| Product: |
Citroën Xantia 1.9 TD SX |
| Date: |
18/10/06 (1495 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Performance, Reliability, Price & Fuel Consumption
Disadvantages: Turning circle
About three months ago, my car completely gave up the ghost and I was left needing to purchase another car as soon as possible as I had no other way of getting to work.
I have friends who work in the trade and I was able to ask them for their advice and assistance.
I was told that due to my budget (which was less than £1000) my best option would be to buy a trade-in vehicle that the dealership wanted rid of quickly.
These are usually very competitively priced as the dealer does not want them taking up space in the compound and they also feel that they can get more from a quick sale rather than send it to auction.
After looking at a number of similar vehicles (such as a Mondeo and a Vectra) I decided to buy a 1993 L Reg Citroen Xantia 1.9 TD for £200 from a Citroen dealer in Chester.
The car had 63000 miles on the clock - which is very low for a car of that age.
The car still had 5 months MOT left to run on it, which was very handy.
I had to buy 6 months road tax which cost £93.
I rang around a few insurance companies and ended up with a quote for £220 for a years fully comprehensive insurance with Privilege.
So all in all, it cost me just over £500 to get the car on the road - which was very reasonable.
The car itself is a large family car with 4 doors and a large boot area.
It has a very comfortable suspension system, which can be altered manually by moving a switch by the handbrake.
It will either lift the car up onto high riding (which is ideal for the speed bumps and rough terrain) or it can be put on its low setting which allows for a smoother ride and better turning circle.
All in all, it is a very smooth ride and can easily fit 4 people comfortable, 5 if needed but perhaps not for too long a journey.
Features & Gadgets:
It has electric windows and sunroof which can be all controlled from the driver's position without having to search for the buttons.
Front and rear fog lights.
Engine management system, which tells you when there is anything wrong with the car - indicated by a series of flashing lights.
Integrated Radio with tape player - with controls mounted on the steering wheel, allowing for safer driving. Speakers are placed on the inside of each door panel, allowing for good sound transition.
Alarm system, controlled by the key fob (although this needs repairing to wear and tear).
Airbags.
Towbar, which has become very useful for towing my caravan, the Xantia handles the weight very well and is a good tower.
The turbo system, although rarely required - this can be useful for overtaking, etc...
Electric mirrors - saving your arm from getting wet when it is raining.
Power Steering
ABS
Performance:
The Xantia has good acceleration throughout the gears and will sit quite happily at the motorway limit without being too high up the rev counter.
Recently I have noticed the clutch beginning to slip, but this only seems to happen when the car is in third gear and usually when the engine is cold.
With regard to fuel economy the Xantia runs on diesel and performs very well. I usually get 600 miles from a full tank (65 litres) and around 450 when towing.
A problem that can be quite annoying is the turning circle on the car, it sometimes won't perform a three point turn.
With regard to the reliability of the car, I have never had any major problems, sometimes a warning light comes on but the goes off straight away (an electrical fault perhaps?)
Safety:
With airbags already fitted and seatbelts all round - the car feels and most likely is - very safe.
Conclusion:
The car that I have bought has so far been very reliable and a pleasure to drive.
Cost, performance and reliability are definitely the three most important features in a car, and the Xantia passes all these with flying colours.
For a cheap and old second hand family car it has been really good for me and my family.
I can highly recommend this car BUT, try to avoid buying one in a colour like mine - GOLD!
Summary: Great car, very reliable and fantastic price !
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