RE: SOTW: Citroen CX Familiale
Discussion
My Dad had one of these and I remember it felt like getting into the Millenium Falcon. I loved the way it rose up on its suspension when you fired it up. Felt like it was going to take off. Also interesting to note that in the futuristic film "Children of Men" they used a thinly disguised one of these as a car from the future. Just shows how amazing the design was at the time.
300bhp/ton said:
NLB said:
OK, I have to take the MGJohn/BG/300bhp et al “defending the Montego turbo” role here....
Most of you who say these are awful have never owned or driven, or quite likely, even seen one. I owned one of these (actually the chrome bumper/drum speedo 2400 version – Y registration, so 1981/2-ish I suppose), bought for shed money in the mid-1990s (most people didn’t get them then, either) simply because I needed a large, cheap estate car to haul around bits of my boat. It served me very well, and lead me to own a CX25 GTi Turbo 2 a few years later (which was fabulous..), and planted sufficient love of odd French cars that I now own an Alpine GTA (which is utterly different in every way apart from odd-French-ness, but still great).
First, the indisputable facts about CX Safaris... The internal space is colossal – made my V70 feel like a Smart (OK, I am exaggerating a bit, but it is very spacious indeed); it is a fantastic load carrier: I used to put huge oak beams, cast-iron winches, etc., into the back of mine until it was virtually full (suspension lowered to aid loading of course), start it up, and with a slight hiss it would come up to normal height, and crucially, drive perfectly normally with a vast load on. Further, they are very comfortable indeed, with soft but well shaped seats, and a ride the quality of which you don’t get if you have not experienced it. Not for nothing did Rolls Royce adopt the Citroen Hydropneumatic system. Also indisputable is that they look, at least, different. I agree that the later plastic bumper ones are less elegant than the chrome bumper ones, and that the Safaris are not nearly as sleek as the saloons, but they can’t be accused of being just another box-shaped thing.
Then, it gets a bit more subjective. My 2400 needed a new air filter and plugs, I seem to recall, and heater blower didn’t work until my father spent half an hour fiddling with it. Otherwise, it ran faultlessly for 4 years at least (I forget exactly), hauling huge chunks of boat and a partially dismantled Moto Guzzi 1000SP motorbike among other things, doing lots of miles (my daily commute alone was 120 miles then...), and routinely cruising at (harrumph) mph. It was also genuinely enjoyable to drive – not in any way a “sporting” car, of course, but compared to most barges of its era (an early 1970s design remember), and even to lots of more recent big beasts, it was nimble, grippy, and had stupendous brakes. When one got used to the roll, the lack of steering feel, and adjusted to its ways, it could really be hustled. I loved it... I could go on for hours, but I will save further defence to responses to the inevitable onslaught.
Oh, and I even have £750. Eeek.
PS: The non-estate CXs, looked like hatches, but weren’t. All saloons.
PPS: None of my “unreliable” French cars have ever cost me nearly as much as one of my Volvos...
Good for you and a big thumbs up from me Most of you who say these are awful have never owned or driven, or quite likely, even seen one. I owned one of these (actually the chrome bumper/drum speedo 2400 version – Y registration, so 1981/2-ish I suppose), bought for shed money in the mid-1990s (most people didn’t get them then, either) simply because I needed a large, cheap estate car to haul around bits of my boat. It served me very well, and lead me to own a CX25 GTi Turbo 2 a few years later (which was fabulous..), and planted sufficient love of odd French cars that I now own an Alpine GTA (which is utterly different in every way apart from odd-French-ness, but still great).
First, the indisputable facts about CX Safaris... The internal space is colossal – made my V70 feel like a Smart (OK, I am exaggerating a bit, but it is very spacious indeed); it is a fantastic load carrier: I used to put huge oak beams, cast-iron winches, etc., into the back of mine until it was virtually full (suspension lowered to aid loading of course), start it up, and with a slight hiss it would come up to normal height, and crucially, drive perfectly normally with a vast load on. Further, they are very comfortable indeed, with soft but well shaped seats, and a ride the quality of which you don’t get if you have not experienced it. Not for nothing did Rolls Royce adopt the Citroen Hydropneumatic system. Also indisputable is that they look, at least, different. I agree that the later plastic bumper ones are less elegant than the chrome bumper ones, and that the Safaris are not nearly as sleek as the saloons, but they can’t be accused of being just another box-shaped thing.
Then, it gets a bit more subjective. My 2400 needed a new air filter and plugs, I seem to recall, and heater blower didn’t work until my father spent half an hour fiddling with it. Otherwise, it ran faultlessly for 4 years at least (I forget exactly), hauling huge chunks of boat and a partially dismantled Moto Guzzi 1000SP motorbike among other things, doing lots of miles (my daily commute alone was 120 miles then...), and routinely cruising at (harrumph) mph. It was also genuinely enjoyable to drive – not in any way a “sporting” car, of course, but compared to most barges of its era (an early 1970s design remember), and even to lots of more recent big beasts, it was nimble, grippy, and had stupendous brakes. When one got used to the roll, the lack of steering feel, and adjusted to its ways, it could really be hustled. I loved it... I could go on for hours, but I will save further defence to responses to the inevitable onslaught.
Oh, and I even have £750. Eeek.
PS: The non-estate CXs, looked like hatches, but weren’t. All saloons.
PPS: None of my “unreliable” French cars have ever cost me nearly as much as one of my Volvos...
and me!Bavarianbeauty said:
My Dad had one of these and I remember it felt like getting into the Millenium Falcon. I loved the way it rose up on its suspension when you fired it up. Felt like it was going to take off. Also interesting to note that in the futuristic film "Children of Men" they used a thinly disguised one of these as a car from the future. Just shows how amazing the design was at the time.
Must look that film up, was it the one where they are trying to escape in a Renault Avantime? Love the DS Hover Cab in Back to the Future 2.Found it.
Edited by croyde on Wednesday 3rd November 12:29
This SOTW is now for sale on ebay, It's only at £450 at the moment, that's a lot of car for the money, Funny write up as well.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...
Edited by dockertrigger on Tuesday 14th December 21:09
Eggman said:
The FSO Polonez is my benchmark too - a truly miserable driving experience. It's been a while, but istr the pedals appeared to pivot from a point somewhere above the midpoint of your shin which required you to lift your heel from the floor when operating them and the gearstick was somehow too far back in the car so it felt like you were reaching behind yourself for it.
I think it'll take some beating - I'd love to have a go in a Polish 'Tarpan 237' pickup though - they look truly horrifying:
Hi Guys, I'm new here and and couldn't resist making a comment here.I think it'll take some beating - I'd love to have a go in a Polish 'Tarpan 237' pickup though - they look truly horrifying:
I think I can safely count myself amongst the very few who have actualy owned a UK registered Tarpan 233. As far as I'm aware there may have been as many as six in the UK but only I ever confirmed two, the single cab one I owned, and a crew cab like the blue one last heard of somewhere near Hull.
I have to say it's one of the most fun vehicles I've owned. A real head turner (mostly for the wrong reasons!) and a sense of achievement every time you arrived at a destination without having lost any bits on the way. Utilitarian? yes, noisy? yes, slow? painfully so.
Polski 1500 petrol, 4speed Polski 'box, 4x2, top speed 60mph if you had the nerve to try it! Seriously low ratio back axle, complete with brass screwcup greasers on the half shaft bearings. Lights and electrics appered to be by Lada. Coils on the front, multi-pack leaf springs on the back and an amazingly smooth ride, off-road ability - nil.
I loved mine but the gearbox failed (normal Polski issue) and I couldn't replace it so it had to go. At least it was lhd so when you were stuck on the side of the road you were on the safe side to exit from, but if it did stop on you, and to be honest it didn't happen very often, you could fix almost anything on it with an adjustable, pliers and a screwdriver.
Go on, have a laugh at my expense!
It' was a shame that the only 'boxes available were 5speed which on the face of it would be good, but they were slightly longer so the prop would need modifying and the time, cost and faffing involved just wasn't worth it.
The story goes that the UK importers for FSO brought twelve of these contraptions into Sheerness about 1981 for evaluation, six went back on the same boat, two were definitely registered. The history of the others is unknown but they were rumoured to have all been in a scrap yard near Bloxwich. If they were, I never found them.
The story goes that the UK importers for FSO brought twelve of these contraptions into Sheerness about 1981 for evaluation, six went back on the same boat, two were definitely registered. The history of the others is unknown but they were rumoured to have all been in a scrap yard near Bloxwich. If they were, I never found them.
Cx epic shed of the week. I have never driven one and never been in one however I think they have a certain something about them. Like others have said in a few years time it will be worth considerably more. Someone buy it, save it, and love it. We can then all be happy that it and many other "great" cars have escaped the scrappage scheme.
Top SOTW
Tres bien.
Top SOTW
Tres bien.
Robin667 said:
Hi
Is the CX Still available for sale ?? I need a reliable car for a long journey did have one 5 years ago briefly which I had bought on eBay turned out to be completely rotten
When I say long journey I mean 2.500 so is the CX up to it honestly
Robin
It was a short while ago so you never know! Is the CX Still available for sale ?? I need a reliable car for a long journey did have one 5 years ago briefly which I had bought on eBay turned out to be completely rotten
When I say long journey I mean 2.500 so is the CX up to it honestly
Robin
it just so happens this car is still alive (just) and for sale
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-CX-25-Familiale...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-CX-25-Familiale...
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