Anyone have any knowledge of them, I know there are a few Citroen fans lurking about? Are they any good on a long run? I am thinking of a late 1.5, HJ seems to rate them.
The Elantra has gone, keen on another Charade but dont mind having something a bit different if it is as cheap to run.
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Cheap to run and simple enough to be fairy reliable, but I wouldn't want to have a crash in it !
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With your previous spine issues I'd be very wary of them - check seat support and steering wheel/pedal offset carefully.
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Going off the petrol ones I had years ago, they must be stunningly economical, but I changed to a VW polo from an AX GT because even I, as a responsibility free single bloke, recognised the fragility of the things
All the crash resistance of an old Huntley & Palmers biscuit tin
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In my first job we had one as a pool car. It was a 1.5D Spree! Lovely electric blue colour with a vibrant interior that only the French could get away with
Memories of it were that it was no ball of fire, but wind it up and it could pass a ton. Did feel a bit flakey in the build department, (did it have plastic panels?) but never gave a moments trouble in its very hard life with us.
No PAS so could be a bit of a pig to park. Odd really given it didnt weigh much, but it did have alloys
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My father in law had one years ago Stu. Fine for pottering about in but I once had occasion to borrow it for a 250 mile journey and that wasn't pleasant. Noisy, uncomfortable and didn't feel safe at speed. Very easy to lock the brakes in the wet. Felt very fragile on the open road. Nipping into and around town it was absolutely in its element.
In fairness to it though, it was noticeably better in every way than the Proton Compact he replaced it with.
He finally 'saw the light' and got himself a Fiesta which he's been delighted with, enjoys driving and which has given him 7 years of faultless service so far.
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An old dear living round the corner had a G reg petrol from new. 1989 I guess.
When she croaked about 10 yrs ago, her son put the house up for sale and included the car as a tempter !
The thing still lives round the corner and still looks to be in good nick. I remember once, she called round and said she couldn't get her garage door up more than a foot. I went round and ,with some effort, rolled under it to find the car bonnet raised obstructing the door. She must have been topping up the washers and been distracted.
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Most of the oil burners are the 1.5 iron block jobbies but, I had the 1.4 alloy block diesel which I bought specifically to take 'home' to Tenerife with me.
Great little car IMO, the alloy block diesel was as quiet as a petrol engine.
I used to tune a hell-of-a-lot of AX petrols back in the 80's and had a certain fondness for the GT's.
I always liked giving them the beans on the roadtest after I'd worked my magik on them.
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I remember driving one years ago. Clever cars which made the best of their light weight. Footwell a bit cramped and clutch pedal off-set. I don't know what the fuss about the build quality is? They seem fine to me (compared to my 2CV!).
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I went to look at one years ago. Looking round it, all was fine. Got in to test drive it and my head was against the sunroof - I'm six foot. That's why I've never had an AX.
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My local Cit/Pug specialist had one of the first AX's, an 86 D plate I think, as a loan car. Basic petrol model but did job OK in 'if it was a sandwich it would a brie baguette' style.
Early 1.4 TUD diesels were alloy block (possibly wet liner) and rapid succession by iron block 1.5 suggests they may be trouble. The 1.5 engine, like the XUD, was simple, reliable and tough as old boots. Bodywork in AX and its Pug stablemate the 106 was lightweight and probably offered, by today's standards, little crash protection but no worse than other eighties to nineties city cars.
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Lygonos - good point, hence I was asking about what they are like, esp to drive. Ive driven a 106 before, got on ok with it.
I know crash protection isnt great but I think most small cars arent much good, even the 4 star rating on the Charade was only as good as the type of accident you had in it, they all fold up if hit hard enough and I doubt the Elantra is all that good.
Interesting re the brakes, my main driving is country lanes and NSL roads, 15-20 miles so I would be unlikely to be making many long trips, the Matrix is good for that.
Seems worth a look if nothing else, the simplicity is very appealing.
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Nothing wrong with 'does what it says on the tin'. Everything beyond that is a value judgement.
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I've driven and serviced several over the years.
For me they were flimsy and either diesel engine felt it was rattling away in your lap. Suspension short travel and handling not that great with loads of understeer.
Much better cars about for the price... whatever the price is.
Anyway you've told us so often Stu you wouldn't have a Citroen/French car because you know they are unreliable.
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>>Much better cars about for the price... whatever the price is.
Anyway you've told us so often Stu you wouldn't have a Citroen/French car because you know they are unreliable.<<
Depends what you want the car to do I suppose. The best French cars are the ones that are simple and utilitarian, they tend to do them quite well.
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How come you got rid of the Elantra, issues or just fancy a change?
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Mainly fancied a change, plus financials have tightened and I need to get my fuel bills back to Charade levels, the Elantra is a nice car but it is somewhat extravagant for my tastes, although I have put 11k on it since August so it has done some work while ive had it.
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My AX was reliable enough, I drove it from London to Tenerife via Dover, ferry from Cadiz, then drove it back again alone going through Portugal to Santander/Plymouth.
The only time it gave me any gyp was when I decided to service it (never having touched a diesel before)
erm, I couldn't start the critter afterwards and had to call out a 'proper' mechanic, turns out I'd got air in the system when I changed the fuel filter, course, I know how to bleed the bleeding system now.
:o)
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1.4 diesels HG goes and pressurises the cooling system... when hot the top hose becomes rigid..
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This is a something for the weekend, I'm bored thread.
Don't like French cars but I'm considering buying the smallest, cheapest hatch they did at the time that's quarter of a century old. Can't wait for the sequel, small French cars are rubbish.
Unless it's done around 300,000 miles I'd expect it to be ever so slightly gunked up. 300,000 miles over quarter of a century in a Japanese hatch is pushing it, expecting it of an AX ? REALLY ?
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Assuming it is gunked up, is this terminal? I bought a gunked up Renault 21 ( the oil had the consistancy of marmite and the oil filter exploded ) and after a couple of oil flushes + a new filter it ran very well.
If I were to buy one I would run it to a local Citroen specialist and have them do the full monty on it, I think there is one in Northampton, Bromp will likely know the answer to that.
It is highly likely that I will end up with some japanese oddity but I am open to suggestions, I saw an AX locally and thought it was worth asking. I asked because there are a few Citroen fans on here who may have owned or driven one, seemed reasonable to ask tbh.
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Of course... and this isn't meant as a wind up... any fuel saving will be tiny compared to the losses from constant car swapping where they are purchased at dealers.
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>>Of course... and this isn't meant as a wind up... any fuel saving will be tiny compared to the losses from constant car swapping where they are purchased at dealers <<
Perhaps but a significant life event has changed priorities and the Elantra has gone now, I have the cash in my hand so it is a moot point at this stage. To be fair I would still have the Charade right now if that young lady hadnt bent it, I was really attached to it and if I can find one I may get another but they are not exactly on every street corner so I am casting my gaze a little wider.
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>> Assuming it is gunked up, is this terminal? I bought a gunked up Renault 21
>> ( the oil had the consistancy of marmite and the oil filter exploded ) and
>> after a couple of oil flushes + a new filter it ran very well.
>>
>> If I were to buy one I would run it to a local Citroen specialist
>> and have them do the full monty on it, I think there is one in
>> Northampton, Bromp will likely know the answer to that.
>>
Isn't that throwing good money after bad, the Citroën specialists hourly rate is probably more than you will have paid for a 25 year old runabout. How much would you pay for a 25 year old FIAT Panda? Would you spend a lot?
My wife drives a Citroën but I would not have one out of warranty.
>> It is highly likely that I will end up with some japanese oddity but I
>> am open to suggestions, I saw an AX locally and thought it was worth asking.
>> I asked because there are a few Citroen fans on here who may have owned
>> or driven one, seemed reasonable to ask tbh.
>>
Hopefully, if all goes well this will be a null and void thread. This time next year you'll be a millionaire, have a tax payer funded Toyota Prius to stick your Brompton in the boot of.
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>>Hopefully, if all goes well this will be a null and void thread. This time next year you'll be a millionaire, have a tax payer funded Toyota Prius to stick your Brompton in the boot of.<<
You appear to have mistaken me for a Lib Dem, not an easy mistake to make!
I would never be a millionaire.
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Sorry didn't mean to exclude you from the Times rich list...Squilionaire or Gazillionaire ? I guess a moat is a moat and it must be maintained. ;-)
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I dont think I would cope well with Parliament ( someone did suggest it and I told them they were a fruitcake for suggesting such nonsense ), I dont like anything too lavish at the best of times and being surrounded by that sort of lavishness would just tick me off, just seeing it on TV is more than enough thanks.
If I had my way Parliament would be where the real austerity starts, I dont think I would fit in very well!
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A decade of "I'm going to save ££ by buying a new car" threads.
Medal?
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>> If I were to buy one I would run it to a local Citroen specialist
>> and have them do the full monty on it, I think there is one in
>> Northampton, Bromp will likely know the answer to that.
There is such a specialist in Court Road, just off St Peter's Way. I've been going there for nigh on 20yrs and been very happy, they were gems at keeping the Xantia, and BX before, on the go. I've an issue ATM though with my 1.9 IDI Berlingo which came back from service with a starting problem - see thread in technical.
It's going back tomorrow for new heater plugs because although those installed check OK the trouble (rough starts improving when car or weather warm) is just SO glo-plugs. No point in looking for second opinion until they're eliminated.
He's not cheap either. Saving for me c/p franchise was his willingness to repair stuff rather than substitute parts and, while I worked in London, proximity to the station made drop of/pick up a cinch.
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Again, isn't this throwing good money after bad?
Better if you buy an AX run it and when it stops running ring the guy in Court Road. If he says it's toast bin it, you've only paid 25p for it in the first place and it's not worth the bother of driving it to the garage if it's a 25 year old 1.4/1.5 diesel with very thin metal or plastic parts.
It's going to cost more in MOTs if it passes first time than what you paid for it.
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>>It's going to cost more in MOTs if it passes first time than what you paid for it <<
It doesnt matter in the slightest what % of the purchase price is spent in ongoing running costs, it is always relatively high when buying cheap cars, even if they are reliable. The only question for me is will an AX be a constant stream of repairs or can finding a well cared for example result in a reasonable ownership experience.
I know from experience that if I find a well cared for Daihatsu that even if it is old, it will have plenty of life in it, I am not sure if an AX is of the same nature but I am open to being convinced. I havent heard anything that troubles me as yet, there are still plenty of AXs tottering about so they cant all be scrap.
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There's one in Swindon in AT at the moment, 35k miles apparently. 800 quid though. Seems a 'lot' for not a lot.
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Yeah saw that one, would need full history and some recent money spending on it to justify paying £800 for it. I may pop over and have a look though, I am planning a trip to Bristol to have a look at something else so could drop in on the way.
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It's quite interesting to me reading this thread.
Ask any of the older people here if they would have considered buying a 25 year old car in the mid-70's as a reliable daily runabout or a '60's car in the mid-80's. I remember 1 Ford Anglia (maroon with a white roof) in my whole childhood - growing up in the 70's and 80's. The only Ford Zephyr I saw was up on blocks with the bonnet up and the engine out.
What about any of the contemporary cars of the AX day ?
How many 2.3D Sierra's do you see ?
Not many MkIII Cavalier's come to think of it even though it went into the 90's.
"Tree barking wrong up the" I think for economical motoring.
A quick look on Autotrader, there are two in the whole of the UK, one private £450, one garage 19 years old £795 with 40k miles, "GOOD LITTLE RELIABLE RUNNER" how would they know ? Did it ever warm up ?
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>>"Tree barking wrong up the" I think for economical motoring.<<
OK, what tree would you bark up with say £1500 to do 15k a year with fuel cost not exceeding £1500 a year?
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>>Lambretta?<<
I dont like wearing those fancy scarfs, it would never work.
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All those mirrors to clean too.
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>> Lambretta?
>>
Not far off at 10p a mile. Honda C30 ?
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Must also be able to carry my valeting kit...
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>> Must also be able to carry my valeting kit...
You need a Berlingo not an AX!!!
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>> You need a Berlingo not an AX!!!
Not a bad shout Wolfie. I had also thought of the Picasso for the room factor. Cheap as cold chips now those.
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You'll not get anywhere near 15000 miles on £1500 in a Picasso.
SWMBO 1.6HDi EGS with stop start goes through the stuff at 37MPG. Only gets you 8720 miles/annum on ^Stu^'s budget*.
* Assuming £1.40/litre for diesel.
Last edited by: gmac on Sun 11 May 14 at 22:08
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Blimey, does she leave the handbrake on? That's terrible for a 1.6 diesel isn't it?
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1.6 tonne, seven seater, and drives like a nun. You want to see the fuel consumption when I take it on the Autobahn. Single figures, and I'm not talking l/100kms !!!
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I get 32-34mpg from a petrol automatic FRV without driving like a nun.
Sommat wrong with that banger surely.
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Easy 40 mpg from wife's 1.6 petrol Qashqai, and she's not at all religious.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Sun 11 May 14 at 22:22
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Only thing wrong with it is the brew of Euro Biodiesel going into it. Brussels has been meddling again, my S60 D3 is down to 34 MPG at the last fill up. Oil level also rose from 1/2 to 3/4.
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>> 1.6 tonne, seven seater, and drives like a nun. You want to see the fuel
>> consumption when I take it on the Autobahn. Single figures, and I'm not talking l/100kms
>> !!!
Jeez, I thought the E Hdi flappy paddle stop start was built for economy. I'm blaming Mrs B's leaden foot for inability to hit 50mpg on her 115PS 5 speed manual Berlingo.
I think the Picasso recommended above as being at chip prices was the original Xsara based version. Pre 2005 and with the 2.0 (1997cc) DW series HDi 90 they're a very nice drive and pretty tight on fuel too.
Drove an X reg one last week with 180k on it (loan car while my own 05 'lingo was in dock) and would have been quite happy with it as a sub £500 bangernomics venture. All the electrics were fine, except possibly cassette player, as were the carpets/seats. It pulled like a train and according to computer easily did 40mpg.
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>> Must also be able to carry my valeting kit...
>>
Buy a top box.
When riding a C30 it is mandatory you have an open face brain bucket so everyone can see the nutter coming.
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www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201405074013822
If you can't hustle 50mpg from one of these you're not trying.
And you can guarantee they've almost all been owned by OAPs.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Sun 11 May 14 at 22:17
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That is truly bogging !
You might be right though.
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Perodua is on my list, anything but a Kenari. I saw a lovely Kelisa with 22k on the clock go for just over a grand with a new ticket, didnt have my car sold at the time though or I would have been at it, they are stupid cheap and not bad to drive.
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>> I saw a lovely Kelisa
At the risk of sounding confrontational, no you didn't ;-)
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Automobile_de_Much_Cheapness-Perodua_Kelisa_GX_-_Flickr_-_mick_-_Lumix.jpg
Last edited by: Lygonos on Sun 11 May 14 at 22:56
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Here you are: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-Nissan-Almera-1-8-SE-/161289966303?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item258da192df
What you save on the purchase cost will pay for a hell of a lot of petrol.
Not too far away to have a gander.
I've a 1.5 petrol that often returns 40+ MPG and I think doggie had a 1.8, so he can probably vouch for their consumption.
Just make sure the timing chain don't rattle when it's cold!
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All these suggestions aren't helping. Stu you seem to go from new car to old to new and old. Considering you use the car for business you need the newest most affordable car you can find. Don't pigeon hole with Oriental stuff (even though I'm a Jap man), have an open mind. I worry about all this chopping and changing will affect those around you, after all the money got to come from somewhere. You seem to stress about cars - are you related to the Sheikha?? :)
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>>You seem to stress about cars be capable of rational thought yet act irrationally - are you related to the Sheikha??
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>> >>You seem to stress about cars be capable of rational thought yet act irrationally -
>> are you related to the Sheikha??
>>
I just hope he is not related to the guy who is proposed to run the economy under UKIP :)
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Don't criticise a man until you've walked in his moccasins for 6 months.
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>>> until you've walked in his moccasins for 6 months.
When you notice he's wearing them backwards it's hard to help.
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>> Don't criticise a man until you've walked in his moccasins for 6 months.
Why? So when you criticise him not only are you six months away, you've also got his moccasins?
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I'm orf for a walk in my Zamberlan's, Cc, all these n and c words + halal meat are doing me head in.
:}
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>>I worry about all this chopping and changing will affect those around you, after all the money got to come from somewhere. You seem to stress about cars - are you related to the Sheikha?? :) <<
My wife contends that me swapping cars about is preferable to swapping women.
I have an open mind, hence I asked about the Citroen, I hate the Saxo but the AX has some charm that appeals.
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>>swapping cars about is preferable to swapping women.
I wouldn't want to walk in your moccasins.
:}
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The AX had its merits back in around 1989, but in 2014..? You cannot be serious!
How about a C1/Aygo instead?
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>>How about a C1/Aygo instead?<<
Not cheap enough yet. I am on the trail of a Daihatsu with FSH atm, watch this space...
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There's a Discovery going cheap up in the Peak District. Might need a bit of T-Cut but otherwise...
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Mrs H had a 4-door AX 1.4 diesel years ago. In her hands it was reliable, noisy, economical (60-66mpg) and comfortable for 6'2" me but it didn't have a sunroof. Mrs H and 3 children and luggage used to go from Yorkshire to Wanstead in it from time to time without complaint. Changed the coolant when I got it. Handbrake cables cracked and went stiff & rusty so I replaced them. Had a worrying few days when I thought the drive shafts had gone but it was the original Michelin tyres disintegrating internally. I bought petrol AXs for the children when they could drive. My son's was written off when parked by a drunk Frontera driver; I wouldn't recommend having an accident in one. I don't have much experience of the competition but I'd have another one tomorrow; I enjoyed driving it. Who wouldn't when our other car was a Citroen Synergie?
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An AX when new was flimsy and would fold in a crash. Imagine xx years of rust in the sills. Any stiffness and crashability will be rusted away..
After all, if a 14 year old Disco is a write off when hitting a small stone, imagine an AX..
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All sorted, the draw of Osaka's finest kei cars was impossible to look past, wasnt rusty either.
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Sorry Stu, but would you mind giving those of us without the faintest idea what you're talking about a bit more of a clue please?
;-)
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Sorry darling, a 2001 Daihatsu Cuore, 48k, Full documented SH, newcambelt/tensioner, clutch in last month, service and 6 months tax. Same elderly couple owners all its life and they didnt scrimp on maintainance, the exhaust is less than a year old, it has even had its regular coolant changes.
Drove brilliantly, just like I remembered them.
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Only one Cuore I'd go near:
www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=25268.htm
660cc with forced induction @ 7500rpm is going to be a good bit more than 64bhp despite what Daihatsu stated.
Cheeky chappies getting round the KEI rules by understating the output.
I reckon to shift 800+kg of car and driver to 60 in 8.5 seconds would need closer to 100bhp, even with 4wd.
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You seem to like cars which are impossible to spell.
;-)
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The 1.0 Cuore has 54 bhp which is more than enough in a 720kg car, long gearing too.
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Do you find you get bigger tips if you turn up in a really crap car or something?
Just curious to know if there's some strategic thinking going on here?
;-)
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>>Do you find you get bigger tips if you turn up in a really crap car or something?
Just curious to know if there's some strategic thinking going on here?<<
Funny you should say that, they did when I had the Reliant! I get pretty good bonuses anyway from most of my customers, the common view is that I dont charge enough but I would rather that than they think I am charging too much.
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Try chewing on a straw and calling them 'Zur' while tugging your forelock. Gotta help.
;-)
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"Same elderly couple owners all its life "
Who would have guessed?
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"Same elderly couple owners all their life "
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I want a disgraceful car when I'm old. Well, disgraceful for an old person anyway. A Westfield perhaps even if I need a block and tackle to get in and out of it.
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I know of an old geezer who drives a Chrysler PT Cruiser.
Just saying.
:}
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>>I know of an old geezer who drives a Chrysler PT Cruiser.
Just saying.<<
See even I walked away from one of them, have to draw the line somewhere.
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>> See even I walked away from one of them, have to draw the line somewhere.
Foolishly maligned motor I think, roomy, practical, not bad looking. Nothing's perfect of course but driven gently it does 33mpg knocking about mostly short journeys, 37 or 8 on the road long distance. Quite decently refined too most of the time. Ours has nice grey leather and suede too.
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>>Ours has nice grey leather and suede too.
Sounds nice, nearly bought one meself like a phew years ago, roadtested it and quite liked it but, the ole woman would have soon pranged it, or some jealous bu&&er would have keyed it so, I bought an Almera :(
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An Almera!? Classy, very classy. :-)
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1.8 DOHC SE auto I'll have ye know, served me well for 4.5 years, boring though TBH.
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Dynamically, the downsides of the Cruiser are that its multi-link rear suspension rattles on our bumpy drive, and although nothing untoward happens the handling is a bit lumbering. Worst of all though is that although the thing will accelerate OK up to 100mph or so when asked, revving the engine over about 3,000 rpm on a heavy throttle brings out a quite loud and plaintive buzz like a fifties post office van driven by a postman late on his round. That's undignified and makes me want one of those small Mercedes saloons with no badges and a 6 litre V8.
That said, I still like the thing driven gently and that's how I usually drive it these days.
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Thoughts on AX diesels - Skip
