Had a GTI T2 for a couple of years. These cars need specialist maintenance, but they are an absolute orgasm on wheels to drive. I have NEVER posted such short cross country point-to-point times as I managed in my T2, even in cars with double the horsepower and ferocious reputations.
Everything is laid out to encourage you to move your hands and feet in a slow, ballet-like dance - long throw gearchange, slow soft clutch, instantaneous travel-less brake pedal. If you jump about like a mexican bean then you will suffer, and so will your passengers - but if you get into moving that huge, razor-sharp wheel in slow arcs, as you wave the gearstick gently to and fro, you will discover that everyone else is a mile behind you and sweating to keep up!
Almost all the rules for driving modern cars don't apply to the CX. The engine isn't even overhead cam, and doesn't like high revs, but the torque is so insanely high that it barely matters. There are several things that put the Escort driver right off, not least the DIRAVI steering, which will turn the wheels back to straight-ahead if you let go of the wheel while stationary. Non-self-cancelling indicators are part of the package, too. If you accept these as part of the charm of the thing, however, then the whole experience of the car is just magical.
The magic has a tendency to fade when it comes to:
- oil changes. Turbo 2 CXes like fully synthetic oil and run it murderously hot (it cools the turbo). You MUST change oil at the recommended intervals. If the oil gets too hot, the engine is shut down! Long runs on hot summer days are punctuated by watching the dash-mounted oil temp gauge creeping up towards 120 deg. c...
- incontinent heater matrixes. XMs have this problem too - first you know is squishy carpets, and replacement is a total bastard. Worse still, the replacements are made out of kit-kat wrapper foil and will fail soon too.
- metric tyres! 240 quid per corner, not per set!
- the T2 adjusts the suspension ride height through a pointless electric doobrey. If this fails the car stays in 'ground scrape' mode and won't be getting up any time soon. Note that Citroen went back to a mechanical lever system in the XM.
- dodgy electrics. The loom is made from nasty stuff you'd be disappointed to find in a child's toy, never mind a glorious executive express. I know of 2 CXes which have finally succumbed to fire within the wiring loom, after insulation dries out and cracks off 8(.
Final note: if you go for the incredibly rare Safari estate, 7- seater Familiale or the turbo- diesels (DTRs), then be prepared for a course in metallurgy. The estate bodies had a fine repertoire of rust traps hidden away in hard to find places - even in the last few made, around G- plate time - and the DTRs had porous engine blocks made from dodgy scrap metal (yes, really!). European owner's clubs succeeded in making Citroen replace all teh dodgy diesel blocks, but the English cars weren't included. The estates are a huge hoot, though: you can carry over a ton in them in perfect peace and quiet at 100mph without the bonnet pointing at the stars. Just don't try to park 18 feet of CX estate anywhere inside the M25!
The CX (particularly in GTi form) was (and is still?) the most marvelously comfortable, fast, marshmallow of a sophisticated car there has ever been. Surely the last of the great Citroens - Look how right they got it back in 1974. Soft springs & firm damping (Colin Chapman of Lotus also discovered that was the best way to make a car handle). Super fast DIRAVI steering (The new top spec Ford mondeo has the same 2.5 turns lock to lock to give easy handling - 27 years late but who's counting). Interiors which even by today's gizmo laden standards look, and are, plush. Superb high speed stability - a virtue of the weight distribution and aerodynamicsof the CX - no other car in the world has bettered it since. Self levelling suspension which supplements the ride quality and stability (still only the province of top range Mercs and Audis and of course, Rolls Royce who use the Citroen system). The list goes on and on. My advice is to get one now before their true classic status is recognised and they rocket in value.
I've had two and am now looking for another. Forget the horror stories. They are mechanically tough and the rust bug was cured by the early eighties. They take a little time to learn to drive smoothly, but that's part of the fun. Passengers usually adore them. If you've never been in a CX, try to blag a ride in one - If possible a long ride.
There's no half way house - you'll either hate them or love them but I have a warning. If you're even slightly susceptible then seduction is a game the CX will win hands down. You'll crave for one after the test ride and NOTHING ELSE WILL DO!!!
Truly the most wonderful car in the world! The most graceful, thought provoking and stable high speed cruiser that ever existed! GTi Turbo tricky to fix but worth the trouble! Moving to London, so mine's for sale.....boo hoo!
Owned for 2 years.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed November 2002.
Performance
Reliability
Parts Availability
Overall Value for Money
By far the most comfortable car you can own. For its size the handling, braking and acceleration (2.5DTR Safari) is second to none. Mechanical components are generally over-engineered and so prove very reliable, however, electrics and overall build quality are poor by today's standards and electrical problems, especially on the more lavish series two cars, are not uncommon. Have suffered head gasket failure in the past whilst towing a boat & trailer which was definately a low point. Rubber return pipes are getting old now and these are beginning to perish on mine. This would have led to failure of the hydraulics on a couple of occasions had it not been for the warning lights, although a new return 'octopus' is still available from dealers. Contrary to popular belief, the hydraulics are easy to live with as long as you keep changing the green stuff (LHM) now and again. In my opinion, the CX is a good, usable older car which is fast becoming a rare classic. Get one now while you still can!
Owned for 2 years.
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