TheXUDfiles

I had a P plate SX estate. They are not everybody's cup of tea - my wife hated it. Compared to something newer they are slow and not that economical. But they have a charm.
I only baled out of mine because 3rd gear started to baulk - a new job with a 40 mile round trip meant it had to go.

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

Having sold the 406 and the e38, I planned on getting something more sensible and modern to use everyday, like a V70 D5. 
So I bought a Xantia, because I can’t resist the siren call of 90s PSA crap. 
 
No mad collection capers to report. It came up for sale 45 minutes from my house, and was being sold by a CCC member who has bought a mint XM and had to make
It’s my ultimate spec Xantia. Turbo D, SX, phase one and a half in white. My Dad had an estate in this spec when I was little. He bought it new and HATED it, so these have always been something of a forbidden passion for me. Especially given that I am now on the dark side as a card-carrying Peugeot licker. 
 
There’s a few things I’m not happy about with it. It sometimes rides too high at the front and it is slow to get to normal height at the rear when coming from service hight, or after being lowered. 
 
I might have fun* with that myself or throw it at Citroen place. 
 
The body is what lets it down. Sadly it’s going on the rear quarters - not badly enough to fail an MOT but it will need sorting. 
For the time being I’m just making it look pretty. 
 
The previous, previous owner who was a mechanic so looked after the engine and nothing else had covered up a hole with a Citroen badge. 

Sadly, access can’t be made from the inside which limits how much I can do on the drive. 
I did check by taking out the boot trim. 
I did find a complimentary dead wasp, which was nice. 
Following speaks for itself.
The last time I hit a Xantia with a hammer, it was for a very different reason. 
Having a Mrs with a design degree is very useful when you’re trying to sculpt wob! 
I think this is what the US defence people call “mission creep”. 
Not bad results for a Halfords rattle job by the garage! After flattening it down I’ll move on to some other cosmetics before talking some other niggles. 
I’ll try and keep this going with updates as they come.
Very happy to be in a floaty thing again. 
 
 
 

World’s worst mobile library?

Kin 'ell. Another update in less than a few days? 
Today, I 'woke' (lol) up to a day of doong stuff down the unit. Initially I was going to do nowt more than remove the parts from my Mums old Micra to put the interior back up normally as it had been used as parts storage for around a couple of years. 
@fraser.innes.3 and myself agreed to give the KV6 Sterling's bonnet another tackle as it refused to open before
Somehow it had freed itself off before I could tackle it with a crowbar, and with the bonnet open we had access to try and start the thing.

We tried a jump pack but that didn't really work so a MASSIVE caravan battery was used as a jumped pack.
Initially the Rover tried to start and had a lot of cranking but wouldn't fire. I remembered that I had actually run out of fuel when I last drove it up to the yard it was last stored at and had to have pushed up the hill with my Peugeot.
So half a gallon of fuel later and some more cranking and the Sterling fired up from a long slumber.  It wasn't as steady as it would have been before but it was enough to keep it moving.


I popped it down the our mate Dave's unit as the jetwash was there, I gave the car a long overdue bath, enough to get most of the crud off it but not to my usual shiny polished standards.


it looks cleaner than it actually eventually dried off to be.
The car has got considerably rustier than when it was last in use. Outside storage hasn't been kind, so its a case of weighing up the options. The engine has had little work since I got it and has kept on going for me despite a holed radiator and cambelt roulette. 
The Micra will be getting some attention innthe form of a service. I'm looking at having the back of jigged out because of the damage, Dave is quite enamored by the Micra as he used to service many of them way back when.


The interior has been cleared of the bonnet and bumper that lived in there for the best part of a couple of years.


The KV6 has its battery on charge, more petrol will be got to at least get it regularly running and moving.

Some work on a Rover finally. Bet you never thought that would happen.
As a side note, on the way back home, the Peugeot 407 decided to make use of the new screen to chuck up a warning with "depollution system faulty" error message leaving the engine light on. Meh, I rarely use the car so it probably needs a good run up and down the motorway. 
L8rz.

I think the hatred of French cars has more to do with image and society's value structures than anything else.
German cars are perceived as commanding, corporate and prestigious in this country, even the shit ones, whereas French cars have always been seen as softer somehow and less covetable. 
To a certain extent we all wear our cars like clothes, and sometimes they present a face to the world that we can't present, or wish we could present. In times where aggression and "flexing" seems to be everyone's stock in trade, a chiselled, angry, arrogant face with four rings or a three pointed star on it is about more than image, it's about surviving in a social hierarchy where the material object is an extension of the self and the foundation for one's identity. 
The average person doesn't buy (ok, finance) a new Mercedes because they like the history of the brand, respect the W124 or want a car which they think will last for decades. In fact, they don't give a flying fig about cars, not really. 
They buy them because a W-reg Citroen Xantia won't make them as socially desirable as an A180 will. 
We're outsiders, we're weirdoes, and you have to be to play around with the crap we do. We don't get it. They don't get us. 
Good. 
I like driving a hated car. It tells the instagram brigade that I'm not playing their game. Sure, I also have a German car, but being from 1999 it just as well be from a different planet. 
 
 
 

The ex-EML 406 now has an MOT. Needed handbrake repairs (the 20p is still MIA) and a patch on the sill. Pretty damn chuffed with this. Treated it to a clean and ditched the roofrack as it looked like a tetanus jab waiting to happen.
£280 well spent. 
 

 
no idea why AS always uploads my pics upside down.

The ex-EML 406 now has an MOT. Needed handbrake repairs (the 20p is still MIA) and a patch on the sill. Pretty damn chuffed with this. Treated it to a clean and ditched the roofrack as it looked like a tetanus jab waiting to happen.
£280 well spent. 
 

 
no idea why AS always uploads my pics upside down.

The ex-EML 406 now has an MOT. Needed handbrake repairs (the 20p is still MIA) and a patch on the sill. Pretty damn chuffed with this. Treated it to a clean and ditched the roofrack as it looked like a tetanus jab waiting to happen.
£280 well spent. 
 

 
no idea why AS always uploads my pics upside down.

I think the hatred of French cars has more to do with image and society's value structures than anything else.
German cars are perceived as commanding, corporate and prestigious in this country, even the shit ones, whereas French cars have always been seen as softer somehow and less covetable. 
To a certain extent we all wear our cars like clothes, and sometimes they present a face to the world that we can't present, or wish we could present. In times where aggression and "flexing" seems to be everyone's stock in trade, a chiselled, angry, arrogant face with four rings or a three pointed star on it is about more than image, it's about surviving in a social hierarchy where the material object is an extension of the self and the foundation for one's identity. 
The average person doesn't buy (ok, finance) a new Mercedes because they like the history of the brand, respect the W124 or want a car which they think will last for decades. In fact, they don't give a flying fig about cars, not really. 
They buy them because a W-reg Citroen Xantia won't make them as socially desirable as an A180 will. 
We're outsiders, we're weirdoes, and you have to be to play around with the crap we do. We don't get it. They don't get us. 
Good. 
I like driving a hated car. It tells the instagram brigade that I'm not playing their game. Sure, I also have a German car, but being from 1999 it just as well be from a different planet. 
 
 
 

I think the hatred of French cars has more to do with image and society's value structures than anything else.
German cars are perceived as commanding, corporate and prestigious in this country, even the shit ones, whereas French cars have always been seen as softer somehow and less covetable. 
To a certain extent we all wear our cars like clothes, and sometimes they present a face to the world that we can't present, or wish we could present. In times where aggression and "flexing" seems to be everyone's stock in trade, a chiselled, angry, arrogant face with four rings or a three pointed star on it is about more than image, it's about surviving in a social hierarchy where the material object is an extension of the self and the foundation for one's identity. 
The average person doesn't buy (ok, finance) a new Mercedes because they like the history of the brand, respect the W124 or want a car which they think will last for decades. In fact, they don't give a flying fig about cars, not really. 
They buy them because a W-reg Citroen Xantia won't make them as socially desirable as an A180 will. 
We're outsiders, we're weirdoes, and you have to be to play around with the crap we do. We don't get it. They don't get us. 
Good. 
I like driving a hated car. It tells the instagram brigade that I'm not playing their game. Sure, I also have a German car, but being from 1999 it just as well be from a different planet. 
 
 
 

I think the hatred of French cars has more to do with image and society's value structures than anything else.
German cars are perceived as commanding, corporate and prestigious in this country, even the shit ones, whereas French cars have always been seen as softer somehow and less covetable. 
To a certain extent we all wear our cars like clothes, and sometimes they present a face to the world that we can't present, or wish we could present. In times where aggression and "flexing" seems to be everyone's stock in trade, a chiselled, angry, arrogant face with four rings or a three pointed star on it is about more than image, it's about surviving in a social hierarchy where the material object is an extension of the self and the foundation for one's identity. 
The average person doesn't buy (ok, finance) a new Mercedes because they like the history of the brand, respect the W124 or want a car which they think will last for decades. In fact, they don't give a flying fig about cars, not really. 
They buy them because a W-reg Citroen Xantia won't make them as socially desirable as an A180 will. 
We're outsiders, we're weirdoes, and you have to be to play around with the crap we do. We don't get it. They don't get us. 
Good. 
I like driving a hated car. It tells the instagram brigade that I'm not playing their game. Sure, I also have a German car, but being from 1999 it just as well be from a different planet. 
 
 
 

I think the hatred of French cars has more to do with image and society's value structures than anything else.
German cars are perceived as commanding, corporate and prestigious in this country, even the shit ones, whereas French cars have always been seen as softer somehow and less covetable. 
To a certain extent we all wear our cars like clothes, and sometimes they present a face to the world that we can't present, or wish we could present. In times where aggression and "flexing" seems to be everyone's stock in trade, a chiselled, angry, arrogant face with four rings or a three pointed star on it is about more than image, it's about surviving in a social hierarchy where the material object is an extension of the self and the foundation for one's identity. 
The average person doesn't buy (ok, finance) a new Mercedes because they like the history of the brand, respect the W124 or want a car which they think will last for decades. In fact, they don't give a flying fig about cars, not really. 
They buy them because a W-reg Citroen Xantia won't make them as socially desirable as an A180 will. 
We're outsiders, we're weirdoes, and you have to be to play around with the crap we do. We don't get it. They don't get us. 
Good. 
I like driving a hated car. It tells the instagram brigade that I'm not playing their game. Sure, I also have a German car, but being from 1999 it just as well be from a different planet.