NEXT GENERATION DIARIES
This Citroën AX was only supposed to be a budget-priced stopgap while Grace Witton’s boyfriend’s Morris Minor was off the road, but it quickly became a part of the family
HOW DID YOU COME TO OWN YOUR CLASSIC?
‘My boyfriend and I own this Citroën AX jointly. We wanted something that he could drive while his 1966 Morris Minor is off the road being restored.
I’m really into French retro cars – I also have a 1993 Peugeot 205 – so we got the Citroën in April this year as a car for us both to use and enjoy. We were looking at Peugeots, Renaults and Citroëns – including this AX – and we both instantly fell in love with it. There’s nothing else that looks the same; it’s just really quirky and different. It drives like a go-kart.
Even though it's got a tiny engine, it just flies because of how small and light it is.’
WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR?
‘It’s my boyfriend’s daily driver right now but we also take it to shows. There are loads of young people into retro cars because in most cases classic cars are more expensive, so 1990s cars are a bit more affordable. We take it on road trips with a group of friends who also have retro cars, and it’s been great fun. At shows it’s not often you see other AXs, but when you do, a lot of the GTs have been modified and they look great. We’re in two minds about whether to modify it or leave it stock. We could change it to make it look cooler or just leave it in its basic granny-spec with stripy seats. We’re still undecided!
WHAT ARE YOUR OWNERSHIP TIPS?
‘Go to as many car shows as you can and get a feel for what you like. Most people at shows are really lovely. There’s a massive difference between classic and retro cars. Classic cars are absolutely brilliant – I love the Morris Minor but personally I don’t think I could keep up with the maintenance, so you’ve got to decide what sort of car you’re looking for. Insurance-wise, it wasn’t that bad compared to what you’d pay for a modern car, and running costs are pretty much the same if not cheaper – a full tank in the Citroën is £30 because the fuel tank is so tiny.’
WHAT DO YOU SEE BEING IN YOUR GARAGE IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME?
‘I’d really like a Renault 5 MkI just to keep the French theme going – apparently the automatic gearboxes on them are like chocolate, so I’ve been reading up on them already. I’d also love another retro Citroën like a BX because I think they’re really cool. My Peugeot 205 has my heart – it was my first retro car so that’s not going anywhere – and we’ve grown quite attached to the AX, too. It was only supposed to be a temporary car for us to use but we’ve both fallen in love with it, so that’s staying, too. Oh, and I’d love to own a Hillman Imp one day.’
