I'm back! (And looking for a Citroen...)

[Mandrake]

Welcome back Simon and great to see you again Just goes to show, once a Citroën driver, always

Well of course. Citroen is in the blood. When I left NZ my Dad and Mum (despite being 25 years divorced) both also had Xantia's...my Dad was a mechanic working on the Light 15's and first ID's and DS's from the mid 50's to late 60's and has owned a Citroen of one sort or another since 1974, so I was destined from a young age

If I have to be honest the main appeal to me is the suspension. There just isn't anything else that rides and handles the way a good hydropneumatic/hydractive Citroen does. It makes the car extremely enjoyable to drive even if its not a model that has super duper acceleration. (And lets be honest, a 2 litre petrol auto Xantia whilst competent in acceleration is hardly going to smoke rubber at the traffic lights )

As Chris says, the Xantia is wearing her age very well indeed really. In MK2s at least the big rust worry nowadays is on the PAS pipe between the pump and steering pinion. Mk2 strut tops fare better it seems and body rust is yet a real concern except in some late estates...

Good to hear that. It really does seem like the Xantia was a design that stood the test of time, both mechanically and stylistically. Nearly 20 years later I don't think it looks dated. The only real blemishes are the few well known foibles like the front strut tops, seizing height corrector linkages, (the latter not really an issue in NZ due to no road salting) Mk1 ignition switch fan wiring, heater matrix etc... small and somewhat annoying blemishes on an otherwise great design.

Keep an eye on here and something just the job will show up... How about a nice Xantia V6?

I always wanted a V6 Xantia but only a couple of hundred or so were ever imported into NZ so it was nearly impossible to find one there, and the few that would sell wanted outrageous prices. (At least in 2005...) Fingers crossed that I haven't missed this one of lexi's...

[rmunns]

I'm thinking of selling my 90Hdi Forte silver saloon - September 2000, 2 owners, 76k only. Excellent service history. Four new tyres last week! Everything works properly, no niggles, has returned average of 49mpg over my ownership of three years, 36000 miles. Recent six spheres, ride is superb.

I am looking for £1300. It is now registered in France, I'm not sure what costs are involved in getting back to UK reg.

I would bring it to UK free of charge.

pm me for more details pictures etc.

[Citroenmad]

If I have to be honest the main appeal to me is the suspension. There just isn't anything else that rides and handles the way a good hydropneumatic/hydractive Citroën does. It makes the car extremely enjoyable to drive even if its not a model that has super duper acceleration.

Well said, I agree with you there! SOme cars do ride well but few match the ride quality of a good Citroen. The composure and the balance between comfort but without wollowing about uncontrollably.

[addo]

...(And lets be honest, a 2 litre petrol auto Xantia whilst competent in acceleration is hardly going to smoke rubber at the traffic lights )

You haven't seen me pilot one. OK, it may take a steep, wet hill...

[Gibbo2286]

Well I'm a long way away (GL15 6LE) but I was thinking of moving up from my 2002 C5 2.0 litre HDI 110 this springtime.

I've gone from BX to Xantia to C5 over the last four years, maybe go for a later C5 or even a C6 this time if I can find one at the right price.

My C5 is in good nick with an mot until July, had a set of four new 'Continental' tyres fitted about 1k ago mileage 162k and I'll take a grand for it but no less.

If you might be interested ask fo more details and I'll oblige.

Thanks for the offer but that is indeed a long way from me, I was hoping to find something a lot closer, being without transport (besides trains and buses) at the moment.

My local train station is only 3 miles from me but I suspect the fare from your place might be horrendous.

[Mandrake]

Anyway, look no further.... Xantia Catharsis

A bargain Ticks every box... Simon, it's a no-brainer. Go for it!

Bought

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and offers, I'm now the owner of lexi's Silver V6 Xantia

Of course with a 13 year old car comes a few jobs, the only urgent one I can see though being a set of new rear spheres. (The ride home was a bit bumpy at the rear )

A familiar experience for me though as when we bought my Dad's Xantia we had to drive it 100 miles back home in the dark and rain on punctured rear spheres...not a fun trip... at least this time it was only 20 miles and they're not completely punctured.

So I need to get equipped to start doing small jobs including sphere changes, I stopped at B&Q and got myself a decent looking spanner and socket set for general work and a cold chisel to go with my lump hammer for stubborn sphere removal

What I still need to find is a self tightening steel band (not rubber) truck oil filter wrench for general (non-stubborn) sphere removal, (I prefer to do it that way if its not really seized up) and a couple of small drive on ramps so I can do work underneath the car including sphere changes. I used to have a pair of ramps that were about 80 cm long and 30cm high that could easily fit in the boot of the car which were perfect for driving up onto for doing underneath work and sphere swaps.

Anybody got any suggestions of where to get either item ?

Also I presume GSF is still my best bet to get spheres ? I had a quick look but it was a little bit ambiguous whether the sphere codes for the V6 Xantia were for the Activa V6 or Hydractive 2 V6, so if anyone knows the codes that would be great.

Job number two is a bit of preventative maintenance - fitting a relay to feed the starter solenoid - I haven't had any trouble starting it so far but lexi has warned me that it occasionally needs persuasion to start Does anyone (Jim?) know how many amps the starter solenoid uses ?

That should be enough to keep me busy this month

[citroenxm]

As FREQUENTLY discussed... some like GSF.. some prefer AEP Direct Glasgow... And Im one.

Ive had many sets of spheres with disapointing results, IE Flat, or nearly Flat! Im personally NOT impressed with GSF Amtex Spheres... So I thoroughly recomend AEP Direct for spheres, which are IFHS Spheres... They always have good pressures in them and the dates on them within a month or so..

[Citroenmad]

Ah, welcome to Xantia ownership yet again A very nice choice with that one.

Ive never bought any spheres which were not gen Citroen, as we have had other makes of spheres fail, sometimes in a big way. So have stuck with Citroen ones if any needed replacing, otherwise they are regassed.

Citroen ones are expensive though, I have had a C5 with AEP spheres, one went hard but the rears are still on and give a great ride.

We will no doubt see you at a CCC/FCF meet soon?

[Mandrake]

As FREQUENTLY discussed... some like GSF.. some prefer AEP Direct Glasgow... And Im one.

Ive had many sets of spheres with disapointing results, IE Flat, or nearly Flat! Im personally NOT impressed with GSF Amtex Spheres... So I thoroughly recomend AEP Direct for spheres, which are IFHS Spheres... They always have good pressures in them and the dates on them within a month or so..

Sorry, I haven't been active on the forum to see debates between different brands of spheres

If IFHS spheres that AEP provide are the original OEM type I'm happy to go with those instead, and unless I'm mistaken they're around £8-10 each cheaper than GSF ?

The only problem I can see is that they only deliver (no store front ?) and require someone to be home to sign for the delivery with no way to pick them up from a post depot if no-one was home. That's very difficult for me to be at home sitting around waiting for a delivery now that I'm working funny hours and shift patterns. (whereas GSF have a depot in Glasgow I could presumably go to pick them up)

I see AEP is based in Glasgow which is only a 20 minute drive for me but I don't see any physical location on their website that would suggest that pick up of orders would be possible ?

[citroenxm]

Try them under Citroen Services... Im sure they have a collection counter...

[CitroJim]

Excellent news Simon Pleased you have this car, you'll love it...

See Xac's signature for a good home-made sphere remover... I can confirm it works a treat and costs pennies to make...

Job number two is a bit of preventative maintenance - fitting a relay to feed the starter solenoid - I haven't had any trouble starting it so far but lexi has warned me that it occasionally needs persuasion to start Does anyone (Jim?) know how many amps the starter solenoid uses ?

I posted on how to fit the starter 'helper' relay in this thread. There's a bit more in my blog but that takes some considerable wading through but this link takes you to the general area...

Not sure how many amps it takes but it's the best part of a good bit and that relay mod is a good one to do even if things are OK at the moment...

Have fun and any questions, just shout!

[Mandrake]

Try them under Citroën Services... Im sure they have a collection counter...

Thanks, I'll give them a phone tomorrow and see if I can go pick up some Spheres on Monday (Working this weekend but have monday off...)

[Mandrake]

Excellent news Simon Pleased you have this car, you'll love it...

See Xac's signature for a good home-made sphere remover... I can confirm it works a treat and costs pennies to make...

The problem with home made is I'm living in a 2nd floor apartment with no "man cave" to build such contraptions I can probably make do this time around with the hammer and cold chisel to get them off, and they only need to be firmly hand tight when refitted anyway.

I posted on how to fit the starter 'helper' relay in this thread. There's a bit more in my blog but that takes some considerable wading through but this link takes you to the general area...

Not sure how many amps it takes but it's the best part of a good bit and that relay mod is a good one to do even if things are OK at the moment...

Have fun and any questions, just shout!

Ah, excellent, I've printed off those circuit diagrams and put them in my folder for later this month. Spheres first though...

[Mandrake]

I posted on how to fit the starter 'helper' relay in this thread. There's a bit more in my blog but that takes some considerable wading through but this link takes you to the general area...

Not sure how many amps it takes but it's the best part of a good bit and that relay mod is a good one to do even if things are OK at the moment...

Have fun and any questions, just shout!

Jim,

Just thinking on this issue a bit more, lexi was saying that moving the gear lever with his foot on the brake to drive then back to park would nearly always get it working if the starter failed to operate, but I'm now wondering could that be a faulty neutral/park switch on the gear selector linkage ? I remember my 2.0 auto would only allow you to operate the starter with the gear lever in park or neutral, if you turned the starter with it in drive nothing would happen, not even a click, I assume the V6 auto has a similar lockout switch ? Just a thought...

[DickieG]

All auto's have a gear lever inhibitor switch so that could be the cause or the lever/switch could be out of adjustment but having said that V6's do have a problem with the starter circuit which requires the relay modification if you want to sort the problem out long term.