Xantia of Desires - Farewell xantia!

[beko1987]

Mmmm, interesting. I'll go and find his thread

[beko1987]

Right. Plans are afoot to go and see Jim Eastment (citrojim) next week, who offered for me to come over and test the spheres, have a lexia run over it and he can generally give it a health check and see if it's worth spending money on.

 

At the moment, if I don't spend any more on it, I can cut my losses without too much pain!

 

Let's see. Someone on the FCF did say my steering/car vibration might be knackered rear tyres, but that would mean another £(probably cheaper tyres) to see if it solves the issue. If that is all it needs, and a sphere or two, then fuck it, it might be worth a crack. Otherwise, I can probably pop to Chester and grab myself a nice little commuting chariot with the xantia in part exchange...

 

We shall see. Tempted to go over 70 on the way to work tomorrow and see what the vibration does...

[320touring]

If the HDI xantia needs to get south I can get it from Abz to Blackburnish

[The Moog]

And I can probably get it down to you Sam

[beko1987]

FFS that's making it almost too easy now... and it is a lovely colour...

 

Supernaught, you still got it? I can't make a decision until the end of the month as I don't know what my money situation is, but a relay will be needed I think, and if it helps various shiters get down the country easily, that can only be a plus...

[beko1987]

Looking on Google maps, I'm in Manchester mid april... And my dads driving us up, would mean my Xantia will be in peterborough though, as I CBA to get the train there, got somewhere to be in Manc

[320touring]

TTT transport solutions is proud to announce that MMM (Moog Motor Movers) have joined the firm.

#thonsouthernchapneedsaxantia

[vulgalour]

The old bus has served a lot of folks very well.  I does sound like it's getting to that point in every Citroen's life where it's just getting grumpy and needs semi-retirement.  It'll likely keep plodding along for ages but it sounds like it's starting to want money spending again now.  It's been through half a dozen owners who know the suspension needs fettling and spheres and whatnot and none of us did it, myself included, because.. well... it just kept on doing its thing pretty competently.

 

In your position, heart would likely say keep it because you clearly have some affection for it and head would say replace it because you need a daily that doesn't want pampering for a bit.  If there's a possibility you can semi-retire it while running about in something cheaper that would be the happiest outcome.  If not, well, it's had a good innings hasn't it?

[beko1987]

If all it needs is a sphere or two and some tyres, then great, it will get them, the rusty arches won't be an issue for a while yet.

 

But if it needs more, I just haven't the time or money to give it the love it deserves. But I'll wait and see what someone who knows what their talking about says, I have nothing to compare it to after all.

 

It does seem a solid backup plan is forming though, and blue is lively.

 

It won't leave the fold though if I can help it. If I can get £100 for it I'll be happy!

[hairnet]

buy dave b volvo meet dave see if pic is same

[beko1987]

buy dave b volvo meet dave see if pic is same

I couldn't afford the fuel. I r not a rich or handsome man

[dollywobbler]

So Saturday went well, the xantia didn't ftp which was nice, what with being 100 miles from. Home with aa cover that only works within 10 miles of my house...

 

Things I noticed:

 

Above 70, theres a very harsh vibration coming through the steering, that almost shakes the whole car. If I back off a bit it goes away, keeping it bang on 70 was fine. Whilst it makes a good speed limiter it is a bit worrying.

 

It pulls to the left now it's on new, balanced tyres

 

Suspension is not happy about something, possibly life

 

The brakes stuck on slightly. I went from thame to wolverhampton without stopping, parked up at the Travelodge and didn't move until Saturday morning. Reversing out if the space there was a definite clock from the front end!

 

The rear end sinks, as noted at the truckers rest.

 

I need new wiper blades

 

Its very crashy on mid to bad road surfaces

 

I lifted the bonnet when I got to my hotel, just to check all was ok after the longest single journey I've done in it, and noticed the cambelt was running straight. It was a little bit wavy Davey after I replaced it last year. I was almost worried, but it's fine, and I reasoned that if the cambelt covers were there id never know anyway.

 

1st and 2nd are a bit hard to get into sometimes, 1st from a standstill and 2nd on the wrong revs. This is quite a recent development

 

My usb power supply is bollocks. Despite saying it rapid charges my phone I left home on 98%,and with Google maps and Bluetooth music being streamed whilst charging, it was on 38% when I got to wolves. After Birmingham once I was back on the M6 I turned maps, bt and music off and had the radio on, and it went up 10% from Solihull to home. Stupid cheap Chinese electronics

 

I really should have not gone on Saturday and sorted the rear height corrector... Naughty

 

But it was fun, the clutch clip behaved itself, and I did 250 miles to just under half a tank at a steady 70,plus some pottering in cannock and a horrible drive through Birmingham!

 

Do I spend more money on it, or get a new car next month... Maybe I should enter more roffles? 8 won't say I'm bored, but I could fix all of that and still have a major issue somewhere.

 

Shake at 70? If the wheels are balanced, then that suggests play somewhere, or a knackered driveshaft.

 

Clunk when reversing? BX's have a habit of doing this. HERITAGE.

 

The rear end sinks? Some hydro Cits do this. As long as it comes back up again, don't worry. Probably not height correct related.

 

Very crashy? Ok, I'm wondering if the front arm bushes are shot. Could also cause pulling to one side and vibration perhaps?

 

First and second hard to get? Suspect either gummed up linkage or iffy clutch. How is it selecting reverse?

 

Wipers - well that's not hard! Save money by just replacing the driver's blade. 

 

Dodgy electrics? Well, that's your own fault for attacking the wiring loom of a French car.

 

You're welcome.

[SiC]

TL;DR it's tired and knackered

[Kiltox]

Give me £250 and take my Goona before the Dacia dealer gets it to send straight to the auctions

 

Has a slight vacuum leak to the brake servo which only ever becomes aparrent when shunting around a lot at low speed (parking) but recovers fine. Doesn't do it in stop start traffic.

 

MOT July and it'll sail through another

[Guest Hooli]

Goona

 

:-D

 

Yeah scrap a dodgy frogchod for a goona, WCPGW?

[Kiltox]

It's a hardy old bastard though - I have a knack for buying good examples of the worst cars (this 2.2 auto, the ex SiC 1.6 auto Scenic II which is still soldiering on at 165k miles with nothing more than rear wheel bearings in about 15k)

[SiC]

Said to the man who also bought an ex-SiC motor :D

[Kiltox]

A+++++ SELLER WUD MAKE STUPID OFFRR AGEN

[Guest Hooli]

1,800+miles on the Saab now. I'd had total electrical failure in a goona by then after spending £650 getting a MOT on the thing.

[Kiltox]

1,800+miles on the Saab now. I'd had total electrical failure in a goona by then after spending £650 getting a MOT on the thing.

[Guest Hooli]

It wasn't that good.

 

 

[Supernaut]

FFS that's making it almost too easy now... and it is a lovely colour...

 

Supernaught, you still got it? I can't make a decision until the end of the month as I don't know what my money situation is, but a relay will be needed I think, and if it helps various shiters get down the country easily, that can only be a plus...

 

I still have it. It has a matching set of Kumho Ecowings that were fitted in May, along with the tracking done as well.

 

I also have the horn for a Volvo S60 2.4T that's in the Lake District and currently being kept by another shiter.

[beko1987]

Shake at 70? If the wheels are balanced, then that suggests play somewhere, or a knackered driveshaft.

 

Only the front wheels have seen balancing action, although the rears seemed fine before. But the awful front tyres could have masked this. I went up to 90 briefly this morning and it got no worse, but no better either. Someone on the FCF suggested the rear tyres could be causing it £100/bit less to find out

 

 

Clunk when reversing? BX's have a habit of doing this. HERITAGE.

No clunk when reversing. But sat still (it happened as we left cannock actually waiting to get out on to the busy road) it would not go from neutral to 1st without a shove. 1st to second requires a bit of force sometimes too, but if I don't have the revs so high it goes in nicely. It didn't used to do this. May or may not get worse. Never checked the gearbox fluid

 

The rear end sinks? Some hydro Cits do this. As long as it comes back up again, don't worry. Probably not height correct related.

Some people laughed at it at the truckers rest. Part of it is the rear height corrector not sitting on the adjuster rod properly, but it does sink. Probably just a sphere or two

 

Very crashy? Ok, I'm wondering if the front arm bushes are shot. Could also cause pulling to one side and vibration perhaps?

Maybe. I shall have a google and see what they are. I think the drop links are OK tbh, no untoward noises as I hit the truckers rest car park 15mph too fast thinking it was nicely tarmacked...

 

First and second hard to get? Suspect either gummed up linkage or iffy clutch. How is it selecting reverse?

Maybe gummed up linkage, but also possibly the clutch/clutch components, it's not taken out another clip yet though, but I wouldn't call the clutch light...

 

Dodgy electrics? Well, that's your own fault for attacking the wiring loom of a French car.

The electrics are fine, it's the £2.19 12v to 5v 13w adapter I bought that is shite.

 

TL;DR it's tired and knackered

Not far from the truth.

 

Give me £250 and take my Goona before the Dacia dealer gets it to send straight to the auctions

I would feel like a king, but The Fear would be strong when driving it! I could not give it the time it would demand. Already screwed myself over by going to Cannock on saturday rather than doing some work on the Xantia, Amy is working this weekend so I cannot do anything probably. I have 2 weekends a month, and don't use them as much as I should. I could book annual leave to work on it but I'd rather save that for big jobs, not fault finding

 

I'm off to Newport Pagnell on monday to see what the score is, get the spheres off and tested and get an opinion. Depending on what that opinion is dictates what I do next. If it's just a sphere or 2, 2 more tyres and a good service, it's probably worth it for another year of use

 

I don't mind putting a few quid into it to get it running properly, but if it then needs a clutch (already mooted) or the engine goes bang (it has run in highly tuned state for a while, and is more clattery than the 1.9td in the ZX with 150k more miles on it was), or the rear arches make it fail an MOT, (new gaffa tape might help) plus the wheel bearing I should get looked at next month I won't be too happy. Wheras for the same money, I could buy possibly a better car and pass this back into the fold for someone to use until the MOT runs out in December. Now we have the Zafira (and I don't mind driving it) I don't need a massive car, and tbh all the boot has really done on this is stay full of shit, that I have to empty to use it as a van. Shitefest camping would be good fun in it, but I've slept in the ZX twice in comfort*, so its no big massive deal.

 

Who knows. But I need to make a decision by the end of the month, as if it does go wrong after, I'll be back to living month to month financially, and whilst I can pull a few quid out of my arse in a week or so if needed, it's always a rush and not terribly pleasant. I'd rather stop here if needed and get a better base to spend a bit of money on rather than spend £300 and it possibly be wasted

 

 

[Kiltox]

What time? I've done 5k miles in it since I bought it and just had to add fuel and screenwash

 

If anything major wears out weigh it in in 4.5 months time when the MOT is out, probably worth £100 in scrap

[Supernaut]

£300 will get you an HDi Xantia with an MOT until next February and 82k miles on the clocks...

 

I can even take it as far as the Lake District and take a Volvo to its natural habitat while I'm at it.

 

 

 

Just saying, mind.

[beko1987]

Mmm, a reliable french car that's far away, or a notoriously unreliable french car that's alot closer...

 

Maybe I should buy both... Or the Goona and an AA membership. Isn't your goona the autoshite bingo one? 2.2dci AND an auto? trying to remember when you got it

[The Moog]

£300 will get you an HDi Xantia with an MOT until next February and 82k miles on the clocks...

 

 

Have you bought it yet Sam? 

[beko1987]

Have you bought it yet Sam? 

Not yet, I won't really know until I know what my bonus will be, or if my Xantia only needs light fettling.

 

I certainly have not been looking at train tickets from Maidenhead to Ulverston, no way, not at all... (£60 if I book today but I'll not be able to book them until at least March the 30th so I expect they will go up in price alot)

 

Fancy your old Xantia back then?

[Kiltox]

Mmm, a reliable french car that's far away, or a notoriously unreliable french car that's alot closer...

 

Maybe I should buy both... Or the Goona and an AA membership. Isn't your goona the autoshite bingo one? 2.2dci AND an auto? trying to remember when you got it

Yep

 

It's not perfect but just keeps plodding on, facelift too so less bork

[beko1987]

Where is it located?