Business To Go: 1961 Citroën 2CV Truckette

Conventional wisdom would suggest that the middle of a global pandemic is a bad time to start a business...but that same wisdom would have told Bill Gates to get a job at Radio Shack or Howard Hughes to become a journeyman aircraft mechanic...so I'm going to throw convention into the wind like an empty toilet paper roll and suggest you start a business with this next vehicle.  What kind of business, you say?  Oh...good point.  You tell me in the comments.  Find this 1961 Citroën 2CV truckette offered for $18900 in South Lake Tahoe, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Tim.

The Jet Set Life: 1987 Citroen CX 25 Prestige

I hate to be the guy who pooh-poohs all the good ideas around here...but buying a 30 year old Citroen is sorta like buying a private jet.  Its not intrinsically a bad idea...its just that the consequences are less than desirable.  Sure, its nice to brag to your friends about your new toy, but maintenance is expensive, constant, and time consuming.  Plus, there is the danger associated with piloting one of these things, maintenance logs, FAA clearance, et cetera...all for something that is gonna spend more time perched on 3 wheels than zooming around taking you to exotic places.  Bottom line, you should only buy this car if it is an emotional impulse buy and you can afford it.  Find this 1987 Citroen CX 25 Prestige offered for $12500 in Palm Beach, FL via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

French Bread: 1968 Citroën 2CV

The Citroen (Citroën) 2CV (en français -- deux chevaux)  was a front drive economy car that had prototype builds starting in 1939 with innovative features like a flat-twin aircooled engine and seats that could be removed from the car and used as picnic chairs. Find this 1968 Citroën 2CV offered for $4300 in Fort Plain, CA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

Not Many Around: 1991 Citroën XM 2.0

I'll probably get a lot of hate mail from the CXMOCA (Citroen XM Owners Club of America), but I'm gonna just go ahead and suggest that a Citroën isn't going to be the most reliable car on the block.  When the seller starts his advertisment with the words Running and driving...it might be a sign that most aren't...and the next words...Functional hydraulic suspension, recently serviced could indicate that reliability of various complicated Citroen components isn't exactly "Japanese".  However, that doesn't mean you couldn't or shouldn't own one...but just maybe you shouldn't use it if you are driving for Uber Organ Delivery Service or have to clock into work at a designated time and day. Find this 1991 Citroën XM 2.0 offered for $5,000 in Philadelphia, PA via craigslist. Tip from M.E.  

Centennial Blues: 1952 Citroën Traction Avant

It was 100 years this past March when French industrialist André Citroën launched his Type A 8CV "Torpedo".  It was a simple machine without the complex solutions to automotive problems that Citroen became known for in later years -- hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension in 1954, the first mass market disc brakes in 1955 and swiveling headlights in 1967...but first Citroën pioneered a few basic ideas that are in use with most mass production cars today, namely; unibody construction, 4-wheel independent suspension, and front-wheel-drive in a car called the Traction Avant. It might not have been made by Honda...but it is the Accord's French great grand-uncle. Find this 1952 Citroën Traction Avant here on eBay bidding for $11,100 in Vancleave, MS with a few hours to go.

New Year's Eve: 1986 Citroen CX Prestige

Happy New Year's Eve to everyone out there in cyberspace, time for the annual "out with the old, and in with new" celebration that happens all around.  I'm going to start with this old French machine, because life is too short to drive something boring. Find this 1986 Citroen CX Prestige offered for $5950 in Sunnyvale, CA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

Twin Delivery: 1980 Citroen Acadiane

The Acadiane was an oddly shaped light commercial vehicle produced  by Citroen based on the Dyane chassis from 1977 through 1987.  It isn't as rare as you might expect with over 250,000 examples produced so getting one for a decent price looks possible.  Find these two 1980 Citroën Acadianes offered for $7500 each in Ft Myers, FL via craigslist. Tip from Dascpcu.

Drag Queen: 1982 Citroën CX Pallas IE Automatic

Any aged Citroen is such a thoroughly exotic car that you'll be thrilled to hear the engine sputter to life each time you turn the ignition and you'll probably only worry about the carburetors if they start leaking out of the side...unless you've got the later fuel injected version...so now you've got yet ANOTHER single point of failure that depends on ancient French electronics.  Great.  Find this 1982 Citroën CX Pallas IE Automatic offered for $4,800 in Los Angeles, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Rock On!

Two Chevrons Up: 1961 Citroen 2CV

The Citroen (Citroën) 2CV (en français -- deux chevaux)  was a front drive economy car that had prototype builds starting in 1939 with innovative features like a flat-twin aircooled engine and seats that could be removed from the car and used as picnic chairs.  I think that enough time has passed that we can all forget about how many times we needed to wait for a tow truck or how much money we spent at Pierre's French Car Repair & Seafood Buffet -- and agree that this would be awesome to have as a fun weekend car.  Find this 1961 Citroen 2CV offered for $7,500 in Cincinnati, OH via craigslist.

2 Camels: 1970 Citroën Méhari

This next car is the kind of ride that gets you a sort of attention that could be good or bad...depending on how you feel about strange men chasing you around town to get a closer look at your ride.  And not the kind of dudes you'd want trying to poke under your hood, but that is a discussion for another day.  Find this 1970 Citroen Mehari offered for $4,800 near Cincinatti, OH via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

The Left-Handed Spanner: Bulbs, balls, blips, dips, sauces

A special feature by Kaibeezy: The Left-Handed Spanner: Bulbs, balls, blips, dips, sauces
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So (yes, I millennialed the start of a story; but it was originally written as an ear-haired old email, not an InstaSnap or whatever, so...), I finally got around to changing the headlight bulb in the Xantia on account of it coming up with a failure on its recent MOT for a bad nearside dipped beam. Could have been worse, the Avensis failed same day on two corroded brake pipes (“brake pipes” always makes Vince chuckle).

Not A Lemon: 1972 Citroën D Spécial

Everything in the world is relative.  When Amber Heard (whoever that is..how do the tabloids decide which vacuous dimwit they are going to pluck from obscurity to obsessively cover, anyway??) complains that her old boyfriend Johnny Depp wasn't rich or famous enough for her -- you've got to shake your head in confusion like you've been slapped silly with scissors-hands until you realize her current crush is Elon Musk....so when somebody says that his Citroen D Spécial is "very dependable," you've got to wonder what is his current ride? Find this 1972 Citroën D Spécial offered for $10,500 in the Town of Newburgh, via craigslist. Tip from Rock On.

A Musical Interlude: 1972 Citroën SM

I don't know just what I'm buyin'
But I'm gonna try for a French car, if I can
'Cause it makes me feel like I'm a man
When I drive in somethin' insane
And I tell you things aren't quite the same

When I'm rushing on my run
And I feel just like DeGaul's son
And I guess these shocks won't blow
And I guess these shocks won't blow

Find this 1972 Citroën SM here on eBay bidding for $7,105 reserve-not-met located in Brooklyn with 2 days to go.

It's Not A Boat: 1923 Citroën ZX Deluxe Drophead

Find this 1923 Citroën ZX Deluxe Drophead here on eBay bidding for $3,550 reserve-not-met located in San Clemente, CA.

Thursday Twister: Solve An Oddball Car Issue

For today's Thursday Twister, I am going to ask our readers to help solve a problem that is currently causing grief for DT's own Kaibeezy.  Now this is an oddball problem on an oddball car -- a mysterious blinker issue on a 2001 Citroën Xantia 1.8i 16v.

 

Goddess Among Men: 1975 Citroen DS23 Pallas

From its inception in 1955 to the end of the line in 1975, the DS was always ahead of its time. From the oleopneumatic suspension to the semi-automatic gearbox it was truly revolutionary. However, in post-war France, development costs had to be cut, so the engine was always a bit pedestrian for the DS; it had its origins in the pre-war Traction Avant. By 1970 however, the engine got its chance in the form of electronic Bosch fuel injection, becoming an early adopter of injection. Find this 1975 Citroen DS23 Pallas for sale in Brunswick East, Victoria, Australia for $8,500 AUD ($6,300 USD at the time of writing).

Avocat Inverse: 1967 Citroen ID19

Drive a classic late 60s car and you are admitting some stuff to folks who pay attention.  Let's start with the easy one: 67 Camaro -- I love 'Merican beer.  67 Mercedes-Benz 200D Fintail -- I'm not in a hurry to go anywhere.  67 Chevy C10 pick -- I would have voted for Trump if I my car had started.  67 Citroen ID/DS -- I play the lute at SCA gatherings.  Find this 1967 Citroen ID19 offered for $17,000 in San Jose, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Kaibeezy.

Bad Influence: 1951 Citroen Traction Avant

An early adopter of front-wheel-drive boringness, the Citroen Traction Avant was a bad influence on the entire auto industry, ultimately being responsible for such atrocities as the GM X-car. Unreasonable accusations and assertions aside, the Traction Avant was straight from the future, like everything Citroen.  Find this 1951 Citroen Traction Avant for sale in San Francisco, CA for $23,000 via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck

Was Cleaning My Garage & Found This: 1960 Citroën 2CV Truckette

Let's not mince words on this one.  This next car is going to be a terrible automobile by any modern yardstick.  It is slower than anything on the road, handles like skateboard riding on a whale carcass, is unreliable as gas station sushi, and is about as dangerous as driving around urban Detroit with your Takata airbag wiried to the horn switch.  However...I can just about guarantee that every single time you plunk your rear into one of those hammock seats in this rolling tuna can, you will do so with a mile wide grin plastered across your face.  Find this 1960 Citroën 2CV Truckette here on eBay bidding for $6,600 in Louisburg, KS with 2 days to go.