Citroen ZX

Bought this for my daughter to learn in almost 3 years ago, as my late Mum had driven one from new for 20 years (that's her original plate we put on the car), but insurers said "too old" so we got a Suzuki for the learner but kept the ZX because it was so good and such fun.

I'm confident more time and money has been lavished on KEC than any other ZX on the market. The rear axle bearings, for example, are a known issue on all these PSA cars and usually consigns them to the scrapper or an unscrupulous sale to an unsuspecting enthusiast. Beware!

We've used KEC as third car and have put about 50k miles on it! The turbo pulls like the proverbial train, the handling constantly astonishes modern hot hatches (!); what's not to like? Reason for sale is that the current Mrs. D is wanting something a bit higher to get in and out of due to a lower back issue. So rare now: I have found others for sale but in 'money pit' condition.

This very rare car has a known history and service record; the late Mrs. Jones bought it new as L530 OUB from Fletchers in Leeds; after her passing Mr. Jones kept it but it was then taken of the road until a Citroen enthusiast Mr. Dickenson bought it, re commissioning and changing the cam belt at 57k. So 3 previous owners.

I bought for the reason stated above and have maintained it regardless of all economics; the horrid expensive jobs are done: just recently brake master cylinder and front wheel cylinders plus oil and filter every 5 to 6k, gearbox oil, discs, pads, shoes, rear wheel cylinders, battery, Avon and Michelin Contact tyres, serpentine belt and idlers/ tensioner, rear dampers, F ball joint/ suspension arm, wheel bearings, 100w bulbs on main and dip, axle- yes, axle-, handbrake brake cables, anti roll bar drop links and anything else its needed because elderly cars deserve to be improved, not just used.

The interior is excellent; the paint is not peeling (as most do) probably because we have carefully polished and then waxed it.
Everything works. There is a small patch of corrosion on the inside of the driver's door which I drown in wax oil from time to time.

I'm taking the plate off for sentimental reasons but still have the original supplying dealership's plate for the rear and an after market for the front. Mileage will not increase much as we've been using it with enthusiasm, but now SORN-ed for winter. There'll be a fresh MOT from 16th January 2025.
We're just off the M6 J 35; that's Burton Services, Carnforth South Lakes. Last weekend's Telegraph 'money' section described the fall off a cliff of new private car registrations and the uptake of what the writer described as 'bangers'. Well, after 3 months working as a recovery patrol driver, it's the new cars which are more problematic.
Like no spare wheel.
But more usually operator error. Checking oil appears to be a lost art.
And Electric Vehicles: the owners have never bothered to master the basics. Recovered a dead Porsche Taycan EV last week. Very helpfully, accompanied by a multitude of pings, bleeps and screeches the dash display read out said 'electrical failure please park safely'. Like how?
The roadside patrols are increasingly certifying new cars for recovery. EV's to the nearest re-charge and anything beyond flat battery is dealer only.
Electric handbrakes: another curse. Once the hazards have been flashing an hour the battery is dead and the handbrake won't release. Sometimes a booster pack works, on many post 2015 Peugeots (for example) it doesn't.
JLR electrics and electronics. At first we loaded dead Land and Range Rovers with care. Until we saw the dealers dragging them off the truck with an old Defender and a chain. So now, with the transmission locked in Park, we rely on the winch. Accompanied by all the bleeps telling us things we don't need to know,
1993 ZX: you know exactly where you are. How many 2025 cars will be running in 2057? And it's never let us down.