Rusty But Trusty

It’s always fun to look at what the self-imposed $4000ish budget cap will get you elsewhere in the world, and what better place to look than Denmark, home of the 180% tax on automobiles (which is actually the ceiling on new cars, starting at 105% with the ceiling dropping to a mere 150% this year). Fortunately, this tax is not imposed on used cars, good news if you’re a Danish classic car enthusiast. And that’s how you can find interesting deals on odd cars like this 1986 Citroën CX Break for sale for KR19,000 (about $2886 today) in Klampenborg, Denmark.

Looking good here – these metallic colors work well on futuristic cars like Citroëns, and the only noticeable oxidation is on the Mark 1 hubcaps (this is a later Mark 2 car) and the plastic bumpers. The sedans are weird, but somehow the wagons (both ID/DS and CX) manage to be even weirder. For the full French experience, this one’s also a diesel, though it’s paired with a bourgeois automatic.

My, what a big cargo hold you have, grandmother! It does detract somewhat from the elegance of the sedan, but you’ll be hauling all your stuff in princely comfort. And the diesel’s clatter will drown out any kid noises, should they be among your things. This car is said to run well, though it’s not flawless, and was brought to Denmark a few years ago, so no worries at all about that pesky tax.

Yikes. It’s said to have a few dents, and these scratches on the right rear door, but these actually look like cracks in some filler. Ask where in France the car is from – the climate can run from California dry to English seaside damp – and poke around very carefully. On the plus side, the car is said to have new brake lines and alternator.

The interior seems to verify the claim of just over 100,000 miles, so the powertrain should have plenty of life in it yet. Notice the bizarrely placed radio, only matched by Italian exotics. And while this is the relatively bland Mark 2 interior, it still has a single spoke wheel and pod mounted controls either side of the binnacle, never mind the chevron-pattern upholstery. For used car money, would you pick this up for your next European tour?

Oh, and the title? Rusty But Trusty in Danish!

Tags: break, citroen, cx, Feature, french, wagon

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