Citroen Xsara Picasso 2001- shite or future shite?

[Prote]

Not had a good run of luck with cars...My Proton Aeroback was rear-ended by a scabby yoof. My Suzuki Ignis's gearbox exploded and the car sales place took it back for 3 weeks to repair and then refunded my money.

 

So, urgently needing wheels, I bought a crazy curvy 2001 Citroen Xsara Picasso 1.6i, that looks a strawberry or an egg. 1 owner, 60k, FSH, 12-month MOT. Interior and exterior looks like it's never been used. Mad car with removable rear seats and huge sunroof that gives it a greenhouse feel inside.

 

Foolish French folly or a Gallic goody? Hmmmm...time will tell.

 

 

 

 

[Wingz123]

60k.....thats nothing!

 

Has it had 60k belt done?

[Prote]

60k.....thats nothing!

 

Has it had 60k belt done?

It's had timing belt done at 30k miles, so that was 8 years ago. I read somewhere about 10-year intervals. Reckon I should get another done?

[Supernaut]

Ah, that dashboard brings back memories. I learned to drive in a 2.0 HDi one of those.

 

They're actually a rather nice steer, being a typical 90s/00s PSA chassis. The grippy velour seats ensure you stay put during some cornering fun, too.

[loserone]

It's had timing belt done at 30k miles, so that was 8 years ago. I read somewhere about 10-year intervals. Reckon I should get another done?

No, I reckon you should put an EW10 in it like a certain well known example on here.

[Prote]

Ah, that dashboard brings back memories. I learned to drive in a 2.0 HDi one of those.

 

They're actually a rather nice steer, being a typical 90s/00s PSA chassis. The grippy velour seats ensure you stay put during some cornering fun, too.

It's funny old thing with a TARDIS feel to it - an averagely sized tin egg but inside it's huge. It feels more like sailing than driving.

[UltraWomble]

My signature says it all

[Broadsword]

I haven’t driven one but like the idea of it. The early HDi engines should propel it along nicely I guess. The main plus with it in my opinion is it’s like a van but it’s a car on the footprint of a car, but like a van, so usefulness must be immense. I see many of these with rusted out sills. Is it like the Xantia and they have a hole at the back of the inner sill for no reason whatsoever?

[Prote]

My signature says it all

  Yes, certainly something Moggy-like about the Xsara Picasso.

[beko1987]

Some (me included) fucking hate them, but from everyone on here who has ever had one they seem good at being An Car.

 

Bub tried collecting them recently, had 3 at one point...

[Wingz123]

It's had timing belt done at 30k miles, so that was 8 years ago. I read somewhere about 10-year intervals. Reckon I should get another done?

If you plan on keeping it for the long haul and the rear axle is good then I would for peace of mind.

 

You’ve done well to find one with such low miles.

[Prote]

I haven’t driven one but like the idea of it. The early HDi engines should propel it along nicely I guess. The main plus with it in my opinion is it’s like a van but it’s a car on the footprint of a car, but like a van, so usefulness must be immense. I see many of these with rusted out sills. Is it like the Xantia and they have a hole at the back of the inner sill for no reason whatsoever?

This one is shiny and clean underneath. Looks like the previous owner kept it garaged. Hoping it doesn't age quickly now it's my daily driver.

[Prote]

If you plan on keeping it for the long haul and the rear axle is good then I would for peace of mind.

 

You’ve done well to find one with such low miles.

Would that be new tensioners and water pump too? I know nothing about these engines at all...

[FakeConcern]

I predicted the Picasso as Future Shite in 2015

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/19991-future-shite/

[barefoot]

I haven’t driven one but like the idea of it. 

 

 

Me too. 

 

Sadly the fair wife has driven a couple at work and they don't tick her boxes, so they're not on my 'to do' list.

[eddyramrod]

We've had a few of these on this forum, so they can certainly be considered Shite.  I've never owned one but I did drive one as a company vehicle some years ago.  I'd have no qualms about buying one at the right price.

[Wingz123]

Would that be new tensioners and water pump too? I know nothing about these engines at all...

Yeh do the lot, a cambelt kit should include the essentials (contitech I have always used) do aux belt, waterpump and fresh coolant. That should then be you good for a considerable time

 

Whats the reg? I’ll have a search online at parts in the morning...

 

Give the sills a good coating of wax and the whole car for that matter

[320touring]

I really rated the 1.6i I had. They handle far better than they have any right to, and it hauled a metric fucktonne of stuff to the dump.

 

Ideal, if not exactly 'shite' due to their ubiquity.

 

Would own again.

[Tamworthbay]

It's funny old thing with a TARDIS feel to it - an averagely sized tin egg but inside it's huge. It feels more like sailing than driving.

A great design, unlike the majority of the utterly shite crossovers on sale at the moment that are huge outside but tiny inside.

[UltraWomble]

Practical, not quite as practical as the Berlingo M-space (same Xsara Estate running gear) but cheaper to buy.

 

Five proper size seats and flat floor mean five proper size people can be hauled in some comfort.

 

HDi 90 BHP engine is the best of the bunch and unburstable in normal use. Gives 50+ MPG too. 1.6 Pez will do 40+ on a run but this soon drops around town. Later post 2005 cars got the 16v 1.6 donkey from the VTR Saxo. Still glacially slow when it comes to acceleration though.

 

As with many of these Cits - rear beams can "go" and the only real solution is a new unit.

 

They are still made and sold with a facelift in some countries and come with a 7 seat option in China.

 

They are EVERYFUCKINGWHERE at the moment but due to rust and their abuse at the hands of families with multiple shitty kids they often get scrapped - in a few years they will become uncommon on the roads.

 

Buy one now whilst they are cheap and before they attain Cla$$ic status....

[lesapandre]

2001. In 2021 will be eligible for classic insurance too. Retains a lot of Citroen quirkyness - a real Citroen. Nice find.

[Liggle]

Dread to think what the 1.6 16v is like in these. I had the same engine in a 307 Estate I used for commuting for a bit, the performance of a 1.4 hatchback and the economy of a 2.0 saloon! The must be reasonably robust though, still see plenty around. 

[loserone]

307 estate will be a much heavier car

[Wingz123]

Cambelt kit and waterpump - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153030940070

 

Or the contitech kit excluding the waterpump - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F372223298881

 

Waterpump seperately - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F163461074596

 

Then grab some coolant...would suggest comma xstream g30 for this application??

[Braddon81]

Had loads of these and sold gazillions of them when they were current. Even though I'm a serial early Berlingo /Partner licker I'd argue that as an everyday option a Picasso is more practical due to the longer and deeper load bay with the seats up and the ease of being able to pull out the rear seats. As they are basically a Zx/306 underneath all the plus points and foibles of that platform also apply.

Earlier cars seems to be better rot wise than the later ones.. 04 plate onwards are more prone to rot on the lower front of the sills. Sexy they ain't but as a staple family tool of the naughties they were a tougher old bus than most will give them credit for. Yours looks very tidy,look after it and it should give you good service.

[Liggle]

307 estate will be a much heavier car

You are correct, 90kg heavier in LX (Picasso) vs S (307) spec. Assumed the Picasso was heavier! 

[Andy F]

We are on our second. The 2001 2.0 Hdi 90 we had first was brilliant, great on the motion potion and tough! We now have a 2004 1.6 petrol which is heavier on the juice but quiet around town. Not the most refined things in the world, but very comfy, bigger on the inside than you could possibly imagine and actually handle pretty well.

 

My wife always wanted one with the big sunroof, its her car really but as the Saab convertible cant take all 5 of us, its the default weekend car. If you sell it and the sunroof still works let me know!

[Wingz123]

Would everyone agree the gearbox’s/gear changes in these feel quite unique? I quite like the no nonsense feel of them in these.... quite direct

[Cavcraft]

Shite, future shite and weirdly quite appealing to own and drive.

[Marm Toastsmith]

I have to say I'm coming round to them, slowly.

 

When they first came out they were so ubiquitous with the North London middle class double buggy brigade that I instinctively hated them. I didn't get them, either.

 

But now that they're more likely to be filled with a Polish builder's tools and/or rubbish (perfect for sneaking past the tip nazis) they're starting to make sense to me.

 

I think the confusing thing is that on the outside they just look a daft shape. Looking at pictures of the inside I see that they've done magic to make them tardis-like.