could we save the xantia in years to come

[Northern_Mike]

[

I think what puts me off is the electrics in the c5.

Yes, and no. It's a general build quality thing. When I was running a very late CX GTi as a daily, in the very late '90s - 70k in three years, taking it to 180k - the problems with it were expensive "hard stuff" mechanical maintenance and repairs. All of those jobs were a PITA to do, and were expensive as a result. When I replaced it with an XM, the problems weren't basic mechanics. They were death-by-a-thousand-papercuts things. Lots of niggly stuff, usually down to cost-cutting, corner-cutting plastic parts a bit too flimsy for the long-term job. They were a PITA to do, and were expensive as a result.

It's entirely possible for electronics to be reliable. Sure, not in the same league as even a Mk1 C5, but neither the CX nor XM were electrically simple, and - on the whole - those aspects were reliable. It's just the cheese-paring that stops them being reliable. And the sheer impossibility of repairing when parts are unavailable, or even diagnosing and repairing without specialist kit that is itself getting old and flaky. Am I right, Lexia-owners?

Well, us who are about to invest in a Lexia would buy one of the newer kits which is just a USB cable to the socket, and the software which runs on a laptop with XP, so the old hardware is no longer an issue Well, the diagnostic side of it. The old hardware in the car might be.

It's the poor quality of a lot of the XM and as mentioned, the niggly faults that spoilt it for me. Great when it worked. Same, to an extent with Xantias. I shouldn't have to spend time soldering diodes and cutting wires to make the suspension work correctly on what was then a 10 year old car, or simply have glovebox that refused to stay shut because the plastic it was made out of was too crappy to do the job it was supposed to, or countless other faults, generally caused by poor quality/cost cutting. The Japanese could make an interior and parts which worked and didn't fall apart 20 years ago, as per my Subaru, so why couldn't Citroen? Ever... I recall doing electrics on 2cvs where the cables were clearly too short (rear lights) and chafing on the holes they went through because they were pulled tight.. Shocking really.

[Northern_Mike]

mines nearly p to scratch but. Messed up on the paint work. I was taking the snow off with a ice scrapr ive scratch the roof and bonnet of the car . Hope it comes out

Use a soft brush next time the cheap sort you can pick up with a dustpan at the pound shop..

[jacksun1987]

yep i will do. Learn by your mistakes.
All i have to do now is wa it. Service it. Put new break discs pads. On the frount. Sort out the drivers door. Because. It somtimes doesnt open from inside.
Then done

[CitroJim]

Use a soft brush next time the cheap sort you can pick up with a dustpan at the pound shop..

That's good Mike. I always use a soft long-handled sweeping brush. Easier on your arms and you can take longer and bigger sweeps

[Northern_Mike]

Use a soft brush next time the cheap sort you can pick up with a dustpan at the pound shop..

That's good Mike. I always use a soft long-handled sweeping brush. Easier on your arms and you can take longer and bigger sweeps

If I'm at home I nick the brush Adriana uses for sweeping the kitchen which is long handled, but I usually keep the dustpan brush in the car.

[Johnny Cogs]

It is dull as dish water basically.
The estate looks like a trout from the side, and no better from the front or back.
Bland would be a good description of it.
Their poor 2nd hand price reflects this, it's not due to reliability or issues, but because very few people look at them and go "Wow, now there's a car I'd like to be seen in, it's so dreamy"

....and my resulting outburst of laughter at 'looks like a trout' just got me nabbed for reading internent forums at work :/


Co-incidentally I have a Synergie 1.9td & a Vectra 2.2sri dti.... (replaced my Xant estate, which was awesome, till I mashed the gearbox).... I know vec's are lifeless, but what an engine!!!! I'd love that kind of oomph from the syn-bus!!!

[Old-Guy]

Nah! Land Rovers are a part of our heritage, and should be considered for Listed status.

Your Landie is older than I am. It has more right to take up space than me, as it (probably) has been more useful. Looked after properly, it will still be around (and working) when I am dead and buried.

I have the privilege of sharing my birthday with the LandRover - 30th April 1948.

[TooMany2cvs]

Nah! Land Rovers are a part of our heritage, and should be considered for Listed status.

Your Landie is older than I am. It has more right to take up space than me, as it (probably) has been more useful. Looked after properly, it will still be around (and working) when I am dead and buried.

I have the privilege of sharing my birthday with the LandRover - 30th April 1948.

Which of the pair of you drinks more?