Any suggestions?
I've had a Citroen ZX Volcane Turbo diesel for a few years. It's now done 200K, and for the first time I've had to put nearly half a litre of oil in between 6000 mile services. Fuel consumption is down to around 43 mpg, and it must be close to replacement time. The question though is what to get.
I do not want a drop in performance, want to at least match the consumption figure and general road holding/handling. According to Parkers 0-60 is 10.3 sec. (Say a target 0-62 of 10.6?)
I particularly like the motorway performance, where the torque makes for good overtaking. I also like the 40k I get from Goodyear Eagle Ventura tyres (20K on the back followed by 20K on the front).
I need at least 4 doors, which I think rules out the sporty diesel Ibiza.
I don't really want to spend more than £8000, so what sort of choice do I have?
Citroen's Xsara only came out with a useful 110 bhp engine in 2001, and apart from not being attractive looks to be outside budget. The Picasso has never been available with a 110 HDI engine.
The LEON 110 again is outside budget and down on performance - even if it is a nice looking car.
Similarly the Focus TDCi.
If I go for one of the VW engined vehicles, it seems that a 115 bhp engine is needed (a Bora maybe?)
The Peugeot 307 HDI is just too stodgy from the lights.
Any suggestions from the experts out there? How long is it likely to be before one of the cars mentioned gets inside my budget?. Is the Fiat Brava JTD 105 any good? or maybe the Alfa 156?
Should I just keep this one going till September maybe?
Any suggestions?
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I have just had the same problem. i had a 94 volcane that had unfortunately reached the end of its days. I have been looking for 6 months knowing that i needed to find something to replace the volcane. I tried just about everything out there and no car 10 years on comes close to the volcane. i decided I didn't want to spend too much as i couldn't find a car I really liked a BMW came close but much too expensive.
The Ibiza 130 is easily available as a 5 door you could come to Ireland and drive one home straight away for less than 11k otr but they are very small inside and nowhere near as comfortable as the zx. I never liked the Leon and an affordable golf GT say a 99 will be stodgy and cost a fortune to run. i tried to find a fresher volcane but none out there. so I had set a limit and decided to wait for a xsara 110 hdi sx. I bought one just before xmas for 6.5k alomg with the volcane. It is a july 01 car with fsh and 40k miles in a nice dark blue. It isn't a volcane and roundabouts will never be the same again but it is well equipped and goes well.
Good luck with your quest.
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Hi Volcane
I was also lucky enough to run a ZX TD for a short time. It’s a tough act to follow! The only car I’ve driven that has, in my opinion matched it for driver enjoyment is a 306 HDI. How about looking for a late model one of these? I’ve driven a 90 bhp version for several hundred miles and it’s a real gem. Perhaps not quite as smooth as the old XUD but a good replacement I’d say and within your budget. The handling is razor sharp too. I wouldn’t worry at all that it’s obsolete, by all accounts the 307 is a backward step as a drivers car.
Or how about an Astra 2.0 Dti? Fabulous handling and cheap fleet prices, much better than a Golf to drive and nice build too, better than Focus IMO.
Cheers
Baz
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There was a new imported Fiat Stilo JTD115 Active for £8495 at www.directcars.co.uk a couple of days ago. That was for a five door, 115 bhp, and www.motorpoint.co.uk has a three door for £7995. UK spec cars only come with the 115bhp engine, so make sure that the Motorpoint car has that, and not the 80bhp version fitted in some markets.
You should be able to get a nearly new Xsara 110 HDi within budget if you look hard enough; alternatively, if you're PXing your car, you might find that Citroën dealers will be very accommodating. The web search on www.autotrader.co.uk
A 110bhp SEAT Leon TDi (nice car in my opinion - try it with an open mind) is likely to be over budget, but don't forget that you could chip a 90bhp version, ot a 90bhp Focus TDi, to give the performance you want within budget. If the car is outside, or close to the end of, its manufacturer's warranty, and you're a good insurance risk, then there's no reason not to - but be prepared to shop around for insurers.
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Another ZX TD...but if I see a decent one first, I'll be buying it! That's the problem really, as they get older there's fewer good ones about. A friend has just got an "R" Reg Elation TD and it's in excellent condition but I think that sort of deal is becoming scarcer. Anyhow, you already knew that.
The 306 is a nice car, but doesn't really set my world on fire. After the ZX it didn't seem a whole lot different to an Escort or Astra or other dullsmobile.
I'd have another think about the Xsara. Citroen seem keen enough to sell their cars recently that they'll throw both their granny and favourite duvet in with the mats & flaps. This means two things so far as I can tell : you can get new ones cheaper and therefore the used market values are relatively low. I'd imagine your £8k will get you a very fine recent Xsara HDi, if not a new one given enough digging. This will only go more in your favour with the advent of the C4 (the Xsara replacement) later this year.
I've driven a good few Xsaras, and yes, they're not perhaps the most beautiful of cars but they do drive very well and it each one I've driven just felf like a newer ZX after a few miles.
Still, with my name here you'd expect me to recommend another Citroen!
Final thought - throwing in a curve ball, how's about a Volvo S40 Diesel? Would have thought there'd be a shed load around for about 8k now.
Good luck with the hunting!
Lee.
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I drive a Xsara 1.4 and dad a Picasso HDI, I would like the mix of the two, so I personally think that a HDI engines Xsara would be nice.
www.usedcar.citroen.co.uk shows several 02 reg Xsara HDI 110 under £8500.
Condiser a C5 HDI 110, although not as fast as you want, they are cheap to buy.
Or a new C3 HDI 16v, not driven a HDI C3 myself, but others here report them to be like S**t off a shovel, and 60mpg as well.
Ben
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Trust me you don't want a fast car. I am your wife and you already drive to fast. What about an electric scooter - or a push bike (with two seats on the back and a basket for the luggage)? - anything but NOT faster
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How about a Seat Toledo TDi SE? Nice looking, large boot (No, make that HUGE boot)and superb MPG. I've got a 156JTD sportswagon and have to say that you are unlikely to get comparable economy from the Alfa to your Volcane. If I hadn't needed a hatch/estate I would have gone for the Toledo. Should be able to get a moderate milage 2 year old for £9-10k at a main dealer.
No Dosh - but then who has?
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Why not try a different approach?
Find a replacement engine froma a breakers or other source for your volcane?
At 200k miles, I should imagine you've replaced most other components in your car, perhaps except the gearbox.
A friend of mine had a petrol F reg Carlton which covered 200K on its original engine. He liked the car so much that he bought a brand new engine and had it fitted and did another 70k without any problems (that's about 18 months motoring for him).
If you successfully source a good engine, the car could be kept for a few more years for a few hundered quid, then when you can afford a more modern deisel.
Hugo
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I tried one of these when they were brand new and (for the time) they went quite well but usual problems about NVH and Citroen build qulity has always been pretty random.
You will find that diesels have come a long way since the Volcane was hatched. Some are bordering on tolerable.
Stand back and wait for ritual abuse.
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Sorry - hit send too quickly.
I have a Focus TDCi and its OK but I would buy a petrol next time because the savings are minimal and I hate the noise the damned thing makes when it is cold / in town. It's a good car but the 2 litre petrol is better to drive, cheaper to buy and run, and quicker in all circumstances.
My experience of the VAG 4 pot diesels is that they are pretty horrible. HJ keeps recommending them but I hate them and so do the people I know who have to drive them.
Me, I'd get a nice petrol engine middleweight, settle for 40mpg and throw away the ear plugs.
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Nothing wrong with the VW diesel in my Octavia...
Another curveball for you - How about a Skoda Fabia TDi 110? It outperforms and outhandles a (when new) '91 Golf GTi 8v! And uses half as much fuel. And has 5 doors. And aircon. And ABS, EBD, traction, airbags etc etc. Should be one for around your budget! Or for something with an even bigger boot try an Octavia, there are a few handling kits on the market to tighten things up a bit as well.
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>>Stand back and wait for ritual abuse.
No need. You know Peugeot/Citroen almost alone during the early/mid 1980s proved the diesel could be faster and more refined than the petrol engine in real world driving conditions...at a time when Ford/Vauxhall/VW were producing some right clunkers.
I don't think these XUD engines have been bettered yet (in a mainstream vehicle) for a combination of performance, economy, refinement and maintenance simplicity.
But let's not shout it too loudly though, and drive up the prices of the staggering range of cars fitted with these excellent engines.
MM
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MM and everyone.
Many thanks for the input. I was beginning to think I had the only decent Volcane on the road. The car has been brilliant with the one exception that Citroen radiators seem to be made of cardboard. - Now on it's third. On all other counts great.
Negligible oil burn (it got to over 180 k before I needed to top up at all between 6k oil changes). 40K on a set of tyres - each one does 20k on the back and another 20K on the front.
As as some of you have said, sheer pleasure and practicality - albeit without much street cred. Comfy seats.
I checked out the suggestions. None of the Japanese diesels get near the performance, the Astra 2.0 doesn't, the 306 and 306 don't. The bike was ruled out because I need something my wife can drive.
The Rover diesels have the performance OK, but my son says they're not reliable.
The VWs are I think overpriced.
So my decision? Put the Volcane through the 192K service, get the cam belt changed by Citroen (for the full 12 months warranty on it!) and wait till either something expensive goes wrong, or a Fiat Stilo dynamic turns up inside my budget.
- Of course all that may change completely in the meantime.
Thanks again for all the ideas.
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