Busy day or two.

[onthecut]

As the XM is off the road pending pump replacement, decided to pick up a temporary motor -- decided to go for something with ye olde trusty 1.9 mechanical injection lump. After wading through the usual Ebay dross, have picked up a very tidy Xsara estate with just 108k on the clock, pretty spotless inside and out and belt changed at 100k. You tend to forget what a solid performer this unit is ---- coming back up the M5, there was real grunt at the lightest touch of the pedal, anywhere from 50 odd to past 80. I do wonder what is the point of all the HDi b******s; this Xsara is easily a match in terms of grunt for the lads Hdi Pug and I bet there won't be much to choose in the economy stakes, either. Gave it a good going over yesterday and it really does seem to have been a well cared for car. Nice to drop lucky occasionally. With the auctions now levying obscenely high buyers' charges, buying private seems to me to have become much more attractive again.

Meanwhile, the old Talbot based camper I acquired last year was up for its first MOT in my care and I realised to my discomfort that they couldn't fit it in at my usual test station, so had the nerve wracking job of going to a completely unknown (to me) place. Must be my week --- after a very thorough going over, just one tie rod end and one tyre required. The emissions readings were on the floor ---- one day, all petrol engines will have pushrods, timing chain and a carburettor !! Back today for the retest and now have that magic piece of paper. So, all I want now to make my week complete is either a shiny new 2.5 lump, complete (for next to nothing, of course), or a new pump (for even less than next to nothing !)

Mike.

[Peter.N.]

Hi Mike

Does the Xsara use an ordinary unaduterated 1.9 engine. I have ben looking for a ZX for a friend of mine, he doesn't mind spending a bit more money but wanted something, like myself, that isn't full of electronics and that you can repair yourself, does the Xsara fit the bill?

Peter

[Ciaran]

I do believe some of the earlier Xsaras were non-HDI for a time Peter, not sure up to what year though. I've seen a couple of the later original ones with the ZX style headlights as HDIs though, and all of the odd C5 style headlight ones definitely are...

Ciarán

[onthecut]

Hi Peter, Ciaran

The one I've picked up is an S '98 reg and is definitely the BX / ZX engine. I think '99 reg is the changeover year, when you need to specifically check which lump is fitted and after that they are all HDi as far as I could see. I was surprised to see that not all the early ones were turbo, either, so you can go for a completely basic version if that's what takes your fancy. I think the only electronic bit on the one I've had is the speedo, as it has an LCD type odometer; that aside, no brains, no ABS ----- magic !

Don't know if I've just been lucky, but the paint finish on it is superb (met. silver); definitely better than any of the ZX I saw and better than the quite new ZX I had some years ago. All in all, on first impression, I'm quite reasonably taken with it. General build quality of the interior is much of a piece with the BX and ZX, I'd say. No mistaking it's a diesel, inside the cabin. To be fair to the HDi 307 we now have in the household, that is a lot quieter in the cabin than this Xsara.

If you look on Ebay, prices are all over the place for the Xsara --- older petrol ones seem only to make pence, relatively speaking, followed by non- turbo, then the turbo versions. Estates seem relatively scarce and make more -- definitely looks like they didn't shift as many as they did with the BX and ZX. Didn't pay much attention to HDi ones, as I didn't want one. I did notice that the ZX don't seem to be weathering too well; quite a few with dull paint and even rust.

Mike.

PS. Same applies to the Pug 306 --- daughter has a 'T' '99 that's got the old unit, but after that, HDi.

[Peter.N.]

Thanks for that Mike, very helpful. My wife has a '96 ZX estate which is in super condition, it had only done 70and a bit k when we bought it about five years ago, since then the only maintenance I have done is a track rod end and back exhaust box. I paid well over the top for it when I bought it (well, for me anyway) two grand but it was almost immaculate. It still feels like a new car to drive.

Peter

[onthecut]

Hi Peter.

I think if you start out with a good example of whatever model and are sensible, they do last well and give good service. At the risk of attracting incoming fire, I think one of the biggest ultimate killers of a car's paintwork is the use of a carwash, compounded by the dreaded rotary polishing mop. Makes me cringe when I see all the tellltale swirly marks on a car in the sunlight. Unless there's salt, tar or tree sap about, I thnk you're better not washing them at all than using a carwash.

If you do look at any Xsaras, be interested to see what you think of the paint finish. I'll be looking out for one or two other older ones now, just to compare, although the early ones do seem a forgotten model.

Mike.

[Peter.N.]

Hi Mike

I must confess to using a car wash but not very often as its about 15 miles away! I'm afraid I don't keep my cars very clean and shining, except for high days and holidays, What I do though it to spray all the vulnerable parts of the underside with oil and inject the hollow sections, this prevents it from going rusty - in most places, although it doesn't improve the appearance very much, at least I will still have a car to polish should the mood take me.

Peter

[steelcityuk]

There's a lovely Xsara coupe appeared in the car park at work. It looks lovely in deep metallic blue, you'd not like though, it's an HDi. I'm tempted.

Steve.