best zx

louis1 · Post by **louis1** » 31 May 2003, 15:22

for daily use which zx is the beat 1.4, 1.6, 1.8,1.9, 2.0, 2.0 16v, 1.9d or 1.9td. and what is the difference in performance between the 2.0 and the 1.9 petrol and how much quicker is a td rather thasn a d

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 31 May 2003, 15:41

Depends on your daily use!
Wife loves her ZX non-turbo diesel and it drives very sweetly and is a very nice car, doing between 40 and 50 mpg (about 45 on general town driving.)
Our only real observation is that it no ball of fire on motorways. It will cruise for ever at an indicated 80 or more but the acceleration won't break your neck! My TD BX is much better for overtaking at speed but even that could be better.
jeremy

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 31 May 2003, 16:40

The non turbo's are much nicer and smoother to drive in my opinion, I don't care for the big jump in gear ratio between 2nd and 3rd, but the down side is the long legs of the turbo are'nt there at the top end if you are a motorway cruiser.
My previous 1.9D xantia returned over 50 mpg but only after I twiddled the pump to give it more fuel, sounds opposit to what you would expect, but this gave it more power which enabled it to stay in higher gears for longer, important when you live in hilly regions.
The ZX TD is currently doing 45mpg around the same hilly area, increasing the bottom end fuel has made it better to drive, now don't have to rev as high as I did before snatching third.
Dave

rabenson · Post by **rabenson** » 02 Jun 2003, 16:30

I've been driving a non-turbo 1.9 diesel ZX for about a year now and find that it is a real treat, both around town and on a longer run. I drive around 25K miles/year and find that the 49-52 MPG that I've been getting is an added bonus.
BTW I don't tend to hang around - the throttle spends a lot of its time on the floor.... Motorway cruising at around 85 MPH is no effort at all (obviously not in this country...)
Performance is adequate for me - I have driven the TD and found it VERY nippy indeed, but wasn't tempted. I know that I would use the extra performance and lose out on fuel consumption....

Post by **Jon** » 02 Jun 2003, 18:16

Um, best ZX??
I'm a bit biased as I've had 3 Turbo D's.... BUT!
The 1.9d with power steering is really economical, reliable, fast enough most of the time. Was driving an N reg 1.9D Estate for a few weeks recently and couldn't fault it, although slows down a bit on long hills, and if you have to back off on the Motorway it can take some time to "recover". But overall, really good.
Another favourite is the ZX 1.4, especially the early carb versions. Fast, great on fuel.
I run a Turbo D due to reliability (if you change the filters, oil and coolant regulary, and stick a radiator in every 3 years or so....), economy and performance. The acceleration in 5th puts lots of things to shame, and you can generally keep up with fast M-way traffic and hold your own.[:D]Good at towing things too.
The Volcane TD is the best ZX in my humble opinion, but I'm running a big mile K plated Aura TD just now with just some brake mods, and I'm very happy with it over a punishing weekly mileage.

Paul Thomas · Post by **Paul Thomas** » 02 Jun 2003, 21:50

Would have to agree with the ZX Volcane 1.9TD, had our K-Reg for 6 years and spend almost nothing on parts, just service items.
I get approx 48 MPG on urban roads mostly at 60 MPH.
Will be hard pushed to decide what to buy next when I have to change it.

Thompatruck · Post by **Thompatruck** » 03 Jun 2003, 13:58

Seems that the Diesels are leading the pack at the moment, in my personal opinion I love my TD Memphis, again excellent MPG good speed and acceleration and although against the Volcane it misses ABS, lower suspension and a few other bits and pieces the 2 Insurance groups lower is nice [:D]

CITMAN · Post by **CITMAN** » 04 Jun 2003, 02:45

dont forget that the 1.4i engine is good a un as well. might not be as fast as a td but on par with 1.9d and probably quicker due to the engine been light as its an all alloy engine. the 1.4 has good mpg, fairly quick, cheap road tax, cheap insurance.

MiX · Post by **MiX** » 05 Jun 2003, 00:14

Since I've only owned one Zx. I'll have to say that Zx 16v is the best one! [:)][:)] It's very fast and tight, and a dream to drive. Got even better when I fittet 17"x7 alloys. Maybe not so economical(mpg), but with an active driving style like mine I probably wouldn't get that from any car.[:)] Drove a 1.9D once for a couple of miles. Didn't like it all. Too slow!
Btw, anybody else here who has a ZX 16V??

JamesOstridge · Post by **JamesOstridge** » 08 Jun 2003, 00:47

I'm going to add a vote for the 1.4 ZX as the one I had a few years ago ('92 carb Avantage) was an excellent car - quicker, more economical, better handling ride and reliability than the younger 1.6 Bravo that replaced it! I'm looking for a (late) ZX again now tho!

306 · Post by **306** » 08 Jun 2003, 15:30

I have to say 1.4 ZX 1992 carb too, what a little gem mine was, my family's owned cit's as far back as I can remember, mother had the ZX1.9D, and my 1.4 was quicker and was possibly just as economical as the 1.9D, Now I have the 306 1.4 1994 and I wish I had my ZX back.

sooty · Post by **sooty** » 15 Jun 2003, 01:02

My ZX td is a 96 elation with 120k under her bonnet and I do approx 18k a year, she will hold her own against a 306 hdi on or off the motorway.
As everyone says, they are reliable as long you service them regular.
My daughter had a 97 306 1.9td, it had a different Lucas pump to mine and it smoked alot more and nots so good on grunt like mine.
sooty

VisaGTi16v · Post by **VisaGTi16v** » 20 Jun 2003, 15:58

"Btw, anybody else here who has a ZX 16V??"
Ive got one as well. Quite a nice car. Amazing handling for front wheel drive, good brakes, lots of low down torque but wheezes a bit higher up the revs. Unfortunatly ive had to spend a bit on mine recently, clutch, cambelt, brakes, the centre exhuast pipe broke in 2 coming back from France last weekend making it sound like a tractor

I went down to Le Mans for the 24hr race, got an indicated 138mph out of it on the french autoroute on the way back before the exhuast went.
Overall a good cheap nippy hatch but expensive to run and insure and nowhere near as quick as my Visa [:D]

tecw1979 · Post by **tecw1979** » 16 Jul 2003, 04:11

Btw, anybody else here who has a ZX 16V??
im building one with the mi16v engine... its been in a pug 205 gti, 309 gti now a zx!rapid engine modified slightly estimated to push 190bhp. but i have wiring probs ... dont suppose u could help? im concerned abt the round multi plug fixed to th arch under the fuse box? the mi16s engine loom has two square 1s... any idea on functions?is it just for dash readouts?
thanx. tom

benj · Post by **benj** » 16 Jul 2003, 15:52

'got an indicated 138mph out of it on the french autoroute on the way back before the exhuast went.'
i could only ever ger 137 out of mine mate, rev limiter would always kick in, i know its only 1mph but are you sure it was 138, unless your speedo calibration is different to mine,
but mine used to cut in at 137 all the time and this is the top speed qouted by citroen,
incidently i had a 1.9 volcane, if citroen did the three door volcane with the 16v bodykit i would have got one of them instead, the 8 valver is so much easier to drive and you dont have to rev the nuts of it, and in certain situations its quicker than the 16v, well definetly quiker now cos my 16v is f*"ked.
does anybody own a 2.0 litre volcane? these wernt as quick as the non cat 1.9 versions were they?