Stuck in 2 minds

Jez · Unread post by **Jez** » 16 Feb 2004, 17:16

After countless niggling problems with my Xantia I think I will say goodbye to Citroens for good. You name it, it has gone since I got it last July. Dread to think of the money I have spent on it. Got it back from its latest disaster over the weekend and was dreaded with the thought of having to take my son on a 90 mile round trip to play football. What would go this time, where will be stranded were my only thoughts. The car ran like a dream and I really enjoyed the ride, even gave it a clean to celebrate being back in love with it. Had a think last night think will put up for sale. Too many bad experiences and problems and money. But as I said it ran like a dream yesterday and indeed does when fit, but I do drive it wondering what next.
Can anyone put forward a case for the prosecution and defence?

tonyb1 · Unread post by **tonyb1** » 17 Feb 2004, 00:01

Had my Xantia for 9 years, never broke down, don't use any oil at all, a pleseure to own, now it has a CD player fitted I'm in Citroen heaven mate!!! It's how you drive them eh!

Doc · Unread post by **Doc** » 17 Feb 2004, 00:32

I know how you feel but please dont give up yet. No other car this side of a Bentley rides as smooth as a well sorted hydropneumatic Citroen and there is no mistaking its shape amongst a sea of anonomous repmobiles in a carpark. My 1992 XM had a full dealer service history when I bought it 18 months back yet it still suffers annoying faults that mysteriously appear and disappear seamingly at random (mostly electrical). Several times I have come close to selling it but have realised that ALL cars break down at some point.
So what exactly has gone wrong with your Xantia?

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 17 Feb 2004, 03:34

.
Hi Jez, Xantias are NOT the only car that Cit make? [:0] [:p]
Why not try a Diesel ZX for a while? You wont be sorry, and you can't really lose. They are cheap to buy. Its very unlikely to let you down, Its extremely economical, and if you find its 'not for you', you will get your money back when you part ex it on something else.. [^]
.

lhm_leak · Unread post by **lhm_leak** » 17 Feb 2004, 04:34

Read my post "I've had enough...". That's my car in the past 6 months - not counting the numerous faults that HAVE been repaired, and stayed repaired.
My conclusion? I'm still going to buy another one, nothing else comes close to a good Xantia - it's finding a good one that's the trick.
Stu.

Jez · Unread post by **Jez** » 17 Feb 2004, 18:50

Engine seized 4 weeks after buying car, heater matrix went just after Xmas, dodgy remote ( no suprise!), countless little electrical faults. Take on board views about ZX. My wife has one. J plate done 170k and been as good as gold. MOT soon for that so fingers crossed. Think will advertise mine and see what I can get. Bit odd that where I live they never seems to be many ZX's for sale.

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 17 Feb 2004, 21:24

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Not many ZX's in this area either, (North Cheshire) but odly enuff, when I went to a social eve with my Bro at Poole Yacht club last summer, there were four other ZX's in the car park? Only about 20 cars altogether? [:)]
Most of them seem to either live in London or the South coast areas.. [:(!]

VisaGTi16v · Unread post by **VisaGTi16v** » 17 Feb 2004, 22:24

thats because southerners>northerners and to prove your point I live on the south coast with a zx

oilyspanner · Unread post by **oilyspanner** » 17 Feb 2004, 23:13

Just breaking the old BX diesel, 2 breakbowns in five years and 55,000 miles,A bit scared of xantias though.
Stewart

nickm · Unread post by **nickm** » 17 Feb 2004, 23:20

i think it's a french car thing--niggly problems all the time, had two xantias and was relieved each time i sold them, now i've just bought my wife a 106 diesel, cost me £200 on repairs in a week--here we go again

NiSk · Unread post by **NiSk** » 18 Feb 2004, 01:21

I'm sorry, but I have disagree with Tony - it's not how you drive them - it's how you (and all the previous owners) service them.
Assuming that it's not a Monday morning/Friday afternoon car, if you put your trust in a good independant Citroën specialist, it won't cost you any more (probably considerably less) than a Fraud or a Vopel. The reason I say trust an expert is that as a private individual you have very little chance of picking up the inside knowledge (some of which is transmitter by Citroën themselves) concerning field mods etc. Of course, if you can verify the authenticity of a FSR, you're on to a good thing. And you can naturally do all the simple jobs yourself.
A properly service Citroën is, in my opinion, considerably more reliable than almost anything else on the road.
Experience: 1993 XM TD12, owned from new (1st 3 years as company car) current milage, 508,754 km. fuel consumption, 47 mph (measured over 10 years!) not bad for an 1800 kg hack.
//NiSk

Jez · Unread post by **Jez** » 26 Feb 2004, 01:59

Thats it, the Xantia is going. Just gone out to get something from the car and more ice on the inside of the windscreen than out. Passenger floor wet again and only just got car back from garage 2 weeks ago after Matrix fault. Shall I throttle the bloke from the garage or give the car a good kicking?
I will advertise it but doubt I will get much for it. I dread to think of the total loss on this car.

Unread post by **martyhopkirk** » 26 Feb 2004, 03:50

Come to preston, loads of ZX's for sale round here.

DoubleChevron · Unread post by **DoubleChevron** » 26 Feb 2004, 05:13

Hi Guys,
I'd buy this car of Jez's in a heartbeat. I've bought cars (and been given cars) like his that are 'nightmares'. I usually read through the invoices in there gloveboxs. Talk about bloody fiction, the mechanics should be writing bloody novels for a living not working on cars.
You fix the niggling little problems, and get years of trouble free service out of the car. I was recently GIVEN a CX2400 pallas C-matic that had thousands & thousands of $$$$ thrown at it. In one weekend of tinkering I'd fixed all of it's problems at zero cost. Yes it cost me NOTHING to fix what all the 'specialists' had charged an arm and a leg to repeatedly fixed.
It's never ever the car, it's always the 'citroen specialists' you have been taking it too. Don't blame the car, blame the d!ckheads that have been working on it.
I've done thousands & thousands of trouble free km's in Citroens over the last 12years for very little cost. None of them have ever really held me up either.
When I think they are costing to much or break down to often I just listen to the poeple around me at work. eg: a guy just got quoted $1700bucks to do a cambelt change/service on his little Audi [:0] That's more than I've paid for most of my cars !!!
good luck
Shane L.

Jez · Unread post by **Jez** » 26 Feb 2004, 18:37

Shane
I am thinking of getting you on a plane, putting you up while you fix my car - must be cheaper!!!