Renovating a Xantia

[Xantia97]

Hi All,
My first post so please excuse any mistakes.

I am renovating my 1997 Xantia 1.9TD LX (aka Snoopy), I've had her for 14 years and she is in pretty good condition with 94,000 miles on the clock.
I was told when I bought her from a Citroen dealer that she has a higher spec than an LX because she was owned by Citroen in Slough for her first year, but I'm not sure how true that is. She is white with colour coded bumpers.

I have the common problem of a wet floor, although have sealed the scuttle and am about to seal behind the gutters over the rear doors that are now leaking, so the alarm ECU is obviously damp and I intend to dry the carpets and try to dry out the ECU so that the plip will work again. I live in France and have been told by Citroen here that they no longer have the Lexia software to 'read' this car or XMs come to that (husband has 1997 XM 2.5TD estate) but luckily have found a garage in Jersey that can. Air con needs fixing and she has a leak at the junction of the radiator and the bottom hose - original parts so they have done well. Having looked at buying something newer nothing compared so we have decided to spend money on her to get her up to spec again. She has just flown through her Controle Technique (MOT) with flying colours.

My queries are as follows, I would be very grateful if anyone can help.

1. The front and rear bumper trims are in good condition, no corrosion, but are more like a brushed aluminium finish, I can't remember if they were ever shiny but has anyone found a way of polishing them to a better finish, I don't really want to replace them if I can help it.
2. Does Brian Plimmer still do the steel door trims, if so can someone provide his contact details please.
3. I really fancy a rear spoiler, has anyone put one of these on a MK1 and if so does it affect the handling or mpg? Can anyone recommend a good one, looking for an XM mk1 type not just a little lip and I don't want a brake light in it either since I have a high level one in the boot lid.

Any other comments will be very welcome - I have already learnt so much from this forum.
Thanks,
Juliet

[Hell Razor5543]

Hi Juliet (and Snoopy), and welcome to FCF.

You might want to consider getting yourself a Lexia clone. The good ones can handle pretty much all Citroens that have any form of ECU. Just make sure to get one that uses Diagbox OVER version 5.29 (some of the Chinese clones got blacklisted, and the Diagbox software recognises them). They cost around £70.

Brian Primmer is still in business, and his e-mail address is;

[email protected]

You might want to ask citroenxm (Paul) about the spoiler (he is, I hope, still holding one for me). There was only one basic shape of spoiler for the Xantia (I don't know if there is a difference between S1 and S2 Xantia), and it doesn't have a brake light.

[Xantia97]

Thanks for the info James. Any advice as to where to get a good Lexia clone please?

Another query!
There are bits of plastic on the angle of the rear wing where the side and bottom edge of the door meets it, they look really bad, I would guess water has got behind them and they are a muddy brown. Anybody ever taken them off, how did you do it and did it damage the paintwork?

Thanks,
Juliet

[Hell Razor5543]

I got my Lexia from Easy Diagnostics (I had heard good things about them), but they are a bit expensive (£99). Others on the forum will also offer advise re Lexias. I cannot help on the plastics though.

[Xantia97]

Hi All,
Well I've got the door trims from Brian (they are only £33 at the moment), although the car is still in the Citroen garage having a new radiator - they've had her a week now so goodness knows what they are up to!!! I'm getting a little nervous because this is the same garage that incorrectly fitted the timing belt on my husband's XM (The Green Goddess) 1997 2.5TD VSX estate and broke the camshaft, they had to replace the engine at their expense but the car is still not 100% - the engine is searching, if you drive at about 20mph and keep your foot still on the throttle the engine surges then drops, surges then drops, if that makes sense - any ideas anyone? The throttle is very, very sensitive now.

Anyway the reason for this post was your opinions of a site I've found for a spoiler (not sure if it's the car's midlife crisis or mine!). I know that Citroenxm (Paul) has two but the logistics and cost of getting one out to France will be prohibitive, the door trims cost £37 to get here tracked!, £30 not tracked, and Brittany Ferries rates are high at this time of year. From my searches with French scrap yards it seems they will only sell the spoiler with the tailgate (which makes sense) at 80 euros up. So this is the site, they will charge 9.95 euros to send to France and I can pay through Paypal so the money will be safe.

http://www.autooutlet.es/epages/6143322 ... /70AL07030" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They also do spoilers for BX and ZX and newer models if that's any interest to anyone.

So thoughts please - will it compare to the genuine article?

Thanks,
Juliet

[Xantia97]

Oh and the garage in Jersey that I thought would look after the car wanted £710 to change the radiator, Citroen main dealer here in France 580 Euros = £465.
Very naughty methinks!
Juliet

[CitroJim]

It looks OEM

[Xantia97]

Thanks Jim.
I was impressed that they mention that there is metal in the spoiler for stability.
Juliet