I don't seem to be getting on here much at all recently, so here is another update for my blog.
I've not been doing too much car wise recently, my Xantias have had a few months off as I don't use them in the winter when I don't have to. I have given the Activa some short drives to warm it up and the HDi Xantia has had a few uses but nothing much. I'm not sure about other parts of the country but we have had quite a bit of salt down on the roads and its been pretty wet, not as much as normal but I still choose to keep the Xantias away from it where possible.
I've been using my Polo TDi mostly, which never puts a foot wrong or needs anything doing, a real hardy and dependable car. It's not really 'me', its too small and it wears a VW badge but it is a great car and very refined for what it is.
However, I've bought another car and this time it is a Citroen! Just for a change … A C4 to be precise.
I've always been tempted by them as I think they look good and I really like the interior design with the long dash, central speedo, fixed hub steering wheel, etc. They are spacious and refined for what they are. I have looked at a good few over the years and recently had my eye out for one. It had to be a diesel for the miles I cover but I'm a little dubious about the 1.6HDi for turbo issues and injector seal rings, being the main problems to watch for.
However, I got a message from Rob (Ragger on here) saying he could use a smaller car which is cheaper to insure for his daughter and that he is considering selling his C4. I'd always prefer a car from someone I know and that the car has been proven, even for a few months, rather than buy something from a used forecourt or private seller without knowing its any good. Fortunately its a 5 door as I wouldn't have another 3 door car, its in a decent spec with AC, cruise, etc and its in an agreeable, if predictable colour. It even has a towbar (oddly it's unused) which is a bonus as I need one for my bike rack.
It is a 2005 C4 5-door 1.6HDi SX in grey. It does need a couple of things doing (timing belt, etc) but it’s a lovely drive. I’ve only had it since Thursday and have only covered 600 miles but so far I’m enjoying it. It has averaged almost 60mpg over those miles, which is superb! I've checked the turbo for wear in the bearing and I'm happy the injector seals don't appear to be leaking, so far so good. It'll be my daily driver from now on, doing up to 100 miles in a typical day. so I'll see how I get on with it.
I’ve already given it a service with the correct Total ECS oil and genuine Citroen filters. The air filter on the C4 is possibly the most awkward to change of any car I have yet worked on, as it sits behind the engine under the scuttle panel and windscreen. Access is very tight and the removal of many pipes/ trims and plastic covers is needed to get to it. I bet these often get overlooked on services and the one in mine was very overdue a change.
I’ve got some new number plates on the way, the original front one there has obviously been grounded at some point. I’ll do some general tidying up, add some proper Citroen carpet mats and flaps in my usual way. It’s not immaculate by any means but it is presentable and ideal for a daily driver, which spends most of its days in car parks.
Here it is:
I am loathed to sell the trusty Polo, it’s been in the family since new, it’s never been any bother and is very well kept. I suspect it will always be a handy car to have around, with its low running costs, etc. However, I now have 5 cars, which seems a little excessive, try as I might I can only drive one at once.
My ZX is still here, its now being used as a storage shed. The plan is to remove the engine and let the body go for scrap. Scrapping cars doesn't sit well with me and it’s not something I have done before but it makes no sense in putting money and effort into the ZX in its condition, which is a shame. I hope to get the engine out fairly soon so that I can free up a parking space - with 10 cars here, its fit to bursting! Interestingly it is having some kind of electrical meltdown, first the passenger window would only go down and not up via any switch. The drivers side window switch operates the central locking now too. When I moved it around yesterday the nearside indicator was stuck to on (not intermittent either) even though it wasn’t turned on. It also drains the battery if left on for any period of time. Poor thing is slowly falling to bits!
If anyone needs any bits from a ZX then please let me know, I’d rather it was used to keep better cars going/looking smart. I do need to keep it in rolling condition so I can keep it mobile while its here.
In other news, I’ve only got another 4/5 months at uni before I’ll finish my third (hmm, if only!) year and hopefully graduate. So I’m busy with dissertation work, general assignments, etc. I’ve still got my job which has seen me through uni, allowing me to gain many skills on the way and keep me ticking along and in cars …
In the mean time I’ll see how this C4 treats me, in particular the 1.6HDi engine. I'll no doubt give a full report on how I find the C4 after I have lived with it for a while.
I'll alternate its use with the Polo.
In fact, that is just about in winter hibernation now too, too much salt about to justify its use.
Something I was expecting as it was only for scrap money. 
There's a bleed screw on the front of the stat housing, accessible when you've removed the air inlet pipe, and another on the heater inlet (just accessible through the hole the air pipe has left. I found little air at the front one, and none on the heater. Not sure about the C4, but on the Picasso the tank is quite high, so I just filled it, put the lid back on, refitted the rad vent pipe to the tank, then blew down the vent pipe to bleed the rad out. Same again with my finger over the top vent on the rad to bleed the stat housing.