1995 Citroen Xantia SX from UK and Ireland - Comments

Various hydraulic problems.

Far too many electrical faults to list.

A very comfortabile ride, but far too many mechanical and electrical faults. Don't buy this.

I have Xantia from 1996/97 and even if the car has low mileage (30tys km) you can have several problems. I had to visit the garage at least four time within the first 6 months.

1. Suspension very far from being reliable. The best thing which Citroen can do is to stop producing it - improvement very doubly.

2. Glow plugs!!! (after 30tys km)

3. Device to control the glow plugs!!! (twice)

4. Noisy engine is just normal and at least 7-8 liters per 100km is not a result to be proud of.

You must be very lucky to find the car without any problems even if it is a new one.

My wife had a Ford Escort. It was horrible to drive, the headlights, speedometer cable, clutch, dampers, foglamp switch, radio and fuel cap lock all failed. It gave 26 mpg (from a 1.4 engine) and you had to open the windows and sunroof with silly little handles! I ran an older, higher mileage Citroen BX as the family's main car at the same time with less faults and it gave better economy, performance and comfort.

It's much easier (and cheaper) to replace a pair of front Citroen spheres than a pair of front Ford dampers.

Give me a Citroen with hydraulic suspension any day. I'll even pay for it (and do).

Just a quick note on the subject of citroen spheres and citroen suspension.

I have owned three citroen bx's all of them second or third hand and I have never paid more than 50 pounds for all the rear suspension pipes from citroen, the front are even cheaper, I simply don't understand the who haa about citroen suspension perhaps too many people are far to willing to pay a citroen garage 50 pounds or more an hour with a minimum two hour charge to have work done, when there are plenty of citroen specialists around who will happily work for around 20 pounds an hour and some even come to you in a van and do the work on your driveway at a time convient to you.

I have had a clutch changed in a bx for 90 pounds with brand new original parts to, that was only four months ago, a second hand gearbox bought on the net for 80 pounds two years ago delivered to my home the next day on a pallet intercepted by the repair man who fitted it for 60 pounds all in and he fitted new oil seals to the driveshafts as well.

Citroen suspension spheres only cost around 33 pounds each fitted if you shop around some magazines advertise them mail order and some people even recharge them for a fee of around 20 pounds each, but if you would rather pay citroen to do the work an xantia will cost you nearer 60 pounds a sphere because of the horrror of the labour charges.

People who complain about citroens suspension generally never do the work themselves, which is very easy to learn.

Front vented brake discs £40-00 a pair brake pads £11-00 a pair, its very, very cheap motoring.

If any car costs you £200-00 a year to maintain excluding tyres and oil/fuel, you probably have a very good motor.

Don't be disalusioned by comments from people with bad experiences, if the service book says change the oil every 5 thousand miles do it every three instead the engine will last years and years esspecially a diesel.

Many people see the service period and think its OK to leave the servicing a little longer and then complain when it all goes wrong esspecially with citroens, a complete fluid flush of the suspension system needs to be done about every 6 to 10 years or if the ingress of water is noticed, this costs £40-00.

Most people never change the fluid at all just top it up.

Most hydraulically powered citroens where the suspension is also linked to the hydraulics system have excellent brakes and will stop you much more efficently than any other car, if you want a car that stops on a pin head plumb for an xantia/ BX/ or earlier citroen with hydraulic suspension.

Their briliant cars if you look after them, otherwise you might as well plumet for a hire car, which is rather sad really isn't it.

All the best and good luck.

Bailiff 2002.

The above comment is spot on, well said and accurate, not based on some (incorrect) preconceived ideas about reputations 30 years ago.

Indeed the technology of a xantia is still far superior to 90% of the so called newer cars on the road today, with a sensible amount of electrics, not just a 100 computers which tells you what to do, that's when if they work!

Also for statistical evidence look on the the internet for evidence that the xantia is not just reliable, but above average reliable. later cars are very sound indeed. there is no car on the road today which will give you as much value for money as a xantia plus well buuit and reliable too.

I'm on my second Xantia, my first one a "19 turbo diesel SX" cost £350.00 with 98000 on the clock, it lasted three years with only the rear trailing arm bushes being replaced plus minor things like tyres brake pads, tailpipe, needing replacing. The only reason I got rid of it was because it was hit in a car park, leaving the rear wing damaged.

My present Xantia, a "98 1800i 16v" I got it for £495.00 after a lot of bartering (garage wanted £700.00). I've owned it for the last three years, it has just developed a hydraulic oil leak at the rear, this is a minor problem that will be repaired when I've got time, not bad for a 129,000 mile car. The engine still sounds like new, failed last MOT for a side light bulb and two tyres, uses no oil, has electric everything, aircon, "oh" and a new battery. I might chop this in for a newer one, a 2ltr diesel perhaps, I don't think any other make of car will give you this reliability.