New Car or Fix It?

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
Mariner
Posts: 15
Joined: 11 Dec 2006, 20:34
Location: Midlands
My Cars:

New Car or Fix It?

Post by Mariner »

Citroen ZX 1.9D 1995 Avantage

I have now (thanks to previous postees) come to the conclusion I have a damaged head or gasket.

Do I scrap the car or get it fixed?

The car passed the MOT last week and has been my best ever car. It's got new tyres, the brakes are setup sweetly, farily recent full exhaust, new windscreen, and more besides. As you can tell I'm loathed to get rid of it.

I would really like to get it fixed but how much will a garage charge me for it? how long will it take them?

Can I do it myself - if so what will I need? How long will it take me?

I realise the head will need pressure testing, but will it need skimming?

If I was to buy another car what would be everyone's recommendation, I was thinking of a Xantia.

A lot of questions but this is the best place to ask them I reckon.
steelcityuk
Posts: 1053
Joined: 03 Jul 2006, 21:51
Location: not applicable
My Cars: not applicable
x 1

Post by steelcityuk »

Personally I'd fix it. The costs shouldn't be too high. You like the car and it's a known quantity. Buy an Haynes manual and a few tools and do the work yourself, not the pressure testing obviously. Xantia's are nice but you have the hydraulics to deal with as well. Also you can ask any technical questions on here.

Good luck.

Steve.
not applicable
User avatar
AtitudeJim
Posts: 40
Joined: 06 Apr 2006, 13:26
Location: Banbury/Oxfordshire
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by AtitudeJim »

i would move on into other car, newer.... now you can get xsara hdi for good prices... even c5s for 3500pounds....

fixing the car... will take time + money... and on a 11 year old car.... other parts are wearing out.... so... i would go for a newer car...

but if you just want to keep it for some more time... you could just fix that head gasket change but as a diy..
(04) Citroen C5 2.0 Hdi 110hp (uk)
(90) Pug 205 1.8D (uk)
(92) Vw Polo G40 (pt)
jeremy
Posts: 3959
Joined: 20 Oct 2002, 16:00
Location: Hampshire, UK
My Cars:
x 2

Post by jeremy »

Of course all offered for sale are in new condition and will function perfectly for 10 years.

If you buy another car you will spend several hundred pounds by the time you have got it working properly. I mean on the full service, new tyres, brake parts and all the other little things that need doing. However good they seem they all need 'breaking in'

You know what the condition of your present car is overall and if you really want to keep it or change it.

What I can tell you is that there are many very expensive components on a Xsara HDi. Have a look at the on-line shop price for injectors etc.
jeremy
Peter.N.
Moderating Team
Posts: 11563
Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Post by Peter.N. »

I think your best and easiest route would be a good secondhand head. There are a tremendous number of XUD vehicles being scrapped and a head from any Peugeot/Citroen XUD should do the job. It is not to difficult a job if you are used to working on cars and it should certainly be the cheapest way out.
Mariner
Posts: 15
Joined: 11 Dec 2006, 20:34
Location: Midlands
My Cars:

New Car or Fix It?

Post by Mariner »

What else should I have done at the same time as doing head?

obviously water pump and timing belt

anything else likely to fail that will be difficult to get to?
User avatar
CitroJim
A very naughty boy
Posts: 49518
Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
Location: Paggers
My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
x 6156
Contact:

Re: New Car or Fix It?

Post by CitroJim »

Mariner wrote:What else should I have done at the same time as doing head?

obviously water pump and timing belt

anything else likely to fail that will be difficult to get to?
Exhaust Front Pipe? If it looks like it'll not last a lot longer, not a bad idea to swap it whilst it is easily accessible...
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Mariner
Posts: 15
Joined: 11 Dec 2006, 20:34
Location: Midlands
My Cars:

New Car or Fix It?

Post by Mariner »

WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT hEAD GASKET TYPE AND SIZE, WHAT DO i NEED TO FIND OUT ON THIS?
User avatar
uhn113x
Posts: 1161
Joined: 06 Jan 2004, 22:06
Location: Near Leeds, United Kingdom
My Cars: 1981 Dyane - on road all year round.
1982 GSA Pallas - on road April - September.
1997 ZX 1.9D Dimension.
x 1

Post by uhn113x »

AtitudeJim wrote:i would move on into other car, newer.... now you can get xsara hdi for good prices... even c5s for 3500pounds....

fixing the car... will take time + money... and on a 11 year old car.... other parts are wearing out.... so... i would go for a newer car...
The newer the car, the less fixable it will be, and the nearer the eat-by date will loom up.
XUDs will still be available for a while; yes, some bits do wear out, but you replace them if you need to!

I have run a 1927 car for 18 years - sold it, running, in 2001.

It is the marketroids that have brainwashed us into the "new is good, old is bad" mantra.
Mike in West Yorks
1982 GSA Pallas
1982 Dyane
1997 ZX Dimension
User avatar
AndersDK
Posts: 6060
Joined: 21 Feb 2003, 04:56
Location: Denmark
My Cars:
x 1

Re: New Car or Fix It?

Post by AndersDK »

Mariner wrote:WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT hEAD GASKET TYPE AND SIZE, WHAT DO i NEED TO FIND OUT ON THIS?
The head gasket go by indicator notches to indicate THICKNESS, to match which grade the replacement head has been grinded down to.
We are talking few tenths of a mm pr grade here, and a max of 3 grades.

On second hand cylinder heads you go by the old gasket.
On replacement (recon) cylinder heads you GET a matching gasket with the head.
On your old cylinder head grinded down you go by your motor factor who informs you the grade of gasket needed.

You DONT replace the headgasket not grinding down your old cylinder head. The grinding job is some £40'ish, new gasket is some £25'ish and new bolts some £15'ish. Rest is labour.
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
tomsheppard
Posts: 1801
Joined: 19 Dec 2002, 14:46
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by tomsheppard »

Or find a decent engine. The labour in swapping the whole lot out is similar to doing a head and often takes a lot less running about and uncertainty. There are plenty about.
Be happy: it is a way of being wise. (Confucius.)
'92 TZD Estate(Grolliffe), Gone but never to be forgotten.
'95 405 GLX TD Estate. too new to name.
Post Reply