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Why not?
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I don't think you can be quite that dogmatic Michael. Driver only, or averagely laden steel sprung cars can match the Cits. The great advantage of hydropneumatic is that the ride remains good, and even improves, when the car is at it's max load
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PS I'd go for a late model XUDT Xantia on the grounds that it should be easier and cheaper to maintain.
The HDi Xantias perform better and drink even less fuel, but are fiendishly complex. Given that even the youngest Xants will now be 5+ yrs old they're getting to the point where things will start to pack up. I've just had to layout £300 for supply and fitting of a low pressure fuel pump on my 85K 2000/X 110 Estate.
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As long as a Citroen's suspension is maintained properly and the spheres are at the correct pressure, the ride is wonderful.
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I have to say that, 1 up a laguna mk2 , on steel wheels and higher profile tyres is possibly the best riding steel sprung car around and easily matches a 1 up olio sprung cit and maintians commendable handling which no cit can. It is probably the best comfort/handling compromise car around.
It all falls apart however with low profile tyres and wheels.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Hi all,
Thanks for the opinions. I've noticed that XM's are getting harder to find. Maybe it will have to be a Xantia after all. The Vel Satis really catches my eye but they are too expensive at the moment.
Steve
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My dad had a K-Plate XM 2.0 auto Hatch and did 40,000 trouble free miles. He liked it so much, he traded it in for an M-reg demonstrater XM Estate 2.0 Turbo auto which he thought was even better. He did close of 80,000 in that and yet again, nothing but routine servicing. He could never understand the bad reliability reports. Only thing he noted was that it helped to keep the gearbox oil fresh for a smooth change.
Ive driven Xantias and I never liked them as much as the XM although they arent too bad as cars go.
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neighbour had a xm petrol. bought it very very cheap. ran it for a year trouble free till he had problems with the suspension. repairs was more than the car was worth so he sold it. had to laugh when i asked him why his indicator lenses were cracked. seems like his kid could not see the end off the bonnet and had to park the car by feeling it bump into others.
good cars xm but due to its age u may be better of with a xantia where there is a easy supply of used spares from scrappers and also it has been designed to be more freindly in means of repairs and maintenance
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My pal has just paid a Citroen dealer (in France) the equivalent of just over 800 quid to replace the exhaust on his XM 2.5 diesel.
He is still dreaming about the C6!
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If you get the Xantia VSX, as opposed to the lower models, you get the HydrActive II suspension from the XM in a more scrapper friendly package. Few more spheres and a sport button but better handling than the vanilla Xantia. Imho better ride than the H3+ in the C5 which is just so wrong, and in fact was the car that finally broke my many year love affair with oil suspension, the C5 is thankfully history but the VSX is still in service as a second car/load-lugger.
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Worth a go if you are handy with the tools. The XM will probably go the same way as the CX, quite collectable now.
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Hi,
The hydractive 2 type Xantia's sound good. Was it only fitted to the VSX? I'm now trying to find out if any of the HDi's had hydractive 2 fitted. I've seen a nice HDi execlusive, not sure what flavour of suspension this would have. Going to check the Citroen sites.
Thanks for the comments all.
Steve.
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The VSX was rebadged on the MK11s as Exclusive - only these came with Hydractive suspension. It is much better than the 'ordinary' suspension fitted to lesser cars - a much more compliant ride in soft mode, but stiffens up nicely when you push it to stop it wallowing around corners. The system seems pretty reliable - watch out for a car that hisses from the front just after switch off, and / or sinks at the rear - this signals problems with the (expensive) hydractive electrovalves. Don't expect the switch in the car to make any noticeable difference- it only changes the parameters that make the computer engage hard mode.
Avoid the 90 BHP cars - the 110s are faster and use less fuel (although they have some uprated brake components that make them a bit more expensive to work on) - you can easily recognise a 110 - there are two pipes going over the LH side of the engine, rather than 1 on 90 cars. The 2.1 is a development of the old indirect engine, and is reckoned to be best of the pre HDi engines - but it is a tight fit under the Xantia bonnet. Not that many of them around though.
I'm on the look out for a 110 Exclusive estate....
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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Thanks for the info. Would I be right in thinking that the 110 is intercooled and the 90 not? I'll have a look and see how chipping them turns out, sometimes it's claimed that it improves MPG. How would you rate the ride in a Xantia compared to a BX?
Steve.
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My grandad had both BX and Xantia, I now own the xantia and the ride is fantastic. One piece of advice would be to find a good citroen specialist, loads cheaper than dealer and they actually understand the car
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Temporarily not a student, where did the time go???
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I had a Mk 1 BX GT which had the "hardest" suspension of the Mk 1s, which I seem to remember was quite "squishy" in comparison to the Mk 2s, especially the GTIs. That was one of my favourites - true magic carpet floating, but a pig in crosswinds, and it leaned somewhat in corners (but it still got round). The Xantia VSX has less of the magic carpet but does corners very well and doesn't mind crosswinds. You can tell if you've pressed the "Sport" mode on the straight at town speeds, but it takes practice, the button really just alters thresholds for the system - start throwing it around and you'll get sport mode button pressed or not. The H2 does lean more in corners than H3 (and H3+) which was introduced with the C5, but copes so much better with poor W Yorks roads. If my understanding is correct the move from H2 to H3(+) was motivated more out of a desire to reduce pipe count and (hydraulic) complexity hence manufacturing time and cost rather than to primarily provide any ride benefit. Our C5 was a dog - poor crosswind stability, poor everything else (apart from the gorgeous leather seating) - it had the uncanny ability to be too stiff for the bumpy roads around town yet too soft for motorway driving causing unnecessary drifting and heightened concentration requirements, which ultimately lead to driver fatigue - all thing the VSX doesn't suffer from, hence bye bye C5 and the VSX is staying put until it finally dies or we really need those few extra square feet of drive space.
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1.Would I be right in thinking that the 110 is intercooled and the 90 not?
2.I'll have a look and see how chipping them turns out, sometimes it's claimed that it improves MPG.
3.How would you rate the ride in a Xantia compared to a BX?
1. Yes
2. Not sure but wife's 110 Exclusive (with HA2) does over 50mpg on motorway trips (even at about 90mph in France)and over 40 knocking about on v. short trips. Does nearly 40mpg towing caravan.
3. With the HA2 it feels much firmer and less "wallowy" (while still absorbing uneven surfaces beautifully) than either a BX or other Xantias. On motorways and A roads is unbelievably smooth. Mate has a Xantia SX without HA 2 and there is a noticeable difference. HA2 feels much "sportier" and there is not much body roll at all when being diven "enthusiastically". Xantia also feels much more solid/substantial than the BX.
By the way, electrovalves not ruinously expensive - just had one replaced, part cost £80ish plus 1 hour labour but that is only suspension fault so far on 2000my, 90k Xantia (not even had spheres replaced yet which is pretty good going).
Exclusives also get good extras - leather, sunroof and climate control, all electric windows, seats, 6CD changer etc. Really nice car - wish they had not replaced with the ugly C5, would buy another Xantia Exclusive anytime but not so keen on C5.
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Phil
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With the Mk1 VSX and you get a 10 CD changer option (Blaupunkt) with aux input on the front of the HU for your iPod, or the like, which totally outclasses the Clarion in the C5. You also have the indirect injection 1.9TD which some regard as a lot less complicated and more reliable than the HDis although it is lacking in power (92 bhp) but it is quite tuneable for £100-200 but really only gets 40s mpgs unlike the newer HDis that get 50s. Really what it needs rather than more power is a 6 speed box - they use the std gas ratios but you're stuck with a 4500 rpm redline so you get 2/3 of the range, so 2nd 3rd and 4th just top out far too soon - I really feel like I'm taking risks overtaking on fast A and Bs. Our current 2006 Passat TDI by comparison is a flying machine - it totally puts the C5 to shame - 1500 rpm, 3rd gear and floor it, next thing you know you're doing 80 mph and it gets quieter the more you rev it. An eye opener, plus quite easy to do high 50s at a decent lick with a load. Wouldn't like to be paying for it when anything went wrong though - it is a VW after all!
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Hi All.
The decision was made and so I bought a Xantia, HDi 110 Exclusive. Loads of service history (full), four recent tyres and a new clutch that cost the owner £600. I now need to give it a service and change it's belts and tensioners for piece of mind. The cambelt was last changed 35,000 miles ago along with the crankpully and tensioner - is there anything I should be looking out for such as replacing the water pump whilst I'm at it? Looks like I'll be changing the profile.
Thanks again for all the comments and advice.
Steve.
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Nice buy - very rare cars, the HDi Exclusives.
How much?
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Hi Michael,
I paid £1220.
I just need to get to grips with all the controls now!
Steve.
Xantia HDi Exclusive.
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They are cracking cars- especially for that money - how many miles has it done?. How did you find it? - was it a private buy?
I seem to think that the cambelt change is every 100k, though we had wife's (car!) belt changed at 72k as for old XUD engine for peace of mind. 35k might be a bit premature, but if you can DIY, I wouldn't argue against!
Ours has now done 90odd k and has been relatively fault free. Usual things such as discs and pads and also an electro-switch at rear (£85) and a rear height corrector at same time.
Strangely, ours is still on its original spheres, and our local specialist advises that they are still in good condition.
An excellent source of info (apart from HJ) is
www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=3&s...1
and you ill find some familiar names!
"need to get to grips with all the controls now!"
Do you have the handbook? If not we have ours and I can scan bits for you if you need any extracts.
Enjoy your new car - leather?, electric everything?, sunroof and climate control? and of course, the unbeatable ride!
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Phil
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"An excellent source of info"
I think you already know about this site, steelcity!!!
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Phil
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£1200? Thats an absolute bargain, brilliant car for the money.
Look after it and it'll look after you - I loved my £1200 Xantia even if it was only an M plate 1.9 TD SX.
Always wanted an HDi Exclusive, but couldnt find one for sale and decided to act my age (Sort of..) and buy a Mondeo with a bodykit and a loud exhuast..
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Hi,
It was good value for the money especially as it's got a full service history. I found it on Ebay, bidded, won then went up to Carlisle to fetch it - about 300 round trip. The ride home was lovely what with the automatic wipers and climate control, never had it out of 5 gear on the big roads. Don't get me wrong it's not mint but then a 1999 car with 137*** on the clock isn't going to be, to me it looks as worn as it should. Strangely all the electrics work but the suspension needs a looking over I think.
Yes PhilW you're right. I've been rumbled.
I wanted something more involved than my Pug, it seems I've found it.
Thanks.
Steve.
Xantia HDi Exclusive.
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"the suspension needs a looking over I think."
I would wait and see. If it has been well serviced the suspension should be reliable. Also, if it is your first Cit it may be that you are just not used to the different feel of the hydractive II suspension. If all the electrics work that's a bonus according to many - though all the electrics work on ours also! - as they did on our previous Cits!
Enjoy
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Phil
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