The wanderer returns

Eddie Honda · 2026-09-16 14:35:10

Hi,

I was last logged in just over a year ago...and haven't done anything to my '96 Synergie in over two. Unfortunately, life got in the way.

To recap. I live in Ireland and I bought the Synergie from a guy in Bristol back in October 2019. I drove it without issue from there to Carlisle where it currently is. It's a 1.9TD VSX that I think may have belonged to Citroen UK given the old plates and the current registration being marked as non-transferable. The purpose at the time was to buy a vehicle that I could clear out my father's old house. This fitted the bill perfectly as I could get it into the local tip without hassle as it was a van that wasn't a van. It also had a towbar with full electrics (12N+12S) and I borrowed a car trailer to move my two Reliants over that month.

Winter came and I put it on SORN at the very end of November 2019. The intention was to do one final run to Ireland and get my last of the stuff out of the house. Well you know what happened after that, yes the MOT ran out 4th March 2020 and the Covid put everything on hold.

Fast forward to now and it's still at the house in Carlisle, which was sold a couple of years ago. The fresh plan is to get it MOT'd and moving again and keep it. I know it's costing me well more than it's worth on paper, but it's an incredibly useful vehicle, and you know, man maths.

I'm going over the start of next week to try and pick up where I left off. The front suspension arms need changing. The offside is removed and I got this far:

https://dispatchexpertscudo.org.uk/foru … hp?id=1997

I'm going back with the same arms and an angle grinder to relieve the side of the bush housing to clear the subframe. I'll make them fit even if it kills me!

After that, I've a pair of inner tie rods to replace along with the steering rack boots which are perished.

The rear nearside brake used to stick if left for a few days. I shall look over the brakes.

I'll change the cambelt. It was unknown when it was last done. It has about 140k miles on the clock and it's been sat long enough.

I need to sort the wire rod between the nearside door handle and lock. The long one as the door is not opening or closing properly and someone before me had modified it by shortening / bending / cable tie.

I'll be visting here daily with updates/questions/answers.

Wish me luck.

kenbw2 · 2026-09-20 02:47:29

Welcome back! Love to see Synergies on the road, it's a rare treat these days

I think the Synergie front end looks nicer than the Dispatch ones, whoch is why mine i a hybrid of the two big_smile

That 1.9TD is gonna serve you well on veg oil with these diesel prices these days yikes

Keep the updates comign

Eddie Honda · 2026-09-22 03:23:09

Well there's been a slight delay in departure to the NW of England. Provisional plan was getting there for yesterday (Monday) as the weather was meant to be nice. Having had yet another look at the weather charts, it seems like it will maybe hold dry until Friday.

I suppose if I get there Wednesday...

Unfortunately there's no 2,500L personal allowance of bio fuel in RoI. So no veg oil for me sad If I can get over the MOT hurdle, then it may well spend a few months up in Glasgow. It's 30th (built) birthday was a couple of days ago and it was first registered 22nd October 1996. So despite the EURO 2 engine, it can smoke around Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee's LEZ zones as a historic vehicle. In Scotland, a HV only needs to be 30 years old.

Now the reason I never imported it to Ireland was taxes. When I first got it, I thought it'd do the temporary job in hand and be sold on. At that point there was only a Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) based on top CO2 band of 37%. This VRT isn't applied to what you paid for it, but on the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP) which is a pie-in-the-sky figure dreamt up by Irish Revenue and the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), so you can guess who it favours. The minimum OMSP is €2000, so that's €740 just to get it registered. Add to that another €720 annual Motor Tax for a 1900-1999cc engine and it rapidly becomes uneconomic.

Then on top of all that in the name of air quality came the NOx charge. Introduced in January 2020, it put paid to any notions importing a dirty diesel. A Euro 2 diesel is going to get hit with the maximum charge of €4850!!

If all that didn't put you off, then import duty (10%) and VAT (23%) were further costs to consider when the Transition Agreement ended 31st December 2020

Since then though, conditions have improved, a lot of it just with the passage of time. Reaching 30 years old removed the CO2, NOx element of the problem, because it reclassifies it as a Vintage/Veteran vehicle. The VRT is still charged, but at a flat-rate of €200 regardless of engine size or notional value. The annual Motor Tax bill shrinks to €56.

I'll check with the insurance underwriting gods first, but unlike the olden days, just being a certain age doesn't get classic car policy. This could be tricky as motor insurance generally isn't particularly cheap here.

Anyway, back to looking at the weather forecast and ferry timetables.

Eddie Honda · 2026-09-29 12:51:36

Finally got here this morning to find it off it's axle stands. sad

Both stands under the vehicle, but one bent. Hammered it back into shape.

Propped it up again at the front and jacked the towbar. Wheels dropped off at the tyre place for a new set of four. 2013 tyres no good to me.

Hunting for wishbone bolts and trying to figure it all out. It's been two years since I was last here...

kenbw2 · 2026-09-29 16:59:49

That's slightly terrifying that an axle stand can bend like that neutral I always rely on them as a failsafe when I get under it

That's a nice looking car, looks in decent nick. And the front headlights and bumper looks so nicer than the Dispatch one, but then I would say that big_smile

Eddie Honda · 2026-09-29 18:32:21

No, it wasn't a static collapse. It was nearer the gate as per avatar and yer one decided to stick the wheels vaguely on and moved it 6 ft from where it was. So consider it motion damage.

It looks better in the photos.

I've got to take out the shite quality used spares, out of the back too as I reckon my chances of passing the test are much improved without the rear seating.

Eddie Honda · 2026-09-30 12:38:13

Found the wishbone bolts. Less of a struggle to fit the wishbone this time, I did give the offending bush housing a tickle with Mr Angry grinder.

Then had a bit of a carry-on with getting the ARB drop links, then the ARB bush... I can't be bothered with the nearside arm as that is different to the driver's side and looks the same as the new one. (The one I took off the had 3 extra speed holes)

Discs are rust, but were fresh on last visit.

The headache was the careless moving of it, which popped the tripod joint and once one of two of the needles make a bid for freedom it's game over. I'm going to reband the gaiter as I've some with me that might fit. I also managed to get the nearside steering rack gaiter finished thanks to my new proper Knipex pliers I got after not being able to get them in time last trip.

Collected the wheels this morning now booted with Cross climates. I'm not a big fan of Michelins, but I'll give them another go. I prefer Vredestein Quatracs, but they can be hard to come by unless mail order.

It's been years since I've done an XUD cambelt, but they're dead easy from memory. I might still farm the job out. See how I feel in a couple of hours.

The Dispatch | Expert | Scudo Hub

Get help & share your Citroen Dispatch (Jumpy) | Peugeot Expert | Fiat Scudo tips

#1 2026-09-16 14:35:10

The wanderer returns

#2 2026-09-20 02:47:29

Re: The wanderer returns

#3 2026-09-22 03:23:09

Re: The wanderer returns

#4 2026-09-29 12:51:36

Re: The wanderer returns

#5 2026-09-29 16:59:49

Re: The wanderer returns

#6 2026-09-29 18:32:21

Re: The wanderer returns

#7 2026-09-30 12:38:13

Re: The wanderer returns

Board footer