WWYR: French Wagons ed.

"My citroen won't start" (lucasboechat)
10/08/2014 at 19:34 • Filed to: None

This is between two powerful french estates from PSA, which is best?

The 1990 Citroen XM V6, full with hydra suspension and 177hp

The 1989 Peugeot 505 SW8 Turbo with 158hp.

(No you can't have the dog)

So Oppo, take your pick.

DISCUSSION (19)

jkm7680 > My citroen won't start
10/08/2014 at 19:37

505 just because.

Hahayoustupidludditeshutupandgohandcrankyourmodeltalready > My citroen won't start
10/08/2014 at 19:43

XM. Hydraulic suspension, cooler.

ranwhenparked > My citroen won't start
10/08/2014 at 20:00

The XM, because classic Citroen weirdness for the sake of weird. Also, that magic carpet ride (although the 505 is no slouch there either, and those seats are amazing).

My citroen won't start > ranwhenparked
10/08/2014 at 20:17

Also my choice.

My citroen won't start > jkm7680
10/08/2014 at 20:18

why?

My citroen won't start > Hahayoustupidludditeshutupandgohandcrankyourmodeltalready
10/08/2014 at 20:18

I fully agree.

Noah - Now with more boost. > My citroen won't start
10/08/2014 at 20:40

the XM's interior really does it for me. I'm disgusting I know...

My citroen won't start > Noah - Now with more boost.
10/08/2014 at 20:44

I love that interior.

jkm7680 > My citroen won't start
10/08/2014 at 20:44

The suspension on that Citroen does not sound appealing at all. My wallet jumped up and slapped me for it.

My citroen won't start > jkm7680
10/08/2014 at 20:46

But but, the ride, that thing doesn't ride, it wafts.

jkm7680 > My citroen won't start
10/08/2014 at 20:50

It'll waft for about 1,000 miles and then all suspension God hell will break loose.

twochevrons > My citroen won't start
10/08/2014 at 20:59

Tough call, but my Citroën allegiance wins out. Love that XM.

And, for those who think that the hydraulic system is scary: I've owned one and worked on several other similarly equipped Citroëns. There really isn't anything there that's beyond the abilities or finances of the average DIYer, and on the whole, it's remarkably reliable when treated right.

My citroen won't start > twochevrons
10/08/2014 at 21:00

Tell that to jkm, the XMs were great cars (despite some electrical little faults), and those front seats are incredible.

twochevrons > My citroen won't start
10/08/2014 at 21:29

I've never been in an XM, but I used to have a Xantia, and my parents owned several BXs (and still do!), and the seats in both models were excellent (with a slight edge to the BX). I miss being able to waft over bumpy roads without feeling anything. I had the opportunity to drive a DS a little while ago – the front seat was so soft that you'd sink into it, and incredibly comfortable. Now I want one even more!

A favourite 'party trick' of mine was to take the Xantia down a gravel road at high speed. Mine didn't have Hydractive, but even so, it was amazingly grippy on bad surfaces, without sacrificing comfort.

My citroen won't start > twochevrons
10/08/2014 at 21:32

My parent's also owned a Xantia, a V6 in silver. The C5 has so many party tricks, I love taking people for a ride for the first time and watching their reaction when the front lowers at traffic stops, that and the turning lights.

twochevrons > My citroen won't start
10/08/2014 at 21:53

Kinja'd!!!

Mine was a 2.0 in burgundy, with a manual transmission and a fairly high trim level. I miss that car like crazy – it was in great condition, and I planned on keeping it for a long time, but I ended up moving to the USA (I'm from New Zealand), so it had to go. My parents have a pair of BXs – a regular BX19, and a 16v GTI (which is an absolute monster), and they used to have a Xantia station wagon as well.

I didn't realise that the C5 had the turning lights! I loved the little details like how it would lower the front under braking, and I really miss the ultra-sensitive brakes. Mine was an extremely early Xantia (1993), so it would still 'sink' after you switched the engine off (they added valves to prevent it after the first year of production). The feeling of having it rise up when you started the engine never got old, and was a great conversation piece.

I still want to own a Citroën again – DSes, SMs, and the odd CX show up on the market here, and I did once see an XM for sale, but they're always rare and expensive. Still, it's something to aspire to, and if I ever move to somewhere where they are more plentiful, I know what I'll be getting ;)

I like what you said in that other thread about acknowledging that Citroëns have flaws, but liking them anyway. That's exactly how I feel, too – they're quirky, and in doing things differently, they get some things things very right (unbeatable ride quality), and other things very wrong (the engine bay of the 16v BX in particular, is an absolute nightmare, and I hear that the V6s aren't exactly easy to work on, either). They're definitely the cars for me, though – I haven't managed to find something that I like quite as much as I did my Xantia.

My citroen won't start > twochevrons
10/08/2014 at 22:08

The problem with owning Citroens is that almost all other cars seem boring, I miss the weirdness when not around the C4 or C5. I really wanted the C5 to sink and rise when turned on/off, it would look really cool!

My family has always owned Citroens too, I grew up in a Evasion Turbo, my dad had a Xsara Estate, Xantia , 2gen C5 and when they lived in France a tiny and cute AX in white. My first car was ZX Dakar, 168hp, incredible little car, I miss it a lot.

Of all the cars I've owned, the C5 is my favorite.

stuttgartobsessed > My citroen won't start
10/09/2014 at 01:31

GAAAAAAH I want both so bad but I'd have to take the Citroen over the Pug simply for the weirdness factor and the suspension (love those one spoke steering wheels!) Although I wish it were a CX, SM, or DS (DUH). Though I lust after a 505 turbo. or a 404 convertible...

twochevrons > My citroen won't start
10/09/2014 at 09:33

I feel exactly the same way. My enthusiasm about them isn't so much that Citroëns are inherently superior, it's more just that they're so much more interesting than the majority of cars! The sinking feature did, of course, have its downsides – if you let the front lip overlap a kerb or something, it would get crushed as the car sank down, and it could take a remarkably long time (at least a minute) for the suspension to pump up if it was cold out. Still, if you were aware of its quirks, it was awesome.

Sounds like your family are more die-hard Citroën fans than mine! We caught the Citroën bug when my Dad found the BXs for sale, and bought them on a whim – Mum and I both bought our Xantias very quickly after that! They've kept the BXs, but not long after I left NZ, they sold the Xantia wagon, too, and got an Alfa 156 wagon – that's a fantastic car in its own right, so I can't complain too much there! It's funny, though, my parents really wish that they'd bought my Xantia from me when I left. It was in better condition than the other one, and although it wasn't a wagon, that hatchback form factor made it almost as useful as one.