I've had that happen to me once, hydraulic leaks are fun. You lose (in that order) power steering
- with all the weight of the engine over the front wheels imagine you're instantly the proud owner of a non-power assisted tank, you can still steer but it takes real muscle and it is impossible if the car has no forward speed, everything happens in slow motion. A quick evasive manouver would be impossible but with some long term planning you might be able to make turn of about 3 miles in radius.
- the suspension goes. Depending on how big the leak is you either fall like a brick or float down like a feather. After that even a chalkline will feel like you've just hit a kerb.
- the brakes go. This is a really neat extra kick in the pants, especially once the lack of steering has caused you to come aimed at something you'd rather avoid contact with.
Fun times.
That said, when it works it's the best ride you'll ever encounter bar none. And it mostly works.
One problem with the ancients is that you're so far out of regular maintenance schedules that it is next to impossible to predict with any accuracy what will fail next. So you carry a lot of spares and you get to know the owners of the major DS garages in all European capitals :)
Comments
I've had that happen to me once, hydraulic leaks are fun. You lose (in that order) power steering
- with all the weight of the engine over the front wheels imagine you're instantly the proud owner of a non-power assisted tank, you can still steer but it takes real muscle and it is impossible if the car has no forward speed, everything happens in slow motion. A quick evasive manouver would be impossible but with some long term planning you might be able to make turn of about 3 miles in radius.
- the suspension goes. Depending on how big the leak is you either fall like a brick or float down like a feather. After that even a chalkline will feel like you've just hit a kerb.
- the brakes go. This is a really neat extra kick in the pants, especially once the lack of steering has caused you to come aimed at something you'd rather avoid contact with.
Fun times.
That said, when it works it's the best ride you'll ever encounter bar none. And it mostly works.
One problem with the ancients is that you're so far out of regular maintenance schedules that it is next to impossible to predict with any accuracy what will fail next. So you carry a lot of spares and you get to know the owners of the major DS garages in all European capitals :)