Citroen BX TZD Turbo

[mafiltenborg]

Reading along and chuckling as I do.
"There's always time for another mistake" - right.
Anyways. Currently (years into the process) working on my last and likely final CX. Apart from my very first car (Mazda 323 rwd) it's been Citroën all the way. Started out with a couple of CX'es on to Xantia, Xara and finally a C4 GP.
Most fun was the CX-days. But these are no longer viable daily drivers, so I would say the Xantia is the closest to a proper and comfortable Citroën I'd go. The Xara and C4 are nice, but they're not Citroën level. For obvious reasons.
Alas, end of Citroën era for me. Wouldn't touch the modern 'toys' with a long pole.
In stead, I have risen to a higher level and got me a proper motorbike. Pre-catalyst and pre-electronics version, thus eliminating those sources of agony.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

When the XC70 family bus goes to the great car graveyard (this may take an awfully long time though because it wears its miles very lightly) I confess I have been casting glances at the C5 Aircross, which would be ideal for those 'pile it all in and drive to farawayshire' trips we do a few times a year.

 

[rmjbn1]

Oh yeah, completely forgot about the Xantia. My dad had an estate for a couple of years but I didn't take much interest in it.

Citroëns were becoming a little less 'weird', it was much easier to point and laugh at a CX or BX.

Still very clever cars though. I really wanted to try a Xantia Activa at the time. I found the potential of the hydraulic system fascinating, pity many projects were never realised.

I remember reading that they had an anti-roll version of the suspension ready in the sixties, but didn't release it as it gave no warning when tyre grip limit was reached!

The prototype version fitted to a 2CV would have been fun

Citroën hydraulics anti-roll suspension and other developments

www.citroenet.org.uk

 

[bugsymike]

Oh yeah, completely forgot about the Xantia. My dad had an estate for a couple of years but I didn't take much interest in it.

Citroëns were becoming a little less 'weird', it was much easier to point and laugh at a CX or BX.

Still very clever cars though. I really wanted to try a Xantia Activa at the time. I found the potential of the hydraulic system fascinating, pity most many projects were never realised.

I remember reading that they had an anti-roll version of the suspension ready in the sixties, but didn't release it as it gave no warning when tyre grip limit was reached!

The prototype version fitted to a 2CV would have been fun

Citroën hydraulics anti-roll suspension and other developments

www.citroenet.org.uk

In the Lhd Citroen 435cc Dyanne I had to regularly pull to the side of the road for the oldest daughter to throw up, mainly my fault not backing off for the bends due to trying to keep up the momentum, body roll was impressive.
Thinking back on it's 125x15 tyres it was the only car that got up some hills in the snow.

 

[rmjbn1]

That's how they're supposed to be driven! If it says 'SLOW' on the road, better put your foot down Glad to hear you were doing it properly!

Strangely, the opposite effect for me, 2CVs were about the only car I didn't get sick in as a nipper. Maybe due to the ride, but also even if the roof was closed, still plenty of fresh air coming in through the bodywork

 

[mafiltenborg]

Oh yeah, completely forgot about the Xantia. My dad had an estate for a couple of years but I didn't take much interest in it.

Then you've missed out on a great experience. Yes they are/were PSA-designs, but Citroen-DNA seems hard to eradicate, meaning they drive/drove magic-carpet-style. And; if ever there was a car you could chuck about like a gokart, the Xantia was it! Seems counterintuitive, but it was scary good at that. Mine was also an estate; IMO the by far most cohesive design. For unknown reasons Citroens tend to have weirdly shaped rear ends.

 

[bugsymike]

Then you've missed out on a great experience. Yes they are/were PSA-designs, but Citroen-DNA seems hard to eradicate, meaning they drive/drove magic-carpet-style. And; if ever there was a car you could chuck about like a gokart, the Xantia was it! Seems counterintuitive, but it was scary good at that. Mine was also an estate; IMO the by far most cohesive design. For unknown reasons Citroens tend to have weirdly shaped rear ends.

Most French cars ride well, we used to say it was to compensate for all the cobbled streets!
The one I liked best was the Peugeot 504 Family estate 7/8 seater it had twin rear coil springs very similar to the 504 Pick up and you often saw photos of them in Africa so quite robust.
I was even able to do a complete swap of running gear from the petrol automatic to a 5 speed manual diesel from a lower mileage pick up I had and the only different thing I had to do was make a return pipe to the fuel tank for the diesel side. Even the pedals were a straight swap, no modern car would be like that!