer guarding the DS?

One day when I retire and have the time I'll be having a dog and it'll be a Springer Love 'em to bits. Their personality and mine are not too dis-similar...

I can see the likeness as Springers are always on the move and are as mad as a box of frogs,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[addo]

All I can think of when I see a dog like that, is "Wet dog smell"...

[DickieG]

All I can think of when I see a dog like that, is "Wet dog smell"...

Oi don't be nasty he looks lovely.

[CitroJim]

I can see the likeness as Springers are always on the move and are as mad as a box of frogs,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Absolutely right Richard, spot on!

Springers seem quite resistant to the wet-dog smell too. A bit like your Barney in that respect Richard...

[addo]

I can't see how they can resist smelling like a wet, long-haired dog when they get wet? Surely it comes down to owner grooming practices?