1994 Citroen Xantia VSX 1.9 turbo diesel from UK and Ireland
Summary:
Very comfortable when it works, which isn't often
Faults:
Water pump.
Union in the cooling system - £8.00 part but cost over £100 due to dealer labour charges.
Suspension - all spheres replaced twice at significant expense.
Glow plugs replaced at 120,000 miles - not surprising bearing in mind the age and mileage.
Central locking system packed up three times - two solenoids and 1 relay replaced. When the central locking system packs up on these it's impossible to lock the car even using the key.
Two rear silencers.
Electric sun-roof jammed in the open position and couldn't even be closed using the emergency manual winding system.
Countless instrument light failures.
Tyres have been replaced numerous times with very low mileages on them due to uneven tread wear, Citroen suspension problems have caused this.
Cassette player developed an appetite for the tapes, Citroen replaced it but the new unit also chewed so I eventually got an adaptor kit and fitted a Pioneer unit.
New wiper motor at 62,000 miles.
General Comments:
Although I only purchased this car at 90,000 miles I bought it from the company I worked for and it had been in their fleet from new, so I knew exactly what its history had been.
The Citroen 1.9TD is an excellent engine, provided it's well maintained this engine will go forever and performs better than many smaller petrol engines yet has still given me an average of nearly 40mpg.
The interior build quality has also been a pleasant surprise, very few rattles and very durable materials, even with 149,000 on the clock it still looks as good as new.
That quality is not reflected in the bodywork however, very soft paint, chips if someone gives it a nasty stare. Poor panel fit and the rubber window seals seem to weather faster than any other material known to man.
The suspension, whilst very clever, makes the car feel like a badly laden canal barge when cornering, and is horrendously expensive if it goes wrong, which it does on a regular basis.
The electrics are awful and no one seems able to fix them without taking the car to pieces. The dealers don't want to investigate problems properly, their answer is simply to start replacing parts until the faulty one has been reached, a horribly expensive method. The remote central locking is prone to failure, the dealers which I have used all inform me that failed solenoids are very common on both the Xantia and the Xsara.
The car is a very comfortable long distance motorway cruiser, when it works, but I'm trading mine in now as the maintainance for the last 12 months has cost me 125% of the cars value.
By the way, don't bother if you're over 6ft 1, I'm 6ft 2 and my head touches the roof lining. Very uncomfortable on long drives.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 4th February, 2001
7th Dec 2001, 11:44
With regards to the uneven tyre wear, which part of the suspension system is the cause? I'm also having the same fault and yet to be remedied. I also noticed the suspension seems a bit hard too with respect to the damaged tyres.
31st Jan 2002, 11:53
I have also had uneven tyre wear on my Xantia. I have had to replace all 4 tyres and get the wheels balanced. It is worth having the wheel balance checked every 9,000 miles or 15,000 Km as the tracking does easily go out on Xantia models. The other similar problem I have had is a difficult central locking system, the remote no longer works on my vehicle either.
23rd Jul 2002, 15:21
I have a Xantia 1.9 VSX and it wears the front drivers side tyre on both the outer edges. The simple cause would be under inflation, but pressure is as recommended. The tracking has been checked and neither is it wheel balance as it has happened with more than one wheel placed in this position. Citroen dealer and specialists do not know of any cause...does any one else.. it is also happening to a lesser extent on the passenger side.
4th Aug 2007, 16:16
Can anyone give me advice how to repair my xantia rear suspention.
26th Jun 2001, 16:45
Have just bought a 1994 VSX turbo diesel here in Ireland, after the exchange rate on Sterling, and the horrendous "Vehicle Registration Tax" (introduced by the Government to keep up revenue after the EEC ruled that their import tax was illegal), it cost £3000 Irish.
Lovely cruiser, 20 mpg more than the Honda Accord Auto I had last, but tell me more about the radio adapter kit so that I can fit a Kenwood CD player I have.
E-mail me at dearjohn@eircom.net
Many thanks, Nigel.