Anti-Xantia

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Wed 14 Aug 2002 10:32
Anti-Xantia - rg
Here is a useful site for Xantia owners...

www.citroendont.fsnet.co.uk

(I'm surprised that there isn't one for the XM...)

Rob


P.S. Is Andy Bairsto still monitoring this group?

And, David W., I've lost your e-mail address, could you re-send off-list, please?
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Wed 14 Aug 2002 11:11
Anti-Xantia - M.M
Rob,

I would say this Xantia site is interesting rather than useful. The anti-bias is fine if reporting genuine problems but some of the comments refer to badly maintained older cars which have no bearing on the actual vehicle quality.

The door hinge problem on estates does seem to have some basis in fact though. Having said that there wasn't a sign of it on the 1996 estate I looked after a while back and it remains unreported as a serious fault within the Citroen Car Club.

Just to take one anti report as an example:

Chap with a 1.9TD complains of some 27 faults including...

Engine failing after recently changed cambelt stripped its teeth.
Replacement engine fitted for £2K runs poorly, with about 2/3 the power of the old one. It cuts out at junctions and won't restart - glowplug relay not functioning?
Then the auxiliary drive belt snapped with loss of brakes, steering assistance and suspension.
Next the radiator rusted and leaked causing the head gasket to blow on the replacement engine. This job with a head skim cost £270.

So the guy had an engine fail after a timing belt was fitted, sounds like someone was at fault there. Then the replacement engine turns out to be poor, quite typical problem with a used engine and a chance you take if cutting costs. And blow me no-one thought to check the rad when changing engines so that failing cost more in engine repairs.

None of that was really a quality issue with the vehicle, all down to poor judgement/skills with maintenance issues.

Give the website owner his due though he will post positive comments, including some from Cliff Waterman the Citroen Club Xantia columnist.


David W
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Wed 14 Aug 2002 11:27
Anti-Xantia - M.M
PS Rob.

My mail address should be in my profile.

I'll send it anyway.

David W
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Wed 14 Aug 2002 12:04
Anti-Xantia - RichardW
The first thing that springs to mind when I read this is "Why not just sell the damn thing and buy something else?". Obviously depsite its faults there must be something that is keeping his interest - or maybe he's just a whingeing g*t who's keeping the car so that he can put more moans on his site?

As for the guy that spent 4 grand on a car only worth 1k. Well, what can you say......?

Richard

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Wed 14 Aug 2002 22:18
Anti-Xantia - Ben79
The Xantia has done quite well in some recent surveys, Auto Express and What Car?

I'd rather look at a C5 though. I have asked if I can borrow one when the Xsara goes in for MOT and possible clutch cable.

Ben
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Wed 14 Aug 2002 23:07
Anti-Xantia - Citroënian {P}
I've seen this site before, about a year or so ago and he's really quite an unhappy man!

I think this is something like the old having a meal with friends situation where the subject of high street banks crops up. Between your average 5/8 people you're practially guaranteed to have someone who's fallen out with each of the high street banks. Me? Midland or HSBC as it's now know. And I won't set foot inside River Island clothes shop either...

But the point it, I can't be bothered to run a website on it. I bet if you looked around, he'll running a site on "Why Gillette is EVIL", "You'd be barmy to buy a POLO Mints" and "Why you should avoid Indian takeaways".

And fair play to him. I'd hate to live in a country where he couldn't.

Can I steer this back to a technical angle by saying that my Xantia's doors are fine but I knew a guy whose BX door was blown off in a very strong wind.

Lee


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