Advice to current / potential Xsara Picasso owners

[RichardW]

As you may have read elsewhere on here we have had to have our 2003 Picasso N/S sill welded up at the front for the MOT. On investigation of the soft spot, I ended up with a hole about 3" high and 6" long, but the paint had lost adhesion about half the way along the bottom of the sill, and the metal was thinned and perforated in places. It now has a substantial patch welded on it! The paint was intact, and the metal appeared thinned from inside the sill. Hunting round the net suggests this is rare, but not unknown - and I have seen at least one other Picasso around here of a similar age with a patched sill. So the advice is to check the sills before purchase (or now if you've got one!). Make sure the drain is clear - I used a knife to do this. This should probably have been covered under the 12 year rust warranty, but for that you need regular inspections - which ours hasn't had. The invoice time is 0.6h I think for the inspections, so it might be worth considering having it done - then if sill does rot out, Citroen should mend it, and it would be a hidden job rather than the surface patch that we are left with.

TBH we really like the Picasso, but this one is starting to get on my wick as it keeps needing money spent on it (unlike the Xantia which is rapidly approaching overtaking my first BX TD as my best car!) and if it misbehaves again, it may get itself chopped in!

[Huskyxantia]

Mines patched and the osr is damaged before my ownership, do I weld a new sill or pull the creases out

[GiveMeABreak]

My sister's Picasso (now sold) had both sills replaced. There are replacements available very reasonably priced, and the local indy welded, primed and painted these with an anti chip coating. Better than the originals, job done.

[Michel]

“Mine” is a 2003 with 121k on it, and not a spot of rot or welding anywhere on it. MOT tester comments on it every year!

[Huskyxantia]

My old piccy just passed with 2 advisories , one being about the damaged sill.

Got 2 new ones £50 , plenty of time to do the job as well.
Got my eye on an 07 plate ... Were see