The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
stu9
Posts: 257
Joined: 23 Oct 2012, 18:56
Location:
My Cars:

The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by stu9 »

:-D ....I know there's a post on the Pug section, so why not have a "sh*t"troen section... :mrgreen:

I cant really comment though on what I've had as it's only 2 C5 hdi's estates in the last 2 years and both have been fairly good in terms of starting and geting you where you want to go

So in your opinion, what's the most reliable/unreliable ect
addo
Sara Watson's Stalker
Posts: 7098
Joined: 19 Aug 2008, 12:38
Location: NEW South Wales, Australia. I'll show you "Far, far away" ;-)
My Cars: Peugeot 605
Citroën Berlingo
Alfa 147
x 93

Post by addo »

Ambient heat issues probably gave that crown to the BX in Australia.

The hydraulic returns lacked durability of earlier cars when they hardened and cracked. Wiring was marginal at best, leading to a need for headlight relays, starter solenoid relays, cabin fan relays to be retrofitted. Fuel feed lines were inaccessible behind the motor and leaked a fine spray of 30 Bar petrol once they cracked.
User avatar
Featch
Posts: 77
Joined: 06 Mar 2009, 19:12
Location: Halesowen, West Midlands
My Cars:
Contact:

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by Featch »

The most unreliable Citroen I had, and I've had a good few, was a brand new 1982 CX 2.0 familiale that just seemed to constantly self destruct and cost a fortune to keep running. Disintegrating clutch, head gasket blown, rear radius arm bearings and much more Came to an untimely end at around 35,000 miles as a result of a V**xhall Cavalier driven by a blind idiot..... actually he did me a favour!
Possibly the most reliable other than several ZX's was a 1975 series 1 CX 2 litre base model (without power steering!) that was indestructible and did me proud for many years and tens of thousands of miles despite being neglected and abused. It didn't even go rusty, it just sort of wore out at around 200,000 miles or so but never ever let me down.
Citroenless at the moment. CX or GS that is my dilemma!
2011 Volvo V70 D3
85 Mercedes 805d Campervan (Betsy))
User avatar
daviemck2006
(Donor 2020)
Posts: 4989
Joined: 04 Dec 2010, 18:45
Location: Macduff
My Cars: Far too many good ones to remember. Many BL, Vauxhall, Ford, Renault, Citroen, Peugeot, and now VAG
x 487

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by daviemck2006 »

Most reliable cit I owned was an AX 1.5d. Used as a work hack many moons ago, abused, never washed. only changed oil once in three yrs and 45k always went, never broke! It only died by going through a fence and down a 6ft bank which kind of rearranged the front too much!!!!!
Skoda Karoq 1.6tdi 2018
Citroen relay camper 2012
In the family
Seat Leon 1.5tsi tourer 2019 daughter 1
C1 vtr+ 2010 daughter 2
User avatar
mooseshaver
Posts: 886
Joined: 27 Apr 2006, 10:50
Location: Cumbria
My Cars:

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by mooseshaver »

I've never had a Citroen that didn't fail within the first three months of ownership (new and used cars)
Hope my new one is good. No faults so far.
Apart from the latest my most reliable was a 2.2 hdi c5 02
The worst is a tie up between a Saxo and a C3. Both from new, both had faults in less than 3 months that dealers could not fix.
C5 III Tourer 2.0 HDi 163 Auto Exclusive
Gone cars.
C5 2.2 HDi Exclusive Estate auto 57. Awesome car. Sadly Could not be fixed by Citroen.
C5 1.6 HDi VTR Estate 56. Traded in.
C5 2.2 HDi SX Estate 02. Drowned in the floods of 09.
C3 1.4 HDi 92 SX 52.
Saxo 1.1 East Coast.
stu9
Posts: 257
Joined: 23 Oct 2012, 18:56
Location:
My Cars:

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by stu9 »

I thought there would have been alot more than 4 out of 60odd....i guess most cant be rsd
aerodynamica
Donor 2023
Posts: 1299
Joined: 26 Dec 2007, 18:10
Location: Glasgow
Lexia Available: Yes
My Cars: 2008 C5 Exclusive Tourer
1993 Xantia 1.9 TD VSX Mk1 Sinker A.K.A Slugmobile 13'
'Old Katy'
previous convictions: totaling 52litres of LHM in one go:
1968 ID19B 'Old Polly' Stellar white
1993 Xantia 1.9 TD SX Mk1 Sinker Silver
1992 XM 2.0 SEi Turbo Manual Anthracite Grey
1982 CX 20 Pallas 'Old Goldy'
1993 XM 2.1 SD Auto Light blue
1993 Xantia 1.9 TD SX Mk1 Sinker light Blue
1982 BX 16 TRS 'Cyril' Vallelunga Red
1995 Xantia 1.9 D SX Auto Dark green
1977 CX 2400 Pallas C-Matic 'Aphrodite' Regatta Blue
1982 GSA Pallas SE Silver Pearl
1980 CX 2000 Reflex Vallelunga Red
1978 CX 2400 Pallas C-Matic 'Prometheus' Midnight blue
1984 BX 14E 'Cecil the slugmobile' Maroon
1987 Fiat Panda 'the mighty panda'
x 97

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by aerodynamica »

My present xantia 1.9 td is 19 years young and 135k miles and I've driven it every day for the last 16 months and it's been totally reliable in that time (with preventative maintenance of course) , prior to that my 1977 CX 2400 has been reliable daily from 2005 up until last year when the starter went. Still, for a 35yo... My parents have had nothing but citroens since 1975 and had 100% reliability on every one excepting the '87 2cv special that was a bitch to start of a cold morning though it always did start.
Graeme M
2008 C5 Exclusive Tourer 2.0 HDi
addo
Sara Watson's Stalker
Posts: 7098
Joined: 19 Aug 2008, 12:38
Location: NEW South Wales, Australia. I'll show you "Far, far away" ;-)
My Cars: Peugeot 605
Citroën Berlingo
Alfa 147
x 93

Post by addo »

Stu, I think it may be to do more with priorities, pragmatism, time of year etc than whether or not people could be arsed. There's also mixed emotions about roll-call posts where you are canvassing - by your own admission - input from a large spread of people.

An American friend says "Some folks could break an anvil with a feather" - he's right; no idea how but some people are either dead unlucky or regularly heavy-handed in quirky ways that impact badly on their stuff. I don't regret any of my cars or car choices; I've made worse decisions with friends and in relationships, and I'm still not bitter. You look back, observe the error and its cause, take the lesson as learnt and move on.

Even the cars which have tested my sanity the most, have at other times taken me to great places - how could I begrudge them when they otherwise served so well?
red_dwarfers
(Donor 2020)
Posts: 2504
Joined: 29 May 2008, 15:59
Location: Zomerzet UK
My Cars:
x 54

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by red_dwarfers »

stu9 wrote::-D ....I know there's a post on the Pug section, so why not have a "sh*t"troen section... :mrgreen:
Ooooo :twisted: :lol:

The 2 Xantias and 1 XM I've driven (GSA doesn't count yet as it hasn't been on the road since I bought it) have been reliable in the sense that nothing completely unexpected has happened that I can remember. Just the usual preventative maintenance and a couple of well known problems rearing their heads.
Kev

'19 C4 Cactus 130 Flair
User avatar
Citroening
Posts: 2512
Joined: 26 Feb 2010, 20:19
Location: Cambridgeshire
My Cars: Various Makes/Models Nowadays...
x 19

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by Citroening »

It's a Citroen, of course it's going to break at the time you least want it to... :twisted: :wink:

In all seriousness though, look after 'em and they'll look after you...
Franklin
User avatar
SaabC5
Posts: 765
Joined: 01 Aug 2011, 23:18
Location: SW London
My Cars: 09 C5 X7 2.0Hdi Exclusive
x 1

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by SaabC5 »

My Xantia was a bloody nightmare with the electrics, alarm constantly going off, you could never get in using the remote, windows worked when they wanted to. My C5 apart from the constant changing of crankshaft pulleys has been very reliable electrics wise.
09 C5 X7 2.0Hdi Exclusive in Perla Nera black (the best colour) :wink:
bxzx16v
Posts: 1696
Joined: 29 May 2011, 22:11
Location: Sheffield
My Cars: Past Frenchies , 4xBx16v,1xBxGti,1xBxTzd,2xZx Volcanes,1xZx reflex,1xPug 405mi16, 3x Xantia 1.9td's,1x Xantia activa, 2x Renault 25 V6 turbo, 1 Zx16v ,1 Pug 406 V6 coupe ,1x C8 , 1x Berlingo van , 1x Xanti 2.1td , 1x Renault Laguna 3
x 35

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by bxzx16v »

It's the Zx for me all the way .

Mark
2009 Landrover Freelander 2 TD4se (killed an Audi) , sadly now gone .
2012 Landrover Freelander 2 SD4 AUTO Love it . Now gone .
2014 Ford Bmax 1.0 Ecoboost Zetec . Fantastic little machine .Gone now.
2014 Ford Focus 2.0 Tdci Zetec S with the French heart.
Peter.N.
Moderating Team
Posts: 11563
Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by Peter.N. »

I ran a CX DTR turbo Safari for over 150,000 miles, apart from having to fit a head gasket every 15,000 it gave very little trouble but it was such a lovely car I forgave it that.

I had a BX Td that was always going wrong and I eventually scrapped it then I had a BX TZD Turbo estate which never went wrong - apart from the cam belt breaking.

My first couple of XMs were a pain but once I had learnt my way round them and maintained them properly I had very few problems with subsequent ones.

I would say that you can get good or bad of the same model, it depends largely on how well they have been maintained but not necessaraly the mileage, I bought one XM 2.1 estate at about 240k miles and it proved pretty reliable until I sold it at 292k. I presently have a 406 Hdi at 212k which is one of the most reliable vehicles I have had.

Peter
citroenxm
Posts: 8061
Joined: 30 Dec 2004, 23:10
Location: Somewhere in North Wales, Anglesey
My Cars: M reg Xm S2 2.1td Auto Exclusive. 269k and rising
L reg XM S1 V6 12v Manual SEi
L 94 XM 2.1 TD auto total resto

2008 Peugeot 207 Sw 1.6 16v hdi. 217k and rising
2010 Peugeot 207 SW 1.6 8v HDi 161k and rising
x 70

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by citroenxm »

My Xantia HDi... now at 230k.. always goes, once going never stops till I turn the key.. Still reliable but needs a replacment HDi pump on the engine to make 100% again. Still used every day!

Black Xantia before that.. on a L 94.. bought at 189k, ran to 240k never stopped.. never moaned.
Black Xantia before that again, also an L, bought on 130k, ran to 200k, never gave me a head ache at all!!
Sharing a pug 207 1.6 hdi Sw 16v.
M reg Xm 2.1 td auto exclusive S2 269k and rising
L reg XM V6 12v SEi auto .. Light project

A very sad...
1994 XM 2.1 d auto
Xantippa
Posts: 490
Joined: 05 Feb 2012, 15:51
Location: Finland
My Cars: Now:
C5 X7 HDi 240 Exclusive Tourer
ZOE 22kwh Intense
Before:
C4 1,6 Coupe Automatic
C5 X7 HDi136 Exclusive Sedan A
Xantia HDi110 Berline
Xantia 1,8SX Berline
x 28

Re: The most reliable and unreliable Citroen

Post by Xantippa »

My Xantia HDi was quite reliable as well. I drove it from 235000km to 375000km, and there wasn´t any problem with engine or electrics. Just a couple of minor clitches; leak on the pipe from pump to power steering, one brake caliper had to be replaced and cat had to be changed because the front end of the exhaust was just too rusty. Otherwise no major problems.

My earlier 1,8SX had a crappy engine, but electrics were fine on it too.
Post Reply