What to check on a ZX

fastandfurryous · Unread post by **fastandfurryous** » 31 Mar 2005, 04:26

Hi all.
I am about to look over a few Citroen ZX's for a friend who wants a new diesel motah. She wanted a Pug 306, but these are out of her price range (max £500). So I recommended a ZX instead, being every bit as good-a-car as a 306.
I have looked over and bought dozens of cars in the past, but I was wondering if ther is anything ZX specific that I should be looking for, as I've only ever driven one before, never worked on one.
Muchos grassy-ass for any advice given.
David.

wilkobob · Unread post by **wilkobob** » 31 Mar 2005, 06:20

Only things I can think of are... Check that the Head Gasket hasn't gone, the cam belts been replaced, and that the wheels at the rear dont sit / \. Other things to check are that all the central locking (including the boot) work, and that the electric and manual windows go up and down.
Only other things are the cords on the parcel shelf, and the rear wiper.
Cant say ive noticed anything else that seems to go wrong on all of the ZX's ive seen! Good Luck

IAN.D · Unread post by **IAN.D** » 31 Mar 2005, 07:56

I would also say to check for damp carpet in passenger footwell.
If this is damp check if it is antifreez as if it is heater matrix will be shot!

rashmore · Unread post by **rashmore** » 31 Mar 2005, 14:31

Any knocking you hear from the rear is likely to be worn axle bushes, not difficult to replace, but a bartering point....will cost you around £60 for all four bushes

arry_b · Unread post by **arry_b** » 31 Mar 2005, 15:13

Also look out for:
Dash bulbs (blown - painful to replace)
Wobbly speedo (cable - painful to replace)
Sticking front calipers (normal PSA rubbish)
Caliper bleed nipples (seized or sheared off)
Rust in the horizontal sections behind the rear wheels (underseal lifts)
Centre pipe to exhaust tailbox joint (exposed to road salt - rots)
Rear subframe mounts (knocks from rear - long horrible job)
Poor handbrake (cables or self adjusters)
Near me £500 doesn't buy much reasonable ZX Diesel, at least not one that doesn't have some fairly major work looming. Would she not consider the 1.4 petrol, as they go for less?

Unread post by **RichardW** » 31 Mar 2005, 15:13

Have a look at the brake back plates and see if the wheel cylinders have been replaced. They start leaking over 100k miles and the rear brakes need rebuilding. I have just done this on ours, and it cost nearly £200 in parts alone - would make a £500 car uneconomic if you were paying someone else to do it!

arry_b · Unread post by **arry_b** » 31 Mar 2005, 15:40

£200 for a couple of wheel cylinders, set of shoes and a fitting kit! Wow!
You need something cheaper to run - like a Ferrari

Stuart McB · Unread post by **Stuart McB** » 31 Mar 2005, 16:12

Buy the best and newest you can. Try for a TD Advantage model up wards as better spec.

Unread post by **RichardW** » 31 Mar 2005, 16:55

Cylinders, drums, wheel bearings, pipes, new adjusters, new hub nuts, new mounting bolts for cylinders, brake fluid. Added to that a Gunson's Eazibleed, couple of brake pipe spanners, 32mm socket, some beer tokens to get the bearings pressed in - it soon adds up!

fastandfurryous · Unread post by **fastandfurryous** » 01 Apr 2005, 04:12

Well, first one was a disaster. I think it had just about every problem going:
Blown head gasket (like REALLY bad. Spat coolant out past the done-up rad cap!)
Rusting in the seams (it was near the sea),
Knackered belt tensioner,
Badly fitted cambelt (not a single clip on the belt covers!),
Wonky rear wheels,
Duff battery..... The list goes on.
The only thing in it's favour was 11 months ticket, and a new rad. I offered him £50 for it. He told me it was at least £150 or bugger off. I chose the latter option.
The bit that makes me laugh is that it was advertised as good condition, with slight starting problem [:o]
on to the next one........

Kowalski · Unread post by **Kowalski** » 01 Apr 2005, 17:08

At least you'll know what to look for on the next ones...

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 02 Apr 2005, 19:56

Make sure it has power steering! I have come across two that didn't, and they would be impossible for a girl to drive..

fastandfurryous · Unread post by **fastandfurryous** » 02 Apr 2005, 20:03

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by James.UK</i>

Make sure it has power steering! I have come across two that didn't, and they would be impossible for a girl to drive..
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Normally I'd agree, but in this case, no. Said girl also drives a 1975 10 tonne GVW Bedford TK horsebox without power assistance.
Next possibility is a pug 309. They're ULTRA cheap!

dillosk8ter · Unread post by **dillosk8ter** » 02 Apr 2005, 22:17

Mechanically 309 diesels seem pretty tough. My dads had a '93 Style D 5dr for 5 years now and it takes one hell of a hammering, driven across fields, carting allsorts of crap about and covers alot of miles each year and never gets serviced....drove it other day for first time in over a year..decent handling, space and ride. Shame there so unattractive, although this makes them a perfect bargain workhorse. Paints a bit crappy also. Have to keep more of an eye out for rust than on a ZX too.