Dear all
I am looking at purchasing a Xantia as a second car. (Big smiles on DW's face). I will be using it to drive to and from work every day and the occassional load moving session. Can anyone advise me on what to look out for, which spec is best (I've taken a good look at the cbc breakdown and taken that into account).
I want to get a TDi, as the main reason for buying another car would be to make substantial savings on fuel which would hopefully pay for the car in a year. (I commute 70 miles a day round trip).
So - which spec should I look to buy?
Is it worth spending the extra on an estate?
What is the best time of year to get one, I would like it now, but can wait until the new year.
What are the main things to check/watch out for.
Many thanks in anticipation
Jonathan
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Just forgot.
I don't really want one that has ever had a tow bar, as you can never know what it has pulled. Should I make this a certain requirement? And if so, can towbars be removed without trace?
Thanks
Jonathan
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The estate IMO is a better-looking car and I'll now leave the techie stuff to David W. Have you checked the car-by-car breakdown on this site?
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They are no problem all these scare stories tend to be a little far fetched ,parts are reasonable cheap and readily available from eurocar parts and other such like firms.Look for disc wear and that it goes up and down without to much hesitation ,drive it any continual clicking noise is the front middle sphere on the blink cheap to change as as are all the spheres.The diesel motors looked after are good for half amillion miles ,make sure the camshaft belt has been changed if it is due.They do not rust the interior trim is of good quality and over extremely good value for money second hand .I am on my third xm 2.5tds estate this gives 7.5lts per 100km so the smaller engine in the Xantia should be even better.Go for the estate with the best trim level you can get and I will bet you will never want to part with it.
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If you're going for an older, cheaper Xantia, go for a pre-October 1998 LX without ABS. That could save you a lot of expensive grief from sensors playing up and eating discs and the ABS ECU failing at serious cost.
HJ
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Jonathon,
Find a nice Xantia and you'll be well pleased.
Re the Car by Car Breakdown, I would agree with most of it. Just one point to pick up on...HJ says they depreciate heavily which is very true, but he also says they are hard to sell. In my experiance a clean, diesel one at the right price will always find a buyer. Problem is accepting just how low the right price may be!
None of this is a problem as long as you buy with these thoughts in mind and drive a hard bargain.
Only buy an estate if you need one. They are more bulky, longer, heavier and far more costly than a hatchback, the hatch vs estate looks issue is very personal.
Have a look at my own personal Xantia buying guide, this is aimed at the buyer of an older value car but may help.
www.woollard.com.btinternet.co.uk/XantiaBuying.htm (HJ - hope it is OK to give this non commercial link)
I guess you are looking at a newer HDI diesel?
David
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David
Thanks for that. your site look very useful as a check sheet for making sure that all the essentials have been carried out. I will use it.
I am looking at buying something in the £1500 - £2000 range. So whatever that will buy me, looking through the ads in autotrader this means a 1.9 TD SX or LX on a 93/4 with about 80k. I will avoid ABS.
Just hope i can spot the ex-taxis.
Regards
Jonathan
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After owning 3 great BX estates, I bought a Xantia turbo diesel. Nice to drive when it went, 9 months of grief and £3K down I changed to Fords.
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I think there's something about the citroens that gets into your blood!
I'd think you could get a decent Xantia for the money you suggest, but I'd just quickly mention that the VSX models (with the computer suspension thingy) have more expensive boxes to fail, so might be best avoided. I saw several VSXs at very little money when I bought my Xantia earlier this year.
If anyone has problems with the spheres, there's a good company in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire that will supply you with new ones for about 30quid each. I'll post the name of the company if it's ok with HJ, or anyone can contact me direct on my email. (I don't work for them)
The best thing about the Xantia (and BX, and XM...) is when travelling in other cars, you realise that everyone else is on cobbled streets and you're gliding on the magic carpet!
Regards all.
Lee.
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Good sensible advice here, as you'd expect from DW. One more thing though - the later models with the fat 15" tyres don't ride quite as well as the ones with "thinner" tyres.
Handling is much better but there is more "bump thump", but I guess that's what most people want - cars that drive like Top Gear presenters think they should!
I wouldn't worry about the tow bar - TDs are good tugs and, unless they have been really abused, they are very robust. If you can stretch your budget to the HDi you'd be delighted with it, except that it seems to be stuffed with electronics!
I've also noticed that the headlights are much better on my 99 model than they were on the 94. DW, have Citroen changed them?
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Jonathon,
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My shortest post ever, edit facility on the new forum please Martyn!
Jonathon,
Now we know your age/price range it is possible to refine the comments a little.
I'm with Ian on the towbar issue. Often this is for a little camping trailer to pop up the tip now and again. If a caravan...well they tend to be sensible folk and look after their cars, and the van isn't on the back for long compared with total mileage. Do beware of horse trailer owner's cars though, these can get a good "stretching".
Yes you can remove a towbar almost without trace, plastic body plugs in any free holes and a litle black waxoyl over the previous fixing points a week before selling. If you're looking and do wonder the biggest clue can be nicks in the wiring insulators around the rear lights where Scotch-Loks have been removed.
Would love to hear about Bruce's 9 months of grief!
Lee is right about avoiding the VSX if on a budget, now they can be very hard to sell with that electronic control of the hydraulics. He is also right about beating the Citroen dealers on sphere prices (there are 5 or 6 depending on model and they will need replacing every few years). I go to a national (local to me) supplier of exchange re-gassed spheres, two year warranty and about £20 each.
Between the other specs there is a simple choice...SX with a better quality interior and ABS or the slightly Mondeo like trim of the LX and no ABS liability. Have a look at both and choose what suits you. Do avoid the few base models you see about without elec windows or central locking.
Lee is also right about the "other cars" issue. My test run for a customers car is 3 miles each way up the B-road we live on. The surface is the usual Fen bumps and dips. Other makes of car have to be very very good to make me think "that's a really good ride compared to the Xantia".
Also there is something in what Ian says about the ride, the earlier car on 14" tyres does seem to be better. His comment on headlamps is spot on, the dip is terrible on an early car (about pre '95). My car is affected like this and I do think of getting a set of later lamps from the breakers and changing them.
On price bear in mind they are falling fast, at auction the cars you mention will be about £1000.
Be very wary of mileage/history. I would only buy with history, some may say this is hopeful at such a low price level but you see...many older Xantia owners take pride in keeping a history. Rarely is a Citroen owner apathetic to them, mostly they are enthusiasts at one level or another.
Think about the mileage you expect to see. Many diesels are bought for longer distance economy or as company cars. Often they have travelled 20,000 miles a year plus for the first three or four years. This means that, even with average family use thereafter, you might expect the average 1993/94 car to be well over 100,000 by now. View anything less as a bonus, and make sure it really is correct.
Many will have covered 120,000 in the first three years....been sold at auction....shaved down to about 45,000....covered an average mileage in the hands of the new private owner and now show a cosy 80,000.
David
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David
Thanks again.
To be honest I was expecting a clocked one, but, I would need to see that the essential work as per your site has at least been carried out regularly, to avoid any nasty bills. I will look for the usual telltale signs (pedal wear, knackered or shiny seats, too many stonechips.
As long as the major components work (hydraulics, engine, clutch, brakes) and dont look like they need changing soon, I will probably take it. I intend to run it for as long as I can, for the minimum cost (doesnt mean skimp on servicing) and then dispose for minimal depreciation.
What sort of mpg could I realistically expect on motorway cruises (65 of the 70 miles per day is mway).
Are these cars easy to convert to lpg, or should i stick to derv?
Jonathan
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Jonathon,
Xantias are cheap anyway, no need to buy an old dog.
Bear in mind the two BXs that sit here, both with well over 200,000 miles have perfect seats, reasonable pedal rubbers and few stonechips. My 92,000 mile Xantia has no stonechips, a mint interior and 2mm tread on all pedal rubbers!
Cars these days take mileage so well they are a clockers dream. You need to look for a completed service book and old MOTs/receipts.
MPG is very variable. Our 1.9TD hatch does anything in the 40-48 mpg range depending on use. You would be lucky to see 50mpg with this model. Some folks cane them down to 36mpg but then you're really moving.
I regard LPG conversion to diesels in the same light as steam powered aircraft...why bother and will it work?!
David
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Jonathan,
A few years ago I was in the same situation looking for a 2nd car that would act as a economical workhorse (my other car's a 1991 BMW 535i sport).
I bought a N(96) 1.9TD Xantia estate base model with 110K on the clock but with full Citroen dealer history from "Dial" for £3000. I bought it mainly due to the price and the full history (which showed that it had had a new clutch fitted). I've never had a french car before let alone a Citroen so I was completely unbiased about their quality/character.
The car so far has been great and I have put on around 25K in 18 months. I frequently drive from London to Inverness and back with my family to see the in-laws. It's great to be able to do 600 miles on 1 tank full - when I went in the 535 I sometimes had to stop twice for fuel! At 75-80mph it's doing around 42mpg and if you're patient enough to keep to around 55-60mph you can get over 50mpg. I suppose that's not quite up with the VW TDi's but you have to take the purchase price and overall running costs into consideration.
The ride is great and the estate can swallow any amount of luggage thrown at it - the self-levelling feature comes into it's own when fully loaded. All it has needed is servicing at the recommended intervals which is done very reasonably by Louis Barber of Great Missenden - independent Citroen specialists.
The base model doesn't have any of the creature comforts such as electric windows, aircon, sunroof etc nor the added safety of ABS - I suppose not having all that means less to go wrong, but the seats are comfy even after 10 hours driving (I can vouch for that!), the brakes are always strong and the standard Michlelin tyres (15inch) have good grip and seem to wear rather well too. The only thing looking back at the history is that my car seems to like rear pads/discs quite regularly - every 15K or so and they need replacing soon, when I'll have the cambelt changed too. The engine is still sweet and there's always enough torque available to get you out of trouble. I don't know why people criticise the handling, it seems fine for a car that makes no sporting pretentions, if anything IMO it's better than some cars that do!
Anyway that probably enough of me ranting on........ maybe I was lucky in finding a good example but I have nothing but praise for the Xantia 1.9TD.
Good Luck - hope you find a good one.
Chad R
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