New Car, Slightly Oddball Choice As Well!

[GeorgeXS 32]

Hi all,

 

Thought i'd share my latest purchase with you:

 

 

Apologies for the photo, it would seem my phone isn't amazing in direct sunlight.

 

Anyway its a 1995 Citroen Xantia Activa.

2 Litre Turbo CT (Constant Torque) Engine.

Pretty trick Active hydropneumatic suspension, hydraulic rams stop the body roll at 1 degree. As a result it stays insanely flat and handles fantastically! Whilst still being insanely comfortable over potholes!

 

Video says it all for me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09-C33SrJi8

 

It's a record holder as well (Well the V6 model technically speaking):

Holds the record for a test held by a Swedish motoring magazine, the "Elk" or "Moose" test. The test that the Merc A-Class fell over on when it was first launched. The Xantia holds the fastest speed of 85kph, faster than Audi R8, Porsche 911 GT2 etc etc....

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/citroen-xantia-activa

 

Anyway I bought it for £600! Its in very good condition with the exception of a crease in the NS rear quarter, all new sphere's (all 10 of them in an activa!) in the last couple of years, looked after by an enthusiast. The guy I bought it off had 16 cars, 13 of which were Citroens! So far hasn't missed a beat, god forbid if it does though, things will be pricey to replace!!

 

Edit: I forgot the best bit of this car by far. Massive sleeper, no one ever suspects the Xantia!

Edited September 2, 2013 by GeorgeXS

[TooMany2cvs 65]

Looks lovely. Please don't kill it for the engine - there's too few Activas left already...

 

There's a few guys on FrenchCarForum who know all there is to know about the Activa bits. There's a few common problems that can cause all sorts of hair-pulling, I gather.

 

I was quite fond of my TCT XM.

[welshpug 1,657]

lovely, shame about the naff engine, needs a V6, shame they never made a RHD V6 activa.

[Anthony 1,003]

Friend of mine used to have one and I drove it a fair bit.

 

The suspension works very well, and once you get over the initial disconcerting feeling you get from a complete lack of roll, you could carry some serious pace in it. I never did get on with the on-off feelless nature of the brakes, fuel economy was horrendous, and it was distinctly lacking any kind of feel.

 

It's a real shame we didn't get the V6 Xantia Activa in this country (was available in mainland Europe) as that would have been excellent, and even more of a shame that the technology wasn't used more widely.

 

I'm slightly surprised that no one has made one of these into a track car - with some slicks and shod of unnecessery weight, I reckon it would be very capable.

[TooMany2cvs 65]

needs a V6, shame they never made a RHD V6 activa.

"They" didn't, but I know a man who's built at least one :- http://www.blautos.co.uk/

 

As well as v6, LHD-land got 2.1TD and HDi Activas. Can't imagine the diesels would have been to UK market tastes at all, back in the day.

 

I never did get on with the on-off feelless nature of the brakes

You'd hate a "proper" hydraulic Citroen, then, before they compromised the truly pressure-sensitive brake pedal by giving it some travel...

[jackherer 543]

Looks lovely. Please don't kill it for the engine - there's too few Activas left already...

 

Seconded. I ripped the engine out of mine but only after a someone drove into it

 

I think I still have the original Citroen dealer service update manuals for them somewhere.

[jackherer 543]

You'd hate a "proper" hydraulic Citroen, then, before they compromised the truly pressure-sensitive brake pedal by giving it some travel...

 

It's not just the brakes either, my old CX turbo took about two weeks of driving before you were totally comfortable behind the wheel but when you were settled you felt more under control than anything else.

[TooMany2cvs 65]

It's not just the brakes either, my old CX turbo took about two weeks of driving before you were totally comfortable behind the wheel but when you were settled you felt more under control than anything else.

Ah, CX steering... I never had a turbo - but I've had four CXs. The XM was nowhere near as good.

[jackherer 543]

I'd like to try an early LHD V6 XM.

 

Did you ever have the speedo drive to the steering fail in a CX with DIRAVI?

[GeorgeXS 32]

Looks lovely. Please don't kill it for the engine - there's too few Activas left already...

 

There's a few guys on FrenchCarForum who know all there is to know about the Activa bits. There's a few common problems that can cause all sorts of hair-pulling, I gather.

 

I was quite fond of my TCT XM.

 

Don't worry, there will be no car killing here!

 

Friend of mine used to have one and I drove it a fair bit.

 

The suspension works very well, and once you get over the initial disconcerting feeling you get from a complete lack of roll, you could carry some serious pace in it. I never did get on with the on-off feelless nature of the brakes, fuel economy was horrendous, and it was distinctly lacking any kind of feel.

 

It's a real shame we didn't get the V6 Xantia Activa in this country (was available in mainland Europe) as that would have been excellent, and even more of a shame that the technology wasn't used more widely.

 

I'm slightly surprised that no one has made one of these into a track car - with some slicks and shod of unnecessery weight, I reckon it would be very capable.

 

I hated the brakes at first, but now I find them awesome, I have loads of confidence and they have feel, it's just different! There are a couple of videos on youtube of them being tracked, hard to judge their pace without a reference car as they never look that fast due to the lack of roll. They just reach a point where the tyres start howling!

 

"They" didn't, but I know a man who's built at least one :- http://www.blautos.co.uk/

 

As well as v6, LHD-land got 2.1TD and HDi Activas. Can't imagine the diesels would have been to UK market tastes at all, back in the day.

 

 

You'd hate a "proper" hydraulic Citroen, then, before they compromised the truly pressure-sensitive brake pedal by giving it some travel...

 

My car has had a lot of work done by BL Autos in the past! Don't tempt me!

 

My car also doesn't have any travel in its brake pedal, the guy I bought it off had removed whatever mechanism was put in place to give it travel, it's now just like a button!

[TooMany2cvs 65]

Did you ever have the speedo drive to the steering fail in a CX with DIRAVI?

No... thankfully...

 

My car also doesn't have any travel in its brake pedal, the guy I bought it off had removed whatever mechanism was put in place to give it travel, it's now just like a button!

Normally, there's a little spring in a sort of plastic container. Press the pedal, the spring compresses. It could be removed and replaced with a solid link, to get them back to how Citroen brakes should be. Zero travel, pressure-sensitive. The brake "master" is just a valve to let system pressure through to the brake circuit.

[jackherer 543]

My car also doesn't have any travel in its brake pedal, the guy I bought it off had removed whatever mechanism was put in place to give it travel, it's now just like a button!

There is (was) a spring between the pedal and the brake valve to give it some 'feel'.

[welshpug 1,657]

I've driven a MK1 cx safari, took a while to get used to it weaving down the road and recently driven my sisters C5, brake feel has come a long way and they're using standard DOT fluid again, however still feels very Citroen like.

 

got a hell of a surprise when I leaned on the brake pedal in the C5 hard the first time, they have brake assist!! was a bit of a moment!

[jackherer 543]

The weaving was all you The first thing to get someone unused to a CX to do is just take their hands totally off the wheel, then they realise it goes dead straight with no input (as long as it's all working right and set up properly.)

 

I'd forgotten about the C5 brakes, the brake assist on them caught me out as it came to a halt a few times.

[TooMany2cvs 65]

and they're using standard DOT fluid again

Cost-cutting, so they can use off-the-shelf ABS/EBA etc. Depressing, since the really good thing about LHM is that it isn't hygroscopic, so no shagged calipers.

[welshpug 1,657]

yeah, though it works really well, since PSA spent so much developing it on the 407 it made sense to use it on the C5.

Edited September 2, 2013 by welshpug

[S@m 156]

I'm not sure its cost cutting, are there not new car regulations that prohibit having the brakes, steering and suspension all on one system now? The brakes must be on an independent one, i believe.

 

Also, first time i drove a C6 was at a citroen training course with a car full of the other attendees, and it was an auto so i used my left leg which is used to operating the clutch in my 205 to brake slowly and gently to a halt in the C6....cue everyone flying forward in their seats and near enough hitting the windscreen. oops.

Edited September 2, 2013 by Sam306

[GeorgeXS 32]

Here's a better photo, it cleans up really quite well!

 

[BERTMAN 40 1 Cars]

Was just talking to a mate about finding one of these things!

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

Looks lovely. Please don't kill it for the engine

 

Couldn't agree more after owning my phase 1 605 SVTI (turbo) for 8 years as a daily driver i went to the dark side and did this due to not being able to justify insurance costs for keeping two cars and discovered after that it was the last one in existence so now they are all gone. It was heart breaking gutting the car, i'd spent thousands on it and it was like new(ish) just as the OP's car is.

[GeorgeXS 32]

Well, the LHM is trying to make a break for freedom! Large leak has appeared and I have absolutely no time, no jack/drive etc to work on and limited tools! Damn.

[welshpug 1,657]

its typically the return lines on the older cars, you can often trim the rubber back to the leak and push them back on, its just push fit on the returns.

[GeorgeXS 32]

Ahh interesting, it does look to be occurring on a flexible hose right at a joint! Thanks Welshpug.