Very cheap car with lots of limitations (Citroën 2CV)

Member Name: bazmeister

Product:	Citroën 2CV
Date:	11/09/00 (1198 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheaper than walking

Disadvantages: Slow, noisy, smelly, uncomfortable etc etc

As a proud(ish) previous owner of a 2cv, I can say that this charming little car supplied me with literally minutes of driving pleasure. As a result of a very tight budget, I found myself shelling out £100 on a G-reg red and white dolly model. The 2cv's major problems (and there are many), are apparently obvious even before you get in; It's ugly and made of tin. The car has absolutley no acceleration, and top speeds range anywhere from 40-70mph, depending on the steepness of the hill. A tory party back-bencher has more power. The 602cc air-cooled engine is ear-splittingly noisy, and stinks like an old diesel one. It's near im-manouveurable as the steering is very, very heavy and unresponsive, and the column-change gear shift is clunky, scratchy and hard to use. There is nothing else to say about the car, because there is nothing else. The car has no apparent safety measures, and must fold in half if it was in a smash. And it's ugly. (So ugly I said it twice). Its most prone to rust, and the chassis just rots away if left unatended. Personally I don't think this car will ever acheive a classic car status (although some already think it does), because it is just sooooo bad.

That said, it's ideal if you're on a budget, as it's on a group 1 insurance, runs for days on fumes, and being a 602cc is even cheaper road tax. It's about as mechanically complicated as a pushbike, and surprisingly reliable. The reasons that make it so bad also make it endearing, and on the occasional days when the weather warrants it, riding around with the vinyl sunroof rolled all the way back is a joy. So don't buy one in winter.

Summary: