1986 Citroen 2CV Charleston 602 petrol from Croatia

Summary:

Expensive love affair

Faults:

Stop lights switch broken.

Heating hoses needed replacement.

Exhaust has 3 holes.

Great number of bulbs.

Three batteries.

Suspension needs serious work.

Chassis was fixed (the car bended)

Rust problems despite the new paint.

Wipers mechanism is almost dead.

When raining, the floors are flooded (again the wipers)

Broken driveshaft.

Breaks loosing pressure.

After 35 000 km I had to replace the engine.

General Comments:

One of the great Citroen's

Looks great, like nothing else

It is a special feeling driving it

Great for corners, when you get used to it

Great car for trips into the country

Great for off road

The police won't stop you when you succeed in breaking the speed limit (they just laugh)

It has got simple mechanics

It is a Citroen

It is a 2cv.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th January, 2004

1986 Citroen 2CV Dolly 600cc Air Cooled Carb from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Nice, but dangerous

Faults:

Bodywork and interior fittings always falling apart, but there was very little that I couldn't fix myself with gaffer tape and/or superglue.

Rear brake drums fell off (yes, really) a few times, but they were easily and cheaply fixed.

In the end rust got the chasis and despite the fairly low mileage (nearly all of it in the last three years of its life (with me) ) that was that.

General Comments:

For:

Nice little car to drive, fairly comfortable even for tall people like myself, after-market (no other option) radio sounded okay, and of course - convertible!

0 - 60 in well under a year.

Wasn't really interested in petrol, so huge mpg was had out of the thing.

Boot space adequate and spacious if back seats removed (very easilly).

Reliable if a bit shoddy, but with very little that could go wrong. Never ever failed to start, although it did occasionally need the ignition to be sprayed with antifreeze before the key would turn.

Against:

Built out of nothing stronger than bacofoil, so crash=death.

Unusual gear-stick arrangement to some getting used to.

Only drank four star.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 21st December, 2003

1986 Citroen 2CV Dolly from UK and Ireland

Summary:

An upside down pram

Faults:

Well first of all the gear leaver snapped.

Then the fan belt snapped.

Then a massive leak started in the foot-well, meaning every time it rained my feet got a complimentary foot wash.

The speedometer then went faulty, whilst the car was moving it started shaking all over the place making an accurate reading impossible.

The window latches never worked properly and every time a wind blew the windows came slamming down scaring me to death!

Finally about 2 months before I sold it for scrap, my feet went through the floor with the amount of rust under it.

General Comments:

Possibly the worst £1,500 I ever spent.

The car was so uncomfortable to sit in and the noise inside the cabin was deafening when the car was traveling above 60 mph.

You only had to put a small amount of pressure on the door panels to push them in. If you were ever to be involved in an accident in this deathtrap then God help you.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 28th January, 2003

28th Jan 2003, 18:06

Hi.

It would seem you had a badly maintained car. I have had 4 2CV's which all cost less than £1500 and found them to be incredible cars.

I can also assure you that they are somewhat safer than you suggest - I crashed one into a tree at about 50 mph and was OK (the car wasn't!)

1986 Citroen 2CV Dolly 652 from UK and Ireland

Faults:

Starter motor changed at 84000.

General Comments:

This machine is unique amongst Citroens in being totally indestructible. No amount of oil shortage or service neglect can induce it to miss a beat... it just burbles along with a sound every bit as satisfying, in its own way, as a V8 Range Rover or an Aston.

Getting tired of the conventional style I painted it black and white in the manner of a cow and lined the seats and doors with fuzzy cow material and put green carpet down (grass, you see). A 10-stack Kenwood in the boot and six speakers made it quite a turn, especially with the roof off and four people dancing on the seats.

The reason for the high performance score is that all these things are relative. OK, it takes about 20 seconds to get to 60, but once it's there it stays put.

Sadly, the MoT failure sheet came back reporting that there is no longer a chassis or a floorpan so it's sitting on the drive waiting for me to push it to the scrapyard. Anyone want it?

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 26th August, 2002

9th Oct 2002, 11:02

You can get a new chassis, you know?

1st Feb 2003, 18:17

RE: Doing it up like a cow.

You sad bloke!

23rd Sep 2003, 06:28

Your CD changer in the boot won't last very long because the boot is no stronger than a layer of tin foil and some little sh*thead will have it in no time!

7th Feb 2004, 16:52

Ooooooh can I have it? also if it takes 20 seconds to get to 60mph I'm very surprised as they normally take 30+

15th Sep 2004, 09:12

Re: cows...

Not sad at all, I'm planning to do it as well...

19th Sep 2006, 21:13

I think the 0-60 is closer to 40 seconds. I'd still have one tho.

5th Jan 2013, 07:46

So I read your comment. I think you never drove a 2CV. And a 652cc 2CV doesn't exist (this engine was only in the Visa and LNA), but it's possible to fit it in with a flywheel mod...

My own 2CV, completely restored, better than new, has a stainless steel chassis (Hoffman), a Visa 652cc engine with 5 speed gearbox (Swiss made mod), and it's a dream to drive it.

The only bad thing is that Citroën never built it in such a configuration...

8th Apr 2014, 10:52

Would you mind giving me your email address as I would like to ask you a number of questions concerning the SS chassis, the 652cc engine and 5 speed box.

Regards

Tim Scott

Email Tim @scotttim.co.uk

5th Jan 2017, 17:57

Hello, can you tell me more about the engine mods to your 2CV?

I am considering an upgrade to mine, and would appreciate your feedback.

I hope you are still enjoying your 2CV.

Many thanks, Tim.

timm72558@gmail.com

1986 Citroen 2CV Special 0.6 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A cheap, versatile run-about

Faults:

The battery HT lead became loose.

General Comments:

The car was very lively to drive, you could feel everything on the road. It was however, very dodgy on corners, but very FUN!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 14th May, 2001