Should it stay or should it go?

jonnydrumm1967 · Post by **jonnydrumm1967** » 06 Jan 2010, 23:35

Yes! They're actually a lot stronger than the XUD9 I believe,no mean feat! Overall Peter I must agree with you though,if absolute reliability is the key then it has to be the XUD,it's half the reason I'm buying the 405! Fixability,too is so much easier and cheaper. I got the Xantia cheap and I think I've just been lucky!

Cheers, Jon

Post by **Peter.N.** » 07 Jan 2010, 10:05

I like the 405, I think they are the best value for money car on the road, I have obtained several for friends and they all like them, you very rarely see a scruffy one do you, even the nearly 20 year old ones, they don't seem to get damaged, perhaps its because the visibility is good.

Peter

falling-out-with-my-car · Post by **falling-out-with-my-car** » 07 Jan 2010, 12:19

Only if you change the oil frequently I suspect.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 07 Jan 2010, 12:57

Some 405 estates had hydraulic rear suspension did they not? Was it on the range topping 4x4 or something. I remember we used to look after a 405s spheres a long long time ago.

Peter, im surprised your not interested in 2.1TD Xantia estates as well? Or do they use a different fuel pump to the Xm 2.1 Bosch?

And no i dont remember seeing a very untidy one, i still see some around here, they must be very good cars to stick it out this long. I dont often see many BXs now, or even earlier Xantias.

falling-out-with-my-car · Post by **falling-out-with-my-car** » 07 Jan 2010, 13:23

I was under the impression that was air suspension, ok they had spheres but they also had a valve inside the rear wing that could be connected to an airline and the rear end could be stiffenned to carry heavy loads or for towing, I had an old vauxhal cavalier Mk1 estate that had air suspension and it to had spheres to store the presurised air.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 07 Jan 2010, 14:06

Citroenmad wrote:Some 405 estates had hydraulic rear suspension did they not? Was it on the range topping 4x4 or something. I remember we used to look after a 405s spheres a long long time ago.

Peter, im surprised your not interested in 2.1TD Xantia estates as well? Or do they use a different fuel pump to the Xm 2.1 Bosch?

And no i dont remember seeing a very untidy one, i still see some around here, they must be very good cars to stick it out this long. I dont often see many BXs now, or even earlier Xantias.

alas the 2.1TD Xantias all came with the veg killing Lucas Epic(ly slow)
Conversion to a 1.9TD bosch pump is apparently possible though.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 07 Jan 2010, 14:36

falling-out-with-my-car wrote:Only if you change the oil frequently I suspect.

I think the same applies to all diesels, I change mine every 5k.

Xantia is not big enough, if I'm going to have all the hassle of hydropnumatic suspension I want the maximum benifit from it

Seats are not so good either.

Peter

falling-out-with-my-car · Post by **falling-out-with-my-car** » 07 Jan 2010, 16:54

Peter,

I'm with you there on seats, I have already had to strip one down to the frame and have it welded, because the welds done at the factory were rubbish.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 07 Jan 2010, 17:07

I don't know what the standard VSX seats are made of but they just don't seem to wear out, I sold one at nearly 300,000 miles and the seats were near enough perfect - apart from being big and comfortable. I have a 190,000 black SX hatch and the seats in that literally look new, better even than the VSX.

Peter

Post by **CitroJim** » 07 Jan 2010, 19:11

I've had a couple of 405s. Best Pug (after the 205) ever

In 1.9D or TD form, absolutely 100% reliable and they go on nfor ever and ever. My old 1.9 GRD (NA) used to return a consistent 53mpg

It was the Mi16 4x4 with the hydropneumatic rear end. Mostly all gone now, weak transfer boxes (shared with the BX 4x4) and the attractiveness of the D6B engine for 205 Mi16 conversions saw them off as it did for many BX 16v GTis

Xantia seats, with the very notable exception of Alcantara, lasts almost indefinitely and will take all kinds of abuse and still scrub up well. Leather seems almost indestructable too, save from sharp objects.

Xac, you really do seem to have a problem with the Lucas EPIC

addo · Post by **addo** » 07 Jan 2010, 20:19

On my Series II break, the rear seat springing has busted through the top foam and started to chafe its way through the cover material. Overall, the velour's nap is still pretty good. I'm planning to "skin" both fronts next week and launder the covers before reinstalling.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 07 Jan 2010, 20:38

CitroJim wrote: Xac, you really do seem to have a problem with the Lucas EPIC

You know I'm only teasing

Ok so it doesn't let the car use it's 110BHP in any fun way, but it does give (everyone but me it seems) good fuel economy

When I was growing up, after dad had two 205 XRD's (one which he managed to sort of get away with doing 110mph in because the police couldn't believe a 205 D could go that fast - he was charged with exceeding the national speed limit instead). As my sister and I got older, the 205 was traded in for a 405 GRD estate which was lovely, and frankly the 205 and 405 estate were the last good looking cars Peugeot made (405 saloon is ok with a spoiler but doesn't look as good to me as the estate).
It's one of the reasons I went for a Xantia, to me it's the natural evolution of the 405 style.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 07 Jan 2010, 21:11

There are quite a few 405 estates about down this way, I probably see at least two on a trip of a few miles. The best ones, or at least the ones with the most comfortable seats were the pre '95s. I ran a late one for about a year but had to change the seats, the hard side bolsters gave me a pain in the backside. I changed from an XM to something 'simpler' but soon changed back again, not because the 405 was a bad car but the XM was so much nicer. I could live with a 405 though.

Peter

addo · Post by **addo** » 07 Jan 2010, 22:31

Being serious, 405 drivers seem to smile more behind the wheel, than other motorists. Odd, but possibly they really enjoy driving.

(Yes, I do watch peoples' faces and look at the cars they're piloting!)

Between a 405 and a Xantia, I like the low-down torque of the 405, and it's nimbleness. However, I can push the Xantia harder into a corner if neither is desired to oversteer.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 07 Jan 2010, 23:39

The 405 is somewhat lighter than the Xantia and the 1.9 engine is quite adequate, the Xantia really needs the 2.1. I think that the 405 is a very pleasant car to drive, that's probably they look happy.