thinking of buying an xantia :).

Post by **myglaren** » 06 Oct 2009, 20:34

Who can say fairer than that, Kev?

I used to get some ragging for my Xantia/BX/GS - until the detractors rode in them. Negative comments ceased after that.

Cipher · Post by **Cipher** » 06 Oct 2009, 21:56

lol well i think ride comfort is certainly something im going to look forward to after both of my last cars having leaf springs that at 60 even on a smooth road surface would dislosdge organs lol.

also having toys like elec windows etc will be a luxuary, my current jeep has one toy and thats the demister on the rear window

which either way you look at it isnt really much lol, still its not as bad as the old one which didnt even hav that

.

as far a horror storys go for xantias head gaskets and general suspension failure (flat spheres) are about it, on other french cars like my mates renault 5 td its been a constant fight to keep it on the road. wiring, suspension, rot and numerous engine faults are causing an almost constant greif

.

there was a zx 1.4i reflex+ a couple of years ago that got passed around a few of my mates, it started off being owned by the same guy thats got the r5 then he sold it to another mate for the pricely sum of 20 quid just to get rid of it and after a new lambda sensor and a tyre it passed an mot and got used by him as a winter run around, he then sold it to another mate of mine for 120 quid, it lasted a good few months until he hit a "thank you for driving safley" sign coming off a roundabout lol.

that zx was a ledgend around my circle of friends and it got thrashed everyday after the 1st mate sold it and it never threw up and problems what so ever

.

davetherave · Post by **davetherave** » 06 Oct 2009, 22:02

equipment levels dropped back. Eg Davethrave (sorry to rub it in again mate :twisited) has an S2 Xantia LX without ABS whereas my older S1 LX has.

Cheers for reminding me Kev, ill think of your car when doing any sharp breaking, how ever at least ill be braking poorly in the comfort of leather seats! (sadly they defo dont normally come with lx model!)

Im another young un at 20, the numbers keep on increasing!

1.9tds are indestructable! my last did 250000 miles before i got rid and it still ran fine! we have had 4 in the family and all were great!

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 06 Oct 2009, 22:06

Indestructable indeed

My first Xantia took a dive through a rather deep puddle and flooded the engine.
Took off the intercooler and drained it, removed the injectors and turned it over until clear of water, put it all together and she ran perfectly.
Cassy snapped her cambelt doing 40mph one night on the M25, no bent valves as they're in line with the motion of the piston, just a broken cam and it's caps.
Replaced them and she ran fine.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 06 Oct 2009, 22:12

Cipher wrote:it lasted a good few months until he hit a "thank you for driving safley" sign coming off a roundabout

I'm pretty convinced the local Council Highways Department position these
signs on purpose after long careful study and expense to get optimum
calamity. We've got 1000's of extra damn signs; every other 100 yards
there's one counting down the distance to the next speed camera warning
sign!

And driving at night you can forget it! Bloody dazzling signs with total bollocks
on them distracting the eye as you're trying to avoid the Muppet with spot
lamps on or where I live marauding cattle/sheep and ponies in the pitch
darkness.

Showing my age badly here now, I cut my teeth at your age hooning about
in the 90's equivalent of a Xantia = the totally awesome GS!! Nothing held
on the road like it and you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a 1600 - 1800cc.
These cars made such an impression on me I became a hopeless Citroen
addict to this minute - nothing else will do.

Andrew

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 06 Oct 2009, 22:26

I dont like this thread any more, its making me want a Xantia even more, though its something ive been thinking about for a while.

Some of my mates thought it a bit odd at 21 for me to own a C5, but it was what i wanted. They soon came around to it though. I got it mainly to fill in the gap between the Xm and my daily car, thinking that would be the next best thing, though i think a Xantia is and a C5 is a totally different thing. A hydractive+ C5 might be better but its quite a dull old drive. This being my main reason for me tearing about in the 206, its like a go cart in comparison.

Though it is most certainly not a Citroen and it does also ride like a go cart!

Id like a hydractive S2 Xantia if i get one, though that would mean it would have to be a S2 HDi Exclusive which are thin on the ground it seems. There is one on autotrader at the moment, the one without history. So most likely a SX 110 - insurance depending.

There is a 2.1 exclusive on there, and as i found out our 2.1TD Xm estate is quicker than my 2.0HDi 110 C5, so that Xantia might be quite a performer. 2.1s are good, an old style diesel like the 1.9, pulls very well so long as your above 2000rpm. HDis pull from much lower, especially with the EGR off.

The 2.1 Xm is averaging a very good MPG at the moment, im impressed with it. It does sound better than a HDi on the move too.

Odd how the specs changed between S1 and 2 Kev, you would have thought ABS would have become a standard feature. I think all S2 Xms have it. Ive noticed quite a few very late Xantias on autotrader with side air bags, thats what id like to go for, one of the last would be superb, then again depends what become available.

Most Xantias have a high spec, most get air con for example. Which is something very few Xms had as standard.

What do the 1.9TDs do to the gallon? Is there really a 10MPG difference between TD and HDI?

Im amased to see HDi Xantias being in group 12 and 13 insurance ratings. My C5 is 8 or 9. Ill get some quotes, certainly something im looking into at the moment.

Chris.

Cipher · Post by **Cipher** » 06 Oct 2009, 22:32

andmcit wrote:

where I live marauding cattle/sheep and ponies in the pitch darkness.

im out in the country and deer/cattle/sheep are a constant hazzard, since i started driving last year ive hit 2 deer (both were unavoidable) and countless rabbits

.

the worst moment was when i lived at my old house, i came bombing around a corner at 3am to find a whole heard of cattle just standing on the road, luckily i wasnt going too fast and managed to stop before i hit them but i nearly put a massive stain in my boxers lol.

i suppose i will go for an abs model as i hate it when i lock up and cant do anything but wait until u hear the iniment bang

, this is sadly what happened last week when a car pulled out infront of me and is the main reason im looking at getting a new car, luckily i had slowed down enough to not get anyone hurt, my car was ruined tho

.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 06 Oct 2009, 22:49

The C5 is the only daily car ive ever had with ABS, its nice to know its there and really stops the car quick no matter what the weather is doing. But ive only ever used it when i tested it and not in normal use.

I did have to call on the Xms ABS a few weeks ago though, the first time ive used it in an emergency situation, im glad i was in a car with it that day!

Ive never had one accident, despite the lack of ABS, which i could have done with once or twice but it never got me into trouble not having it. I would like ABS on my next car, for peace of mind more than anything.

Cipher, when you first mentioned your previous cars i was thinking they were Motorbikes

But i take it your last one was a Jimny or something like that?

Xantias are in a whole different world, you will get on well with one im sure. 8)

Chris.

Cipher · Post by **Cipher** » 06 Oct 2009, 23:20

Citroenmad wrote:
Cipher, when you first mentioned your previous cars i was thinking they were Motorbikes But i take it your last one was a Jimny or something like that?

well both of them were small jeeps that the jimmy evolved from, my 1st was an 86' sj410 with a 970cc engine, 4 speed box and a choke but i loved it, it also had some fat 235/70r15 tires so it did hold the road but was a scary 1st car due to how primitive it was with live axles with no anti-roll bars

.

the next one i had was the 89' sj413 samurai, this was the top model in the range that boasted a 1.3 engine, 20mm wider axles and a front anti-roll bar for added stability, mine was also fitted with some aftermarket shocks that added to the stiffness and made it an even more interesting drive lol.

since i bought it in december i hav clocked up over 20k miles and did a good few long journeys to glasgow and edinburgh, after about 100miles you would get a really sore back and would have to stop for a stretch.

thats one of the things i remembered about my dads was the seats, i loved them, they were just sooooo comfy lol.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 06 Oct 2009, 23:34

Oh yes i know the ones now, i can imagine they can be a bit of a handful!

For years my auntie had one small Suzuki jeep after another, loads of them. Used to pull the jetski everywhere, hence her having so many Suzuki Jeeps, they didnt last long after dropping boat trailers into the sea. Soon rotted away!

Hard working little vehicle though. Not sure if id like to be doing 2K miles per month in one! But you obviously like them

Good choice on the Xantia though, this is certainly the place to be for advice and general chat too. Seems more of a Xantia forum than a general french car forum at times

Thats a good thing!

I can imagine the Xantia is going to be quite a change from your current set of wheels. Are you wanting one soon? There are lots of good ones for sale on the various websites at the moment.

Chris.

Cipher · Post by **Cipher** » 06 Oct 2009, 23:46

with my sj410 i managed to tow a 4berth caravan to pitlochery and back (about 50 miles eachway) without any problems but it really lacked torque on some of the big hills with the 970cc engine lol.

then my dad bought a discovery at the same time i got my samurai and instantly got problems, 1st it was a propshaft then it wouldnt get gears then the head gasket popped after towing the same caravan half the distance, i always slated him for spending nearly 4x what i spent on my jeep and mine was still going strong albeit a bit scabbyer lol.

it all really depends on when i get my insurance payout for the jeep, the sooner the better tho but for now i might be getting a hire car just to tide me by.

addo · Post by **addo** » 07 Oct 2009, 09:08

I'll try to expand on answers to your question about how they handle in corners (assuming a little speed is there).

The best description I can approach, is to say it's quite different from a regularly sprung car. Much harder to get the rear breaking away, especially if you are braking into a tight bend. They tend to plough ahead, washing off masses of speed until the tyres grip again and you start turning.

You also use more of the tyre sidewall or tread edge because they're shod with higher profile tyres than many cars now. The tyre's "rolling sideways" action is a part of how the car hangs on so well. Change to bling wheels and super low profile tyres, and you'll lose some low speed ride comfort, and lose a few degrees more of safety in hard cornering.

Oh, and the handbrake is on your front wheels - no good for quick turns! Overall, they're a very safe, very forgiving car when equipped with good standard size tyres/wheels. I would advocate really getting to know the car on a skid pan and with some driver training. Passive safety is nice but being in control of a car whose limits you know, is even better.

Cipher · Post by **Cipher** » 07 Oct 2009, 18:47

well whenever i get a new car (to me) i always take it easy for a while just to get broke into the car its self, saying that sometimes situations arise where even the most experianced driver would be baffled lol.

say for instance, my samurai was light on the rear wheels and even after about 8 months i would go into bends that i would hit everyday at my normal speed and the rear would just break loose for no reason lol, it was much worse in the wet tho.

after reading what you said i really am looking forward to owning something that is easyer and safer to drive

.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 08 Oct 2009, 15:59

Find a VSX and it well be even nicer to drive

Im always amased at how well the Xm (not driven a hydractive Xantia, actually ive not driven a Xantia, only a short go in an activa) takes flowing bends. I often find myself going down country roads enjoying the bends when i look down and see im actually going quite a bit faster than i though i was and should be

They can be quite fun to push around for a large car. I would guess a Hydractive Xantia would be even better and more nimble, though not sure what a non hydractive one would be like. Might have to give one a go. Still really fancying one myself.

..... and more comfortable too no doubt

Chris.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 10 Oct 2009, 23:48

Thought id add to this thread after today.

Ive been looking for a nice Xantia today, my first choice was a HDi Exclsuive. I love the spec on the exclusive, heated leather etc but mainly the hydractive 2 suspension, which i have became used to with the Xms.

My second choice of the day was a 2.0HDi Sx with 60K.

I was going with the view to buy either car but it wasnt to be....

The 60K SX had buyers on the way when i first phoned. I phned back a while later and they were there buying the car. Obviously a good one. Anyone on here? they said they had 5 previous Xantias!

So i went to view the green Exclusive which was 85 miles away. I didnt expect it to be perfect as i had phoned previously and found it had no history. But i thought id go and have a look and for little money it could be a good car. Now usually im always very tight on servicing and always service my cars more than needed. However i thought this might be worth a look and if it looked, drove and sounded ok id probably have it.

The exterior was a little tatty, scrathes and chips but the bumpers were almost unmarked and there was nothing too serious. However in someones wisdom they had decided to repair the rear door scratch by having a DIY painting session, with a rattle can. So that was awful. Well you can imagine what a self painted door looks like, totally the wrong colour, rough and nasty. Not to mention the overspray down the side of the car and windows. Oh, the boot spoiler (on an exclusive?) had also seen the same treatment.

The suspension was soft, a little too soft on comfort spheres. So the sports mode was not working. It was clicking in and out when opening the doors but not making any difference to the suspenion firmness. Neither did the sports button while driving.

So it needed a fair bit of bodywork, cambelt and water pump, full serivice, full set of 8 spheres i suspect and a few niggly things. Probably getting on for £800, a lot to spend on a car with no history i thought.

However the electric seats worked as should, inc. heating. Air con worked and it looked very tidy inside. Though the speedo had just stopped working apparently.

It drove very nicely, no odd noises, engies seemed fine. The clutch was very high but not slipping, yet!

Id have liked to take it home, as it was the colour i like (the bright met green), the interior was very good and it felt good to drive. SOmetimes you get a feeling that a car feels right or not, that one felt right, just needed a lot of TLC. But with no history and all the work needed i just didnt fancy it in the end. We got the price down a bit but it needs a lot spending to get it to how i would like it, certainly couldnt use it as it was.

I should have really discounted it on the fact on no history, i think thats a must really.

Overall thats the first time ive driven a Xantia for a few years since a small go in my parents Activa. So i was impressed with it and even though it wasnt the best and the hydractive was not working it helped make my mind up as to what my next car will be.

Id ideally like an Exclusive, but will be happy with an SX or whatever.

I dont expect them to be perfect, but better than todays example would be nice.

Ill keep looking, hopefully it wont take too long to find a nice exclusive HDi ....

How do non hydractive Xantias compare to hydractive?

Is it worth waiting to get a hydractive xantia?

Chris.