Xantia Tyres - half-decent

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
User avatar
Old-Guy
Posts: 1798
Joined: 11 Sep 2008, 12:08
Location: Gloucestershire
My Cars: 2011 Grand C4 Picasso VTR+ 1.6HDi in Kyanos Blue
1995 Xantia Estate SX 1.9TD in Vert Vega "The Green Lady" - now owned by XanTom
1998 Xantia 2.1 VXD Estate in Mauritius Blue - R.I.P. (terminal tin-worm)
x 17

Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by Old-Guy »

Xantiagreen posted that he'll be looking for a half-decent pair for the front.

After I bought a rusty 2.1 VSX in 2013 as a tide-us-over, I found that the two decent tyres on the near-side had gone over broken glass (probably in London) on the way home. Not wanting to spend too much, a pair of Nexens on the front (there were 2 nearly new cheap chinese on O/S/R and spare) seemed a reasonable compromise. Not been disappointed. When I broke the VSX, I kept its alloys and tyres to use on the Green Lady in the summer, the Green Lady's original steels are shod with a set of Goodyear winter tyres (awesome) which get fitted for the first cold snap of winter and stay on until spring really arrives. The Nexens have at least another summer's life in them, the crappy chinese ones on the back look like lasting until they die of old age! In fairness I've not yet had any frights even in heavy rain - long ago, I had a TR2 (shod with long-lasting Goodrich tyres), and then a Porsche 356, so I know what a tail-happy means! :shock:
2011 Grand C4 Picasso VTR+ 1.6HDi in Kyanos Blue
1995 Xantia Estate SX 1.9TD in Vert Vega "The Green Lady" - after 11 years now owned by XanTom
1998 Xantia 2.1 VXD Estate in Mauritius Blue - R.I.P. (terminal tin-worm)
JohnD
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2632
Joined: 14 Mar 2001, 23:41
Location: Epsom, Surrey
My Cars: 2010 Citroen C5-X7 tourer
1998 Citroen Saxo 1.5D
2018 Citroen C4-B7
1998 Peugeot 306. 1.9D
2011 Citroen C1
x 72
Contact:

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by JohnD »

I put Nexens on the front of my C5 at the start of last winter and also had them on the previous car and for the price, I couldn't fault them.
2010 C5 X7 VTR+Nav 160
1998 1.5 Saxo
1998 Pug 306 1.9D
2018 C4 B7 VTR+
2011 Citroen C1
User avatar
daviemck2006
(Donor 2020)
Posts: 4989
Joined: 04 Dec 2010, 18:45
Location: Macduff
My Cars: Far too many good ones to remember. Many BL, Vauxhall, Ford, Renault, Citroen, Peugeot, and now VAG
x 487

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by daviemck2006 »

Nexen are decent tyres for not a lot of money. My daughter has 4 on her summer wheels, and 4 winters. Long enough lasting and the winters have superb grip in the snow.
Skoda Karoq 1.6tdi 2018
Citroen relay camper 2012
In the family
Seat Leon 1.5tsi tourer 2019 daughter 1
C1 vtr+ 2010 daughter 2
lexi
(Donor 2020)
Posts: 2803
Joined: 17 Apr 2008, 17:51
Location: Scotland
My Cars:
x 138

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by lexi »

Yes Nexen here too. £35 quid a tyre delivered from Mytyres.
Citroen C5 1.6 HDI 110bhp Estate 06 plate

French Mistresses gone.
Citroen C5 HDI Mk 1 hatchback
Vel Satis 3.5 v6
ZX 1.9D Est.
ZX 1.9DHatch
Xantia 1.9td est.
Xantia 2.0 hdi Est.
Xantia V6 MK1
Xantia V6 MK 2
xantiagreen
Posts: 393
Joined: 13 Sep 2013, 04:45
Location: Lancashire
My Cars:
x 2

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by xantiagreen »

Old-Guy wrote:Xantiagreen posted that he'll be looking for a half-decent pair for the front.

After I bought a rusty 2.1 VSX in 2013 as a tide-us-over, I found that the two decent tyres on the near-side had gone over broken glass (probably in London) on the way home. Not wanting to spend too much, a pair of Nexens on the front (there were 2 nearly new cheap chinese on O/S/R and spare) seemed a reasonable compromise. Not been disappointed. When I broke the VSX, I kept its alloys and tyres to use on the Green Lady in the summer, the Green Lady's original steels are shod with a set of Goodyear winter tyres (awesome) which get fitted for the first cold snap of winter and stay on until spring really arrives. The Nexens have at least another summer's life in them, the crappy chinese ones on the back look like lasting until they die of old age! In fairness I've not yet had any frights even in heavy rain - long ago, I had a TR2 (shod with long-lasting Goodrich tyres), and then a Porsche 356, so I know what a tail-happy means! :shock:
:) Had the rears done by etyres.co.uk 09/14 2x Falken ZE914's fitted at home for £115 with discount code. They hold well in the wet going round tight bends, having lost the back end on a S1 2.0i 16v xantia almost 10 years ago :oops: made me get some decent budget tyres for this xantia. I'm hoping I will find some Dunlop blu response part worn for a decent price they seem to be the best all round tyre for the price, then move the falkens to the front.

Know the feeling with the Chinese brand tyres Old-Guy, you wish you hadn't bought them, you can't wait to change them but they don't seem to wear down, you don't want to throw them away, you can't sell them because the postage would be double the tyre price. :)
Faz

90 Ax 1.0 Red
90 Bx 1.7 TZD Green
92 Bx Gti BRG
90 Bx 16v Cream
96 Xantia 2lt 16v Sx Olive green
01 Xantia 110 Hdi
Storm Grey (SOLD 4/11/18)

Temporarily driving Polo 1.9sdi

All I want is a Bx Gti or 16v!
User avatar
Old-Guy
Posts: 1798
Joined: 11 Sep 2008, 12:08
Location: Gloucestershire
My Cars: 2011 Grand C4 Picasso VTR+ 1.6HDi in Kyanos Blue
1995 Xantia Estate SX 1.9TD in Vert Vega "The Green Lady" - now owned by XanTom
1998 Xantia 2.1 VXD Estate in Mauritius Blue - R.I.P. (terminal tin-worm)
x 17

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by Old-Guy »

xantiagreen wrote:... Know the feeling with the Chinese brand tyres Old-Guy, you wish you hadn't bought them, you can't wait to change them but they don't seem to wear down, you don't want to throw them away, you can't sell them because the postage would be double the tyre price. :)
It's worse than that, the new Chinese tyres were in effect part of the price of the VSX - got to get my money's worth somehow.
2011 Grand C4 Picasso VTR+ 1.6HDi in Kyanos Blue
1995 Xantia Estate SX 1.9TD in Vert Vega "The Green Lady" - after 11 years now owned by XanTom
1998 Xantia 2.1 VXD Estate in Mauritius Blue - R.I.P. (terminal tin-worm)
User avatar
Stickyfinger
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 10411
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
Location: Somset my lovleee
My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally
x 1280
Contact:

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by Stickyfinger »

Chinese tyres = Enjoy winter

How does a Xantia look mounted on top of a hedge ?

Just saying
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
xantiagreen
Posts: 393
Joined: 13 Sep 2013, 04:45
Location: Lancashire
My Cars:
x 2

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by xantiagreen »

After watching this you'd expect top tyres from China, the driver must have had a set of bf Goodrich's on with snow chains even he must have passed on a set of Wanli's.

Faz

90 Ax 1.0 Red
90 Bx 1.7 TZD Green
92 Bx Gti BRG
90 Bx 16v Cream
96 Xantia 2lt 16v Sx Olive green
01 Xantia 110 Hdi
Storm Grey (SOLD 4/11/18)

Temporarily driving Polo 1.9sdi

All I want is a Bx Gti or 16v!
User avatar
Zelandeth
Donor 2024
Posts: 4731
Joined: 16 Nov 2014, 23:36
Location: Milton Keynes
My Cars: 2006 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi.
1988 Renault 25 Monaco 2.0i.
1985 Sinclair C5.
1984 Trabant 601S.
1975 Rover 3500.
1973 AC Model-70.
x 1403
Contact:

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by Zelandeth »

I've a set of Falkens on the Xantia at present. They're incredibly grippy, but have made the ride a bit crashier than it was before. Saab will soon be needing new tyres as its current set - which I can't remember the maker of for the life of me right now - have started to perish quite badly.

Most terrifying tyres I've encountered were the ones on my Skoda when I bought it. At the end of 2013...it was still wearing its original (Uniroyal I think) tyres from 1987. They were no longer rubber, but had long since turned to plastic. Going around roundabouts at anything above 10mph resulted in tyre squeal that made you feel like you were in a 70s American action movie. Even with 54bhp you could power slide around any corner you liked, even at about 20mph. ...They were changed at the first opportunity! The amusing thing was the guys took one of them when they had it off the car and dropped it. Tyres usually bounce - these just went "thud" and stopped dead. Astonishingly, they were almost completely free of perishing. Suffice to say, with new tyres on it, the car handled and rode a heck of a lot better!

The best budget/performance balance I've generally found over the years have been Kumho. I've had them on a few cars now from Sierras to Fiat Pandas (the proper one!), a Metro I think and have never had any complaints about them. Will certainly be looking at what they have to offer in the near future when the Saab gets its new rubber.
Current fleet:
06 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
elma
Posts: 3745
Joined: 13 May 2007, 02:17
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars: Undisclosed
x 287

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by elma »

I'm very taken with my Dunlops which were bought after much research. I don't skimp on tyres at all and usually spend more on them than I have buying the car they go on. I also use Dunlop Winter tyres, where I live I feel they are necessary with all the hills, mud and ice. I have first hand experience of losing the road in the damp with cheap tyres, a full 180 degree spin and a lucky escape. The tyres were branded Sunny and were on the rear of my first Xantia, big mistake, I'll always buy the best I can now regardless of price. I'm not sure if I'll try Michelins next time, always find myself tempted as they were oem but the tread pattern and compound will be different to 20years ago when Citroen chose them for my Xantia. The other choices being the Dunlop BlueResponse XantiaGreen mentioned that I'd like a go on as well or possibly some Avons as they've really impressed on the Scenic in the wet.

I personally won't go near used tyres as I've had a blowout 24hrs into owning a 306 that had apparently perfect tyres. You just don't know the state of inside them, probably the one that popped on me had been driven on flat and chewed up inside, it had no external bubbles. That wrote off the car and cost me about £600 so I was not happy. In fact I had to cycle the Llanberis pass for an extra month into the Winter to get to work to pay for another car that year which hurt. Even if they are bought part worn and properly inspected/pressure tested etc I just can't trust them after that. Next winter tyres will be Continental unless theres changes, they seem to have overtaken Dunlop this year. Mine last 5years plus though so not likely to be needed soon.
User avatar
Stickyfinger
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 10411
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
Location: Somset my lovleee
My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally
x 1280
Contact:

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by Stickyfinger »

Remember the pallet I hit ? the tyre looked 100% OK on the outside with just a couple of scuffs, the inside however was not with a large split and a broken cord...quite sobering to see.
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
lexi
(Donor 2020)
Posts: 2803
Joined: 17 Apr 2008, 17:51
Location: Scotland
My Cars:
x 138

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by lexi »

A lot of these off the road incidents are the road conditions at the time and your position/speed etc.
There is a stretch of road in the Highlands where numerous incidents and fatalities have occurred. They reckon it is the road surface and whatever leaches on to it. They have tried resurfacing a few times on it and are now restructuring the road itself. When you leave the road you go right into a Loch.

I never buy chinese tyres although I have had cheap east europeans on my faster cars like Xantia V6 and Vel Satis. They still powered through everything in the dry mind you. I never push it in the wet though in any car.
Citroen C5 1.6 HDI 110bhp Estate 06 plate

French Mistresses gone.
Citroen C5 HDI Mk 1 hatchback
Vel Satis 3.5 v6
ZX 1.9D Est.
ZX 1.9DHatch
Xantia 1.9td est.
Xantia 2.0 hdi Est.
Xantia V6 MK1
Xantia V6 MK 2
elma
Posts: 3745
Joined: 13 May 2007, 02:17
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars: Undisclosed
x 287

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by elma »

I freely admit I was going to fast for the conditions when I spun out. It was a long time ago and I was a less skilled driver. The tyres were still rubbish though.
xantiagreen
Posts: 393
Joined: 13 Sep 2013, 04:45
Location: Lancashire
My Cars:
x 2

Re: Xantia Tyres - half-decent

Post by xantiagreen »

I was under the impression automatics were difficult to stall, I found out when I spun round in the wet missing the car I was trying to get past on a slight bend. The xantia had hankooks now I remember on the rear I thought they were pretty decent tyres they were £28 a piece from General Traffic 2003, I am pretty sure that was the first time I had ever paid for brand new tyres..
Faz

90 Ax 1.0 Red
90 Bx 1.7 TZD Green
92 Bx Gti BRG
90 Bx 16v Cream
96 Xantia 2lt 16v Sx Olive green
01 Xantia 110 Hdi
Storm Grey (SOLD 4/11/18)

Temporarily driving Polo 1.9sdi

All I want is a Bx Gti or 16v!
Post Reply