Buying a Xantia

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Bodger
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Buying a Xantia

Post by Bodger »

Hi
I am probably going to get out of jail by replacing the pesky ZX sooner than I wanted to'
I have seeen at a local garage a Xantia 1.9TD Sensation 60k miles 1999T. 1 owner FSH I have had cars off the garage before no problem. Price is 3700 after 900 trade in on the pesky ZX i.4i 94M at 89K miles.
Is the Xantia a decent car? I do a 100 mile round trip to work mainly cruising @70mph.
What sort of problems "typical or known" over next 3 years may I encounter.
Still going for Citroen I like them despite these probs. Am I misguided and should I look ata Ford or something!!!
Cheers
Bodger
JohnD
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Post by JohnD »

Hi Bodger - If it's a genuine 60K with FSH at that price and a new MOT cert, I'd say go for it. Check the rise and fall of the suspension. Check the colour of the LHM and the rad coolant. Also look at the doors for alignment and correct closing. Let's know what you do.
pwatson
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Post by pwatson »

Bodger,
Are you allowed to use obscenities like F*rd on this forum?! Yes , Xantia is excellent. We've just traded our old L reg, 90k, for an HDi. Nothing wrong with the old one but my wife wanted a different colour!! Old one needed new disks on the front at 60 k (but MOT should have revealed that on yours) and a clutch just before we sold it - damn!. Take it for a good test drive to test spheres and give it the old citaerobics (up and down a few times which will check suspension linkages) Otherwise nothing much went wrong with ours.
PhilW
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hswift
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Post by hswift »

I've had a 1.8i 16V estate from new and not had a moment's problem with it it in over four years and 63000 miles. It's had a new clutch (specialist possibly taking the p*** with me), new front discs (twice, first time an indpendent again possibly taking the p***), I replaced the spheres as a matter of course at 60k miles (ride improved immeasurably) and the original exhaust is about to go. All these things I regard as consumables, so I'm not grumbling. On top of all that I've done all the routine maintenance myself after 20K miles - nothing to it and you know that everything's been done. Only real issue is the awful depreciation; am I glad I at least bought it pre-registered and therefore relatively cheap, because it's worth bugger all now.
Prior to that I had a 1.9TD estate as a company car. Reliable and economical, but it did have a water pump replaced somewhere in the 20K's - suspect it was the main dealer taking the p*** out of the leasing company (there's a lot of it about). Same dealer also broke cambelt cover and would have left it like that had I not made a point of opening the bonnet to check their work.
Can only speak as I find, and I've been very happy with both of my Xantias. There is a guy on the web with a site dedicated to ranting against Xantias though. See if you can find it and make your own judgements.
davethewheel
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Post by davethewheel »

no! not a ford ,buy a Xantia exellent car spacious economical fantastic ride and dont tend to rust ,i`ve previosly owned approx 25 cars and the Xantia is one of the best,watch out for heavy clutch pedal and check the lhm should be bright green dave
Dave Burns
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Post by Dave Burns »

Sounds nice to me, would it be the one I spotted on the Autotrader site at Llanfoist.
Anyway at that mileage if you do buy it, stick a belt on it straight away.
Think £900 for the ZX is good going<img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle>
Dave
russellfowden
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Post by russellfowden »

Hswift, here's a link to that anti-Xantia site you were on about:
http://www.citroendont.fsnet.co.uk/
The man has been PROPERLY rubbed up the wrong way with his particular lemon. In it's defence my old dear has an L reg virtually first off the line which apart from dodgy central locking hasn't put a foot wrong (or indeed seen the wrong end of an AA truck) in over 250,000 odd home maintained miles. Smashing car. I passed my driving test in it six odd years ago, nearly bought it off her last year but decided the mileage was too risky and got a mint ZX instead. Over a year down the line the Xantia is still fine apart from a couple of new spheres. Thumbs up from me.
Jon

Post by Jon »

Oh dear,
When we last mentioned that site and discussed it on here the other Moderator had to be restrained.
Mike who owns that site really has more than his fair share I must admit. I particulary enjoy the comment from the C5 owner, keep up the good work Citroen.
BTW C5 queries and rants are taboo on this forum on the grounds that
1) No-one seems to know how to fix them, especially dealers
2) I don't think most of us have much idea either.
But apart from all that, yes, go for a Xantia. Its a lot of car, not a lot of money and generally a great drive. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Jon Wood
IT Supervisor
GSF t/as Andyspares
Edited by - Jon on 24 Sep 2002 21:00:42
alan s
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Post by alan s »

Jon,
Behave yerself. <img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>
Here's a posting from another board, which whilst it is about a BX & not a Xantia, is still relevant due to the model designation, its use and the fact that this guy does a certain amount of his own work. Unlike others referred to, he also has enough nouse to realise that if a hinge gets water on it & starts to seize, you oil it rather than get two people to tear the door open until it snaps off at the hinge & then complain about it. <img src=icon_smile_clown.gif border=0 align=middle>
[quote/]
"I drive a BX diesel wjich I use as a taxi. It's my 5th. BX 19 diesel & all gave me the greatest satisfaction in both reliability & economy. I still have my 1987 BX which I cannibalise for spares, not that I need many. It was retired for 'scrap' after a crash @ 350,000 miles. It's replacement was sold off for less than the value of its parts @ 450,000 miles; one has been retired to my driveway @ 740,000miles & my current workhorse is now @ 380,000 miles. I've never changed a wheel-bearing, only one gearbox and a few suspension bits; one major engine overhaul; two head-jobs but never a tow-home failure [unless you count the one time I let the cam-belt snap!]. Why is it Ford drivers keep telling me 'You've just been luck mate' which is usually followed by 'anyway, no car can do that sort of mileage, who are you trying to kid'!"
I have often said that unreliable cars are more often than not created by unreliable repairers. Admittedly not always, but mostly. This for my money proves the point.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Alan S
Jon

Post by Jon »

Retired at a mere 740,000 miles? I'm speechless.
Jon Wood
IT Supervisor
GSF t/as Andyspares
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