CX Buying Advice

Paul Halliday haute in die Tasten:

If you want an example of superior french engineering, search for a Xantia V6 Activa (not available with auto trans). The 190 HP 3 litre V6 engine delivers a top speed of 240 kph, the activa suspension reduces body roll and tilt close to zero. This car is capable of pulling approx. 1.2 g in curves, which is more than a Porsche Turbo. So you have an extremely fast, extremely well handling car - and nobody will notice.

OTOH the activa suspension is quite rare, and experts who know how to maintain and repare it, are even rarer. A normal Xantia is (compared to an XM) quite handy and straightforward. The suspenion is less smooth, seats are smaller, some interior details are missing, the back seat space is considerably smaller. Apart from that both cars are quite comparable.

Frank

Frank Kemper ( snipped-for-privacy@gmx.de) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Or with RHD.

We only got the Activa with the 2.0 TCT in the UK.

in article Xns967BF3D32ECF3eldosampleman@130.133.1.18, Frank Kemper at snipped-for-privacy@gmx.de wrote on 20/06/2005 22:58:

I think you're right. I've looked at three potential CXs now and TBH, they're amazing, gorgeous and beautiful cars, but not a replacement for my SAAB C900 as a daily driver. I'd still like one .. but it's another "classic" (or retro) car, which I need a little more space and time for. I've looked at a series 2 Gti turbo which did not have the leather interior I insist on having, another series 2 Gti turbo with leather but bad door rust and a series 1 Prestige which I came "that" close to sealing a deal on. Great cars!

So, yeah, the XM (or even the Xantia) still look like the favourite for a daily runner. TBH, the bad press over the XM's aircon system puts me off. Now that I've had a little time to distill exactly what I want .. It's a diesel, auto with air and leather; either an XM or Xantia. Failing that, a V6 or a CT turbo with air and leather.

I've not started to look seriously at XMs, but they too are a little thin on the ground. I'll let you guys know how I get on ...

Paul

in article Xns967C16B7B453eldosampleman@130.133.1.18, Frank Kemper at snipped-for-privacy@gmx.de wrote on 20/06/2005 23:08:

I must say, the top end of the Xantia market is very tempting. TBH, for the money which in reality is between 2000 and 3000 UKP (bear in mind that I'm a SAAB guy first and foremost), I could go for a luxury SAAB 9000. SAAB's best engineered car with *all* the trimmings.

I'm not actually that impressed by straight power. I'd rather a complete change of experience for my daily car, so diesel, auto and lots of interior comforts is what I'm after. But ... As I've said, failing that, a fast V6 or CT turbo (to be tuned) would be fun too, but I'd rather save my fuel money for something Swedish and turbocharged at the weekend :)

Paul

in article Xns967BF3D32ECF3eldosampleman@130.133.1.18, Frank Kemper at snipped-for-privacy@gmx.de wrote on 20/06/2005 22:58:

Can you qualify that? Why? What's "wrong" with it? The XM is a big car. Should I stick to petrol for that model?

Paul

Paul Halliday ( snipped-for-privacy@blueyonder.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

I've had probs with the climate in mine, yes, but I don't think it should be a make-or-break. Especially with the weather over the last few days, the aircon is *GORGEOUS*...

No, you don't...

The 2.1TD/Auto combination isn't great, and the 2.5TD never came with auto.

Paul Halliday ( snipped-for-privacy@blueyonder.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

I'm wondering that, too.

The heads can crack at 100-150k miles, the two rads are expensive to replace, and it's not THAT much more economical than the petrols - but it's reputed to be an absolutely stonking lump to drive. Torque-a-go-go.

in article Xns967D4A4C63AFDadrianachapmanfreeis@204.153.244.170, Adrian at snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote on 22/06/2005 07:18:

That's exactly the reason. Summer is coming ... Well, here, now. I want to be cool comfortable ... and not get upset about unhitching my exhaust (again) over speed bumps.

Right, okay ... Getting tangled again with models and specs :) Just re-read your summary from a couple of weeks ago.

Forget diesel then for the XM. The V6 sounds just the ticket. I know you advised that a while ago and I completely ignored you - must be conditioning from the SAAB world, where the V6 was *not* a good car at all. Citroën seem to have made a better job of it. Time to start looking seriously for the XM now.

I'll leave diesel as a possibility for the Xantia as a third choice ... Getting further and further away from the CX now :(

Paul

in article Xns967C4F5E3B341adrianachapmanfreeis@204.153.244.170, Adrian at snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote on 21/06/2005 07:48:

The Activa suspension is the "SC.CAR" system, right?

I have an engine/spec matrix that shows it to be an option on the 2.0i 16V for post-1995. Unless they're Activa, all post-1995 are Hydractive II, right? The TCT was definitely the Activa system.

Likewise, pre-1995, the 2.0i had the Hydractive II as an option, but the

2.0i 16V as standard. What's the deal between the pre-1995 2.0i 16V at 155 BHP vs the post-1995 TCT at 150 BHP? Why the change to turbo? I would imagine it to be more economical, but is that the reason?

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S

Paul Halliday ( snipped-for-privacy@blueyonder.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Ummm, tries to recall alphabettispaghetti. Yes, I think so.

It's the very clever one that plays tunes with anti-roll bar link lengths to give zero body roll and do funny little dances at traffic lights.

All Xant VSX & Exclusive had Hippo 2. No other Xant had Hippo.

Unless it was a TCT Exclusive estate.

When the Xant first came out, there was a 160bhp 2.0 16v, out the ZX and BX

16v. Quick. VSX only.

When the Xant got it's first facelift (about 94ish) the 1.8i and 2.0i were changed for a different 16v lump - same as the 2.0 16v in the XM, about

135bhp from the 2.0 - far less quick, and across the entire range. My ol' man has a '95 1.8i 16v Dimension, which was just about the bottom of the range spec-wise.

Xants are *booooring*.

Go drive a CX, Paul. You'll be back to the original plan.

Remind me where you are? The CCC DS Rally's on this weekend, near Aylesbury

- come along to that, buy me a beer, and we'll try to scrounge you a go in a CX.

in article Xns967D6180FA675adrianachapmanfreeis@204.153.244.170, Adrian at snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote on 22/06/2005 09:35:

I've looked over a couple of GTi turbos. One was a no-no to start with being very shabby and didn't fire up well (I suspect a leak on the intake manifold or a head gasket failure) and the other one had bad rust along the door bottoms. I didn't get to "try" either.

I've not yet started looking for XMs with any sense of seriousness.

I'm 'oop North, near Halifax. I do keep an eye on the CCC site to see what events are coming up.

TBH, weekends are very busy at the moment. My nearest free weekend is now into August, so I'll line up some XMs to look at then and keep an eye out for more CXs, which are very thin on the ground.

Paul

Paul Halliday haute in die Tasten:

Is this your concern when you said these cars are a little bit thin on the ground? A lack of ground clearance? (I am German and english is nor my native langage).

Both Xantia and XM feature a self levelling hydropneumatic suspension which features enough ground clearance for a good drive. Do not get fooled by the cars standing at the dealer's parking lot: Citroes lie down if they have been standing with engine shut off for a while. They stand up right after starting the engine again. AFAIK the XM lowers its body a little bit at high speeds in order to reduce wind drag. But you would never pass a speed bump at 60 mph, would you?

I love ingnoring these 20 mph speedbumps they are installing everywhere in Germany. It is the same with railroad crossings of all kind and vintage;-) An XM is even better in that discipline.

Frank

Adrian haute in die Tasten:

The 2.5 diesel engine suffers from expensive head damages, from overheating and various other mechanical damages. A colleague of mine drives a '94 XM 2.5TD and had rebuilt the engine twice, which would cost him 1500 euros each. And you cannot find such an engine on the junkyard, because usually a totalled engine is the reason for an XM

2.5 to get there...

Frank

Frank Kemper ( snipped-for-privacy@gmx.de) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

"Thin on the ground" means they are rare, there's not many to be found. Paul's current car is a Saab 900 - the exhausts are very low and vulnerable on those. I know from experience...

in article Xns9682E55C9E8D7eldosampleman@130.133.1.18, Frank Kemper at snipped-for-privacy@gmx.de wrote on 27/06/2005 21:32:

My apologies ... "a little thin on the ground" is a colloquial English phrase which means that they are not plentiful. We don't see many on the roads here and the usual second-hand car outlets do not show many for sale.

The suspension is absolutely the main attraction. I'd never even considered Citroën before and had no idea how luxurious and comfortable the interiors were, either.

That is *exactly* what first interested me. A friend was describing how he experienced a DS "showing off" by just ignoring a speed bump and gliding over it. The car behind lurched and pitched :)

Paul