1.1 LX

Still, a loveable but now arthritic senior.

Our 1100 LX looked good, was spritely around town and also relaxed and quiet on the motorway at normal cruising speeds.
The clever independent rear seats were not so practical as they seemed because the front seats had to be adjusted too far forwards for the back and base of the rear seats to both be folded.
Good for two people and good luggage space or just adequate for four adults and reduced boot space.
Light steering, clutch and gear change. Strong servo assistance to brakes.
The only slightly dished seat bases have little lateral support but prove comfortable on a journey. in this respect the Furio has much better seats but at a cost.
Fuel economy only returned high 30's in daily use for the first 8 years as the 1100 motor did not seem to like it's usual diet of stop /start semi urban driving but 50+ MPG was attainable at legal cruising speeds.
After ten and a half years of use with 34000 miles on the odometer, now averaging 44.6 mpg in semi urban use. Not sure if it is now run in or because of our recent, regular use of Shell Fuel Saver petrol; not too bad for an ancient engine design.
It is only a lower spec model but the trip computer includes a high/low engine oil gauge and the car also has an adjustable speed warning buzzer.

I had the cam belt changed at the 7 year service; only 24000 miles covered in total but our mechanic said the old belt showed more signs of wear than he expected.
A Citroen main dealer mechanic told me, for my year of car, the cam belt did not need to be changed until 10 years or 100,000 miles....be warned!
New rear box for the exhaust system; not bad after 98 months. Will this replacement pattern part last as long?
An interesting caveat to Citroen's reputation for iffy electrics; so far our car has had no problems, but after seven years of ownership, I opened the boot of this, my wife's car for the first time in the dark. No boot light.
Thinking the bulb must have blown, I removed the cover to check the spec for a replacement.
The bulb wiring was not connected to the main wiring loom.
I joined up the connectors and the light came on to work reliably ever since.
Was it ever connected at the factory?
My wife seems never to have noticed it did not work. Nor me for that matter..No jokes please!

With the winter of 2013/14 approaching, I changed the original Michelin Energy Savers, which had no visible decay and still with 3mm of tread all round as the tyres have been rotated, to Goodyear Vector 4 seasons tyres.
I must have been one of the few people hoping for snow so I could test their effectiveness. No luck!
But they do perform well in a wide range of summer and winter conditions.They are just a little noisier than the Michelins.
A new battery was fitted at the 10 year service.Original factory fitted batteries and shock absorbers seem to last much longer these days.
Overall, purchased for £6500 as a 5 month old, main dealer ex demonstrator; after 132 months of ownership, a super buy....just as 'Honest' said after his road test and why we bought it ..Cheers!
....and to quote the salesman as we drove away from the dealership, "Don't worry, its a good un!"
June 2016: horrendous noises from the front of the car as I turned the steering wheel. A broken spring! Eventually, two replacement springs and top mounts were fitted for £281.
Into end of natural life, component failure territory. Sold to WBAC for £539 clear after their £49.99 fee was paid. Sad to see our old bus go after 11 years of ownership.
Replaced by a 6 month old Suzuki Celerio bought for £5970.
Will it last as long?

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