Cavalier or a Citroen BX

roscopervis · Post by **roscopervis** » 16 May 2003, 14:35

The garage is a garage of repute (Lloyds Citroen specialists in Swansea) and was very fair and let me keep all the old parts. Its the car Im afraid, and I still like it but its expensive to keep so in answer to the original question I would pick a Primera for cheap hassle free motoring.
And I doubt its the worst Xantia made, lots of local owners have all complained about very similar incidents. Diferent ages too. Design faults I reckon.
And I serviced the Hydraulic stuff myself, did most of the oil, filters and spark changes, fixed the central locking, and did lots of numerous little fixes that themselves woiuld have cost a mint.
I hope that you are luckier than me or that those things have already been fixed.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » 16 May 2003, 17:03

I'll vouch for the garage (I know it well - the owner is a citroen enthusiast, runs BXs himself, and serviced/repaired mine before I had it). Not always cheap, but very thorough and fair - most definitely not a cowboy outfit.
David
David

algieuk · Post by **algieuk** » 16 May 2003, 19:18

Looking at your list there isn't anything there that would be considered abnormal for a car of nearing 10 years old. OK, they may be a bit heavy on front pads, but look at the braking power you have available. For the rears to wear while not touching the discs (they couldn't have done if the discs corroded through lack of contact) would suggest that the problem was elsewhere. The rears are pretty much the same as a BX, and although they do need cleaning every couple of years I have never found them to be much of a problem. Ignition coils can fail on any car. Interestingly, you are the only one to have posted as having this problem on this forum. Rear trailing arms can be expected to need replacing on a car this age too. The clutch was no fault of the car, and the timing belt tensioner has a service life too (Look at Fords, where it has to be changed along with the pulleys every timing belt change). The other things you mention are more niggles than faults, and are not uncommon on older cars.
You had bad luck with your Xantia without a doubt, but I don't see anyone else on the forum reporting the problems you have as being common. (except the rear brakes)
All in all, the list you give, whilst most annoying, particularly as they all occured in the same time period, could happen to almost any car. The vehicle must have covered a high mileage (or had a lousy driver) to need the clutch changed.
I presume you purchased this as a used vehicle. It sounds to me like you were unfortunate to have bought an abused/neglected example. I would still wholeheartedly recommend a Xantia for the home mechanic, or better still a BX as per the original question. Parts are cheap from AS, and plenty can be got from scrapyards.

roscopervis · Post by **roscopervis** » 19 May 2003, 18:14

The car has covered to date 84k genuine miles. I purchased it with 41k on the clock in January 2001. 2 previous owners, both old men.
I accept that pad wear is heavy, and that rear discs may need cleaning, but there was often a decent load in the boot which would make the rears work too.
Cental locking failed about 4 months after I had it.
The coils burnt out due to bosch super 4 plugs being fitted. That happened around 54k.
The rear trailing arms are expected, yes.
The clutch was no fault of the car but the phenomenal labour costs involved in removing and replacing are! Its a very long job so high labour. Clutch changed at 81k though feasibly I could have goy another 10k out of it if i nursed it.
Timing belt tensioner failed 12 k after timing belt was replaced.
The coils problem has been documented on my engine on both the Xantia World forum and the Yahoo Xantia and ZX forum.
Every job seems to be awkward to do. With the Primera its almost a pleasure to do as I know its going to be so much easier.
All of the above added together make me think that Xantia's at least are expensive when they go wrong and, for certain things, very difficult to fix for the home mechanic. That is why I recommended the Primera. Cheap scrapyard parts, and easy maintenance.
Dont get me wrong though they are supremely able when driving them!

algieuk · Post by **algieuk** » 19 May 2003, 18:39

Perhaps living on the coast biases me toward the Citroens. Rust resistance is a major factor here, nd the number of rusty Primeras around doesn't sell them to me. Have to take issue slightly though with your assessment of workign on by home mechanic. I find Xantias pretty good all things considered (Not the top end ones perhaps, but the earlier ones without all the fancy stuff).
Anyway, it's horses for courses really isn't it? I've seen more problems with Nissans than with Citroens..for you it's the other way around. As the topic was about someone considering a BX or a Cavalier I would wholeheartedly recommend the BX.

roscopervis · Post by **roscopervis** » 20 May 2003, 17:20

Mine is a top end one, my primera is a base model LS. Which one will I sell? The Xantia. The Primera doesn't have a rust problem, it doesnt have a timing belt, the clutch is easy to change, mechanical fuel pump, though a cast iron 16v engine block that is legendary in its reliability. It just seems that the engineering ideas on the Primera are simple effective, on the Xantia (and BX) are more complicated and unreliable. For cheap motoring I don't think that there is a much better car than an early model Primera as it also has great driving dynamics.
I live by the coast as well.

algieuk · Post by **algieuk** » 20 May 2003, 18:37

Make the same comparison between a basic Xantia and a top end Primera and much of what you say is reversed.
I'd still recommend the BX over the Cavalier.

roscopervis · Post by **roscopervis** » 20 May 2003, 21:30

The top end primeras all use chains, and almost the same engine configuration. They are all pretty bomproof as testified by huge bhps out of standard internals.
I think I would take a BX over a cav as well. A nice turbo diesel estate or a pristine BX 16v.

hippy · Post by **hippy** » 21 May 2003, 03:56

hey, rosco pervert, if you own a nissan, then bugger off and leave the people who are devoted to their green blooded goddesses to wallow in their love, greasy hands and empty wallets. On the subject of the post, BX....every time mines a pearl and I love er to bits [;)]

roscopervis · Post by **roscopervis** » 21 May 2003, 17:11

Thats a bit aggresive coming from a Hippy! I also own a Citroen, oh in fact 2 Citroens so I think I will stay here thank you very much!

algieuk · Post by **algieuk** » 21 May 2003, 19:29

Quite...I mean, we are all on the same side here, and even if a non-citroen owner comes along I think we shoudl be friendly in the hopes that they become enlightened.

David.Cox · Post by **David.Cox** » 22 May 2003, 01:45

For what it is worth my BX is a love affair, even if at times it costs me rather a lot of money. However, I have to confess to being slightly schizophrenic because my other love is a 2CV. Mine is waitinf for me to have enough money to sort out floor panels and sills, but if I ahd to change the engine, first I could do it myself, and second the fully recon would be only nearly £600, and there is an outfit in Yorkshire that would fit a secondhand engine for £250 including labour. Given what I have just paid out on recon for the BX it is chicken feed.
The ultimate question is that if somebody told me to drive to India at short notice I would take the 2 cv rather than the BX and certainlyu in preference to a cavalier. !!!!!!!