1st Apr 2001, 09:36

I have a Saxo Westcoast which I have had nothing but trouble with. It kept breaking down when I first bought it, the garage Burton and Deaken stated there was nothing wrong with it. But I would not have, it two weeks later they changed the alternator - the oil seal had broken.

Since then from brand new it has had new brakes, wiper blades, tyres, battery, gearbox, clutch, two services and has been in the garage more times than out!!!

I was going to swap it in for a new VTS, but after reading your comments maybe not!!! PS, the car is only a year old!!

Good luck.

4th Apr 2001, 08:05

I went back to the Citroen garage on Monday and they checked the fault codes on the computer, and fitted a new manifold pressure sensor which is about the size of your thumb - this cost 79 quid, but they knocked off the labor charges so I paid 67 quid.

I've been giving it some pastie for the last couple of days and it's fine now, thank god.

22nd Jun 2001, 07:24

GUYS,

I'm only small fry compared to ye lot. I only have the small but nifty 1.1 SX and I had the same cutting out and diving of revs. I brought it to a mechanic friend of mine and he said it was the driving and idling sensors were out of tune. As soon as he fixed them the car was fine and has never stalled since.

Best way to check if this is what you lot have is to rev up through the gears to 5th and when it's between 3000-3500 rpm, just slap it into neutral and brake, if it dips below 800rpm, you better get it checked.

Hope it helps, Se

21st Aug 2001, 12:26

Saxo VTS, about a year old. No problems. The cutting out / low revs problem is also attributed to screwing the hell out of the car. This includes red lining it often, and treating it like a racing car. People do it, its natural. Do yourself a favour, either tune it for racing or treat with respect!

4th Apr 2003, 06:54

I have a '98 1.1 Expose. Very happy with it until it 'cut out' 3 weeks ago. Phoned dealer who said 'if it does it again, bring it in'. It's done it again just recently and seems to be while holding it at a steady low speed or while decelerating, ie, not while the engine is under load. It also has taken more to start it from cold since it cut out. More turns, then when it fires it cuts out straight away. Again, it's only done this a few times in the last few weeks, but there's obviously a problem there! Any ideas as to what it could be?

21st Dec 2004, 09:03

I have owned a VTS for three months now and have had a similar problem with cutting out at the lights. I stopped using shell optimax fuel and it has solved the problem, possibly too high octane unless the ecu is re mapped to take it? I filled up with o'max again to see if I was imagining things and the problem started again. It may be this simple for you lot? Great performance though and I've had some fast cars.

9th Jun 2005, 06:51

Hi, I'm 19 and have recently got a VTS. The car has only done 19000 miles and has had one mature lady owner. As soon as I got the car I have tuned the car and took it to 192BHP. Its Fast, looks good, but (there is always a, but with Citroens) its NOT reliable. The VTS has broken down twice already and it has not been 3 weeks yet!!! It keeps on stalling and once the car wouldn't even start! Perhaps I was better off with the Toyota Starlet 1.3 GT Turbo or the Honda Civic 1.6 Vtec VTi?

14th Jun 2005, 06:55

I've had a Saxo VTS now for 2 months.

Only complaint I have is the driving position. Its not great. But I'm willing to out up with that as it's a great, fast car.

29th Jul 2007, 11:27

I own a 2.0 Focus with a Bluefin chip. I have owned it for nearly a year, and the other night I raced a VTS for the first time, and there was nothing in it up till 70, then I was starting to pull away. Then we went down a country road and I was pulling away from him.

Mine's has been lowered with 18" alloys, and it has traction control and ESP. The handling really is fantastic, and people don't expect it to be.

The 4 door version looks big and lardy, but the 2 door ones look good, and with wheels lowered and tinted windows, they look good. Plus the 2.0 model is only group 8 insurance. With a 400 chip you are keeping up with a group 14 VTS. I don't think there is a car group 8 or less with that kind of performance.

25th Apr 2010, 02:58

Putting 18" alloys on will ruin the handling, as will lowering the car if not done correctly. If you're lowering a car, you want coilovers, upper and lower strut braces, camber adjusters, lowering arms, and have it set up properly, not just a set of springs from Halfords put on by John down the street LOL.

11th Feb 2012, 06:56

Yes, the Focus (if a 1.8) will thrash a Saxo. My advice is if you struggle on the twisties, get your Saxo lowered and get some wheel spacers, and also a bigger spoiler; this will give it far better handling, and it should fly round bends.

Make sure the suspension is stiff. But this does has negatives, like you will have to go really slow over speed bumps, and you will feel every bump really bad.

If you want to go all out, get an induction kit put on, and get the engine remapped and a straight through exhaust; this will boost the power incredibly. Get a roll cage and rip the back seats out. And an engine brace.

If you do all these things, you'll pretty much have a track car, but on the road, and will definitely leave cars like Ford Focus for dead. You will even give ST's and RS's a run for their money.

All this will cost you about £2500 if you do most of the work yourself, but you can't remap the engine yourself, but the rest is easily done.

I've got a 1999 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 that looks pretty standard, but gives BMW's and Porsches a good lickin'.