Advice re xsara picasso

[daviemck2006]

Hello people. A friend of mine had a zafira which did the zafira thing and self combusted last week. She is looking for something else and has spied a xsara picasso 1.6 petrol on a 08 plate with 6 months mot and under 80k for under a grand. I've done a mot check and the advisories are both sides front a wishbone bush slightly worn and one side rear radius arm slightly sticky. I know these are bad for corroding sills, but the vendor says they seem ok. Is the radius arm bearing the typical psa thing of replacing the complete axle, as I did on a Berlin go a couple years ago? I'm not too worried about wishbone bushes if they are needed. Is there any horror stories about them? Is the 1.6 petrol a reasonable engine? Said lady doesnt have a lot of money and I dont want to see her buying a heap of rubbish.

Thanks in advance
Davie

[Michel]

The sills do go on the later ones but you'll he able to tell easily enough if you give them a tap above the jacking points front and rear.

Axle is the same.

1.6 is the 1.6 PSA engine that's been in every petrol 1.6 PSA car since about 1990. It's just an engine, nothing exciting or awful about it. Make sure belts are changed. Picassos are a great thing.

[daviemck2006]

I had a brand new picasso 2.0hdi in 2002. I loved it. Unfortunately it was a victim of my divorce, it was sold at 16 months old with 20k covered when the marriage went. I have always had a soft spot for them. So engine wise the 2.0hdi for me would be the preferred option, I am wary of the 1.6hdi for turbo issues so I suppose the 1.6 petrol would be acceptable. The one she has spied has had timing belt and water pump done a few months ago and has a full service history so apart from a slight worry about the rear axle should be ok. It is getting viewed in the next couple of days.