Project Robinmasters' French Fancies - Now featuring HOT SWEDISH ACTION

[Bucketeer]

Ace! Glad to see this is living on. It's got the comfiest seats in all of AX and the peppiest pep. It's still got a very big place in my very small heart.

[Ghosty]

Didn't know cars could get eczema. 

[Stinkwheel]

Great purchase, I've been driving my AX to work this week. Its really a great little car. Have an unsolicited AX pic......

[bramz7]

Good to see it with another forum member.

 

I don't think my GF has forgiven me for selling it yet.

[oldcars]

One and only clue: 12 wheel nuts.

Result, must be a Rialto or a Robin 

[robinmasters]

About time I updated this.

 

I had a go at the paint. 'Had a go' is being incredibly complementary. As I've already mentioned, I managed to scrape the peeling lacquer off without (much) further damage. I sprayed a few coats on, but on a very windy day-as I'd pretty thoroughly masked the car up, in the road, I persevered, with the inevitable result of a streaky finish caused by spraying so close so as the wind didn't blow it all away. It's better, but not by much.

 

 

 

I put a set of tyres on. The fronts were for four years old, and the rears eight. Kuhmo tyres. I took the (original) trims off in case the tyre fitters decided to remove them with a hammer or something, and I've left them off. I like black steels.

 

 

My stereo (with USB, because I can't abide the radio), fitted. I think the cage has been in more cars than [insert non-PC simile here].

 

The cigar lighter was working all along. It was my USB charger that wasn't. The inoperative reverse light was just a bulb which isn't hadn't been changed because you need to open the boot to do so.

 

There was another issue with dashboard-related electronicals; half the backlighting didn't work, so you couldn't see the speedo at all at night.

 

 

After some dismantling and a handful of bulbs which costs pennies (and the local factor gave me a bulk discount because I bought 10! 11/10, will shop again), the issue was resolved, but not before fixing the broken bits left by a previous owner.

 

 

 

All I did was glue in some nuts in place of the broken plastic bits the screws thread into, and used long machine screws instead of self-tappers, but for some reason that small repair was incredibly satisfying. 

 

It's had a basic service-oil and filter not pictured, because the sump plug refused to budge the day I did the other bits. When it did, a mere 1.25 litres came out (capacity 3.5l).

 

 

Bonus giffer-bodge shot:

 

 

The aforementioned stereo had consequences. The original speakers obviously objected to continual, full-volume Depeche Mode, and gave up within less than a day.

 

 

The only two speakers are in the back, just behind the doors. The doors have no wiring at all-there's no central locking, the windows and mirrors are manual. 

 

The boot lock remains inoperative. The part is NLA from Citroen, so I've wangled the mechanism so as the rod is reachable from inside the car. 

 

I've been saving a few bits up before posting this, so as not to post a series of 'changed a wiper blade today #builtnotbought #mechanic #madskills' type posts, and in the meantime have decided to get rid of the AX. 

 

It's as I bought it, plus new tyres, a service, and new speakers. And a dealer sticker and AS sticker. The appendages are still on, and the car will come with the a-frame. £350, Folkestone, Kent.

[davehedgehog31]

Top work.

 

Really got a soft spot for the AX.

[robinmasters]

Still available. RARE car, real eye-turner. Fist to see will buy. No wasters. Etc etc. 

[Jerzy Woking]

I didn't want to sell this following purchasing it from Bramz,  but following the winter i drove it through, I had no further use for it, and hated seeing it being unused. Bucketeer came to its rescue.

 

It was a very comfy thing to use instead of the motorbike - seats and heater the best I have experienced. And I could not resist peeling the lacquer off of the roof as it lifted (daily).

 

Hopefully it will live on in the AS community, as I like seeing it pop up every now and again

[pandamonium]

Where is this fine beast located?

(Yes, I know I said I wanted a wafty eco barge for long journeys, but this is Autoshite!)

[RobT]

Where is this fine beast located?

(Yes, I know I said I wanted a wafty eco barge for long journeys, but this is Autoshite!)

 

Somewhere near this I think.

 

[robinmasters]

Somewhere near this I think.

 

80bd8eb3-2c27-4304-bd52-f0c80357d359.jpg

It's fairly near that (although I find either my own house or the pub far better for my wellbeing). If you start there, head towards this:

 

 

Then when you get to here you're nearly there:

 

[robinmasters]

Due to the Xantia's unwillingness to be repaired (mostly my putting things off and being ham-fisted), I'm keeping the AX. The sale was purely for monetary reasons, but I've decided I can manage with a little less money and more AX.

 

After literally weeks of occasionally looking on eBay, I've found a working lock for reasonable money, which arrived yesterday (the same day I'd spent hours playing with the Xantia's door lock mechanism). After much frustration with one Citroen door lock, what could possibly be better than wrestling with a second one? It was actually an easy job, as the boot lock has one connecting rod, and isn't hidden in the shadows between two sharp-edged bits of metal. 

 

There is now a lock instead of a blanking plug in the boot lid:

 

 

So now this is possible, without climbing over the back seat:

 

 

The failure of the boot lock was down to this tiny part-monkey metal, with a lobe, that snapped off, that pulls on the latch (not pictured, the lobe).

 

 

Also pictured above (in the gratuitous open-boot shot above), new rear light lenses. Both the original ones had broken (one caused by me, the other by a previous owner, in exactly the same place. Why? Because that's where you grab the cluster to pull it out. This has improved the car's appearance by eleventy-million percent (it totally distracts you from the stripey flat paint*). 

 

 

I always get a bit nervous with cars that have a lot of stuff which can go wrong; unnecessary electrical stuff, DMFs, DPFs, BCUs, etc etc. This car has nothing extraneous; it doesn't even have them bits of string that lift the parcel shelf up. 

 

* It doesn't.

[robinmasters]

Now up for sale (again!).

[Jerzy Woking]

Someone GIB-great car. If I had a use for it, it would be on my drive now.

[aldo135]

swap 4 Xantia m8!!!

[davehedgehog31]

I'd love one of these, thankfully you're fucking miles away.

 

Aldo can stick it on the back o his xantia.

[BorniteIdentity]

bRambo ?

[Bucketeer]

This is probably my second favourite car I've owned. Completely different from the other AX I had at the time (my first favourite).

None of the other previous niggles with it were my fault, but I definitely snapped the boot lock (unfortunately about three hours before I delivered it to CastrosBro).

[UltraWomble]

Now up for sale (again!).

Deets for those of us too lazy to read through the thread again!

[binhoker668]

Want. Enormously. Anyone want to facilitate this by living nearby/wanting a Xantia? I have the horn for small french. And no, my Xantia is not brand new and perfect, I’m also drinking.

[binhoker668]

But. Yes.

[aldo135]

Sorry Binhoker I’ve hawked the Xantia that’s already down there round anyone that might be interested... they’ll be sick of getting offered Xantias!

[robinmasters]

From the previous sale post:

 

 

 

It's as I bought it, plus new tyres, a service, and new speakers. And a dealer sticker and AS sticker. The appendages are still on, and the car will come with the a-frame. £350, Folkestone, Kent.

 

Only changes are the issues mentioned above have been rectified, but the Speedos stopped working.

[bangernomics]

Sorry Binhoker I’ve hawked the Xantia that’s already down there round anyone that might be interested... they’ll be sick of getting offered Xantias!

That xantia got a towbar? Thinking twofer

[aldo135]

Think it has, wcpgw?!!! What one am I keeping though? Haha!

[bangernomics]

If only the ax had one too that would be a good get out of jail free card

[binhoker668]

I can confirm that my Xantia has a tow bar...

[robinmasters]

This is still available. Why? I don't know. I put it up on Facebook, and have had numerous enquiries, which I've ignored; I'd rather it stayed here.

 

To recap:

 

Newish tyres all round, recent service, new speakers, new ball box. And a dealer sticker and AS sticker. The appendages are still on, and the car will come with the a-frame. £350, Folkestone, Kent.

 

The speedo's stopped working.

[dean36014]

I have some serious want for this but no spare cash. It would also mean selling the dependable c2 i use as a daily after all the work i've done to it. Going to have to have a serious think.