Bangerwatch: 1993 Citroën ZX Volcane TD
The Citroën ZX Volcane is like a bus. You wait an age for one to come along and then three turn up at once. At the time of writing there are three for sale on eBay with prices ranging from £360 to £700. All are in reasonable order and wouldn't look out of place at PetrolBlog HQ.
But there's one which appeals more than the others. It's white, it's got three doors and had I not bought a ZX 16v last year, I'd be pressing the ‘Buy it Now’ button and heading to Kent armed with 1,200 notes. Heck, I even contemplated chopping in the AX GT, but fortunately came to my senses.
The seller commits the cardinal sin of opening the ad with the classic ‘rare opportunity’ line but then in the case of the Volcane he's not far off the truth. How Many Left? reckons there are 238 Volcane diesels still on the road, but I'd wager that the vast majority of them come packed with two extra doors. More practical yes, but far less good looking. And I've always thought the ZX Volcane looks best in 80s white.
Readers of PetrolBlog will be encouraged to hear that the dealer number plates, tax disc holder and key fob are still in place along with a stamped-up service book. It's also only hand two owners from new. It even has a National Trust sticker on the front window, a sure sign of a careful and considerate owner. Seriously, is there anything not to like?
Well, the tow bar is a bit off-putting but is easily removed and there's some light corrosion on the inner wings. Having said that, finding a better one may be tricky and at 129,000 miles it's barely run-in. What's more, four new Michelin Energy Saver tyres will help you get somewhere close to the claimed mid to high 40s mpg.
On paper you'd find it hard to get excited about Volcane diesel. A 0-60 time of over ten seconds and a top speed of 115mph was hardly the stuff of pant-wetting excitement. But its mid-range torque and fuel economy were the great levellers. What's more, in 1993 the Volcane diesel was over £500 cheaper to buy than its petrol-driven sister.In the mid-90s even the idea of a hot diesel sounded preposterous and something only ‘zoze crazee French’ would think of. Fast forward a couple of decades and a performance diesel is considered normal and commands quite a premium. And to think that the ZX was written off by Citroën enthusiasts for being too plain and boring. Pah.
PetrolBlog predicts that the hot ZXs will become rather desirable in the future, with the 3-door Volcane diesel rivalling the lesser spotted ZX 16v in the popularity contest. At the moment there are a few Volcanes left in existent, but just how long will it be before they're threatened with extinction?
Do yourself a favour, put in a bid on this hot hatch before I'm tempted into doing something silly.
Check out the ad here. The auction closes on Valentine's Day, so you can treat your loved one to a night out in Sevenoaks. He or she will love you for it. Honest.
