Why aren't French/Italians Imported? - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Mark DiSilvestro · #31 02-15-2002, 12:38 AM

And how well will those Hyundai doors work when it's as old as my '72 250? Or will it even last untill it's 30th birthday?

I have an elderly friend who still drives her 1975 Fiat 131 sedan. Her regular mechanic no longer wants to work on it, so now it's up to me. I still have the patience to repair it, whenever possible, instead of just throwing parts at it.

Happy Motoring,
Mark

240 Ed · #32 02-16-2002, 05:03 AM

I just knew some folks out there would get all bent about mentioning a Hyundai, and that's OK!

At the SF International Auto Show, I actually had to go back to this car and re-slam the doors just to confirm the door slam. And then to re-confirm it at the San Jose Auto show.

I think you have missed my point about this.
My informal door slam contest is not about quality and how long it lasts, and who makes the better car, etc.
It is about the perception of quality This is what the casual buying public bases a lot of their decisions on.
This is part of the strategy the Asian companies employ to win the american buck. And it works too!
It must have taken a huge amount of detail engineering by the Hyundai folks to pull this off.

I am saying that Mercedes needs to stay way ahead of any competitor in this game, but I think they are finding little things like this are getting harder to one-up.

longston · #33 02-16-2002, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ceegary
Now we need to have someone discuss the Deushville (sp?)...

It was actually called the "Deux Chevaux", which is French for "Two Horses". I always thought it meant "Two Chevrons". And that the term came from the Citroen logo that looks like two chevrons. Actually, the logo became the company's symbol because the company founder, André Citroën (1878-1935), before creating the car company that bears his name, was head of a gearing factory on the quai de Grenelle that produced V-shaped (herring-bone) double helical gears. But "2 CV" is actually the abbreviation for "deux chevaux vapeurs" (two steam horses) referring to it's two cylinder engine.

I knew a Brit who called the 2CV "Douche A Vole", because he said he'd rather try to do that than drive one. The 2CV was actually a Bertoni design and was made in a variety of models. They were the epitome of the minimalist approach to auto engineering. Made from about 1936 to 1989, they didn't change much, were easy to work on, were sold all over the world, and were actually quite popular.

http://www.virtualgaz.co.uk/2cVpage.htm

Despite having been produced for some 53 years, there were none I could find for sale on ebaY, Yahoo or AutoTrader.

longston · #34 02-16-2002, 11:06 PM

It wasn't Citroens in general I referred to, it was the 2CV. There are at least three Citroens on ebaY right now, including this 1972 SM with 49,000 original miles that's currently at $4550.00:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1804387959&r=0&t=0

And I was mistaken. When Auto Trader's search came back with no hits, it was due to their own internal glitch. If you were to search right now, you would get at least 17 hits, many of which would be 2CV's.

I have to say that if you ever want to get that real "just purchased a totally foreign car" experience, buy a Citroen. You'll think you bought it in another dimension.

BTW, The 1970's Citroens were popular with the Jefferson Airplane/Starship people (band and crew) in SF. Jack Cassidy had a cabriolet coupe that was painted a metallic red and featured euro headlamps that turned around corners. When the steering wheel was turned, the headlamps followed the direction of the front wheels. These were really strange cars. For instance, the Citroen-trademark steering wheels on these beasts that had the uni-spoke wheel. Weird, really weird...

240 Ed · #35 02-17-2002, 06:08 AM

Hello Scott!

I consider you a real auto afficiando!
I love that picture of the interior of what looks like an early DS19! Must have been from a brouchere. It shows what it looks like, but it cannot convey what it feels like to sit there and drive one of these, definitely one of lifes most impressive automotive experiences!:p

I was fascinated by your description of the 2CV name and the origin of the name. I was under the impression that it was from the 2 V's in the logo, Thanks for the info!

I would dearly love a DS21 Gran Palais, with bright red velour interior and dark blue exterior!

So, have you seen this movie, The Day of the Jackel? released in the 60's, you should still be able to find it in a good rental store.
Great movie making-stars a young Edward Fox, and features wonderful Citroen scenes, streets of Paris in the 60's, streets of Italy, and wonderful driving scenes of an Alfa Spyder in the Alps.
Fox even drives a Renault Caravelle!

240 Ed · #36 02-17-2002, 06:23 AM

in the FWIW department;

While in France in 1969, I was hitching a ride in a Riviera town and was picked up two stunning girls in a Citroen (I forgot the model name now,

). It was sort of a cross between a dune buggy/VW Thing, no top, four seater, bright red...
The most terrifying ride of my life! So slow, but they were determined to pass everything! And all the while these two gorgeous French women were casually chatting and smoking those god awful cigarettes (Gitanes), ignoring me, and passing cars using their flashing headlights to move over on-coming traffic on this two lane highway!

What can I say about the French and being in France,...

It is all wonderful, and the closest thing to being in a parallel dimension.

Oh yeah, the model was a Citroen Sahara.

240 Ed · #37 02-17-2002, 06:47 AM

Nope, it wasn't a Sahara, it was a Mehari.

Citroen is an accomplished company, and it is too bad they won't bring their unique cars over. Their models are much less radical than they were-more mainstream.

240 Ed · #38 02-17-2002, 06:48 AM

Citroen Mehari

I hope this pic comes through.

240 Ed · #39 02-17-2002, 07:01 AM

Here is what a midsize modern Citroen looks like.
The Citroen Xsara Picasso.

Mark DiSilvestro · #40 02-17-2002, 10:42 AM

In 1981, my local Goodwill store used to take donated cars. They had a 1971 Citroen DS21 Pallas for $250, but the incredible complexity of the car and lack of parts availibility scared me. At the time, I had a '61 Mercedes 180b and a '71 Audi Super 90 'Variant' (Remember those?) to support and my apartments' parking situation discouraged car collecting.
That Citroen had the most georgeous black leather interior. I thought about buying it just to remove the front seats, add bases and use them for living room furniture. but, fortunately/unfortunately, sanity prevailed.
(Just another unrealized automotive fantasy!)

Happy Motoring,
Mark

4 Mercedes
3 Auto Unions
2 Japanese cars
1 Sunbeam Alpine
(I don't live in an apartment any more!)

#41 02-17-2002, 02:20 PM

I saw a Citroen DS 21 estate wagon in the University District here in Seattle a couple days ago, on Brooklyn Avenue. Kind of a cream color, in very good condition to boot. Only in person can one appreciate the true eccentricity of the DS, that's for sure.

-Sam

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