Xantia Purchase

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MarkAT6
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Citroen Xantia 1.8 16V

Xantia Purchase

Post by MarkAT6 »

Hello this is my first post here. I’m thinking of purchasing a Citroen Xantia and have to confess I have no practical experience of these vehicles hence this post. I’ve read through quite a few of the Xantia related posts of this forum to try and get some sense of whether this would be a practical vehicle for me noting the obvious complexity of the model. Thus I’ve come up with a series of initial questions which I was hoping to get some realistic & practical answers to.

Q1 What are the important things I should look out for in purchasing.
Q2 I’d have a preference for a petrol engine (1.8 or 2 litre) rather than a diesel one. Is this is a wise choice?
Q3 Which is the best version to try and obtain i.e. Mk I or MK II
Q4 What sort of price should I be expecting to pay for a good one
Q5 Any ideas of typical Insurance costs (I’m > 50 years old with a clean licence and zero claim insurance history).

Thanks in advance

Mark T
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myglaren
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Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by myglaren »

There is a Citroen rally to be held in Boshops Stortford this coming weekend.

If you could make it there there will be several you could look over, talk to the owners and have a fair chance of a test drive.

Welcome to the FCF :) :wave:
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Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by ekjdm14 »

Hi, welcome to the forums :)

Practicality is as good as any '90s built car IMO, service parts still easy enough to get & the knowledge base on here is second to none. As far as the questions you've asked here's my 2p worth, others will no doubt have additions/corrections to make & a couple of the questions are subjective but hopefully I'll be of some use lol

1, Most important thing IMO is to make sure you get a solid shell, particularly in the rear door shuts, (EDIT- and make damn sure the strut tops are not about to spear the bonnet, see the sticky thread for an idea of what you're looking for) and that the trim is in good condition. Lacquer peel is par for the course on red cars/more common with metallic but on S1 cars the tailgate can also suffer whatever the colour. check that the heater matrix isn't leaking as it's a dash out job (steamed up windscreen when on demist setting, wet footwells), wet passenger footwell can also be down to a cracked scuttle panel & this causes electrical issues over time. Pretty much everything that can go wrong can be fixed cheaply if you're OK with the spanners,

2, I'd prefer the 1.9TD myself mainly for it's longevity and economy, if it were petrol I'd have to say V6. Nothing wrong with the other petrols as such IMO just they're not particularly great either and not the best economy. The TD is surprisingly refined too if you've never driven one.

3, is subjective but I much prefer the S1 myself.

4, prices are still pretty low except for either exceptional cars or more desirable V6 and Activa models. again a bit subjective on what constitutes a good one but I swapped a tatty mega mile 406 for our black one with a blown engine but overall in very nice condition, and the white car was £150. Again there's some issues (mainly valve clearances and glow plugs) but it's even still MoT'd till December I think and is cosmetically/generally very good indeed. For something fairly tidy, decent spec, MoT'd and viable to drive straight away I'd suggest you'll be looking at between £350-600 maybe towards £800 for cars being toward the exceptional condition & well historied end of the scale. If you're prepared to do a little work prior to driving it then there's every chance to grab a tidy car under £200.

Insurance seems cheaper on earlier cars, only quotes we've had on S2's have been over £500 whereas Black is IIRC a smidge over £300 (we're both mid 30's, clean licence but not the greatest area).
'95 Xantia LX 1.9D-auto, Black, 109k
'03 206 GTi180 94k in surgery
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'97 306 XS 1.6i 99k sat 12 years, fixed in 7 days, 150mile maiden voyage :rofl2:
elma
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Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by elma »

MarkAT6 wrote: 12 Jul 2017, 15:25

Q1 What are the important things I should look out for in purchasing.
Q2 I’d have a preference for a petrol engine (1.8 or 2 litre) rather than a diesel one. Is this is a wise choice?
Q3 Which is the best version to try and obtain i.e. Mk I or MK II
Q4 What sort of price should I be expecting to pay for a good one
Q5 Any ideas of typical Insurance costs (I’m > 50 years old with a clean licence and zero claim insurance history).

Thanks in advance

Mark T

Q1: There's a lot to take in with Xantias, this is best shown to you on an actual car rather than told on the internet. Chances are you will feel bombarded and confused. Off the top of my head look out for, perished strut tops, rear wheels leaning in, regular clicking from the front, smell of coolant in the car, suspension sits at correct height, goes up and down correctly on the lever, clutch not heavy. The list goes on but don't let it put you off. The age of the Xantia means even a tidy one will have niggles, it's a case of getting ones you know you can fix easily and on budget.

Q2: The 1.8 is said to be underpowered. 2.0 petrol would probably be better. Both are a bit thirsty. The Hdi and turbo diesels are worth considering. The V6 is amazing and comes with just about everything, it does 20-25mpg realistically though and is more difficult parts wise etc.

Q3: Mk1 in my opinion, you'll need to look though and decide for yourself. In Mk1 SX is probably the best trim level to go for. It has most of the toys but not the Hydractive suspension. It's still hydropneumatic, it just doesn't have the added complexities of sports mode. If you want all the toys then Vsx or Exclusive which are roughly the same level, exclusive replaced Vsx. Lx trim lacks a lot of things which I would want but is simple, below Lx you probably have to wind the windows manually. Mk 2 I don't know the trim levels as they don't interest me.

Q4: Depends on a lot of things but I'd set a limit under £1000. For £1000 you could get a fairly good one of the top models if you bided your time. If you're more after a runaround or a project £500 maximum.

Q5: I pay £440 for a V6, I'm 32 with 12 yrs NCB and a clean license. Price includes breakdown, legal etc. I think it's a bit of a rip off, not so long ago I was much less to insure Xantias. My recent 1.9tds both cost about the same to insure as the V6.

Maintenance is a big consideration with a Xantia. Do you do your own? If so brilliant, youre in for an interesting and rewarding journey. If not I'd suggest you find a specialist mechanic prior to purchasing one.

Dont let any of the negatives put you off. They are amazing cars. If you get one the relationship will become more like what you expect with a pet than a car.
Last edited by elma on 12 Jul 2017, 17:57, edited 1 time in total.
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Michel
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Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by Michel »

Q1. Rot, in the rear wings and door shuts. Curry smell in interior, damp carpets - points to heater matrix failing. Check all airbag lights are off. Can be tricky to find the steering wheel part to repair. Heavy clutch.
Q2. If you want a petrol, the 2.0 16v in manual form is the best engine and IMO best suited to the Xantia though it's not as economical as the HDi which would be the best diesel option as they're economical and unbreakable.
Q3. MK2 in Exclusive HDi would be my choice. You'll get a slightly better safety rating, a newer car, air con as standard in all MK2s, Electric leather, heated seats in an exclusive and so on.
Also, I find that the interiors of the leather cars last longer as people tend to look after them more.
Q4. Max £900. You should be able to get what I suggested in Q3 for that.
Q5. Too much. The insurance prices for them are crazy. I insured a 270bhp Impreza for less than a 1.9 Xantia TD. I've always been surprised by how much they cost to insure. Last one I had I was 41 and paying £330 for a 2.0HDi Exclusive with full NCB. I replaced it with a C5 HDi and it dropped by £90.

Bear in mind a Xantia doesn't have a great safety rating too...
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Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by Harlequin »

My own insurance for my 1997 V6 Exclusive is £164 a year fully comp BUT , its 20 years old ,and footmanjames consider it a classic, I have also restricted the annual mileage, and as a club member for CCC have a discount there as well.

My own budget for restoring my S1 Exclusive is £1000 (or so) , I did pay far less than even the `runaround` figure above , but so far she has had both sills and door jams cut and rewelded (near 2 days welding and paiting), cam belt and water pump (age not mileage) and a coil pack, crankshaft pulley and 6 plugs, and at somepoint the interior (The very rare alacante interior) will need the front seats sorting and the paint on the roof, bonnet and boot doing (yes its red and they all peel)

hopefully these work:



^^ video of the rot sill before


https://ibb.co/nB73nv

and the amazing work Craig @ CMS has done

and ofc

Simon
tclarkee
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My Cars: Citroen Xantia estate HDi
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Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by tclarkee »

I've got a nice Xantia Estate for sale. It's a 1999 HDi 2 litre 110 hp in dark blue. Has tow bar and caravan electric socket,
also bike rack attachment on tow bar bracket MOT to Oct 18th. Have owned since 2004 the second owner. Bought from Freeborn Southampton
Citroen dealership and maintained by them since. Mileage is high at 172k mostly long distance miles
North-South on M-ways. Engine is exceptioanlly smooth and quiet for a diesel, also economical., uses no oil between services.
Have averaged 48 mpg since new to me. Recently spent a lot, new spheres and suspension tune up, rear brake overhaul,
new diesel fuel pump - that's tank to injector pump - and replacement fuel tank. Original was leaking from fuel filler downpipe and not fixable.
Tyres have plenty of life. Interior in good condition except for drivers seat which is worn on side from sliding in and out. Exterior looks good,
there are a few hardly noticeable scratches and a couple of small rough areas where paint has broken down. No sign of any chassis rust
other than normal wear and tear.
I'm asking £850 ovo. Can forward photo's by e-mail. Interested call me - Tony on 0776 600337 in Southampton.
MarkAT6
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Citroen Xantia 1.8 16V

Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by MarkAT6 »

Hello again,

After my initial post some 18 months ago I was finally able to obtain a 2000 1.8 16V Xantia very locally. Since then I've clocked up approximately 500 miles without any great problems though there are one or two 'minor' niggles which I hope people on this forum may be able to help with. When I got the car only the drivers side interior light would work (dimming after door shut and continuously on) but none of the others. Recently this light has also completely stopped working apart from one brief instance when it worked as normal. I've haven't checked individual bulbs yet but was wondering whether there was a known fault which would cause these symptoms? I've looked a the Haynes manual electrical circuit diagrams and it appears that the interior light functionality is controlled by relevant door lock & the 'Protection Central Unit'. Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers

Mark
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Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

I found, on one of my Xantia, the contacts in the switch had got tarnished. When I cleaned them up it sorted them out.

I had to replace one of the light units, as the metal had got hot and melted a plastic part.
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Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by Stewart(oily) »

Fit new bulbs and clean the contacts where the bulb holders meet the board, I gave the springy contacts on the bulb holders a touch with a file and a squirt of electrical cleaner now its 100% I have had two Xantias over the last 11 years,they always got me everywhere in comfort and style and never broke down on the road.
BXs since 1993 built 1.9 TZD turbo, got a S2 Xantia estate, brilliant car! 2013, Xantia HDI LX 110 2000 new car with 122,000, l C2 HDI Rusty rocket, C3 Picasso HDI new to me.
MarkAT6
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Citroen Xantia 1.8 16V

Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by MarkAT6 »

Hi Both,

Thanks for your replies. It did indeed turn out to be tarnished bulb holder contacts. After a gentle clean I now have working passenger & drivers interior lights which is useful now the nights have drawn in. I also found out that you need to have the ignition on before the map reading lights work! The next job is to tackle the ticking indicator relay. I've seen the previous posts on this and assume the recommended fix is still to increase the resistance value in the relay itself to combat increased leakage in the indicator stalk switch?

Cheers

Mark
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Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

When my indicators were playing up I stripped down the indicator stalk. It turned out that the contacts had also become tarnished. Once I cleaned these up the indicators behaved properly.

https://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/ ... hp?t=49528

Please be advised that, although there were pictures in the relevant post, as they were hosted by photobucket, they are no longer visible.
Last edited by Hell Razor5543 on 15 Nov 2018, 14:33, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Xantia Purchase

Post by xantia_v6 »

I think that dismantling and cleaning the switch (or replacing) is the safest thing to do . If the conductive muck is left in there it will eventually have a melt-down and then you have to replace it.
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