French to make decent car.

[Splatt]

After 50 years in the wilderness Citroen are to re-launch the best car the French ever made, the DS (Déesse). Now that could be something else re-engineered to modern technology.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/4448440/Citroen-to-relaunch-iconic-DS.html

 

[Jay Gee]

Very interesting,Splatt.They could do with re-engineering their electrics,but that suspension system is still pretty dam good.

 

[Craneboy]

Citreon

Hi,
I had a Xantia some years ago, wow, what a superb ride and wow what a bill went it kept going wrong. The suspension hydraulics came from the same holding tank as the brakes and steering and leaked out on several occasions. I must admit i do like the new C5 and older C6 which depreciates faster than a melting ice cube.

Tony

 

[Cnics]

I too ran a Xantia a few years back.

Never really had too much trouble with it to be honest for the most part, though the rack did start to leak a little. And the got worse. I was probably topping her up with LHM every 1000 miles or so, but then for NO reason other than me gaining another years NCD on the car which makes no sense, my insurance went up by 80% on it. So it sits on the yard SORN whilst other Citroen owners take bits off it, there isn't much left of it.

Great ride on the road though.

 

[Roy Newling]

In 1971 I bought a Citroen DS21, it was the best car I have ever owned.

 

[C180 Chris]

I had a 2cv way back in the dark mists of time that blew one of the two spark plugs out of the head and still limped home on one cylinder!
Not a bad little car ( if you can call it a car) But never felt the need to own a citroen again.

All the best,

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I bought a BX in 1989. Really good deal via a broker.

I immediately realised that there was a fluid leak after journeys, but not overnight.

I opened the bonnet after warming the engine and you can imagine my joy to find fluid dripping off the front left suspension sphere! - Brand new car.

Then I noticed a tiny jet of coolant from the rear of the radiator playing against the suspension sphere before dripping to the ground.

Good news, problem identified. Better news, coolant rather than suspension problem

I took it back to the dealer who looked very worried. "Can't you just replace the radiator"? I asked. "Oh yes", he said, "but there are 27 different radiators for the BX range, and I don't think I have this one in stock"!

So, in summary, wonderful design, poor execution, over engineering, enormous inventory. How did they make a profit?

 

[Splatt]

The really nice one was the Pallas !

.

So complicated that it was said that taking one to a garage was like going to your Butcher for some brain surgery.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

The really nice one was the Pallas !

.

So complicated that it was said that taking one to a garage was like going to your Butcher for some brain surgery.

An Aberdeenshire motor mechanic commented, having looked under the bonnet, that "with a few more pipes and tubes it could probably reproduce itself"!

 

[Jay Gee]

Just seen a picture of the new 'DS'. Very disappointed. I think it looks quite similar to a BMW Mini,obviously a well regarded car, but one that I have never warmed to for some reason,either internally or externally.

 

[Seeker_UK]

French cars seem to be on the ascent at the moment. The Peugeot 407, new Citroen C5, Renault Laguna Coupe - all pretty cars. Drive like dog-poo though....

But this beauty:

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/10/citroens-playstation-gt5-supercar.html

Different story