I have often wondered...

: I have often wondered - if he drove off as soon as he had started the : engine, would it damage anything? Can anyone with a pump-up Citroen tell me : if it is essential to wait for the suspension to lift, and why?

If the suspension is completely "down", the car is resting on rubber bump stops at each corner. These are really just there so you can push the thing around a workshop: there is effectively no springing, so if you did drive it would be extremely uncomfortable and you'd be at risk of jolting it to bits

I don't know about the BX, but on the DS you're also waiting for the brake and steering systems to come up to pressure.

Ian

Well, I can, because I have an old banger of a BX (240,000 miles and counting). It's as simple as this - you drive off before the thing is up to height and you clobber the exhaust on the deck! Oh, and until the whole thing is pressurised, you might find no power brakes or steering - all works off the same system. It's worth taking a few moments to let it sort itself out.

Geoff MacK

Thanks Geoff and Ian. I hadn't realised the brakes and steering were linked to the suspension pressure. So patience isn't just a virtue, it is essential in this case.

Jim

And the clutch on certain old DSs

Budgie

And the gear change as well. I had a DS19 that used LHS fluid and I once discovered that virtually *nothing* on the car works after you've lost a half gallon of LHS to a leak. I also discovered that LHS was a