Ignition switch broke. replacement at a local garage cost £100 and I was left with a box of new door locks for the new keys which I could have had fitted for a further £200. I didn't bother.
Indicators failed after 2 months and DIY replacement of the stalk, flasher unit and fuses didn't cure this so I turned it over to a local auto electrician who found the hazard light switch at fault, a modest bill of £38 to fix, but combined with my DIY efforts this fault cost me over £100.
Head gasket was ready to blow after 4 months ownership with a quote of £300 to fix.
I gave up trying to claim off the 'Warranty' that came with the car. It wasn't worth the paper it was written on.
The garage I bought the car off were honorable enough to correct the 'faults on delivery' (speedo cable, clutch cable and replaced the cam-belt all of which would have cost around £450 at a Citroen dealer). recognizing a dissatisfied customer they tried to twist the warranty companies arm, but to no avail.
Numerous cold and hot start problems, probably caused by the out-going head gasket.
After 6 months I got disenchanted (to put it nicely) and traded the car for £1100 less than I paid for it, but probably saved myself that again in the long run.
Now for the car itself, it was a pretty chic car with a very comfortable interior, superb handling, light steering despite not being power assisted and good road manners.
If it wasn't for the above problems I would probably still have the car as I did genuinely like the ZX model and I know many people who own/owned one with no problems at all.
The dash lights go on automatically with the ignition and more than once I've driven off at night forgetting to put my headlamps on!
You get a single electric mirror for the passenger door, what's the point?
Why not just give us two?
Cabin is well insulated and so quiet that you wouldn't know the engines running at low speed.
The 1400 petrol is not a fast car, but it is adequte it'll happily cruise at 90mph (opps!) on the motorway at 3700rpm.
The rear seats are adjustable to give more boot/ less leg room! and you get a rear blind too.
I dare say the ZX Avantage was a well specified car when it was new, but mine did not age well and the parts were quite expensive.
My advice to anyone looking for this budget family hatch, I say budget as the youngest are now 7 years old- therefore cheap, is beware!
Get a good one and your laughing, get a bad one and you will be spending far more than the cars value in todays market keeping it on the road.
4 Years have passed since this experience... I must be mad, I bought another ZX. This car is actually one I bought cheap for my little sister to learn to drive in (being an all-loving benevolent brother) it's a 93'L 1.9D Avantage and so far I have found it to be very good. It is shockingly comfortable, and quiet (traits I never really noticed with the aforementioned ZX because I was young and dumb) and I admit I'm a little bit jealous and feel tempted to keep it for myself. It's done 54,000 miles and drives better than most new cars, brakes are sharp, steering is precise, acceleration is pedestrian, but unimportant and it is just a joy to drive, all in all much better than my last experience, Citroen you are forgiven.
Note: A Comments RSS Feed 
is available. New comments appear in the Members Area before the main site