Xantia - the most reliable cit ever?

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j_roc
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Post by j_roc »

It sounds kind of painfull. Anybody care to tell. I must say paranoid that Xantia of yours looks like its been lovingly looked after (i wish mine looked like that(one day it will!)). I even like the colour.
ninebob
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Post by ninebob »

As I have previously mentioned, my Xantia was the best and most reliable car I have ever owned. It was a bit bumpy as it needed a sphere change and I never got a "round tuit", but other than that it never missed a beat. It's sad demise was my own fault, not the car's. See my signature....
paranoid
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Post by paranoid »

If i'm honest I do prefer the newer mk2 Xant even if it has done more miles can't really put my finger on why though, might be the metallic, its definately got a squashier ride even though the first one had all new spheres, never did get to the bottom of it....
As for the first one, Easter sunday 2005 put me right off me smartie egg I can tell you, And Mrs F still squeaks when she walks although I quite fancy an old XM if we get any compensation, although to be fair she does deserve it
Image
kid
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Post by kid »

So reading this thread the summary would be:
1) No the xantia is not the most reliable cit ever, but
2) Its still fairly reliable
Ok, im off for a career in politics!!!
ghostrider
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Post by ghostrider »

My first Xantia has been a model of reliability, bought with 80 k on the clock, it got to 127K with just servicing, but like most other Cits I've owned although they will do huge mileages (I've had 2 BXs go to nearly 300K before the rust finally did for them and several CXs that did over 200K), at somewhere between 100 & 150k they have all needed, clutches, ball joints, rear arm bearings, alternators, starters, wheel bearings etc, which is exactly where my xantia is now, it needs a clutch, radiator, possibly a gearbox, spheres, as of this morning a front wheel bearing, the difference I have noticed with the Xantia is that unlike the BX whose life was solely defined by the rust progression, the Xantia is almost rust free which for a 9 year old cit outside of the Galvanised ZX is a record, however the second hand value is no better so do I spend the time and money on a car that has no S/H value or buy another one or even dare I say it another make?
The comments about the Beemer were interesting, it is the exact opposite of the cit's reputation, It is thought of as a reliable car, but is only a bit better than average, so gets credit that it perhaps no longer deserves, Cits have a BAD reputtaion but are actually better cars than that reputation would have you believe which makes a good one a very good buy, the only thing I would say is the worst Cits I have ever owned all had full dealer service histories, from main agents in the SE. That in itself tells a story, the cars are only a reflection of how good the main dealers are at caring for these cars in their early years.
They always used to say "if only everything was as reliable as a Volkswagen" I have several friends who have had VWs, everything from a Beetle to a Scirocco Storm and none of them have been anything like as reliable as the reputation would lead you to believe. A bad reputation takes years to lose, look at Vauxhall and the rust problems they had. but once you get a good reputation you can exist for years on that legacy irrespective of whether your current models live up to that reputation or not.
Final point why are most of the reliable cars so boring? [:D] [:D] [:D]
________
The hills advice
Last edited by ghostrider on 22 Feb 2011, 06:09, edited 1 time in total.
ninebob
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Post by ninebob »

Rossnun wrote:
<i>The worst thing I can think about to do with the Xantia his they never made a coupe version, that would have been lovley. I look at the Xant at some angles & think, yeh why did they never make one!! It would have been a stunning shape.</i>
I found this in google images:
Image
rossnunn
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Post by rossnunn »

you see how goodish does that look.
I have a theroy that most xant get written off by people raming them cos the Xanta brakes are sooo good lol
j_roc
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Post by j_roc »

To paranoid - [xx(] [xx(] [xx(] [xx(] - A sad, sad tale my friend.
JohnT
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Post by JohnT »

Come on lets be straight with each other,Citroens are what we like, you have to be a bit stange to put up with the them or we would would have no forum, nothing to go on about, and we could buy a Honda etc.
jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

Ghostrider - I think Vauxhall are very proud of their reputation for rust and anxious to keep it - just look at the rear wheel arches of 10 or more year old Astras next time you are stuck at the lights - they're coming on very nicely and keep the old Cavaliers company.
Sriously I thought this problem had gone but Astras, Cavaliers and Ford Escorts all seem to suffer quite badly, and Zx and Xantia don't.
Jeremy
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