2000 Citroen Saxo VTS from UK and Ireland - Comments

Absolutely nothing, although oil seemed to go down quick when thrashing it. I suspected a leak, but this was not the case.

Very fast car, but needs revving hard to get full performance.

A level headed driver is required to drive this hard, but the rewards are high, especially compared to soft cars like a Fiesta Zetec S which forgives mistakes with understeer - safer (?) but boring.

Great handling and grip, but wrong tyres (I suspect this is the biggest reason people say the 106 is slighter better - the Michelin Pilots are terrible, no feel, no grip, I use Goodyear F1, a massive improvement in grip, predictability, wet weather performance, feel,etc. Bin the Michelins).

Not driven a Zetec-S have you...?

I binned my VTS and got one, they may be a bit slower standard, but you can soon remedy that with chip etc. A Zetec-S will run rings around a VTS because of the suspension setup. Also a nice trait the Ford has, is that is doesn't fall to bits and break down every day. Look at the comments on this site, Saxo's are motorised dustbins. How Citroen get away with selling such dross is outrageous.

I agree the money you pay for a VTS is ridiculous. My advice is instead of considering a new or used VTS (and 99% of used ones have been thrashed and abused, which the build quality can't take) try a used Polo GTI or a new Fiesta Zetec S. I was ready to burn my VTS out, it broke down so many times. I settled on a shiny new Polo GTI, OK so it's a bit slower than a VTS, but the interior and build quality are spot on. The Saxo interior seems to be designed for midgets and designed by toddlers.

Replies to last 2 comments - if you don't like the Saxo VTS then go to another area and comment on what you do like!

I have driven the Zetec S and I disagree, and presumably so do Ford as they are bringing out an RS.

Funny that hot Saxo is the best selling hot hatch 5 years in a row, where's the Zetec/Polo?

A VTR will beat a Zetec and probably give a Polo GTi a run for the money.

You don't buy a Saxo for build, they're for fun - mine must be an odd one - it doesn't break down.

A Puma is better than Fiesta, but the Puma was beaten by the VTS.

Still, each to his own - the world would be boring if we all had the same cars.

I am an owner of two VTS since 1997. I have done with both well over 130000 miles and I service them myself due to me being an aeronautical engineer.

Every car has good things and bad things,

so does the VTS.

To be able to service and clear any snag that comes along with my car, I have spend a lot of money because the dealers are crap.

I am now to a status were I really know the VTS technically pretty well.

1. For the airbag problem, I red check the cable loom. The earth cable of the impact processor is bolt on to its fitting on the chassis, but the fitting along manufacture of the car is painted and that creates a loss of ground. File the paint away and refit the cable.

2. Ref to the snag for erratic idling and cut-outs on traffic lights, replace the map sensor. This sensor is located in the air box above the intake manifold and is attached with a single allen bolt.

My personal feelings for this car are good. Yes it doesn't have the German built quality, but it has the French suspension system which is one of the best, if not the best in the world.

It is one of the fastest 1.6 litre small cars in production and has one of the most sofisticated engines of production cars (see adjustable camshft gears).

I am also an owner of a Vauxhall Cavalier GSI so I think that I have something to compare the VTS with.

I have recently purchased a 1999 VTS to replace my G-reg AX-GT. I am fairly happy with the Saxo, but expected something a bit more special and fun to drive. My criticisms are the dull steering, whiny cam-belt and the amount of piston-slap when starting from cold, which I think is bad seeing as the car is like new, has been dealer serviced (every 5K miles) and has covered only 22K miles. The steering may be due to the standard Michelin's, but has nowhere near the feeling of the AX (or my wife's Focus).

I have had to replace the front shocks, as the originals became very lumpy and gave a constant knocking noise even on the flat. I would replace the timing-belt myself, but tensioning requires an electronic tension gauge, so is not really a DIY job.

Apart from these gripes the car is a lot better put together than the AX and more refined, but it does share may common components and weighs in at nearly 200KG more!

I would be interested to hear if other people also have noisy timing belts and bad piston-slap (clanking noise) from cold or if mine's a bad'un!

I have a 1999 Saxo 1.1i

Bought it from a dealership 2 years ago.

Only real problem I have had has just started and that is a rumbling when going around a left hand bend. Took it back to the dealer who is replacing both drive-shafts for me. Not bad aye for a 2nd hand car. 2year warranty was part of the deal on it.

I note somebody said about replacing cam belts that you need a special electronic tensioner. I don't know who told you that, probably a dealer, but it is rubbish. Replace the cam belt and check the tension in the usual way. Quarter turn on the belt and that is fine.

I used to work for a dealership and that is how they check the tension themselves. The bit about an electronic tensioner is just for the customer so they can charge you a fortune.

I have just done an engine conversion on my VTR, just put a GTI lump in it! Same as the VTS! The car is great for handerling. and I have to agree the interier falls apart easy, but that's what you expect from the french. Main reason my car out handles near enought everything is I have spent well over 1k on suspension. this including new dampers and coilovers and has been lowerd 60mm and has a new advanced torsion bar! it also runs on 17" alloys with a 7.5" base with ultra low profile tyres! And for ur ford Z-tec my VTR cained them. and I know for a fact the GTI/VTS makes them a laffing stock at speed! Ford are naff Except for the new RS Focus! I mean the RS Turbo what a pathetic excuse for 133bhp, they can't evan keep with my VTS!

I have just bought a saxo vtr a couple of months ago and after just passing my test. I thought that the insurance was going to sting me, but in the end £900 on first car. wot an ace car wen lowered on sum tuff springs. and already not much is keeping up. 106 gti, yeh it wos fast, but not getting away that quik. festa zeetec s wernt more than 10 metres in front. so I know a vts wud paste one. only after a few weeks my poor little vtr blew up. an now I've got a 2.0 nova. he he he try an keep up wit me in your vts or zeetec s!!! unless you know sumone wit a subru

If you have the 2.0 8v cav engine then the vts will keep up with you. if you have the SRI 16v engine youl be very very fast.

Just bought a VTS, but I recently owned a 2.0 Zetec Focus.

I was annoyed that the build quality and overall feel of the car wasn't as good as the Focus, but to be fair, it's a much cheaper car.

Definitely worth getting the VTS over the VTR, although the VTS was only slighty quicker than my Focus, which I was kinda annoyed about.

I really love my VTS, although I'm selling it due to them being everywhere and gettin a chav status, which is a real shame.

Hope this review is helpfull :)

I have a 106 gti and it is a great little car very fast and great handling and for the post that someone made about a 106 and a zetec s just being in front of him in his vtr you sure it was a 106 gti because a vtr should kill a zetec s as I no this cos my mates drive a vtr zetec s fiesta and a focus zetec and nither keep up with the vtr and mine thrashes the vtr 2 b honest althoug it is only an extra 20bhp the only fault I have with it is a whining noise wen coming down through the gears or accelerating slowly not that mcuh of this is done overall a mint little car.

I've had a saxo vtr and two fiesta zetec s's and found the fiesta's to be by far the better cars on performance and handling and reliability. Both fiesta's I had were faster than the vtr the first one I had was an 02 and had it rolling roaded at 119bhp copletely standard, but the second car didn't have the same go to it, as I have read that the zetec s can vary in power.

Lets get a few things straight,

1. vtr is an ageing 8v unit made in two different power outputs, 90bhp and 100bhp

2.vts is in a different league to the zs and the vtr, especially when it comes to insurance!

3. saxo handling is no where near that of the zs as proved by top gear and many other owners review sites.

3.saxo is made from tin foil and recycled bin lyners.

4. zetec s is 103bhp and has a quicker 0-60 time, due to ford understating the power output to keep insurance down. fact

5. standard the vts will beat the zs, but the vtr will not. there is no point argueing about it.

Um. I have to say the Zetec s can't beat the MK2 VTR, although it is better made and better handling.

Wots all this aboout the saxos being poor handling? I own a vts and they r the king of the road on the bendy bits and extremely good on the straights up 2 about 80 when the 1.6l engine runs outta steam abit. the zetec s is probably a better build car, but for all round fun it doesn't compare to the vts, which in my opinion is on a par with the best hot hatch ever made which was the peugeot 205 gti {my previous car}.