Xsara Hdi Auto - Buying Advice

[gadgetgricey]

Basically wifey will only drive an auto and her Scenic (2.0 petrol) is costing an arm and a leg in fuel as she does a fair few miles each week.

She does not know it yet, but looking at trying to persuade her that a Xsara Hdi Auto (Not picasso, as that's too big ) would be a better choice. Now know a bit about the Hdi engines, but nothing really re the auto boxes they are matched to.

Any opinions/advice on what to look for, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again

- Dave -

[addo]

If the Scenic is auto, it will have the AL4 box, which Renault call a DP0.

Guess what? The HDi Xsara has the same box... These can be less than economical for people who do not drive them properly. The gearbox requires clear instructions. If people feather the brakes as many women do, it confuses the gearbox as to which gear is most suitable.

All that said and done, it is still a four speed gearbox and many newer cars have more gears in their quiver. Adding the inevitable changeover costs suggests to me it is either not a viable procedure or you really just want something different. If the latter, don't limit your horizons, the caveat being that with increased disel costs and prevalence of DPF type issues across the board, petrol is becoming a fair consideration again.

[gadgetgricey]

It is purely a cost thing. Her's is a Y reg in good nick ,so was hoping to sell that for around a grand. And then buy a Xsara for the same amount of money. Aware the "better the devil" you know issue, so could buy the Xsara first and SORN the Scenic until the Xsara's got a few miles under its belt.

Currently get 25mpg for the Scenic, so hoping to get 40mpg from the Xsara. Add in the cheaper Insurance and also Road Tax and its seems to make sense.

Had no issues with the Auto Box in the Scenic, so that's one further box ticked.

Thanks again.

- Dave -

[citroenxm]

Xsara being lighter and smaller then a xantia should achieve 40 if driven gentley .. the al4 box still needs a fluid service but i believe a lexia is needed to reset a counter or something.. this is despite the box supposedly being a sealed for life unit.. they ain't..

citrojim it our resident auto box servicing advice guy..

On another topic i never knew the 8v engine was ever fitted to an auto box.. That would make a nice xantia an auto hdi one.. which was never offered.. if you had a diesel xantia it was the older td xud engine..

[Peter.N.]

Train her to drive a manual - you will save a fortune

[citroenxm]

Not sure about that peter.. yes id agree with a hp18 mechanical box but these newer electronic box's of which the al4 is are a different story.. i bought a xantia td estate auto a while ago.. should of kept it but it was rather good and responsive to the engine rev... rather then the engine revving away and the car not moving much it did move almost as well as a td manual..

id like to think the same would apply with the hdi..

however i do agree if the al4 goes wrong then there is a problem.. but frequent oil fluid services should see that well.. it certainly proved the point on my mates xm 2.1 td auto with 220k on it on what we believe an all original box...

[gadgetgricey]

Train her to drive a manual - you will save a fortune

Now in that lies the rub .

Passed in a manual, wanted to drive a manual. Took four attempts. I even suggested learning in an automatic, but no she wanted to pass in a Manual.

Drove a manual for 18 months, and then I hired a Merc A-class from Easy Rentacar, and they gave us an auto. Never looked back. 10 years on, and refuses to drive a manual, even though her license states she can.

Even suggested additional driving/refresher lessons to overcome any fears/issues, with no success.

Oh what fun......

- Dave -