A Shitely Request - Xantia in Preston. See last post for details.

[Supernaut]

Citroen Xantias.

I want one.

I've been pondering something along the lines of a Peugeot 306 / 405 / 406, or even a Citroen ZX or Xsara for a little while. I then remembered the Xantia, and its proper Citroen suspension.

I like the look of the turbo diesel ones, so either the XUD or HDi as I have experience with both engines (albeit mounted in Peugeot 306s), and also manual gearboxes.

I even have a super-awesome* plan for collecting a potential next car. Me and 17-Coffees are planning on going to Shitefest in June. That means I could just shotgun with him and pick up a car from anywhere between Aberdeen and just south of Northampton! Win!

I do, however, have a problem. That problem being I only really have space for one car. If anybody wants the Omega, you know what to do...


Anyway, Xantias! Tell me about them.

Please?

(Or any of their alternatives, NOT GOONAS THOUGH).

[Longblackcoat]

A mate had one and it caught fire. Properly, I mean; burned out within 2 minutes of him pulling to the side of the road.

 

So if you do buy one, either wear full Nomex, sit inside a huge goldfish bowl, or make sure the fire brigade peepz follow you at all times.

[carlo]

Don't think you'd go far wrong with any of those choices.  French cars were good then.

 

Although general consensus seems to be that Xantias weren't as much fun to drive as the others.

[dollywobbler]

Personally, I'd recommend the HDi over the blown XUD. It's a nicer engine. Good cars though, but there are a lot of hard-worked, ropey examples out there. Try to find a nice one as enthusiasts tend to look after them.

[forddeliveryboy]

They've proved themselves very tough and long-lived. It's a 406 but with a worse ride at low speed, a better ride at speed and better ability to carry heavy loads or tow. They tend to be held onto untll past their economic sell-by date and quite shagged, they're so good. Very rot-resistant. Getting harder to find a good one.

[HillmanImp]

If you go to the Co-op to do some shopping don't rely on being able to get out of the car. 

 

Other than that they are GR9.

[twosmoke300]

Clutch pedal clip - that is all !

[forddeliveryboy]

https://www.gumtree.com/p/citroen/citroen-xantia-2.0-hdi-diesel-estate-low-mileage-/1162208350

 

or for a longer-lasting collectionfred, https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-vehicles/citroen-xantia-turbo-diesel/1163039337

[Supernaut]

That Silver estate one looks perfect!

 

Now I just need to get to bloody Manchester...

 

My alternative plan, as outlined earlier, is to do some sort of a collection en route to shitefest. That could be a barrel of laughs.

 

I also like the look of this, simply because blown XUD. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201602221283155

[Pete-M]

One of the few diesels I've owned was a 98 Xantia TD SX. It was a good car, other than a slightly bouncy pair of rear spheres.

[jonathan_dyane]

What you really want is the real thing! (An XM)

[Pete-M]

What you really want is the real thing! (An XM)

I follow yours in traffic more often than expected. It appears to be one of the only ones that actually rides properly!

[UltraWomble]

Rust now, - check strut tops, inner wings, outriggers and rear door shuts (pretty much like the BX).

 

HDi in 90BHP form pretty unburstable, they can be mildly tuned but will frag clutches if you go too silly - 100 to 110 is the utter max I would suggest.

 

Clutch cable clip made of cheesium and changing one can be a PITA - I once got a machined one with circlip made by someone ( might have been Jim Eastment) off BXC and that was a pretty nifty bit of kit. For a while there was someone churning something similar out on eBay but not seen ( or looked) recently.

 

Bitron sensor can cause fans to run full chat - remove clean contacts replace. If it fails the fans will not come on and the temp will climb.

 

ALL the switched electrics go through the ignition switch and it can burn out - inserting relays if you are handy with electrics is a good move for heavy drain items like the headlights.

 

HP is fairly standard Citroen without such witchcraft as an octopus or doesuer valve. Brakes are good and bleeding them is easy, Fit estate spheres on a saloon for a lovely soft ride without buggering up the feel of it in corners too much. Activa versions have LOTS of spheres but corner like they are on rails.

Standard version has five - one in each corner and one under the bonnet. Check "ticking" and time the "ticks" - the one a second and its buggered and needs replacing £25ish and some LHM to top up.

 

Nylon clip on ride height corrector is made of cheese and the cause of the car having a high / hard ride they pop off when the socket is worn - cost pence and take 2 mins to fit.

 

Rust? Have I mentioned that?

 

Timing belts - dont believe the hype that they will do 100K - change it about 75K ( and water pump & tensioners) do the aux belts too for peace of mind.

 

Heater matrixes are of an age where failure is common now, but not the ball ache to replace that some cars are but typically Citroen start on the production line with a heater matrix and assemble the car around it. The resistor pack sometimes goes west too in the internal blower meaning fans are either off or ON...

 

Have I mentioned rust? Especially strut tops and front door hinge mounting points?

 

Electrics - some are good, some not so good - some Xantias can have (IIRC) 5 different ECU's most have one for the engine, one for climate AC if fitted and one for the ABS - these rarely give trouble. 

 

Rear callipers used to be prone to alloy corrosion and seizing up.

 

Front radius arm bearings wear on high mileage examples.

 

I think thats it from memory - oh and rust - I must mention that.

[Supernaut]

What you really want is the real thing! (An XM)

Naah, don't think I want something that massive. I like something with at least a little chuckability.

 

As much as I like the Omega, I just don't seem to be 'clicking' with it. It's a bit big.

 

I just have a massive hard-on for something PSA and turbo diesel. Be it a 306/ZX/Xsara, 405/406, or a Xantia. I think I miss the two 306s I've had in the past...

[forddeliveryboy]

XMs are highly chuckable, since electronic suspension control with spring and damper rates altering according to the road and your driving. Xantia VSX and Exclusive models also have this Hydractive system. Amazing cornering, speeds which you'd never use unless you held many licences, along with poor suspension over ridges. I altered all the spheres on a VSX and then it was sublime - a limo ride until you needed the Lotus within. Well, ykwim. Still pretty amazing, though, it made a mate's 306 feel like a soggy pudding over 60.

[Lacquer Peel]

Xantias are quite heavy and not that small, but the handling is good if you don't mind the numb steering. I've owned two, a 1.9D and a 1.9TD estate, would love another one, 2.1TD might be good.

 

If you want something truly chuckable with great handling, ZX, 306 or 405 would be my choice, they're just like slightly more civilised 205s.

[cms206]

Can't speak for the Xantia but that 2.1TD 406 I'm running as a daily is the tits. Steering is numb but I don't think I can really come up with any other complaints about it. 38mpg average round the doors does me, seen 47mpg on a run to head office in Edinburgh but thats not a daily occurrance.

[forddeliveryboy]

2.1TD is good - lovely engine, stronger than the smaller one. It's the power the car needs, they do feel heavy with 90hp. Steering is numb, as said. French 406s and Xantias often for sale with 400,000 km+ on them.

[vulgalour]

I like the Xantia but the seating position is bad for me.  Clutch can be heavy, even with a brand new one fitted.  They're a bit normal and ordinary compared to its predecessors which I found a bit of a turn-off, certainly they're more conventionally car and less spaceship.  Rust issues were limited to the rear arch/sill area and paint lifting on the roof from the gutter trims, both are resolvable.

 

They are not fun to DIY spanner on at all, not enough space to put fingers and tools.  This is true of most Citroens though.  Security keypad failure to be aware of, if it's got one then much as I hate to advise it, do disconnect it otherwise it'll just give you grief.  Glowplug relays can fail, that's a nuisance.

 

They are pretty good load luggers.  The estate I had managed to transport a full three piece suite in one go (sofa on the roof bars) and even took a cooker in the boot with all the seats up.  Once sorted they are very comfortable and go around corners exceptionally well.  Not fast, per se, but certainly capable.

 

I'd recommend one with the proviso that you sit in it first to check the driving position works for you.  +1 on everything Ultrawomble said too.

[angle]

Mine:

 

 

Despite being giffer owned in a seaside resort for its entire life (you may be able to tell by the fetching beige paint and Jesus fish, although I ideally need some beaded seat covers) its suprisingly rust free - a small bleb on the sill that's gone through two MOTs without a mention, and that's your lot. So they're not all bad. 

 

Mine's a base spec Turbo D without all the fancy Hydractive gubbins, and I'd say its much better suited to motorways than chucking about on corners. Doesn't feel like it handles as well as the ZX I had before or the Focus I occasionally borrow, but is far more comfortable and nicer to drive at speed. It is a bit slow (its not a light car), but as soon as you mention XUD on here someone will try and persuade you to turn the boost up anyway. On standard boost it pretty much refuses to do less than 45mpg regardless of how idiotically I drive.

 

MIne's been pretty boringly reliable (until this month when the whole cooling system appears to have gone on strike at least), but if the heater isn't working / only working occasionally, see if the heated rear window stops working at the same time. If it does, it's the ignition switch. You need to wire in a relay, which if you're a cack handed idiot like me can be done by an auto-electrician for £notalot. The whole HP system sees initimidating at first but is surprisingly simple, at least on a basic car - spheres are cheap, but given you'll have at least five can add up if they've not been changed due to, for example, the previous owner repeatedly going to a Japanese import specialist for servicing. 

[Bren]

Cosmetically they can look ok until you start poking at the sills from underneath - you then find that they have the structural integrity of a ryvita.

 

Be wary of anything that has lots of idiot lights lit.

 

A good one should have a sheaf of bills - if the vendor can only produce the current MOT run like fuck.

 

Good ones are hard to track down now - I bought mine 10 years ago, enthusiastic owner and lots of bills and I still had to spend out.

 

Without doubt the best car I have ever owned.

[vulgalour]

TheMoog, Chompy_snake, me, Chompy_snake, Eddyramrod, TheMoog and now FOAD owned Xantia 1.9TD Desire estate.  It's a good old bus.  This is from when I owned it.

 

 

 

I've not snapped it yet but there is an absolutely minty mint burgundy hatchback one that's appeared locally, it looks excellent when you see it wafting around.  The estates are super practical, good at towing and you can fit at least one farty german shepherd in the back with plenty of room for him to walk around and around in circles until the floor is flat enough.

 

[angle]

They are not fun to DIY spanner on at all, not enough space to put fingers and tools. 

 

 

No further comment.

[beko1987]

I keep having thoughrs aboht a xantia, I like the look of them!

 

If I win a roffle tonight you can have my zx 1.9td for £70 if you like!

[robinmasters]

...you can have my zx 1.9td for £70 if you like!

Bit steep. £1.20 a ticket?

[320touring]

I keep having thoughrs aboht a xantia, I like the look of them!

 

If I win a roffle tonight you can have my zx 1.9td for £70 if you like!

Done!

[beko1987]

You'll be closer to scary than I am, it could save a train ticket, got 60l of veg in the garden

 

Won't win obv but it's a plan!

[rantingYoof]

Considering there is a slim and ever-increasing chance that I will be responsible for locating a Xantia or something similar closer to Shitefest and storing it until an Supernaut arrives enroute to collect it, I appreciate this thread.

 

As long as I don't make a cambelt-style boo-boo and limit it to £300 or so, we should be all good.

[Mad Cyril]

2.1TD and 2.0HDi have hydraulic clutches so none of that clutch cable clip shananigans.

[purplebargeken]

Buy a Sierra. You know it makes sense.