What to buy now

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

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uhn113x
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Post by uhn113x »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Now, if there was such a thing as a galvanised, flat 4 GSA turbo diesel with PAS I'd be first in the queue, money no object!!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
You'd have to beat me to it, Jon [}:)]
jono
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Post by jono »

Xantia be carfull Jon I bought one for my wife. A nice 1999 car facelift 90 bhp Hdi estate. So far I have had 2 new plip keys as the switches broke off the circuit board on both of them oh and main dealers are the only people who can activate the plips, full set of spheres they started degrading after 3 months use, new rear proportioning valve, had to seal up the tail gate to stop the flood of water into the estate, the tailgate central locking mechanism doesn't always work therefore you stand there operating the central locking time after time trying to get the 'gate to lock, and its just had a new clutch and I can detect what sounds like a growing gearbox whine, not bad for a car just coming up to 5 years old, yes with full service history, and the value, dropped like a stone through a wet paper bag. The economy is not as good as other Hdi derivaties or other manufacturers. In fact I found on the Upsolute web site that they agree with my fuel consumption figures - at around 75-85mph between 41-43 mpg. All the estates we looked at on the same year were around the same price so at the time I didn't feel we had paid over the odds.
Wish I had purchased a Pug 406 Hdi better driving position and more overall room for both driver and passingers. My kids keep asking me why we sold the old one but it was petrol with 152000 on the clock.
Regards
jono
bbrucez
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Post by bbrucez »

Now my C5 2.2 HDi is behaving, I love it!
Has depreciated like mad despite deep discount purchase so will keep it till it falls apart or plays up regularly.
£5-6k should get you one now.
broomie
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Post by broomie »

Jon I have a Xantia Hdi90 bhp estate and its a great car. I have had similar problems to Jono in some respects.
1. Whiny Gearbox - decelerating in 2nd - maybe nowt to worry about however.
2. Rear tailgate door - sometimes will not unlock
PaulB
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Post by silverback »

My '99 110 Xantia Hdi has fantastic fuel economy and goes well too. The only sort of problem I have is a slight 'wobble' through the driveshafts when accelerating hard with the steering turned a bit. My ZX Memphis td used to do it, the dealer said it was 'torque wobble'?
I love the Xantia but would have got a C5 if funds would have allowed.
£5k should get the best Xantia with top spec. Failing that the Pug 306 hdi Dturbo is a cracker IMHO.
bxbodger
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Post by bxbodger »

You wuold have to be trying very hard to spend 5 grand on a Xantia!
To meet all of your requirements you are probably going to have to go far eastern- a late Primera (even though likely built in the UK) will do all of this.
If you want a European name then go for a Passat- you could do a lot worse.
For 5k you are looking at a 52 plate for either- I would avoid a Citroen like the plague with their current "pile em high, sell em cheap" philosophy- my mates new Xsara Picasso looked like it had been PDI'd by a blind monkey!
I would also suggest a Kia Shuma- dog reliable with all the toys and virtually brand new for 5k- my wifes got a Rio, but the driving experience is zero, and no street cred at all-a bit like a Japmobile of 15 years ago- but it will never, ever, ever, let you down!
nick
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Post by nick »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by bxbodger</i>

You wuold have to be trying very hard to spend 5 grand on a Xantia!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Exactly, spend £3000 on a Xantia HDi, £1000 on a GSA, then save the remaining £1k to spend on parts [;)]
pwatson
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Post by pwatson »

Nissan??, Passat???, Kia?, Kia????, Kia????? Jon, you can't!! How could you possibly even consider a Kia???? OK one or two people above give problems with the Xantia but at least it has THAT suspension, and that wonderful HDi 110 engine, and an Exclusive has all the bells and whistles. As for depreciation, don't tell me that a Xantia has that much depreciation to go - they haven't been made for 3 years or so and you will pick one up relatively cheaply. OK, Passats don't depreciate as much so it's going to be more expensive to buy so it's swings and roundabouts. As for a Kia because Xantias depreciate - do me a favour, Kias depreciate even more - (virtually brand new for £5k - quote). Anyway, get a Xantia for £5k and run it into the ground. My wife's is now 4 years old and drives like new, no rattles no bits falling off, goes like stink, leather, climate control, auto wipers, alloys, 6 CD auto changer etc etc. Last service a bit expensive because cambelt done and new discs and pads but don't tell me that those are things that Passats don't need also and it's done nearly 80k. Xantias also look nice, what does a Primera look like?? What IS a Kia Shuma? If they are so good how come I have never knowingly observed one on the road? Passat = Mr Anonymous rep-mobile.
Go out and get a Xantia HDi Exclusive and if you don't think it goes (it does) chip it to 130, 150 BHP.
I hope you realise that this is a well reasoned logical argument and that I have no particular bias towards Citroen Xantias!!!!!
bxbodger
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Post by bxbodger »

oooooerrrr!!!!!!!![:(!][:(!]
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">what does a Primera look like?? What IS a Kia Shuma? If they are so good how come I have never knowingly observed one on the road? Passat = Mr Anonymous rep-mobile.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
But all very very reliable-which is what you need for 800 miles a week, and, lets face it, a Xantia is just as anonymous in appearance as a Passat or Primera !!
As for Kia's, honest john rates 'em, anyway!!
Anyway, i'm off to feed lard to my BX.
pwatson
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Post by pwatson »

"honest john rates 'em, anyway!!"
This is what HJ says about the Shuma -"Makes sense for retired private buyers as a a smart, ultra-reliable family hatchback that doesn’t look too mainstream for very sensible money."
Passat:-"2001-2003 diesels average for breakdowns and faults, poor for problems in 2003 Which report"
Compared to what I say about the Xantia those ain't exactly ringing praise - and who would you trust more, PhilW or Honest John?????!!!
Hope that you realise that some(!) of this is tongue in cheek BX bodger!! But how can someone with the name BX bodger recommend Kias and Passats??!!
Happy motoring BXB, and keep the good old BX going (hope you are feeding the old girl on something better than lard)
bxbodger
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Post by bxbodger »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">-"Makes sense for retired private buyers as a a smart, ultra-reliable family hatchback that doesn’t look too mainstream for very sensible money."
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
and there you are!!!!Hoist on your own petard!!!hahaha, gloat, etc(except I am not retired......)
I like these sort of arguments, and theres nothing better than spending someone else's money!!!!
In the case of the Kia, however, it was our own!!![:0][:0]so had to be done wisely.
The reason we bought one was because although we considered a Picasso for its versatility, my mates one was delivered new with wet carpets, no drivers door seal, and a dent in the sill!! The interior mirror then fell off, and the dealer has been nothing but obstructive....I was recommended to go and look at a Kia, which I had never heard of even though the dealership was only 2 miles away and it is supposedly the worlds fastest growing car manufacturer, and we bought one!
Its been absolutely no trouble, and the dealer can't do enough for you, but what swung it for me was that although in the UK we get only 3 years unlimited mileage warranty, it's sold in the USA with 10 years- it is, apparently, a Hyundai in drag with an ex Mazda engine!
The interior, however, has more grey plastic than exists in the world, and its is very bland to drive- thats why the wife uses it-and I stick with the ol'e chugalong BX, but she hates my BX, which is a diesel with no power steering, and a set of dixie-land playing air horns.
She always has the feeling that its a bit fragile and about to die at any moment.....come to think of it, so do I-maybe I shouldn't try to feed it on lard!!!![xx(]
ScottFromNZ
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Post by ScottFromNZ »

My wife reckons my BX is ugly too. Worse than that, she thinks that Citroen DS's are ugly. I just say to her - Darling, beauty is in the eye of the beholder - that's why I married you! I remember taking her for a drive in a DS many years ago and her first comment was "I hope nobody sees me that knows me", followed by "What a smooth riding car"
She says nowadays "If one of those ugly DS's comes here, I am off"
Damn I will miss her!
Jon

Post by Jon »

Like your style Scott!
alan s
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Post by alan s »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by bxbodger</i>


I would also suggest a Kia Shuma- dog reliable with all the toys and virtually brand new for 5k- my wifes got a Rio, but the driving experience is zero, and no street cred at all-a bit like a Japmobile of 15 years ago- but it will never, ever, ever, let you down!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Yeah, they are a really great car for big mileages.
At 800 a week it could last a month if you're lucky.
Out here they're known as "Korean throwaways" The idea being they go well until they break and then you throw them away. Worst by miles safety test results; if you had the prang you had in the Xsara she'd be a floral tribute type thread on here for you now if you would have been in a throwaway.
and if you think Citroen resale is bad, wait till you see these babies in action[:0][:0][:0] Sounds like the reality of these hasn't hit home yet over your way; we seem to have had the Korean experience much longer than you guys.
Alan S[:o)]
Thunderbird

Post by Thunderbird »

From my experience, most germanic cars have an uncomfortable suspension except Mercedes.
It is correct that they have other comfort factors - they're silent and they have very good materials.
Concerning mechanical trouble, all my friends with Audi's, Opel's, VW's, and BMW's had lots of trouble. They all have expensive electronic complications (sometimes hard to track and fix) and Opel, VW and Opel serious and very expensive engine failure.
In terms of suspension, Citroen, Peugeot, and Renault are far superior to Audi, Opel, BMW and VW.
However, most Mercedes have a comfortable suspension, and most Mercedes engines last forever. This could be a good alternative to a Citroen, if you have the money.
Forget about italian and korean cars.
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