1997 Citroen ZX 1.9D Reflex 1.9 diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A capable car, good value

Faults:

Rear brake cylinders leaked at 50000 miles. Wobble from steering wheel that rebalancing failed to totally cure.

Rear door lock broke.

Needed pair of replacement steering bushes at 18000 miles (which Citroen paid for due to age of car).

General Comments:

Quick enough in general driving with enough performance to cruise at 80 mph all day long. Economy excellent at 55-60 mpg. Refined, quiet long distance car with a good ride. Handling stodgy, probably not helped by the weight of the diesel engine. Has been generally very reliable and cheap to run.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 8th March, 2004

6th Oct 2007, 17:19

Brake problems is constant with our Citroen - failed already twice, locked weel.. Repair cast 180 Pounds. Bad heating in the car. Problems with dooor locks - constant.

1997 Citroen ZX SX 1.4 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A great chassis looking for a decent engine

Faults:

The anti-roll link arms have been replaced.

I have had numerous brake problems with the car. The brake discs have been replaced twice. The hand-brake cable snapped. And just before I sold the car I had to replace the brake pipes.

The temperature gauge over-read the water temperature, giving the impression that the car was running hot.

The fuel injection jets always seemed to be blocked, requiring constant cleaning.

The catalytic converter blew at 55000 miles.

The alternator belt went at 82000 miles.

General Comments:

The main reason I bought the Citroen was the fantastic ride and handling, and it didn't disappoint. The car turned in around bends like a track car. The steering was perfectly weighted, and even though it was a powered set-up, there was some feel through the rim.

I did have constant brake problems which caused a lot of expense. The disc seemed especially susceptible to wear. this apparently is a very common Peugeot / Citroen problem.

One irritating problem was the dashboard temperature gauge. When running the car (especially at high speeds) the needle was just below the red zone. Having changed the coolant and then the radiator without resolving the problem, it became apparent that it was the gauge as the engine was not displaying any signs of overheating. I also had a couple of radiator hoses leak.

Performance was tardy. It seemed that the fuel injection system was constantly been clogged by dirt from the fuel tank, especially when the car was low on fuel. This let to lumpy running of the engine and a lack of power. A shot of fuel injection cleaner in the tank seemed to clear the jets, but I was never able to fully resolve the problem.

Fuel consumption was excellent, I was always getting above 40 MPG.

Changing a wheel is a nightmare. The tool to undue the spare wheel from the frame securing it to the boot floor is a piece of unbelievably inept design!

The car always started first time during my tenure which is all you can ask really!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th November, 2003

1997 Citroen ZX Wagon 1.8 from Malaysia

Summary:

I was suckered into buying one

Faults:

The cooling system is bad. The fan motor died at 13000 Km, had it replaced - blew again about 19000Km. Constant problems about over heating. Glad Citroen decided to terminate it once and for all!

General Comments:

I certainly don't recommend the car for anyone in Malaysia. The distributor is close to hopeless. The service center got me to buy an original spots for the Wagon, but could not find a way to fix it. They took back the spots and refunded, but they didn't refund the original switch which costs me approx US$10. I hate the service of the Malaysian franchise operations.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 18th April, 2003

25th Jun 2004, 00:13

Where did you acquire your wagon from and where did you send car for servicing?

2nd Sep 2004, 04:56

I fully agree that the Malaysian Principal for Citroen is wrecking the image of the marque.

They are charging exorbitant prices for spare parts and actually are hopeless when it comes to diagnosing the problems.

However, I beg to differ on the view that it is unreliable.

I drive a second-hand wagon, purchased 4 years ago when it had already clocked 85,000kms and now it is at 145,000kms and I don't seem to face any mechanical problems.

The normal problems associated to wear and tear does take place, but that is to be expected.

I would certainly opt for another Citroen, but definitely will not use the service of the local franchise.

22nd Mar 2005, 04:11

The ZX stationwagon or as a matter of fact all the citroen cars in Malaysia are handicapped by the after sales service. Expensive parts, lack of mechanics who are able to do any decent repairs etc. Good car, but killed by the support. I always wonder why the manufacturer in France allows this to happen. For information if you go to certain parts of China you will find ZX running as taxis, just like our Proton in Malaysia. Who says it is not a reliable car! It is not the car it is the after sales service.

1st Jul 2010, 07:02

Not sure if this comment will be timely, or you may have scraped your Citroen. It is a common problem to have temperate engine design in a hot environment. You may have to bear with this. Removing the relay will enable the fan to operate all the time, and effectively lower your engine temperature. However, this will have an effect of wearing down the fan bearing faster.