1995 Citroen Xantia VXS 1.9 turbo diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Nice, but can be expensive to keep on the road

Faults:

The suspension went wrong - £800 to fix.

The water pump.

The radiator.

The complete exhaust system.

4 new tires @ £100 pounds each.

The glow plugs needed replacing.

General Comments:

I paid £4000 for a VSX with full leather interior, I thought I had a bargain. But I spent over £2500 in the first year.

The electric mirror won't work anymore.

The car is very nice to drive, and the engine is excellent for a diesel.

Just wish I had checked the suspension before I bought it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 23rd January, 2001

12th Oct 2003, 08:08

£100 for tyres/ I would shop around more!! I got new Michelin 205's for my 2.1SX for £79 each. You seem to be paying main dealer prices for your work, try and find a good idependent, they are around.

Keith.

1995 Citroen Xantia SX 1.8 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Poor french car

Faults:

Various hydraulic problems.

Far too many electrical faults to list.

General Comments:

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

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 14th January, 2001

17th Mar 2001, 14:20

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.

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1995 Citroen Xantia SX 1.9 turbo diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Economical tank of a car

Faults:

Bracket snapped connecting the front hydraulic suspension to the rear which meant the rear suspension went to the highest or lowest position, not to the drive position.

Overheated radiator caused major engine damage, over 1000 spent to fix.

Constant problems with the lights on the dashboard, warning of water in the diesel fuel and ABS failure.

Battery failure at the first sign of winter.

General Comments:

When everything is working, a nice car to drive even though I do not believe the suspension has ever been at its best since I purchased the car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 29th December, 2000

25th Jan 2001, 05:12

Any car which has done 155,000 miles is going to give some problems. You seem to have got off quite lightly.

To restore the magic carpet ride, you need to change all five spheres every 60,000 miles or four years, whichever occurs first. A worn accumulator sphere will damage the hydraulic pump (check for LHM fluid behind pump pulley, if there's fluid leaking then the pump is straining)

Change the LHM fluid every 36000 miles, it must always be a nice semi-transparent green.

1st May 2001, 13:27

The battery problem is typical of diesels in general as they need a good amount of juice to turn over the engine. There is no solution - just expect to replace batteries every two or three years and don't expect to get away with a cheapie! (My current battery is 3 years old and will be replaced in September).

I have experienced a problem with the front suspension self-levelling sensor jumping off its clip - result: front stay on the ground whilst the tail rises above it all. There is a knack of replacing it. Other than that, the previous note about the hydraulics is spot on.

I have had an ABS failure, but it was only a sensor, not the computer. And all that in over 174,000 miles.

1995 Citroen Xantia SX Prestige 1.8 from Germany

Summary:

Luxury you can afford

Faults:

Nothing so far.

General Comments:

Splendid car. It is a Prestige (nowadays called Exclusive) and all the extras (e.g., heated seats) make you feel like God driving in France.

The ride is of excellent comfort but still the car is a very good turner. The suspension seems to "know" when to be firm and when to provide comfort. Even at high speeds (180kmh / 112 mph) the car is pretty quiet inside and is ultra stable on the road. I have owned a Honda CRX before and that felt a lot more unsafe at this kind of speed.

One little snag is that the engine wants the premium (super) petrol instead of the normal which is a bit more expensive. However, for all the pleasures the car provides I do not bother about this.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 11th September, 2000