For Sale '97 n/a Xantia base, mot, £75!!!!!

[barrett]

I'm still not quite emotionally ready to talk about it, but my beloved BX (formerly of many people on here) was recently declared 'unfit for purpose'. I've done something like 35,000 miles in that car in two years, and I have never driven anything else that has got under my skin quite so much. Its fate is still hanging in the balance, but hopefully it will live again one day.

In the meantime, I was left without wheels as the recently-departed Visa was my only other roadworthy motor. I had resigned myself to picking up a cheap smoker but I knew anything else would be a let down after the BX - even other BXs, if my limited experience is anything to go by. Looking around on ebay I found a likely local candidate. It was on £99 with no bids and a few days to go, so I popper over and had a look. The chap had been given it by his father in law and obviously had no interest in cars. He'd recently acquired something newer and this had been relegated to tip duty - it was utterly filthy inside and out and obviously hadn't been moved for a while, but it started up first time, and my quick spin round the block showed it drove surprisingly nicely.

I ended up winning the auction for a measly £112, which is a cheap car by any standards I reckon.

 

Anyway, here it is after a few hours of HEAVY WASHING. It's still not brilliant, but its a hell of a lot better

 

It's a 1997 Xantia n/a diesel BASE. I had no idea such a thing existed, presumably a fleet special. I have never knowingly seen another one. This one did indeed start life as a fleet car for a water board or something. It's got keep-fit windows all round, no sunroof and for some inexplicable reason no height adjustment on the seats. Not something I've ever worried about before, but on a normal Xantia I like the seat to be set as low as possible. This one is fixed in the intermediate position. I'm not sure how much money was saved in doing this, but there you are. Otherwise it's pretty much an LX, but being a later car it's got the nasty grey velour and the keypad (which does work)

 

 

The engine bay was really clean, which is a nice sign on an oil burner. Strut tops are a bit flaky but don't look too serious. It's done 140-odd thousand miles and still drives beautifully, no clunks or rattles or horrid noises. It's typically Xantia to drive: great ride, decent handling and very steady on the motorway. It's flippin' slow though, these XUDs really do need a turbo bolted on to be any use.

 

The indicator stalk is intermittent, mostly it works but some days it won't play ball. I've got a new stalk assembly to go on at some point, but I quite like the idea of hand signals in a '90s car anyway. The front brakes are totally shot but hopefully discs and pads will sort that. Oh, and there is an LHM leak from somewhere, but I think it's just a return pipe. And the altenator belt is squealing like a mofo. Otherwise it's all good, I think I've done about 800 miles in it now and I reckon it's all right for a hundred quid motor.

 

Most irritatingly, there is no radio code for the thing. Does anyone on here have the ability to look it up if I get the serial number? I remember these Xantia radios being pretty decent, and this has the 'mid range' model despite being a BASE. I hate driving in silence and I haven't heard the Archers in weeks. Any help mucho appreciated, brothers.

 

Oh, and I worked out this is my 15th car in just over three years. It's the newest by five years, and by far the least interesting. It still feels like I'm driving somebody else's car tbh, I've not quite gelled with it yet, so it might be replaced if I can find an early turbo LX or another BX TXD going cheap...

[scaryoldcortina]

https://www.radio-code.co.uk/citroen-radio-codes.html

 

This one worked for me recently on a xsara.

[garethj]

So let me get this straight, somebody else thought it was worth £111 but no more than that?

 

It's got 4 seats, you can't buy 4 ropey old chairs for that little money.

 

The way we value second hand cars in the UK is truly baffling.  The styling of these Xantias is growing on me and a base model is always interesting, I'd call that a good purchase for the money.

[barrett]

It's hard to understand that mentality innit. I guess somebody spotted it at £99 and thought 'why not?' Whereas I actually wanted specifically to have it so I could get to work the next week. FWIW I bid about £350 on it which, although not the sort of sum of money I can spend without thinking, still seemed very cheap for an MoT'd, comfortable diesel car that was about an hour from my front door.

 

SOC - cheers, will have a go at that when it gets light again!

[dollywobbler]

Looks a nice buy. Sadly, BXs seem to be firmly stepping out of the affordable level. TXD turbo was a pretty unusual spec, but you might score a TZD turbo more easily. Or go to France, where you could buy a Turbo TRD.

[beko1987]

Lovely! We are notching up the base spec cars aren't we!

[holbeck]

I tend not to think 'Base' , more 'Pure'.

[forddeliveryboy]

I had a NA '93 dizl Xantia for a bit, it felt much better put together than a late W124 I was smoking about out in. Not much chance of overtaking with small opportunity windows unless you use the full 2cv technique, but not at all slow on quiet level roads. I rather liked it, you used its poise to maintain speed and never slowed to the speed of other traffic if you were in a hurry, otherwise it was properly relaxing in a way no turbo car ever is.

 

I've known Xantia users find that radio code site posted above very reliable. 

[dollywobbler]

... otherwise it was properly relaxing in a way no turbo car ever is.

 

I recommend trying a Rover 600 with the L series turbo diesel. I though the XM had the best diesel engine of its generation. I'm now starting to think I was wrong. 

 

I do know what you mean though. In my old non-turbo BXs, it just wasn't worth going above 2500rpm because that just made things louder, not quicker.

[Shep Shepherd]

I don't consider any Citroën equipped with suspension hydropnematique to be dull; if anything, the base models are more interesting.

 

ID Normale, anyone?

[forddeliveryboy]

The days of base models giving you the feeling (probably because due to clever design it really was) of less is more appears to be long gone - BX14 was the last car I remember thinking 'this is better than model selling for twice the price'.

[forddeliveryboy]

In my old non-turbo BXs

 

They were lovely things, surprisingly punchy through the gears. I adored a TXD berline in dark green (it was as sweet as a white estate was not) and should never have scrapped the thing - with extra soft rear spheres it was amazingly quick across country, able to float over imperfections the correctly-sprung car rocked, rolled and side-stepped nervously over when at daft speeds. And blitz the smaller roundabouts on single carriagway ring roads into oblivion, at speed. I think the front spheres were 500cc too but correct spring rate and damping, for better wheel travel, as it were, bloody brill.

 

Three of us went to Retromobile in it and not for one minute was there a bother with a lack of power or speed.

[Split_Pin]

One of the most crisply styled cars of the 1990s IMO and I agree that 'base' reads 'pure'.

 

Top stuff for £112.

[Lacquer Peel]

 

 

I had a NA '93 dizl Xantia for a bit, it felt much better put together than a late W124 I was smoking about out in.

Aye, phase 1 Xantias are very well built.

They are slow but like you say the roadholding is excellent and the TD can be exhausting to drive if you're duelling with the power band.

 

 

 

I recommend trying a Rover 600 with the L series turbo diesel. I though the XM had the best diesel engine of its generation. I'm now starting to think I was wrong.

I'd say the VW 1.9 TDI is up there with the best, as fuel efficient as a common rail diesel without the complexity and a linear power delivery.

[Richard]

I'll vote for the VAG 2.5 5 pot. The "cake and eat it" of a common rail without the ticking time bomb. And it's got a prime number of cylinders.

[HillmanImp]

I drove all the way over to Stoke to buy a n/a Xantia diseasel a couple of years ago and it was soooooo slow I came home without it as couldn't face driving it as a daily.

[barrett]

Right, this is now up for grabs if anyone wants it before I call the scrap man.

 

BAD BITS:

Has a leak from the brake control unit/dosuer. This part is NLA and the only one I can find for sale is a recon unit for £300! However, all the individual components are available new, and Ruff geezer of this parish can supply a partial rebuild kit for a tenner. I suspect that with a bit of time and patience this is an easy fix, but I can't guarantee where exactly the leak is (ie, the unit itself might be cracked) so expect the worst and you'll probably be pleasantly surprised.

The car can still be used as is, but it does ejaculate its LHM everywhere when left overnight. Top it up and it will drive anywhere, and everything works fine.

 

The front brake discs are very thin and braking is not brilliant. It's still safe to drive, but not up to usual Citroën standards. Budget for new discs and pads at some point before the next Mot.

 

Aux belt squeals on start up. The alternator is actually a bit loose, one bolt has unwound itself and then rusted into position half-tight. Budget £40 for an alternator to be safe.

 

No idea when, or if, the cambelt has been done. I'd be happy to play roulette at this price, but if it's a keeper then a change is on the cards

 

It's SLOW

 

GOOD BITS:

 

MoT until 12th November

 

Newish tyres on the front

 

Drives lovely in all respects other than the brakes. All the usual Xantia benefits with the added cache of being probably the last BASE model on the road (at a guess).

 

I've got the radio code now too. It's already tuned to R4 and I'll throw in the tape-to-mp3 thingy I bought for it (value £4)

 

It's being sorned tomorrow and I need it gone ASAP. Like, within the next two weeks max. It's located in Horsham and has about half a tank of diesel in (the fuel gauge doesn't work, I have been topping it up every 200 miles on the trip). Seems to do about 100 miles on a tenners worth of dizzle. You get a free tour of my warehouse of old crocks if you come and get it, and I'm happy to pick you up from the station.

 

SPECIAL BARGAIN PRICE £75!!!!!

 

Dnot all rush...

[ruffgeezer]

What does your old BX need?

[barrett]

Silver one is a lost cause but I'll be keeping it as a spares car.

 

Green one needs someone who knows what they're doing. Needs the fuel system looking at and a couple of LHM leaks sorting, various electrical bits doing and probably lots more small jobs. It's solid and specced to the hilt. I'd like it to go to somebody who will sort it out and not just break it for bits (front arm rest worth about half the asking price, etc)

 

I'd also quite like to keep the alloys. Special twofer price of £250 for both cars (sans alloys) and loads of BX panels, oily bits, lights etc...

[forddeliveryboy]

Bloody'ell, airbag, digital clock, steering wheel controls for the 4-speaker stereo radio/cassette, full size wheel trims, the finest suspension medium god could think of, oil pushrods and variable and self-levelling ride height, 45mpg, floor mats. Even semi-galvanised bodies, to prevent rot.

 

What more could one desire?

[mitsisigma01]

Hi , Where in Horsham are you , I would like to have a look before the scrapman bins it .

Are you around tomorrow lunchtime ish ,

I'm in Horsham myself .

Cheers .

Dave

[Bren]

Who needs PCP's?

[beko1987]

bargain!

[billyboy406v6]

GLWS !!!!!!!

[Faker]

I'm amazed this is still for sale! Surely it can get a new home!

[barrett]

Still here. The clock is ticking... is it too cheap? It really is a very nice car bar the one major issue, and I wouldn't hesitate to drive it anywhere.

[Guest Lord Sward]

Eh?  Its still there?  A car on the class of gas for £75?  No way?

[beko1987]

when would you be calling James Brown on it if it came to it? almost tempted to ask if I could come over and take stuff off it if that wouldn't be too rude? clock spring, front passenger wing, better tyre shod wheels, bits of dash, possibly seats, spare wheel and toolkit etc... all the bits that mine needs

 

cash or Xbox obv, and you can have all the stuff from mine to keep it mobile/rolling for cartakeback.

[Brodders]

If absolutely nobody wants this and it gets to the point where you are about to get it taken away, I may be half tempted to see if I could do a bit of work on it and see if I can sell it on afterwards.

 

However, that is if absolutely no shitters want it at all and it is genuinely about to be scrapped, because it would be a shame for a decent car to be wasted over such a small number of problems.

 

Not to mention, I would probably get a serious bollocking if I ended up buying this, so somebody else please buy it before I eventually snap and get it.

[holbeck]

If absolutely nobody wants this and it gets to the point where you are about to get it taken away, I may be half tempted to see if I could do a bit of work on it and see if I can sell it on afterwards.

 

However, that is if absolutely no shitters want it at all and it is genuinely about to be scrapped, because it would be a shame for a decent car to be wasted over such a small number of problems.

 

Not to mention, I would probably get a serious bollocking if I ended up buying this, so somebody else please buy it before I eventually snap and get it.

 

Do it Brodders.