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Robinmasters' 1994 Citroen Xantia 1.9 TD VSX


robinmasters

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Yes, HARD CORE. Just got home. Work tomorrow. Took my usually collection kit of no tools and no breakdown cover, and remain in denial about my USB adapter not working in nearly any car, so sat nav could only be used for the tricky bits. 

 

We all know what chevrons on the bonnet mean? Yes, it's a sinker. Not content with simply having excellent suspension, when parked it 'lays frame' as our transatlantic friends say, to show it off. 

 

Purchased from a Facebook-only shiter, Lewis. He's the one that's into 106s, if you're a member of the main group on there (I'm not, just the shite for sale group). In Birmingham. In the dark.

 

It's a good one. 58k, no rust (hardly any) in the two critical areas. Suspensions a bit lazy, but it sorts itself out fairly quickly if you select high then go back down to normal-possibly a sticky height corrector? The LHM probably needs changing. The central locking unlocks immediately after locking-seems to be the driver's door solenoid. Needs front pads, and a handbrake cable. There is an intermittent problem with one rear window (switch or wiring probably). Now I've written that down is seems like a long list, but it's nothing serious, nothing beyond my capabilities and all fairly cheap. 

 

VSX is fairly high-spec, so electric windows all round, electric mirrors, and a big sunroof. Velour interior (an interesting pattern, I'll post pics soonish), without any significant wear to the driver's bolster. Pompe Bosch. It goes well, as my journey home proved. 200 miles of easy, rapid, progress. It's a sort of emerald green, which I don't remember having seen before; again, pics to follow-I haven't seen it in the sunlight yet, but I imagine it really looks good (apart from the dodgy lacquer on the boot lid.

 

All in all, very pleased with it. I will post further pictures when it's daylight and I've caught up on my sleep, and will try and find pics of my previous Xantias (this is the fourth one, I think). 

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i remeber driving my mates one, was very nice until the pas starting to play up and needed arms like arnie to steer it, couldnt fix it, no matter what we did, it got scrapped, then when in scrapyard a bloke not scrapyard owner say oh yeah theres a filter inside that get blocked and causes the pas to fail..grr

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Looking forward to hearing more, early Xantias were built extremely well. I smoked about in an brown L-reg 1.9D with tweed seats for a while, it felt stronger than a Benz 124 (and nearly as slow as their four pot diesels).

 

Hydractives can be a bit sharp and wooden on English roadsbut they're extraordinarily capable at higher speeds on A and B roads. Using XM centre spheres can improve matters no end, as can slightly larger volume corner ones.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Quick bit of background; this is my fourth (I was convinced the last one was the fourth, but I think I've made that up). 

 

The first was a 1.8 pezzer (SX I think).  Shortly after buying it I saw some BX GTi alloys on eBay, near my father in law, so had a bid.  I was the only bidder, and got them for ~£20.  The bloke had restored his BX GTi, then immediately bent it, so the wheels were as new and the tyres had only a couple of hundred miles on.  This had the usual problems - the heater failed due to Citroen's omission of a relay between the ignition switch and the huge draw of the heater/blower - I bypassed it with one of those orange mains connectors you get on lawnmowers etc.  The drivers window fell down - they're held in by a single plastic clip thing.  I played cambelt roulette, and lost. 

 

post-5742-0-15293300-1541459244_thumb.jpg

 

Many years later I got a series 2 estate.  HDi, silver, many, many miles.  It was very baggy, leaked LHM, and I didn't keep it long; nor did i take any pictures. 

 

The third was a 2.1TD estate, in doom blue.  The best so far, despite the rustier-than-I-thought-they-were rear arches.  It also leaked LHM.  Copiously.  Died when a bit of loom wore through the auxiliary belt, and I had a proper look at it-at this point I noticed the frilly arches and the impending MOT, and got rid. 

 

post-5742-0-18324500-1541459642_thumb.png

 

The current one had an FTP today.  Clutch pedal clip (TADTS).  I had to get a bus!  Local Citroen dealer should have one (and a spare) for me by tomorrow.  Fitting is generally considered a massive ball-ache. 

 

The seller told me that he'd replaced it recently; having seen some of the other bodgery on the car (more on that in a future post) I suspect the early failure of the new part may be down to fitting, rather than a problem somewhere else; the clutch cable looks relatively new. 

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That mk1 Xantia on BX alloys looks ace! Those wheels really suited it!

 

Damn it, you have me having covetous thoughts again. I had a mk2 HDi for a year and a half, it wasn't particularly fast, but once it got going it covered ground effortlessly.

 

I kind of want another XUD-powered car (my first car was a Peugeot 306 TD), and I've been bitten by the LHM bug...

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've had a bad day.

 

I think I've already mentioned the issues with the central locking; it 'bounces'. Locks then immediately unlocks. I took apart the drivers side, snapped part of the the handle. Today, I tried fitting the new the handle; the connecting rods will not stay connected. I've had the handle and lock in and out as many times as the proverbial.

 

I've also got the ropey clutch to deal with (still a click on the clutch, and it's quite heavy),

 

I might sell this.

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Lovely, would.

Sinkers are super rare now.

 

I was lucky enough to not have had the clutch clip fail on my xud. But I seem to remember there being a place that sold a metal replacement, I'll try and dig out the info on that. Sadly, when the clutch gets that heavy its time for a replacement clutch.

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  • 2 weeks later...

This is now for sale.

 

I've realised I simply don't have the enthusiasm/time/space/money to look after this properly.

 

I haven't managed to fix the driver's door, the rod keeps jumping off the clip that hole it into the latch mechanism. All the parts are there.

 

The click on the clutch pedal seems to have gone away; must have been the clip bedding in, rather than the cable ad I had feared. Comes with a new clutch cable which is bought as a precaution, and another clutch clip.

 

I think the LHM filter needs changing-is a bit slow to rise. It also need a handbrake cable.

 

This is a VSX-relatively rare now-which means it has hydractive suspension (variable damping and switchable sports mode). Also has electric windows, mirrors and sunroof, and a rear sun blind.

 

I want what I paid for it, £600. I'm in Folkestone, Kent.

 

Form an orderly queue!

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