Cash-free classics

Restoring one costs a bomb, but investing in an already solid DS could be a very shrewd move…

Citroën ID/DS

The motoring world’s fascination with Citroën’s ‘Goddess’ will surely never fade. As futuristic as it is ingenious, the DS is one of the greatest cars ever to have come out of France.

That level of admiration has been slow to translate into particularly high values, so it’s likely that prices still have some rising to do, but rising they certainly are. These cars are hardly commonplace in auction catalogues and that kind of exoticism enables top examples to be very highly prized.

Chapron ‘décapotable droptop enjoyed small but noticeable increases in interest last year, and a 1969 DS with a later UK-built droptop conversion beat its estimate at Barons in December, selling for nearly £37k. That said, it’s not just the DS that has enjoyed steady growth in 2020 – 2CVs, CXs, BXs and XMs are all on the up.

Of course, the complexity and cost of the engineering require careful consideration because dodgy hydraulics will undermine your investment in a flash. Corrosion is a major concern, too. But if you’re really worried about all that hydropneumatic wizardry, you could investigate one of the less mechanically adventurous ID models.

Rare, collectible DSs are potentially worth much more than our target budget, so do plenty of research before deciding what to pay. Whatever the model, it’s a car’s condition, originality and service history that will determine its true value – and its potential to appreciate.

IS THERE ANY RUST? Walk away if you find structural corrosion – fixing it will ruin your investment. Check the sills, wheel arches and lower sections of the front wings and boot floor. Crawl right under to check the box sections, too. Only the saloon has a glassfibre roof, incidentally. HOW’S THE SUSPENSION? The hydropneumatic suspension needs checking throughout for fluid leaks and rusty pipes (put it into high mode first). Query anything less than superlative ride quality, but don’t be too scared by spheres that need re-charging or replacing – it’s not too big a deal. GET CLUED UP These cars’ engineering evolved significantly, and spec varied between Paris- and Slough-built cars. Research variations carefully in advance so you know how the car should perform on the test-drive. The IDs are more conventionally engineered. WHAT TO PAY £18k35k LISTEN FOR ODD NOISES A whining or howling noise from the rear of the car while driving signifies that the differential needs replacing. Driveshafts wear, too – listen for clunking noises while driving on full lock. Be aware that early cars have hydraulicallyactuated transmission. CHECK THE ENGINE The four-pot engines are long-lived if properly serviced, although some are thrashed to compensate for modest performance. Rattling probably signifies a tired timing chain, which is an engine-out job to rectify. Cylinder heads crack too, so check for healthy coolant.