Slumming it.

[onthecut]

Oh well, as SWMBO has a works car park that won't take the height of a Landy and no. 2 daughter has reclaimed the family heirloom Xantia and I've seen no temporary XMs that take my fancy, have been and bought a Xantia estate, with the trusty 1.9 turbo. Really can't see myself getting stuck into the XM until the weather warms up a bit and do need another set of wheels meanwhile. Contemplated a C5, but the horror stories re. the electronics plus my deep suspicion of the HDi put paid to that ----- ugly, too, the earlier ones, in my opinion.
Given the number of Xantiae they sold here, the estates aren't really that common (OK, not XM scarce, but vastly outnumbered by the hatches), certainly those with a good looking history. Off to collect it this afternoon, so will find out if it's going to be the immediately reliable runaround we need.

Mike.

[citroenxm]

Hi Mike,

Ive been Xantia driving the last 12 months too, while all my XM's are off road needing a bit or two dooing.

First thing to check, other then how well she starts, is the efficiency of the heater!! Put the heater onto max heat, and if the cooling system is in GREAT order you should start getting pleanty of heat BEFORE THE NEEDLE has got to the 60 deg mark.. If its still only warm when fully warmed, find the heater matrix hose bleed and remove the cap and see how well the water is flowing, if theres NO water flowing from the bleed on idle then the cooling system may need attention, as this is a sign of reduced water ways in the head gasket, due to lack of anti freeze, which Im sure I dont need to tell you can lead too... and please beleve me this IS the best way to check the cooling system and head gasket, Ive prooved it myself twice now..

Other then that, there cant be much wrong as they are a similar ride to XM's so you should know all about the "Green" parts etc..

Im sure she be just as reliable! My TD Xantia at 220k has been wonderfull, even in this very cold weather!

Regards
paul

[onthecut]

Hi Paul

Thanks for the heater tip. Certainly the petrol one we have has a belting heater -- faster than any of the XMs I've had. This Xant I'm collecting has air con (working, allegedly !) with a slide lever to dial up the required temperature --- presumably a halfway house between a standard heating system and the XM press button setting unit. Having been looking down the Xant ads, it seems they have the same blower speed and malfunction issues we're all used to.
I know I'm tempting fate saying this, but my experience of the 1.9 has been that it's a cracking unit --- never had any major grief either in the BX, ZX or Xsara we've had with them fitted. I was sorry to see that unlike the BX, they've gone over to a flat, adjuster pulley tensioned auxiliary belt -- I've had a bellyfull of pulleys this last year !

Mike.

[citroenxm]

Mike,

No the Air Con is ALSO a climate control system VERY similer to the XM system, so no step down there...

Its unfortunate that people do run the 1.9 XUD too lean of anti freeze not realising its an Anti rust agent too, and the Cast block is a lot of iorn to stop rusting into the water...

Ive had a good few XUD cars too, um, 309, Visa (x2), Learnt to drive in a 205 N/a, BX D, BX TD, Xantia TD, then another Xantia TD so Ive had a good few of them too..

Paul

[onthecut]

Remarkable !!!

Aside from one tail lamp bulb, absolutely everything works spot on. New exhaust (non-cat, thankfully), new tyres, clutch and cable 20k ago; sheaf of service bills. Only oddity is the cam belt was done ludicrously early (in my opinion) at 44k, so that's getting pretty imminent. First Cit I've had for a long while that hasn't suffered at the hands of the mad jackers -- pristine sills and no bumps or scrapes on the chassis rails. All seems too good to be true; will wait for first pieces to start falling off as I start using it.

Mike.

[citroenxm]

Pieces dont fall off Xantias, they are NOT built like the BX, and are VERY well built, and even I go to say, even though I LOVE the S1 XM's that the Xantias ARE better built then the XM.... Sad but TRUE!

Paul

[DoubleChevron]

Well I replaced a Xantia VSX 8valve petrol slugomatic with an XM 2.1TD slugomatic..... The Xantia rode better, handled better, went better, was enormously reliable, quieter.... Infact it's a better car in most ways as compared to an XM.

The XM... well something breaks nearly every week... But it's bigger, and that's what we wanted. At least the XM is pretty to look at ... The Xantia looks like "bland averageness" to my eyes

seeya,
Shane L.

[Peter.N.]

The Xantia shouldn't ride better, I think you need to get the XMs suspension fettled, it would go better becuase its somewhat lighter and it should be just as reliable, your XM is obviously not in as good a condition as your Xantia was and it would go a lot better if you took that awful auto box off

Peter

[DoubleChevron]

The Xantia shouldn't ride better, I think you need to get the XMs suspension fettled, it would go better becuase its somewhat lighter and it should be just as reliable, your XM is obviously not in as good a condition as your Xantia was and it would go a lot better if you took that awful auto box off

Peter

Nah the Xantia just seems to have an upgraded version of the hyperactive suspension. It's a lot softer in the rear end, which makes the car enormously better to ride in. The XM is close now I've stuck CX spheres on the back

They both work perfectly, hard/soft mode, soleniods and H/A systems working

seeya,
Shane L.

[andmcit]

The Xantia WILL ride better than an Xm (not sure about the estate Xm mind Peter)
where they are both on standard spheres especially if the Xantia is the
more roly poly normal Bx'esque hyropneumatic rather than a VSX/Activa hydractive.
Likely something to do with weight and A-R-B fitment as the hydractive cars share
the same standard spheres on the back.

Andrew