Citroen CX, because why not?
Discussion
Like many here I have been an obsessive petrol head for as long as I can remember and on several occasions since I began my driving career I have been without need or really funds to make car ownership a sensible proposition. I usually last around 3 months before I find myself absolutely glued to the classifieds and trying desperately to work the man maths. eBay is my downfall or saviour depending on your opinion (mine changes daily between the two), as all you simply need to do is type in a number and before you know it that small step commits you back into the world of car ownership. Perfect.
This method has its downfalls though, which is why upon purchasing a 1983 Opel Monza and driving it from Liverpool to Brighton (a collection story which perfectly catalogued everything one shouldn't do when buying a used car), I found myself realising that the seller's version of excellent condition was rather different to mine and that I prefer my Nan's apple crumble to the Monza's inner wheel-arch variety. It was sold just a week after purchase at a loss.
This perhaps should have stopped me at least for a while, but you've got to get back on the horse as they say (not sure it applies to cars, but I also don't care). So just two weeks later trawling the newly listed motors I find a car I've lusted after for ages, it's been on a day and already had 3 offers, I submit one for full asking price and a message promising to love and cherish it, before nervously biting my nails as it gains more offers for a day before mine is accepted.This time it has tax and ticket, but it's still a 35 year old Frenchie and it's in Glasgow.
Having heard of the Megabus sleeper running from London to Glasgow through the night and offering beds and a seat for £27 I banished the hell of a day time service from Edinburgh to London from my mind with the promise of something new and the slightly optimistic dream of combining a hotel with teleportation.
Human removals lorry is probably more accurate. You post yourself into a distastefully upholstered coffin and settle in for the 8 hour trip. As I can sleep anywhere I found myself well refreshed after the least stressful journey anywhere and in a wet and cold Glasgow at 7.15 on a Sunday. I highly recommend it if you're similarly unfussy.
Graeme the owner picks me up in his new XM and takes me to his parent's garage where the car is kept. It begins to snow, but I decide not to worry and spend a while chatting cars and drinking tea whilst Graeme attempts to give me the entire contents of the garage and I end up declining the trolley jack he wants to give me in case the rear tyres go (jacking points removed) as I feel like I'm robbing him. Eventually we set off and since the car is almost empty he puts £15 of petrol in the tank and then escorts me to get some LPG from a garage 15 miles away because the nearest one would be in the wrong direction for me. His XM in front as snow starts to settle:
I then proceed to drive all 450-ish miles home without incident (or breakdown cover, I just didn't get round to getting any) despite horrendous weather with snow covered motorway and very heavy rain being two of my less favoured weather types in which to get used to a new car. Driving the CX is something else entirely, the suspension is so floaty that the state of british roads no longer seems an issue, the power brakes require sensitivity I previously didn't realise I possessed (as well as the rather strange sensation of having absolutely no dive) and the lean when cornering is comical.
I was planning to move it on after a short while as part of my realisation that I have so little time yet so many car wants, but right now it's not going anywhere. Cosmetically it has its fair share of battle scars and parts for these early series 1 cars are hard to find or very expensive, but I hope to tidy it up as I go and just enjoy what is a fabulous car with so many quirks, charms and utterly beguiling details.
It's a 1977 2400 Pallas, which originally had a 3-speed c-matic semi-auto gearbox (Citroen really were way ahead of the curve before Peugeot stopped the fun), which was replaced with a 5 speed manual last year. It's not fast, but it' cruises beautifully at 80 leptons.
An enjoyable trip to Beaulieu for some photos of an old shed in front of another old shed:
The profile is just so right IMO:
Apologies for the rambling and iphone pics (I have a camera, I just forget it a lot)
This method has its downfalls though, which is why upon purchasing a 1983 Opel Monza and driving it from Liverpool to Brighton (a collection story which perfectly catalogued everything one shouldn't do when buying a used car), I found myself realising that the seller's version of excellent condition was rather different to mine and that I prefer my Nan's apple crumble to the Monza's inner wheel-arch variety. It was sold just a week after purchase at a loss.
This perhaps should have stopped me at least for a while, but you've got to get back on the horse as they say (not sure it applies to cars, but I also don't care). So just two weeks later trawling the newly listed motors I find a car I've lusted after for ages, it's been on a day and already had 3 offers, I submit one for full asking price and a message promising to love and cherish it, before nervously biting my nails as it gains more offers for a day before mine is accepted.This time it has tax and ticket, but it's still a 35 year old Frenchie and it's in Glasgow.
Having heard of the Megabus sleeper running from London to Glasgow through the night and offering beds and a seat for £27 I banished the hell of a day time service from Edinburgh to London from my mind with the promise of something new and the slightly optimistic dream of combining a hotel with teleportation.
Human removals lorry is probably more accurate. You post yourself into a distastefully upholstered coffin and settle in for the 8 hour trip. As I can sleep anywhere I found myself well refreshed after the least stressful journey anywhere and in a wet and cold Glasgow at 7.15 on a Sunday. I highly recommend it if you're similarly unfussy.
Graeme the owner picks me up in his new XM and takes me to his parent's garage where the car is kept. It begins to snow, but I decide not to worry and spend a while chatting cars and drinking tea whilst Graeme attempts to give me the entire contents of the garage and I end up declining the trolley jack he wants to give me in case the rear tyres go (jacking points removed) as I feel like I'm robbing him. Eventually we set off and since the car is almost empty he puts £15 of petrol in the tank and then escorts me to get some LPG from a garage 15 miles away because the nearest one would be in the wrong direction for me. His XM in front as snow starts to settle:
I then proceed to drive all 450-ish miles home without incident (or breakdown cover, I just didn't get round to getting any) despite horrendous weather with snow covered motorway and very heavy rain being two of my less favoured weather types in which to get used to a new car. Driving the CX is something else entirely, the suspension is so floaty that the state of british roads no longer seems an issue, the power brakes require sensitivity I previously didn't realise I possessed (as well as the rather strange sensation of having absolutely no dive) and the lean when cornering is comical.
I was planning to move it on after a short while as part of my realisation that I have so little time yet so many car wants, but right now it's not going anywhere. Cosmetically it has its fair share of battle scars and parts for these early series 1 cars are hard to find or very expensive, but I hope to tidy it up as I go and just enjoy what is a fabulous car with so many quirks, charms and utterly beguiling details.
It's a 1977 2400 Pallas, which originally had a 3-speed c-matic semi-auto gearbox (Citroen really were way ahead of the curve before Peugeot stopped the fun), which was replaced with a 5 speed manual last year. It's not fast, but it' cruises beautifully at 80 leptons.
An enjoyable trip to Beaulieu for some photos of an old shed in front of another old shed:
The profile is just so right IMO:
Apologies for the rambling and iphone pics (I have a camera, I just forget it a lot)
maxdb said:
Wow that's an excellent choice of car - any plans for it?
Europe hopefully.Otherwise I'll do bits and pieces and try and source more parts for a tidy up in the summer ( I have a one NOS wing, but I want the other side too). I'm also planning on integrating an iphone dock into the ash tray, which should work nicely. It's just such a nice car to drive that I plan on doing mainly that.
Ta for all the nice comments, I will get some proper pictures soon.
Fantastique 
Got myself a BX a couple of weeks ago, clearly not as desirable as the CX but shares some quriks - no diving under braking being the main one which having done the best part of 1000km I still can't quite get used to!
Lovely car, well done for having the balls to get one and good luck
Got myself a BX a couple of weeks ago, clearly not as desirable as the CX but shares some quriks - no diving under braking being the main one which having done the best part of 1000km I still can't quite get used to!
Lovely car, well done for having the balls to get one and good luck
edc said:
That's exactly the same colour as my dad's old one. It was his first own car and the first car I travelled in :-)
Bleu Regate, I have some touch up paint I'm going to attempt to apply when it gets above freezing.Rob81 said:
Graeme is the Citroen Car Club CX columnist. That car's history has been extensively documented over the years. I always wanted it for myself having owned a CX 2.5 auto in 2005. Good luck with the car and enjoy it. I'm jealous!
Indeed, I have all the paper history, but have read so much about the car online, I haven't really dipped into it. zedx19 said:
Awesome!!! More info/pics of the interior quirkyness needed!
I will get some pics soon, but some of my favourite features include the trigger-style door handles, the rear side window sun visors and the po-on headrest cushions. The most surprising thing is how much space there is, I can't imagine what a prestige must be like in the back.LeoZwalf said:
Fantastique
Got myself a BX a couple of weeks ago, clearly not as desirable as the CX but shares some quriks - no diving under braking being the main one which having done the best part of 1000km I still can't quite get used to!
Lovely car, well done for having the balls to get one and good luck
BXs are definitely still a interesting motor. I like the no-dive aspect and have learnt to trust them, it's the hand-brake I need to get used to: it requires a couple of clicks on the ratchet up from where you can pull it with the button depressed to actually stop the car from moving (I have new pads that might help that though).Got myself a BX a couple of weeks ago, clearly not as desirable as the CX but shares some quriks - no diving under braking being the main one which having done the best part of 1000km I still can't quite get used to!
Lovely car, well done for having the balls to get one and good luck
Glad there are others out there who share my love of the slightly off-beat, it splits opinion somewhat in the real world.
As I said, I am so jealous! I had a string of around 20 hydropneumatic Citroens (XM, Xantia, Xantia Activa, BX) but the CX was a completely unique and wonderful experience. If mine had been a manual, it'd have been the perfect car. I remember a stormy, windy cross country drive; it felt so sure footed and rode beautifully. Fantastic cars!
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