Citroen Xantia 1.9 TD SX

This is one of those cars that exceeds expectations (for the money) due to misguided preconception they are complex they sell chaeap. My 1.9TD LX is as basic as you get however its basic spec is its ace card....less to go wrong. No ecus on the engine, and the engine is amazing. Suspension that makes you want to drive the car, 45+mpg low insurance, cheap parts. Get the 1.9TD it will run forever as no electronics to go wrong. But there is just a few things to do to keep these running sweet change the LHM hydraulic fluid every 30K miles as advised this will keep all the suspension, power steering and and brakes fresh (remember there is no way to do this on conventional cars ) replace the spheres if the suspension goes hard (£50 a pair 20 minute job conventional cars need shockers and springs...costs way more )and finally operate the up down lever in side a few times a month otherwise the car seizes in up or down (sounds bad but its s 5 minute fix and often a great source of cheap cars for those in the know )if fact the ensure it ride perfect douse the height correctors under the car with oil once a year, simple job just lean under take aim with WD40 and squirt!

An extremely comfortable, very versatile car. Available at half the price of a Mondeo or other equivalent. Very reliable and contrary to reports the suspension is very reliable and most parts of it are cheap and easy to fix yourself if you're anywhere near handy. Not the nightmare that some people, (who are probably baffled by something as complicated as how to open the bonnet)would have you believe. I love mine, a pure bargain at the price.

People are often scared of these car because of the suspension which brings the price down making them a bargain! Don't be put off, they are an awesome car, comfortable, smooth, luxurious, just plain AWESOME!

Generaly I'am very happy with this car, I been owning it 4 about 8 months and exept the MOT which took me exactly 19 min and 38 sec I had nothing to do with it. Am I lucky or its just luck...

Anyway you cannot tell any wrong about this car, previous cars I had include VW 5GL Passat, Alfa Sprint sport edition, Sierra 2.0 gl V6, Trabant, Wartburg, Lada, Laguna 2.2TD, Vectra 2.0DTI, so I think I can comparing cars to each others.

Basicly that is the ideal car for domestic use but u can smash it if u want, doesn't matter just change the oil at the right time!

Doesn't need to much knowledge to keep it, just use it.

Not include the complicated 2.1 TDi engines! Useless overcomplicated overelectronised, too much wire in there...

As of tomorrow I will no longer be the owner of a 1.9TD Citroen Xantia (1997), and I can't say I'll be sad to see it go. This is the third French car I've owned (past Renault and Peugeot) and probably the last. The Xantia is great on fuel, 500miles on a £38 tank (@93p a litre). The Citroen dealerships are very helpful and the notorious hydro suspension offers a comfortable ride. The electrics however are poor, over time a number of things have ceased to work (so the previous owner demonstrated). Had to disable the PIN activated immobiliser (kept re-setting the PIN), disable the alarm (kept going off), the audio controls on the steering wheel have died (except the mute), stereo and dash lights are prone to flicker on and off when travelling over bumpy ground and the key button central locking ceased working. And no none of those are as obvious as a battery or fuse problem. The biggest fault is the 'heater blower' and air con. There is a problem with the amount of current running from the ignition to the switch which burns out a relay; apparently, the problem also exits on other Citroen cars. So either the blower runs on one speed, stops randomly or not at all. Do a search on the web and there is plenty of information about it and possible fixes, I never did get mine fixed though. The shape is dated and very square. They depreciated quickly (so good for a bargain). Brakes are sharp, it's all or nothing (so all) another Citroen quirk. I could never get the driving position right so any long journeys would leave me with back-ache. For a 125,000 10 year old car I'd have expected better reliability regarding electrics although the engine is fantastic. I think this is a car and a manufacturer you'll either love or hate (my sister swears by Citroens), but I'll be going back to a Japanese family hatch very soon.

I bought this car in 1993 when it had 72000 miles on the clock and it's now just short of 200000. It has taken me and my family all around Europe; Holland, Germany, France and Italy without missing a beat. I know it's not the quickest car out there but who wants to get to 60 in 6 seconds or drive at 120mph? I do have it serviced regularly which no doubt helps and I really can't fault it at all. I also have a Xsara on a 51 plate but we all prefer the Xantia!

I bought mine for £20 as an MOT failure (due to a seized rear load valve) three years ago, managed to patch it up, and it is still going strong today. Has got a whisker short of 200,000 miles on the clock, has never let me down, starts first time every time and is used daily to get me to work and back. I've towed caravans and boats with it, have had surfboards and windsurfers on the roof, and lugged sofas and camping stuff in the back. Very impressive boot space when the rear seats are down. Very good fuel economy, and mine will still cruise happily all day at 90. Not the fastest car in the world, but if you're in the market for a thirteen-year-old diesel hatchback then this probably isn't top of your list :-) If you're looking for a cheap and reliable used car I would recommend one of these without hesitation.