Citroenmads Citroen blog.

[bxzx16v]

I can't wait for the pics Chris , and to see her at the Cxm

Mark

[vince]

Ahh a car swap made in heaven...your both getting great cars you will both enjoy. Jim it will be wierd seeing you in an XM....youve always been Xantia through and through when ive met up with you....the Xantia's feel dead small after getting out of an XM

The V6 Xantia though is a very special car.....id love one for a while...alas fuel costs etc would put paid to that for me Chris's prestige does drive well though

See you both at the CXM

[Citroenmad]

I remember Roger speaking to me and my dad about the V6 Xantia, he did make it sound very appealing

I've just been out in yours Chris, doing what you did, topping it up with petrol and visiting Tesco. When I got home I re-Lexia'd her and the MAP fault has not re-appeared. I re-initialised the gearbox auto-adaptives and she's changing gear as smooth as the smoothest silk She was smooth before but now even smoother...

See you tomorrow and I really hope you'll enjoy her...

Thanks Jim

Im sure I will enjoy her

Yep, I'll find an opportunity for some Pictures and post them up Mark

Vince, I guess you have gotten used to the differences between Xantia and XM and found they are far from just slightly different sizes, they are totally different cars.

Right, best be off

[Deanxm]

Jim it will be wierd seeing you in an XM....

Right, it will look right seeing Jim in an XM .

Well done to both of you! both exellent cars in their own way, Enjoy!!!!

D

[Citroenmad]

Well Im just nicely back from our swap location with the V6 Xantia, what a car!

It was my first drive in a 24v V6 and they are more than impressive. Very refined, lovely V6 burble and the acceleration is really something. A lot of low down torque, silky smooth gearbox and when you do go for it, it really shifts! I put my foot down once on the motorway and the car which was in my mirror dissapeared to a tiny spec, the blue flashing lights bearly noticeable You also don't notice how fast your going .... it accelerates away so effortlessly.

Coming back I mainly had the cruise set to 70 and just wafted back, in, as it says on the rear window, air conditioned luxury So ive not had much chance to try it out on anything other than motorway or town roads, but I am hugely impressed. Seemed to do ok on fuel too, just over a quater for about 110 miles.

I can see what people say about the noise though, as I was pulling into Weatherby service station I could not resist having the windows down to hear the burble

Well Im off to do a bit of tinkering with it now, pictures to follow

Here is one actually, of Jim looking very pleased with himself, now having an XM:

[bxzx16v]

I'm looking forward to the pics Chris , it's certainly a nice rare colour .

Mark

[CitroJim]

Excellent stuff Chris Delighted you're pleased with her and you enjoyed the run back. Remember the speedo is almost bang-on and do be careful of speed building without you being very aware of it...

I'm delighted indeed with the Prestige. Finally a bona-fide XM owner and an S1 with a single-spoke steering wheel to boot. Perfect

[myglaren]

Congratulations to both of you. Deal of the century.

[Citroening]

Great news Chris - I knew that you would love the Xantia V6! I'm surprised you've taken this long to find them, however looks like you both got a great deal... Enjoy.

I can see what people say about the noise though, as I was pulling into Weatherby service station I could not resist having the windows down to hear the burble

Can't beat the V6 noise...

[Northern_Mike]

Can't beat the V6 noise...

Well, you can, but Citroen never made a V8 or 12..

[Citroening]

Well, you can, but Citroen never made a V8 or 12..

True, the V8 is the best sounding engine IMO...

[Citroenmad]

I'm looking forward to the pics Chris , it's certainly a nice rare colour .

Mark

I do like the colour and Im really looking forward to getting it all machine polished.

I have taken pictures but for the moment my camera is withholding them from me If it lasts long enough before I throw it out of the window I'll post them up

Excellent stuff Chris Delighted you're pleased with her and you enjoyed the run back. Remember the speedo is almost bang-on and do be careful of speed building without you being very aware of it...

I'm delighted indeed with the Prestige. Finally a bona-fide XM owner and an S1 with a single-spoke steering wheel to boot. Perfect

I was watching the speedo with the satnav, it is quite accurate. Just be careful with the Xm speedo, there is a bit of innacuracy!

Excellent Jim, you have finally got an XM and im very glad to have been the supplier

Congratulations to both of you. Deal of the century.

I think its worked out perfectly

Great news Chris - I knew that you would love the Xantia V6! I'm surprised you've taken this long to find them, however looks like you both got a great deal... Enjoy.

I can see what people say about the noise though, as I was pulling into Weatherby service station I could not resist having the windows down to hear the burble

Can't beat the V6 noise...

Hmm, Im surprised at how much I do like it Im starting to see why V6s get the praise they do

More info and pictures to follow ...

[xantia_v6]

I think I must have sold it to Jim too cheaply, it is getting so much praise...

I think the main difference with the S1 is that the throttle has more bite off the line, once an S2 gets wound up they are about the same.

[andmcit]

Interesting to see your comment about s1 and s2 v6's Jim: I've found the two I have on the road at the moment being each series seem evenly matched but nothing like the original s2 I had that was superb and eclipsed both of them. Weird. Maybe
mileage or service history but the s1 I have has barely any extra miles at 75k.

The noise is addictive and the 's' for silly mode button is truly brilliant!!
These v6 sensible looking Xants are so under the radar they'd shame a limbo dancer!

I've got a hybrid of your two Xants Chris - I have a s1 Activa in the grey metallic! lol

[Citroenmad]

So here goes, my blog entry for my 1997 3.0 V6 Xantia Exclusive

Kind of all a bit spur of the moment really but am I glad me and Jim did the swap

I will miss the Prestige, XMs really are one of my favourite Citroens and I can see me having another at some point. However I could not turn down the opportunity to try one of PSA 3.0 V6 24v engines in a Xantia.

Strange that my Activa has been owned by 3 FCF members and now so has the V6

I really enjoyed the drive down to meet Jim in the XM, it went as well as ever. The drive back in the V6 was pretty special, I took it easy for the most part with the cruise set to 70. Meanwhile I was adjusting the electric seats to get the perfect seating position, they certainly adjust in every way! I did think that standard cloth Activa seats were the most comfortable car seats I had sat in, however, these are very good. I like the way you can tilt the front of the seat base right up and have the back lower, ideal for longer legs as the seat supports better. I also like the lumbar which can be adjusted up and down as well as in and out. Superb! I had the air con on for most of the jounrey back, as it was a little humid, that works excellently.

I did give the loud pedal a squirt at one point while in the outside lane. In no time I lost the following car, which when I slowed down was actually a 51 plate C5 V6! The Xantia really shifts and so effortlessly. I was also impressed with its fuel economy. Campared to the Activa the fuel eocnomy seems similar, if not better.

I got home had lunch and then this happened:

Jim had very kindly supplied a replacement Steering wheel slip ring to replace the one which was giving an Air bag fault and so leaving the light on the dash. It didnt take too long to fit, its easy but fiddly to do. With the replacement on there are no warning lights to be seen Thanks Jim!

I then whipped off the front wheels to give it a quick check about as I do with every car I get. Brakes seem very meaty and im surprised at the lack of rust on the underside and suspension etc. My Activa is good in that department but this is even slightly better. However, my progress was hindered by one of our most annoying pets!

He has a taste for jeans, almost everytime I went to walk away he would be attached to my trouser bottoms

And now some pictures I took this evening, its a bit dusty and fly splattered:








A very happy pair of Xantias:





There isnt really much it needs doing, mechanically its very very good, my main aim is to get the bodywork looking better. The boot lid is the worst, typical Xantia fade on the upper part. I think that will need repainting but the rest should machine polishi up a treat. Its in very good order though, especially for its galactic mileage of 195,000 miles! You would be hard pressed to know by driving it that it had done 95K, never mind its true mileage.

As for driving: It was my first drive in a 24v V6 and it certainly does not dissapoint. I only cruised back earlier but this evening I went out to enjoy it a bit more on familiar roads. I did find the sport button to see how it copes with a steep inclined dual carrigeway which I use all of the time, there is a roundabout at the bottom so its a good measure of a cars acceleration. It is quick! The Sport button does make a bit of a differece By the top of the bank it was doing about 5mph more than my Activa would be and I had a slow start due to someone in a inferior car (aren't they all!?) holding me up. I didn't think there would be much in the out and out speed, as my Activa is slightly breathed on and pulls like a train. The power delivery of the TCT and V6 is obviously very different, the TCT feels more thrashy and very willing but the V6 has more guts about it.

From there on the road gets twisty, fast but twisty. This really shows up the differences between the Activa and V6. I clicked the suspension into spot mode for this bit, which does give hugely impressive handling, I would say possibly more predictable than an Activa but not as much fun. Cornering speeds were naturally down on what the Activa takes in its stride. It has bags of effortless power for overtaking, just press and its off like crazy. Its a very different feeling car, it encourages you to press on but not to the degree which the Activa does. Its a very capable car and will cover ground at high speed without you or your passengers really knowing about it.

The V6 feels heavier and not as chuckable as the Activa, which feels very nimble and encourages insane cornering speeds and the odd sideways moment. My V6 has heavier steering than the Activa, which might explain why it feels a little heavier to drive in general, I like that though.

I then pottered around town in it just listening to the exhaust and engine notes

So far im very impressed with the V6. I often take the Activa when I have to do a long motorway run but I can see the V6 taking that duty now. Im not sure where this leaves my C5, I had to move it today and do you know, its definitely got a diesel engine

As to which Xantia I think is best, that is difficult, because they are not really comparable. I dont think I would have believed someone if that was said without trying them both for myself. For sheer ability, quirks and for having suspension almost without any comprimise, the Activa is just brilliant and the TCT engine in mine performs very well. I can see this V6 Exclsusive getting very addictive but for very different reasons