Three Xantias...

[robert_e_smart]

Yes Jim,

Proper rubber will make a big difference. I hate driving cars with cheap crap tyres, nasty stuff. A nice set of Michelins makes a big difference.

[Mandrake]

Simon, that's very insightful, especially on the V6. It is indeed stiffer than a smaller engined Hydractive but not quite so as an Activa...

I know what you mean about feathering the V6 throttle too, especially in the wet. On the night of Xac's wedding Rhothgar and I were having drag races between traffic lights in Milton Keynes (yes, we have those too!!). It was very late and the roads were both wet and deserted.

Rhothgar in his 1.9TD consistently out-dragged me every time off the lights because my V6 just spun its wheels and could find no initial traction at all...

I know exactly what you mean. Any sort of quick start in the wet just results in wheel spin especially if I'm turning, unless I'm careful to feather the throttle. I think a lot of that is the tyres though - they're just not good tyres at all and quite worn with scuffed, hard rubber. A new pair of good Michelins on the front will make a world of difference I'm sure. When I can afford them.

Replacing the cheap horrible tyres that came on my 2 litre with a set of good michelins totally transformed both the ride and the handling in particular, and they lasted me 4 years and 40,000Km and were still going strong with plenty of tread depth and no wear on the shoulders when I sold the car...(the tyres that came on the car wore the outside shoulders right down to bald on the front tyres in only 3,000Km)

You must try an HDi-powered Exclusive I think you would like it very much.

I don't think so. The slightest whiff of diesel makes me feel sea sick, one reason why I won't own a diesel. (I've never owned one yet) It's very tempting from the MPG perspective but I just can't take that smell, and although I know the modern HDI engines are a world apart from a clunky old 1.9TD there is just something missing in the characteristics of a diesel in my opinion...

[Citroenmad]

Yes Jim,

Proper rubber will make a big difference. I hate driving cars with cheap crap tyres, nasty stuff. A nice set of Michelins makes a big difference.

You say that, however my Activa has a pair of old style Michelin Energy E3As up front, they are dated 2006 but only fitted last year, so that might go someway to explain ... they are rubbish! They run wind at even normal cornering speeds (and I mean normal) if the roads are wet. Maybe they have gone a bit hard and plasitc like from being a few years old before they were fitted, however in the wet they are no better than a budget tyre. My C5 with its Michelin primacy's (albeit much wider) tyres wipes the floor with the Activa in the wet. I dont often drive it in the rain, if I did I would swap them for some new ones, as it is they are pretty decent in the dry. I can't see me sticking them for much longer though.

The XM and 2002 C5 both wear the newer Michelin Energy Savers and they grip far far better in the wet, what you would expect from a Michie. I might be tempted by Uniroyal RainExperts for the Activa next actually, they get excellent reviews for wet weather grip.

Tyres can make or ruin a nice car.

[Mandrake]

Try a Cx and youll want to trade all the xantias for one...

They both have their pluses and minuses, and it does depend on what spec CX you're talking about.

My Dad and I owned a 1978 CX 2400 from around 1998 to 2004, and that was a great car. Very unique feeling steering and ride, and very strong low end / midrange torque/pickup for a mere 115hp. Didn't rev very high though, with a falling power curve above about 4500rpm, if you were overtaking and you hit 4000rpm you'd get past quicker if you changed up a gear to move down into the higher torque in the mid range.

Better suspension geometry than a Xantia (not as good as a GS though, due to the geometry compromise enforced by the brake disc) and that thing could get around tight corners amazingly quickly for a big car but MAN did that thing have body roll !! Serious body roll, even after a bit of tweaking to firm the damping. Yet somehow it gripped and cornered well.

But the truth is a standard CX is completely out-cornered and out-handled by a Hydractive 2 Xantia, (although the CX rides better) and outperformed by the V6 Xantia, by a wide margin. (194bhp vs 115bhp - strong low/mid torque can only take you so far...)

If you're talking about a CX 2500 turbo though, those are a different beast entirely. Less horsepower than a V6 Xantia (168 or 180 depending on who you believe) but actually MORE torque than the V6 from only 2500 cc, quite a bit more in fact, 217lb/ft if I remember right, at a lower RPM too. Very impressive from a 2.5 litre 4 cylinder that doesn't even have overhead camshafts...

Not exactly a practical car to run these days though. Rust... Worn diravi controllers, notchy crunchy gear change (which was never great even when new) dodgy electrical wiring... definitely a "project" car even back in 1998. Did I mention rust ? Bullet proof reliable engine though. I still miss it.

[Mandrake]

You say that, however my Activa has a pair of old style Michelin Energy E3As up front, they are dated 2006 but only fitted last year, so that might go someway to explain ... they are rubbish! They run wind at even normal cornering speeds (and I mean normal) if the roads are wet. Maybe they have gone a bit hard and plasitc like from being a few years old before they were fitted, however in the wet they are no better than a budget tyre.

I would say the rubber has gone hard, yes. There are those who say that tyres have a useful life of about 6-8 years regardless of low mileage just due to deterioration of the rubber, particularly in UV. I've seen tyres that have sat for years more or less unused and they are totally destroyed by about 8 years of age due to UV. (Well at least in NZ where UV levels are high and sunshine in general is plentiful )

Tyres can make or ruin a nice car.

Sure can.

[xantia_v6]

I spend a few months each year in France, and for convenience will probably buy a car there. In all fairness, it should be a Xantia model that was not made in RHD... So should it be an Activa HDI or an Activa V6? (I have ruled out the Activa 16V auto).

[Northern_Mike]

I spend a few months each year in France, and for convenience will probably buy a car there. In all fairness, it should be a Xantia model that was not made in RHD... So should it be an Activa HDI or an Activa V6? (I have ruled out the Activa 16V auto).

HDI Activa, then sell it to me once you get fed up with it It's said that with a few mods and a proper remap, the HDI will pump out close to 150BHP and way, way more torque than a TCT motor...

[addo]

A fully optioned V6 Activa would probably hold its value well enough.

[davetherave]

The prices in france are usually verging on ridiculous though compared to over here!
Ive seen rough looking xantias with 2000€ price tags, its staggering!
Sometimes though good money could be made by converting cars from RHD to LHD and selling them tot he french!

[CitroJim]

Scrap those Fate tyres and shod it with some more Michelins Jim and it'll improve things greatly

Their 'fate' is sealed Chris...

The V6 has quite an appetite for front tyres

[citroenxm]

[
I don't think so. The slightest whiff of diesel makes me feel sea sick, one reason why I won't own a diesel. (I've never owned one yet) It's very tempting from the MPG perspective but I just can't take that smell, and although I know the modern HDI engines are a world apart from a clunky old 1.9TD there is just something missing in the characteristics of a diesel in my opinion...

Some people will never know what they are missing with this "OLD" attitude! I wonder why theres petrols when my HDi 110 (with tuning box) will do a good 130mph! And the in gear pull is F F FUN!! There no need to change down all the time to get them going!

Smell?? What smell... Only the ones I produce myself!!

[Citroenmad]

I would love a HDI Activa, that is a very good engine and can be tuned to give decent performance but still returning excellent economy. I don't understand where the dislike for diesel engines come from, HDis in particular are excellent and a world apart from the old XUDs. Especially the Epic pump ones which seem to be just what diesels used to be, torque and power in a very small rev band. Not like the HDis, or actually Bosch pumped XUDs.

So I would buy a HDi Activa, though French cars are very expensive to buy compared to UK cars.

The 16v HDis are even more refined than the 8v 2.0HDi (arguably one of the best modern diesel engine, for reliability), someone did not believe me when they were in my C5 the other day and I said it was a diesel, and they hate diesels!

I would say the rubber has gone hard, yes. There are those who say that tyres have a useful life of about 6-8 years regardless of low mileage just due to deterioration of the rubber, particularly in UV. I've seen tyres that have sat for years more or less unused and they are totally destroyed by about 8 years of age due to UV. (Well at least in NZ where UV levels are high and sunshine in general is plentiful )

Yes, I think your right. I got these for a very good price but they have not been great Ill probably ditch them soon and get some new tyres, as I say, possibly Uniroyals but very tempted to get new michelins.

[xantia_v6]

The prices in france are usually verging on ridiculous though compared to over here!
Ive seen rough looking xantias with 2000€ price tags, its staggering!

I would love a HDI Activa.

Well this HDI looks like a good prospect (if the photo is recent and of the actual car ). Unfortunately it is still about 4 hours drive from here.

This 2.0 16v is probably the nicest you will ever see, but not cheap.

This V6 is more my style, but I am not keen on the colour.

[DickieG]

I can't see the point in having an Activa unless it's got the 3.0 V6, the other models (including the CT with the hairdryer turned up) don't have the performance to explore the handling.

[Deanxm]

I can't see the point in having an Activa unless it's got the 3.0 V6, the other models (including the CT with the hairdryer turned up) don't have the performance to explore the handling.

Oh yes they do

D