Snotter thread - 1997 Citroen AX 1.0 Spree

Snotter thread - 1997 Citroen AX 1.0 Spree

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Discussion

Toaster Pilot

Original Poster:

14,612 posts

157 months

Wednesday 5th June 2013
quotequote all
Just bought an old snotter for my girlfriend to learn to drive in / drive as her first car - a 1997 Citroen AX 1.0 Spree with about 118k on the clock.

Seems to be very sound mechanically apart from the fact the handbrake needs adjustment which I am hoping to tackle when my Haynes manual arrives. So far I've had to replace the washer pump (£19 but would've been cheaper if I'd bought one on eBay), fit a CD player because the factory radio wouldn't accept the code I had scribbled down (£5 for a CD player from a car boot and £9 for tools and adaptors to make it work from Halfords) and replace the number plates (£11) because the 16 year old dealer fit ones were badly faded and barely MOT legal. Driven a couple of hundred miles in it so far without fault - burns cleanly with no smoke and steering/brakes/etc are perfect if a blast from the past with no power assisted anything smile

Bodywork is dog-rough but it does appear to be solid enough.

Boatloads of history here with years worth of receipts for various repairs - a service in February and some MOT work in April totalling well over £200. I paid £300 with 12 months MOT!

Quick photo showing the difference something simple like changing the plates makes to the look:



More to follow along with some progress reports thumbup

Edited by Toaster Pilot on Wednesday 5th June 13:37

NadiR

1,071 posts

146 months

Wednesday 5th June 2013
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You've done well there mate, £300 with 12 months MOT on any car is a steal.

Toaster Pilot

Original Poster:

14,612 posts

157 months

Wednesday 5th June 2013
quotequote all
NadiR said:
You've done well there mate, £300 with 12 months MOT on any car is a steal.
yes - can't believe just how mechanically sound it seems to be - really need to sort the handbrake though!

Toaster Pilot

Original Poster:

14,612 posts

157 months

Wednesday 5th June 2013
quotequote all
Just repaired the broken front grill (light accident damage I think, pretty superficial) with some hot glue - cost £0 hehe

Garett

1,622 posts

191 months

Wednesday 5th June 2013
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I had an ax as my first car. It was a 1.1 and was quite nippy as it weighed about the same as a fun sized Mars bar. They are pretty robust if they are looked after, just watch out for drive shafts clicking - cheap to fix tho.
See my garage to get an idea of the abuse it sustained in my tenure. It was 10 years ago now and I was just 19!

New plates can transform a car, it's one of the first things I do to any of my cars if they are looking a bit scabby.

Edited by Garett on Wednesday 5th June 22:01

Rubin215

3,982 posts

155 months

Wednesday 5th June 2013
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I had an AX in about 2000, bought as a stop-gap after my previous car caught fire.

I haggled the price down from an advertised £2500 to £250 (seriously!) and ran it for a couple of years before selling it for £750.

In that time, it had a building collapse on it as I drove past, lost its front left wing on a bridge edge when it had a blowout and was resprayed three times after the insurance approved repairer made an absolute bks of the repair.

Horrible little car, but it did everything I needed it to do.

Toaster Pilot

Original Poster:

14,612 posts

157 months

Thursday 6th June 2013
quotequote all
Toaster Pilot said:
Just repaired the broken front grill (light accident damage I think, pretty superficial) with some hot glue - cost £0 hehe
Now considering the potential impact of sun + hot glue.... It's still holding but looking a bit melty hehe

Toaster Pilot

Original Poster:

14,612 posts

157 months

Monday 24th March 2014
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So... I sold this but have it back again (long story) and with the Audi in bits and the Kia needing a service it's going to be pressed into service again today!

Aparrently the brake lights are inop - I assume the switch needs changing scratchchin

Toaster Pilot

Original Poster:

14,612 posts

157 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
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Woah - it goes but it's not very well at all. Lots of whining/squealing when cold but not like a belt squeal - more like gearbox/thrust bearing.

Once it's warm it drives alright though!

kiethton

13,878 posts

179 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
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Toaster Pilot said:
Woah - it goes but it's not very well at all. Lots of whining/squealing when cold but not like a belt squeal - more like gearbox/thrust bearing.

Once it's warm it drives alright though!
For a cheap car that I didn't care too much for I'd just plod through it and bin when it breaks....

I am a harsh bd to cars sometimes though..

Toaster Pilot

Original Poster:

14,612 posts

157 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
It's in use for this week, if it still runs by the end of the week I'll sell it to someone for next to nothing or just bin it.

Spare tyre

9,436 posts

129 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
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Had a couple of these in 1.0 format, fairly good all rounder

Gave em tonnes of abuse and they kept on going

My mum had a j reg one for 7 years without a single problem, my sister then crashed it twice in as many weeks

Toaster Pilot

Original Poster:

14,612 posts

157 months

Wednesday 26th March 2014
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I might actually end up keeping this a bit longer - I've been offered workshop space about 20 miles from home and would need something that could get me to/from home if whatever car I'm working on needs to stay for a few days.

The whine from the transmission is comical, and I'll probably want to investigate it if I keep it longer!

BritishRacinGrin

24,599 posts

159 months

Wednesday 26th March 2014
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Checking the gearbox oil level is free smile

Toaster Pilot

Original Poster:

14,612 posts

157 months

Wednesday 26th March 2014
quotequote all
BritishRacinGrin said:
Checking the gearbox oil level is free smile
That's true hehe - anyone know how to do that on these?

Toaster Pilot

Original Poster:

14,612 posts

157 months

Sunday 30th March 2014
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Fitted a new front grill because the old one was knackered and the hot glue wasn't holding any more hehe

Spare tyre

9,436 posts

129 months

Monday 31st March 2014
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Toaster Pilot said:
That's true hehe - anyone know how to do that on these?
if its the same as my 106 gti which i checked, you open up the filler bolt (not breather) and when you cant put any more oil in its full

you'd have to do this on level ground

maybe have a look on a saxo forum to confirm / deny

Toaster Pilot

Original Poster:

14,612 posts

157 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Changed the gearbox oil, it's quietened down a bit but still squeals like a good 'un when cold - I assume the level was a bit low but the release bearing is also on it's way out. Has a leak near the gear linkage, not sure if it's a seal on the linkage itself or the drivers side driveshaft, need to investigate further.


Jimmy No Hands

5,007 posts

155 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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My mate ran a stripped out one of these for a while, it had no rear seats or carpets, for whatever reason.
I scribbled 'Superleggera' on the rear in permanent marker one afternoon. hehe

Kitchski

6,514 posts

230 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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It'll be the release bearing if it's squealing. They do it when people rest their foot on the clutch pedal over months of driving.