Test driving an SX Xantia

Post by **citroenxm** » 23 Dec 2009, 10:11

French like putting specials out..
The dimension was a common one, but these have NO ABS, and no Rear leccy windows or mirros UNLESS you goto an R plate in which they gained Eleccy mirrors... but no rear windows..

SX is a reasonably common spec, and again the Last S1 R reg SX spec also gained Alloys and Rear spoiler as standard.. and suede seats..

A few will reccomend the VSX with hydractive, but personally, I do not think the hassle with faulty electro valves is worth the hassle at all.. Stick to an SX spec car

Paul

Post by **citroenxm** » 23 Dec 2009, 10:14

Here: 1998 R Reg Xantia SX IN BLACK

And it IS A1.9 as useual, they have it down incorrectly..

Nice and cheap and a perfect colour!! In fact, ID Love it, but not got the cash just now..

Paul

Post by **Dommo** » 23 Dec 2009, 10:21

I had seen that black one, but I was put off by the milage and age, if 306's are anything to go by 97-early 98 engines loved throwing conrods.

How common are the faulty electrovalves? And are they expensive?

Cheers

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 23 Dec 2009, 11:06

Well Xantias are not hugely common cars now, they are getting increasingly rare, so sources of where too look for a good used one are few and far between. Just keeping an eye on the usual places, mainly autotrader and ebay. Though ebay cars often need things doing with them, not always but often. Mind saying that pretty much any xantia will do, and things like spheres, cambelts, water pumps, etc will possibly all need changing on purchase, so thats something to keep in mind with the budget too.

You may well get a bargain at this time of year on ebay, as many people are busy spending on other things!

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 23 Dec 2009, 11:16

Paul, How many do you want

The 'Green' one looks tidy.

There are two nice 1.9TDs id be interested in if i was looking:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... &logcode=p

Looks reasonable, nice milage, long MOT and i like the colour

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... aryContent

This looks very nice, nice colour, late model car, its a TD not a D, lots spent recently by the sounds of it, having cambelt, brakes, service etc. Looks a little odd on those 16" C4 wheels, but not bad. Very tidy car.

To be honest, i would think about condition, price and age rather than spec. If you get a late model or S2 then its more than likely going to have air con, they all have front electric windows and remote locking (if it still works, many of the keys fail) so thats all you really need.

Hydractive is great, i love this feature on Xms and my prefferred Xantia would have it, though it does complicate things a little more, more spheres, electro valves etc. It does improve the drive and gives a little added feature. Though i wouldnt hold out for it, buy on condition and mileage if your wanting a low mileage car. Holding out for a VSX will limit your choice drastically and S2 hydractives are Exclusives, which did not have 1.9TDs fitted, only 2.1TD or HDIs.

Post by **Dommo** » 23 Dec 2009, 11:33

I'd seen that one that's advertised as a D but is a TD really, it's only 38 miles from me too apparantly. So we'll give them a ring in a bit and go see what's what.

The badges on the side do look as though they say Turbo D as well which is nice.

Any idea what spec it is? The autotrader car checker just comes up with:

Vehicle Registration Mark
W291ANH
Make
CITROEN
Model
XANTIA
Transmission & fuel type
DIESEL
Body Type
5 DOOR HATCHBACK
Colour
RED

Almost suggests it's had an engine transplant or something. Something certainly seems strange about it, having no 'spec' on there.

Cheers.

Post by **citroenxm** » 23 Dec 2009, 12:51

Citroenmad wrote: S2 hydractives are Exclusives, which did not have 1.9TDs fitted, only 2.1TD or HDIs.

Not quite Citroenmad, Ive seen S2 Exclusives with the 1.9 XUD fitted, Im sure I have.. as the HDI ONLY replaced the 2.1 at first... then later the 1.9..

Yes there may be a few about, but Spec has to be right, and for me that SX to aviod ANY Hydractive... A citroen, and Ive said it else were.. should have a SOFT floaty ride, if you want a car thats got sporty feeling you buy German... I guess Im a little old school for it..

Paul

Post by **citroenxm** » 23 Dec 2009, 12:54

Citroenmad wrote:Paul, How many do you want The 'Green' one looks tidy.

Actually Chris, NONE, I want to get my XM's sorted and get driving one again!!

Paul

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 23 Dec 2009, 14:36

The red one wearing C4 alloys looks to be an SX, its hard to tell without seeing the interior but the rear spoiler would suggest SX. Though its not wearing any spec badging on the back ... Might be a special edition, though these are less common on the facelift. SX was the only spec to get a spoiler (apart from Activa) so its probably an SX, unless it has an optional spoiler ...

Saying that, have you noticed its got automatic wipers? Which means its certainly an SX, which should also have a CD changer too, oh and some mad interior fabric which looks a bit like an old sofa

Hmm im not sure there ever was an Exclusive 1.9TD. Ive never seen one and it doesnt feature in any of my Xantia brochures. The HDi did replace the 2.1TD, however there was never a 90BHP HDi Exclusive either, so that suggests the 110HDi replaced the 2.1 and there was never a 19TD. Though i could be wrong!

Not thought about a HDI Dommo?

Cant beat an Xm in my opinion Paul, though they are all hydractive, does that not put you off? I like hydractives, if i had a xantia id like it to be hydractive, though im not one for the softest ride possible. For me the Xms ride fantastically, a good mix of soft ride but with handling thrown in.

Chris.

Post by **citroenxm** » 23 Dec 2009, 15:04

Yes chris it does BUT..

I have S1.5's which seem to have the MOST Reliable setup on them.. My 1993 K V6 rode PERFECTLY, the Black 1994 M reg Onyx rides ok.. and my S1 24v V6, though a 1991 has been completely stripped bare and rebuilt to 1993 spec wireing underneath and so also rides perfectly. I DONT use hard mode ...

THERE IS NO BETTER CAR THEN AN XM!

There may be much better built cars yes, but for ride and individuality you cannot beat it for the price!

All my girls are off the road at the moment..

Paul

Post by **citroenxm** » 23 Dec 2009, 15:12

Agreed the Red Xantia IS A 1.9td SX Series 2, with auto wipers, air con, centre arm rest.. she also has ABS too... and as Chris says, rear spoiler as standard..

Paul

Post by **Dommo** » 23 Dec 2009, 15:57

Citroenmad + citroenxm - It does seem like an SX but it seems odd that car checkers come up with no spec and just 'diesel' as apposed to TD, it's as though it's had an engine transplant or something has been altered on the V5 for some reason.

The reason we want a 1.9TD is that I already run my 306 on free home filtered vegetable oil so it seems daft to get a HDi, otherwise we would get the HDi.

Are automatic wipers as useless as they are on my 306? Mine tend to not notice really light rain, and be too eager to go on the fastest speed when the rain does get noticed.. But all 306's are like that from what I've experienced.

We (me and my dad) never did go to view the blue Xantia today, mainly because it seems a bit of a dog, dented rear bumper, ripped back seat in the gap between the 2 halves of the bench, and a knackered parcel shelf. But it'll probably still be there after christmas and if it is we'll go back and offer 500.

And I'm not sure if my dad rang about the red one with C4 wheels, I'll find out when I see him later.

Cheers.

deian · Post by **deian** » 23 Dec 2009, 16:00

the auto wipers is very handy, only had this on my previous s2 exclusive ones, quite surprised to hear they came on the SX too, i miss that feature

they did do a 1.9td up to quite late, do you remember that green automatic 1.9td sx that was on ebay with only 11k on it? I think that was a V-reg one, just about the time the HDi's were out (unless that v-plate one was a late registered one).

hydractive works well when it works (mine doesn't at the moment, and when it doesn't work thats when drop links can get worn down quickly), if it doesn't work expect to be replacing the middle spheres and/or checking the diodes for the electrovalves and also some transistors in the ecu, and a ecu fault read/reset, not a massive job, but one that one can do without

if i could choose, i'd go for an xm again, but a 2.1td or a later v6, but not the 2.0i turbo, god that was abysmal on fuel

Post by **Dommo** » 23 Dec 2009, 16:10

My auto wipers are useful when they work, their sensitivity is a bit weird though.

The red 1.9 is W reg, the blue one we saw yesterday was V reg, registered 28/12/1999. But the W reg one seems really late to be a 1.9.

Do the valves themselves ever get stuck/broken or is it the electrical side of things that break?

Thanks.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 23 Dec 2009, 17:11

No i find the auto wipers are brilliant on the C5s and the 206. Though they can get a mind of their own if you dont give your windscreen a good clean with vinegar or something every so often, as they start to sense the grease. Also if your wipers are not great then that will have the same effect. But i really like auto wipers, very good idea.

Some cars some databases dont hold a lot of information about, i went to look at a Mundaneo a few months ago and all it would bring up was it was a TD, not spec or body styles etc.

It is an SX, though ill have to check to see if the 1.9TD was out so late, as the HDi 90 was out long before W reg. Though im prestty sure the 1.9TD was out too, though in SX spec. Your right, it does make you think doesnt it. Though i cant see it having had an engine transplant from HDI to TD. Its most likely a car which has sat around before being registered.

There does seem to be a lot of rough Xantias around now, so it might pay to wait and look around, as i say, sepc should not be the most important criteria. The red W reg looks like a decent one though, what with its list of recent jobs.

The 1.9TD is generally a very good engine, they usually run and run.