Dear all,
I'm a long time Citroen Xantia driver, who's currently thinking about buying a new car for daily transport for the family. Our plan would be to buy a new car, and keep it for a good while -- 8+ years.
Money is a bit tight, so we would like the new car to be reliable, and last.
Besides corrosion protection & reading the manual carefully, is there anything we should do on the car while it's new, to maximize the chances of it lasting a long time for us? In other words -- and not french car specific -- are there some value-adding maintenance things / modifications one can do with a new car, which often yield really good value in the long run?
Thanks
New car, important things to do for longevity?
Moderator: RichardW
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New car, important things to do for longevity?
Xantia 2000 2.0 16V 132 BHP petrol
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
Doesn't seem to be much necessary with modern cars. Perhaps have it properly waxed and polished, other than that .. well, I can't think of anything at all. Service it on time, check tyre pressures (regularly), fluids (when you can be bothered) and that's about it.
TURDS!
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
Find the VERY BEST Xantia Estate, send it to a specialist, have it stripped/rebuilt and resprayed, Engine rebuilt to take LPG or Veg, ICE updated and trimmed with leather ect...
You get change from 5 grand and a car that will last longer than any of the new tin plate lumps for a 1/3rd of the price and no complicated engine management ?
Its a thought anyway
You get change from 5 grand and a car that will last longer than any of the new tin plate lumps for a 1/3rd of the price and no complicated engine management ?
Its a thought anyway
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
Try looking under my C5x7 and say that .....bloody powder coating....made of Poo !mad_at_french_cars wrote:Doesn't seem to be much necessary with modern cars.
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
Thanks all! Corrosion protection, and getting it serviced at the recommended intervals to maintain the manufacturer's warranty -- is that it?
I think I saw someone mention plastic wheel well liners; are they useful or not really? Anything else you can think of?
I think I saw someone mention plastic wheel well liners; are they useful or not really? Anything else you can think of?
Xantia 2000 2.0 16V 132 BHP petrol
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
If you get a diesel, change the oil at least twice as often as specified.
Peter
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
Well, he did say money was tight, he wanted it to be reliable and last for 8 years - presumably with little expense on repairs - so I assumed he'd ruled out any type of Citroen..Stickyfinger wrote:Try looking under my C5x7 and say that .....bloody powder coating....made of Poo !mad_at_french_cars wrote:Doesn't seem to be much necessary with modern cars.
Get a Kia with a 7 year warranty and live with it. Job done. They honour that as it's a manufacturer warranty too. They've just done replaced a window motor on my mum's 6 year old one under warranty. I believe it gets its service and MOT once a year and she does nothing at all else to it. Not even wash it.
Can't be beat really if reliability, cheapness and warranty are top of your list.
TURDS!
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
Think they all have such things fitted as standard now.MortyDK wrote:
I think I saw someone mention plastic wheel well liners; are they useful or not really? Anything else you can think of?
TURDS!
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
Or just Print your own plastic car
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
I would say that the Peugeot 406 8 valve Hdi is about the most reliable car you can get. Mine has done nearly 240,000 miles, I have done nearly 50k of that and it has had no serious problems and will do 60mpg with care.
Peter
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
Make sure to do the basic maintenance. Keep it clean and try to keep it away from corrosion.
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
Mmm... could be a nice little earner 3D printing steering racks for X7s.
Please Don't PM Me For Technical Help
Marc
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
Rustproofing, rustproofing, rustproofing.
Underside, subframes, inside doors and sills and floor cavities, behind wheel arch liners, behind bumpers.
Use a good cavity wax - there are lots of recommendations, of which mine is 4CR Cavity Wax.
If you are going to do it yourself, worth buying a Sealey SG18 waxing gun (which runs off an air-line).
Ours still without rust after 22 years, first seven of which were in UK.
As Peter says, if diesel, change oil and filter every 6000mi/10,000km, and (French) engine innards should last forever.
Underside, subframes, inside doors and sills and floor cavities, behind wheel arch liners, behind bumpers.
Use a good cavity wax - there are lots of recommendations, of which mine is 4CR Cavity Wax.
If you are going to do it yourself, worth buying a Sealey SG18 waxing gun (which runs off an air-line).
Ours still without rust after 22 years, first seven of which were in UK.
As Peter says, if diesel, change oil and filter every 6000mi/10,000km, and (French) engine innards should last forever.
Chris
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Re: New car, important things to do for longevity?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/253141912295?c ... 162&crdt=0
This is like gnats p*** and gets into everywhere been using it for years its brilliant.
This is like gnats p*** and gets into everywhere been using it for years its brilliant.
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