Who's got an Activa??

[arkweld]

ActivaNet is a fairly good source forumwise , although not much action recently . I've just gone through my third mot since purchasing with 88000 on the odometer , I tend to refrain from driving it , so that when i do it get's a quiet rant . As for insurance , no difference to a previous VSX , although i do notice the fuel consumption . I doubt wether i'd put up with the fuel cost's had i needed to run it as a main car . Be good if you pick up a tidy one . Check out Activanet i seem to know loads of thing's that can go wrong now .

[DickieG]

Myself and Citrojim both have Activa's and have a pretty good depth of knowledge on them should anything go wrong and to be honest most that that are offered for sale have issues with them, be aware that there are ten sphere's on an Activa and two hydraulic balancing rams @ £300 each that are prong to leaking at higher mileage. As Arkweld states they are good fun but fuel consumption is an issue, don't expect much more than 24 mpg in day to day running, insurance wise IIRC I pay under £200 per year.

[CitroJim]

... and should I consider buying one? I'm eyeing up an Activa cos i've always wanted one to run alongside my 1.9TD. Just wondering how much expertise is out there in forum land as i'm bound to need a lot of assistance.

Just on this forum alone, there are a good number of Activa owners and between us all, there is very little we don't know about them so you have no worries there

I'm a confirmed Activa addict and it is very much my fun and pleasure car. Fuel costs rule it out of being a daily driver

Have you driven a well sorted Activa yet? Do and you'll be hooked. Nothing quite handles like one!

Road tax. At the moment, Normal pre-2001 £185 per year.

I insurue My Activa and 2.1TD under an Admiral multi-car policy which costs about £400 a year for me. When I last looked, Admiral were the only company to offer this kind of policy but one hopes that being it is such a good idea, others will cotton on and offer similar.

Be warned that an Activa is a complex car that loves attention and can take a bit of sorting out to get right. Many are neglected and may have major and expensive faults. A poor one is horrible (and dangerous) to drive.

You will be very well advised to learn a lot about them before looking for one and taking note of the pitfalls. Theres is no buyers guide on here but it would not take a lot to produce one if you wanted.

[handyman]

I can concur with DickieG and Citrojim's comments, as I currently have two Activas. I was up to four at one point!

Items to look at when looking to buy are the standard service requirements of the 8V engine, cambelt, tensioner, water pump, replacements. Clean, non-leaky engines with regular oil changes should provide good motoring. These engines, in turbo form, do not return good mpg. If you tweak them, buy shares in oil!

On cars over 70k miles, consider the clutch as Citroen's recommended service life is that sort of mileage. MK1s with the original clutch should be avoided as they were much weaker than the later, modified clutches. Some suffer problems with the hydraulic clutch actuation system, but usually high mileage cars. Replacement costs of the system can be pricey.

Knocking/worn bushes to the rams and any suspension parts can be expensive and difficult to obtain. Sometimes the suspension can take on a mind of its own and can take a lot of perseverance to sort out. Make sure it has the right size and type of tyres fitted. I have driven a few with the wrong rated tyres and they can be lethal. Look not just at the speed rating but also the weight loading factor as these tyres really have to work when cornering.

Other than that they can be good fun to drive. Can see off most expensive sports cars going round bends, in the dry and the wet. Just depends on how big your jojones are.

If you are going to buy one, either get a well sorted item and expect to pay. Or get a dog and expect to spend time and money.

Handyman

[Quackers]

I'm on my second Activa, and its my everyday car.

To say they are fun is an understatement, when the are working!

They really annoy me though because you get paranoid that its tilted a little too much, or it does not feel right, and feels like an endless battle to get them working 100%.

[CitroJim]

They really annoy me though because you get paranoid that its tilted a little too much, or it does not feel right, and feels like an endless battle to get them working 100%.

Spot on Quackers

But isn't that half the fun though of owning an Activa?

[Quackers]

They really annoy me though because you get paranoid that its tilted a little too much, or it does not feel right, and feels like an endless battle to get them working 100%.

Spot on Quackers

But isn't that half the fun though of owning an Activa?

It is , but i think i'll get a used C6 next year for about £15,000. Had enough of the niggles. But i will be very sad to say goodbye to the Xantia, as this is my 4th one and i've grown attached, and i just love the 0-body roll sensation, again, when it works If only i had 2 parking spaces where i live, but i cannot justify paying £8000 for an additional parking space to put a car worth £1000 at best in it.

[elma]

I think the insurance will depend on your age.
I'm 24 and pay 260 fully comp for a 1.9td.
Best quote I can get on an activa is £940

[deian]

I sold my 2.0i Xm turbo cos it was expensive to run, obviously with an activa you'll be having 'more fun', so fuelling it is probably an issue. Personally I'd go for the V6, more economical (a bit), and faster, the activa obviously should have the heads up on the corners, but not by that much... it does also depend on the driver at the end of the day, stick a good driver in a V6 against a crap driver in the activa and the V6 should sh*t all over the activa... in saying all that i haven't driven an activa, but i know the V6 is certainly not a machine a boy racer should attempt racing light heartedly.

[handyman]

Deian, I fail to understand the logic in critising a car you have never driven. Engage brain before writing email. Having driven both Activas and the V6 Xant, I know which one goes around corners faster, and it ain't the one you're thinking of.

I have driven the V6 Activa in France but I was not allowed to give it head, as the owner was sitting next to me and it was his cherished car. Now why didn't Citroen import the V6 Activa........?

By the way, is there a need for profanity in the Forum, as I notice it is starting to creep in.

Handyman

[deian]

Hi handyman,

It's just my opinion, thats all, I admitted I have never drive an activa, and know i cannot compare, my statement is based on my experience of the V6 thats all and the activa engine in an XM (for the cost/fuel issue).

As for the profanity, i do not use profanity lightly, and it was merely there to emphasise the meaning i was trying to put across, i did actually star the 'i' in the said word myself. And the profanity was not towards any individual or meant in an insulting way. I apologise if you are offended by such words (which sadly are part of lots of many people's vocabulary, which i hoped we would be adult enough to tolerate once or twice without insult or pinpointing), please lighten up.

I have not argued on this forum before or been attacked for having my own views and opinions. So please don't be the first to do so, we are not children here, and do not need to be treated as such.

I take your views on board regarding the handling of the activa, as said before i have not driven one, having said that, the V6 does have 44bhp (thereabouts) more than the activa, so i still think a good driver in the V6 would do better than a bad one in the activa, i do know full well what the activa is and how it works and it's comparison to the V6 hydractive 2 suspension and inner working and the two cars characteristics (...of what the activa should be like), don't take that statement personally handyman, it's just my view and opinion which some may or may not agree with.

I know the activa should go round the corner faster, so you are wrong in assuming i thought of the V6! But if it IS the V6 then it doesn't justify superloopy idea of buy an activa does it.

Lets gets back on track now and help superloopy out with his idea of getting an activa... i personally would go for the V6, cheaper to run and more user friendly suspension (save on tyres too), more of a cruiser with a brusier side, than blasting it round corners with the turbo keeping you on pace (and the fuel on tap, hence the poor economy).

Thanks

[andmcit]

You'll be in very good company for help and advice HERE when sorting
the inevitable issues overlooked or ignored on an Activa that will be
beyond the comprehension of many totally ignorant/basic DIY'ers;
it's been fun to learn new things I've not had issues with before on a
Citroen with my newly acquired car and the easy running 'restoration' has
improved it a significant amount - yes, I bought it cheap and put the time
and effort into sorting it. At this point it needs saying; THANKS FOR ALL
YOUR HELP JIM!!

It has to be said, these are probably the biggest bargain Xantia around
at the moment sorted or as a 'work in progress' with the V6's seemingly
rarer and able to command a higher value. I've not had the joy of driving
let alone owning a V6 Xantia but can guess as I do own many Xm V6's of
various valvage! Heavier cars so the smaller Xant would be a blast...

I've used mine for the first time as a daily driver for the past 3 months
EVERY day though I don't have a massive commute but lets just say I
spend a lot of time at petrol stations; it really has an Oliver Reed thirst
and I don't recall the similarly engined Xm being quite so heavy to run.
I put this down to the 'urgency' of the drive and the gearing.

I dearly love it - it's so smooth, relaxed and "light" to drive with a happy
feeling of effortless loping about the place. I love the light clutch and
gearchange - really wish my Cx Gti Turbo2 was as good in this respect.
I can just about grit my teeth and bear the cost of fuelling around as I
live in a spot where they can't make a straight bit of road longer than
about 50 feet and 3/4's of my daily drive is out in the sticks where there
are no camera's - yet!! 8)

On the last 1/4 of motorway, the speedo is a blatant liar as it gets wound
round to silly levels and yet the car feels like it's standing still with a
fabulous footing and it's sooo quiet - OK, I'm used to driving TD Xantia
estates too!! Everyone who've been in it are in genuine awe and
admiration. A pal who owns a mint 1.6 205 GTi loves it and can't get over
how quiet it is!!

The way I see it, petrol isn't going to get any cheaper so enjoy it while
it's just about bearable to afford to run anything and do it in some style!
Go by Activa as it just works without any BS or bling; the fact it looks like
a 1.9D LX is it's best asset!! Handy for spares too...

Andrew

PS: BTW, what load spec on the tyres do I need to look for Handyman?
Is it ONLY Mich Primacy or can it run Avons?

[andmcit]

We're only talking the difference in the facelift of the nose elements
and a few more airbags on the s2?

As the s1 and s2 are both colour coded anyway the difference is purely
a subjective choice over cosmetics and what will really matter is what
you're actually buying for your money. AFAIK, there are no major
differences on the mechanicals between the s1 and s2 Activa though
I would be interested to know what. The suspension ECU has been
modified with additional sensor feed inputs but it's not what I'd call
significant!!

I prefer the smoked s1 tail lights over the white/red later s2 ones too
but that's being silly and they could be easily swapped about on a S2!!
Like the Xm, the later alloys did away with the removable centre cap
on the alloy making it more of a pain getting tyre places to change
tyres/balance it.

I went for a 140k miler as the first clutch is a long distant memory and it
didn't have an MOT when I bought it. The day after I brought it home it
passed without my touching anything on it but subsequently I've fitted 3
out of the 5 rear spheres, correct electric mirrors again and the top
engine mounting that the main donut mounting attaches onto on the
bulkhead that cost 27quid new off Citroen. I've had to renew a punctured
tyre which lost the original Michelin and that's it.

I'll still need to sort the rear anti roll ram bush as it clonks and the dancing
whilst waiting at the lights will require me fitting the anti roll rod shims
which were only a fiver, again from Citroen. Then possibly over time, a
slow renewal of the remaining front/back centre spheres working out to
the corners though the car does ride very well now anyway.

Just remember, whatever one you look at, somebody wants to get it,
and scrap the car for an engine conversion into a 205/309/306 Pug...

still not sure why as it's not like it's the most frugal engine around!

Andrew

[handyman]

Hi Deian, well that's put me in my place!

Andrew, the weight loading factor/tyre spec is listed in the door post. The loading factor is either '91V' or '91W', interestingly it is the same spec for the HDi.

One of my Activas, the earliest Mk1 had come shod with '50' profile tyres, which made the handling and ride absolutely diabolical. I do not have a clue what the previous owner was thinking when he had them fitted. He sold me the car with a supposed MOT, that never appeared, so I am sure he wasn't on this planet.

The two makes I have used are Michelin and Pirelli, and I must say that I prefered the P6000s as the compound was stickier. Both give out reasonable mileages, although with the higher cornering forces they do get a bit scrubbed. We did try a set of Goodyears on one of the Mk2s, but that got written off in a crash and the ins.co wouldn't sell it back to us to use for parts.

My location in East Sussex is full of nice twisty narrow lanes, so the cars do get a good shakedown regularly.

I use Michelins on my CX GTi Turbo Mk2, Srs1 or when its not being used I fit the set of wheels with Conqueror remoulds. No point in spoiling them, not at the last prices I got from Michelin. It's like driving the CX with those 'orrible Avons, with the ever so supple side walls.

Nice to see you are amongst the cognicenti!

Handyman

[handyman]

Hi Superloopy, if you are going to buy one, other than the service requirements being kept up to date and bearing in mind the life expectancy of major components, the only other component that seems to give cause for concern is the hydraulic pump. Both my Mk2s had them replaced, one under warranty in France. Phew!

If you can find a low mileage, one or two owner vehicle, in good condition, providing it is not dear, it should keep you smiling.

I prefer the car to have a sunroof to aid summer time ventilation, without resorting to the climate control and the drain on power that presents.

One of the Mk2s had a neat cream leather interior, which was grey when we bought it, but a few hours of graft bought it back to life. It was much cooler in the summer than a black leather set. 8)

Andrews comment about the smoked rear lights does not hold true as they are not interchangeable. My early Mk1 has different rear light wiring to the later Mk1 & the Mk2s.

Handyman, IKBA