1993 Citroen ZX Avantage 1.4i
Summary:
Cheap, reliable, comfy, handy
Faults:
Only three things went wrong, the ignition module died on me after 180.000kms, the road service (I am a member of) built in another costs £30,and the car was running again (all together from breaking down till fixing took 3 hours!).
Around the same mileage the fan died because the resistor was burnt, this after all was due to a fan whose bearing was on it's way out, so new fan and another resistor, problem fixed, total cost £30 (2 resistors and a used fan).
And the last thing is I had to replace the driver seat after 184.000km, cost £12 (SH).
As well as SH as new parts still available.
General Comments:
Cheap, comfortable and practical car (3 door hatch).
I got a 1.4 petrol so on the motorway it isn't a performer, but absolutely doable.
The car corners fantastic (steering rear axle) and in the city the performance is pretty OK.
No rust at all!
Cheap maintenance.
I drove about 45.000km with a total maintenance of around £500.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 15th July, 2007
6th Dec 2000, 18:15
Now at 198,000 km.
Since the previous review, I am slowly losing my dashboard light. Can still see how fast I am going but will soon require a 12V light connected to the cigarette lighter. (No way I am going to have the whole dash removed for new bulbs!).
More seriously, the lady refuses to start from time to time. During heavy rainfall, there appears to be a false contact due to which the starter won't run. Also, after several days of standstill, need to start 4-5 times before any diesel appears to make it into the chamber or is ignited. After having driven a Sunny, a car that refuses to start is a very confusing and indeed extremely annoying experience. Had to suppress the urge to sell her on the spot.
This car is a very one-dimensional pleasure, i.e. its comfortable ride. Maybe I should add the civilized and relatively quiet diesel engine.
Apart from that, it is quite unpractical in general and has the following specific problems:
- Gearbox is far from smooth.
- Pedals are too close together.
- The one wiper performance is absolutely insufficient and, I would say, unsafe. It does not cover enough of the windshield and somehow its pressure is wrong. Even good (Bosch) blades wear out in a few weeks and during heavy rainfall you hardly see anything. The interval is too fast.
- Dashboard light is on as soon as you turn the key. Consequently, you forget to switch your lights on when it's dark.
- Rear defrost warning light is not bright enough, so you forget to switch it off. You don't see it anyway as the steering wheel is in front of it.
- Knobs are not very solid.
- Locking/unlocking boot and diesel fill opening is as unpractical as possible.
- Antenna can not be retreated and is consequently destroyed when you have the car washed.
- Right front door cannot be locked from the outside.
Of course you forget all this when you're on the motorway at 150 kmh, but remember it when you're about to buy one.