1997 Citroen ZX SX review from UK and Ireland

The anti-roll link arms have been replaced.

I have had numerous brake problems with the car. The brake discs have been replaced twice. The hand-brake cable snapped. And just before I sold the car I had to replace the brake pipes.

The temperature gauge over-read the water temperature, giving the impression that the car was running hot.

The fuel injection jets always seemed to be blocked, requiring constant cleaning.

The catalytic converter blew at 55000 miles.

The alternator belt went at 82000 miles.

The main reason I bought the Citroen was the fantastic ride and handling, and it didn't disappoint. The car turned in around bends like a track car. The steering was perfectly weighted, and even though it was a powered set-up, there was some feel through the rim.

I did have constant brake problems which caused a lot of expense. The disc seemed especially susceptible to wear. this apparently is a very common Peugeot / Citroen problem.

One irritating problem was the dashboard temperature gauge. When running the car (especially at high speeds) the needle was just below the red zone. Having changed the coolant and then the radiator without resolving the problem, it became apparent that it was the gauge as the engine was not displaying any signs of overheating. I also had a couple of radiator hoses leak.

Performance was tardy. It seemed that the fuel injection system was constantly been clogged by dirt from the fuel tank, especially when the car was low on fuel. This let to lumpy running of the engine and a lack of power. A shot of fuel injection cleaner in the tank seemed to clear the jets, but I was never able to fully resolve the problem.

Fuel consumption was excellent, I was always getting above 40 MPG.

Changing a wheel is a nightmare. The tool to undue the spare wheel from the frame securing it to the boot floor is a piece of unbelievably inept design!

The car always started first time during my tenure which is all you can ask really!