Xantic's Antics

Xantic · Post by **Xantic** » 05 Jul 2009, 18:55

Tried a little experiment today..
Started the car and waited until it was at driving height.
Then i got out of the car opened the boot and sat in it until the car automatically corrected itself.
I then jumped back into the driving seat and tried the ride.

It seemed softer and smoother, Now i might be getting on a bit and maybe slightly senile but i am sure the ride was better.
Ok after maybe 15 mins it seemed as if it was slightly harsh again but i never give up and tried it again next time i stopped.

I am convinced it give a better ride..Is this possible and if so why.
It's really starting to bug me now as i like things to work as they should, the trouble is i do not have the time to mess about with it before holidays.

If i did have the knowledge of this problem and it was a quick fix then who knows i might have a spare hour or so during the week.

Post by **myglaren** » 05 Jul 2009, 19:28

I generally think the ride in my C5 is a bit on the hard side.

One day a while back I took a heap of MDF from work to a colleague's place. Far more than was comfortable really, damned heavy too.

Afterwards the ride seemed far softer and smoother.

Try riding around with some flagstones or calor gas bottles in the boot, see if it makes a difference.

I regularly used to do that with the GS, to force the rear brakes to come on hard and stop them siezing up.
Never seemed to affect the ride quality though.

CitroJim · Post by **CitroJim** » 05 Jul 2009, 22:02

My 2.1TD rides a lot better when well loaded but then that's a non-hydractive model.

I've not had a load in the V6 yet to tell if the same applies to a hydractive car (The Activa is but that's not a fair test) but I should think it would.

The rear height correector can make a difference to ride if it's at all sluggish in operation.

I reckon a hydraflush, filter clean and fresh LHM might be worth a try. It really does help.

Xantic · Post by **Xantic** » 08 Jul 2009, 23:03

Well only a couple of days before we set off to Cornwall on holidays and guess what.. Yes you guessed it the car starts playing up..
Was going down a hill tonight when i could feel and hear slightly a noise like as if the disk pads were really low.

Got the car home and had fun getting the alloy wheel off but when i examined the disk pads they were ok..No play in the bearings and the cv gaitor looks fine but there is something there not right. Due to the time before our journey im afraid i wont be able to do much to it but i will as i did tonight give it a good slam on the brakes a few times, It stops oh yes it stops fine and no clunks bangs or whatever so will give it another go tomorrow when i get back from Leicester..Friday im off to Derby so not much time there either..Fingers crossed but if i aam not happy i shall have to hire a car for holidays...

Also i have been trying to get the car into a garage to have some spheres changed they quoted me £106 all in to do the job, not a bad price i thought afetr all it would cost me half of that just to buy the spheres, if i have time it can go in on Friday..
Update on this will be available shortly if i get over my nervous breakdown.

Don't you just love cars..

Xantic · Post by **Xantic** » 10 Jul 2009, 23:05

Well short notice this morning i phoned the garage and asked if they could change some spheres, all they could get was the four corner ones so i took the car down and had them changed.

It cost me £184 all in but not a bad price i thought to be honest..(I am still trying to convince myself )..Anyway, while your under there mate grease the HC for me theres a good man..No problem sir.

Took the car to a local garage that could do the wheel balancing, only drove a mile home so cannot say if that was a good move but from what i saw they needed doing.. Another £26..

Still, fingers crossed all will be well, at least the car is worth more now with the weights on the wheels in scrap.

Forgot to say..Theres not much difference after the new spheres..

Its me being paranoid again i think...Wheres my tablets..

KP · Post by KP » 10 Jul 2009, 23:16

If you had 2 hours spare the spheres could have been done at home, you coulda bought the tool and been able to do centre and accum/anti sink as well in for that price

But you were just waiting to here that anyhoo :p ....

Xantic · Post by **Xantic** » 19 Jul 2009, 15:09

KP wrote:If you had 2 hours spare the spheres could have been done at home, you coulda bought the tool and been able to do centre and accum/anti sink as well in for that price

But you were just waiting to here that anyhoo :p ....

If i had the tools, weather etc yes it could have been done at home..I was also waiting for a call for work which did happen and i didn't get home until 21.00..Jobs done the rest will be done in time now..

Xantic · Post by **Xantic** » 19 Jul 2009, 15:20

Just returned from the holiday and i could not fault the car.
The ride was fine with 4 adults and suitcases and 5 adults returning.

As for the journey it went smooth, the MPG was fantastic..I filled to the brim before i left, I thought the fuel gauge was stuck as it did not move until we reached St.Austell, nearly 240 miles, I calculated with the trip via motorway and A roads then running around the slower roads and lanes in Cornwall that a combined mileage was achieved of 53 mpg..

So on a straight run on motorway the car would have given me 60 mpg.
It handled well even with the heavy load and was a pleasure to drive so i am very pleased with the Xantia performance.. Below are a few photos of the car in various locations around Cornwall..

Sl4yer · Post by **Sl4yer** » 19 Jul 2009, 19:27

That's great MPG! The Activa will only do about half that, although I'm sure I could get more on a run if I kept it below 90! Our last trip away (from Rochdale to Lincoln) returned 27MPG. My best is 29MPG on a trip to the Lake District. 390 miles on one tank is really pushing it in an Activa!

Your Xantia looks to be riding great. The height looks just right on all the pics. Lovely looking car too!

James

Post by **admiral51** » 19 Jul 2009, 21:47

Superb pictures of a lovely car in a lovely setting

Glad to see that you had a good holiday and the car behaved itself excellent MPG

Fingers crossed that your search proves fruitful

Colin

Xantic · Post by **Xantic** » 19 Jul 2009, 22:27

Thanks Guys..

Sorry we didnt meet on the weekend Colin i am sure the Xantia will be staying a lot longer now i have lost my job..Great news to come from holidays with but the glass is still half full so fingers crossed all will be ok.

Russ..

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 19 Jul 2009, 22:40

Xantic wrote:I am sure the Xantia will be staying a lot longer now I have lost my job..Great news to come from holidays with but the glass is still half full so fingers crossed all will be ok.

Hmm, not the best of homecomings, good luck in finding another job.

BTW did the lady in the front passenger seat stay in the car for the whole of the holiday?

Xantic · Post by **Xantic** » 20 Jul 2009, 21:06

DickieG wrote:
Xantic wrote:I am sure the Xantia will be staying a lot longer now I have lost my job..Great news to come from holidays with but the glass is still half full so fingers crossed all will be ok.
Hmm, not the best of homecomings, good luck in finding another job.

BTW did the lady in the front passenger seat stay in the car for the whole of the holiday?

She only gets out when theres a shop in sight..

Xantic · Post by **Xantic** » 20 Jul 2009, 21:17

Well the first day of unemployment was spent polishing the car..Not a job i relish to be honest but i do like the results..It's probably the first time it has been polished in a while so after a few more goes it should look even better, I do need to get the toothbrush out to do all the little awkward places but this will do for now.. I started on the engine bay too but it will take a while to get that sparkling,

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 20 Jul 2009, 21:20

A very clean Xantia there!

Could almost mistake it for S2 Xantia promotional material