Vrooom! 2003 Grand Espace MkIV 3.5 V6

[djoptix]

I usually hang around on the French Car Forum but seeing r.welfare's thread on his Espace, I thought I'd put mine up here as well. Hopefully get some feedback/banter, document things as a resource for anyone thinking about getting one, give you all some amusement if it develops some hideous electrical malady.

 

Why?

 

* Need to carry three children plus their paraphernalia plus Mrs Optix

* Need to carry large speakers and lights and stuff around for work

* You only live once

 

I've previously had lots of Citroens - AX, BX, Synergie x 2, C5 x 2. I decided I needed a people carrier again because of the imminent arrival of nanoOptix (we already have mini and micro). Started off looking at Synergies again (not many around, and those that are have been to the moon), C8s (meh), Galaxy (overpriced)... Eventually I started looking at Espaces and convinced myself that bigger and bigger engines were a good idea. I did actually buy a 3.0 V6 DCi on ebay, but the seller then got in touch to say "already got someone here looking at it", blah blah, FFS. Anyway, that didn't happen. Then this one came up and I ended up getting it for £600.

 

It's an Initiale (top spec) model with all the toys, though not all of the toys work. Major issues when bought were non working aircon, non working electronic parking brake, non working sat nav. But on the plus side, I worked out from the MOT history that it's probably done sub 100k, and it's MOTd until May 2018.

 

It is in fact this one. Some of the issues mentioned in that thread are still there.

 

Anyway, I've had it since mid July but have only been driving it in the last few days. Yesterday I sent it to get its aircon regassed, but I'm now waiting for a hot day to see whether that's really been successful or not. Depending on whether it behaves itself, I'll be sending it to a place in Wales that specialises in replacing/refurbishing the parking brakes.

 

I'm sure there will be plenty of negatives to come, but it looks good, has plenty of space, and goes well - not too quick off the line but the midrange shove is hilarious for such a big car.