Tutor me on the Citroen DS, please.

I know there are a few DSes in the States; does anyone know how they are?

Old, quirky, and French. If you can budget $20-$25k to buy a really nice one, they seem like they would be a pretty cool classic. The hydropnumatic suspension is probably the quirkiest part of the car, and if it's not in top-notch shape it can cost a bit to refurb.

My wife fell in love with the cars after seeing one on The Mentalist, so I started researching them. They seem like a cool classic to own if you buy a nice one, and you'd certainly stand out at almost any car event. Maybe someday we'll end up with one, but there are better things I could do with $25k right now...

My old college roommate had one back in tone '80's, it ran about as much as my TR4. The hydrolics would bleed down overnight and it would drop to the ground. It took a long time to pump up enough to drive it. I think even then it was costly to repair, or even find someone that could. I loved that car though.

They rust like most cars of the period, and though body parts are available they are spendy on this continent. People tend to damage the frame jacking them up improperly. The underside is simple to fix since its all flat sheet metal.

An easy way to tell if there is a leak is how frequently the hydro pneumatic pump recirculates. If it comes on every 20 secs or so, there is a leak somewhere in the system.

The clutchless manual trans that came on the DS can be wonderful, but problematic. A few came with proper manual and clutch setup, I believe the ID series and the D Special.

They are wonderful cars but earned a reputation as shop queens when new, and 40+ years doesn't change that. Doubt there are many Citroen friendly mechanics around if you get in over your head outside of SoCal.

A good selection show up at the import show at Carlisle, PA every May, so there's a community for them. Definitely cool to see.

Oof! 25 grand? So the ones I've been seeing for $3500 on ebay probably aren't that great? I remember seeing a DS Safari in Kansas City once when I was visiting there, but I think it was rough, or else I was appalled at how ugly the wagon version of one of the world's most beautiful cars was.

Yeah, probably more than almost any other car, a DS is one of those cars where buying a project will cost you FAR more than buying one that's already clean and sorted. Figure on that $3500 car costing about 10x that to equal a $25K one. The only ones who can buy projects and get ahead are those who know the cars and already have a stash of parts, sources and experience.

I have a friend who makes a nice living from keeping them on the road.

How's your French? Are you ready to travel and cross the border? If you really want one, nice ones are between 10k-15k around here and we always seem to have one or two for sale. They usually belong to Frenchies that have moved over here and that are feeling a little home sick.

To wet your appetite: For sale here.

I'm pretty sure I know this one (brown roof isn't stock). It is absolutely perfect. For sale here. Expensive for an ID, but perfect.

I know you said you don't like wagons, but I do, so... For sale here. The cheapest of the lot, but really far.

If you are comfortable with hydraulics, I wouldn't be afraid of a DS. The engines and transmission are very reliable and durable. But with the number of nice examples out there, I would not bother with a 3500$ DS, unless you want to do something like this: Hot rod Citroen

iceracer wrote: I have a friend who makes a nice living from keeping them on the road.

...and when I can afford to pay him to do that for me, I'll start looking for a wagon. They look like cool cars, but I absolutely zero desire to own one if I have to keep it going. Of course, I'm starting to get that way with most cars... Driving = fun. Owning w/ DIY maintenance & repair = notsomuch...

Getting old sucks.