2.5s, Autos, Etc..., General ramblings, ignore me...

I reckon you should buy it Andrew....

Ciarán

Seems remarkably cheap for a one-owner, low mileage Activa, but then if there's something wrong with it you'll need to spend £999 x 2 putting it right...

As for that C5... sheesh

That pink C5-methinks she wasn't really there..... and XM 2l TCT auto-about 28 mpg from my previous and that was not the computer display-my own calculations.

Alan.

Granted, an Activa is unique in the anti roll rams which can cause considerable expense if
they leak LHM, but the rest of the car is simply a VSX hydractive Xantia and is remarkably
similar to an Xm even in overall dimensions albeit narrower than it's big brother. They're
very reliable too, and I've personally run one regularly for over a year with just a leak on
it's main radiator, a failure not unique to Activae.

I wouldn't say the expense is the Activa whirry bits but the fuelling running costs as they're
very eager to be hooned about the squiggly bits and of course they share the Xm's thirsty
TCT engine so you know where you're going to be with mpg. There's nothing quite like using
one in anger to feel where the ultimate development of Citroen hydropneumatics got to.

In a way it was an experiment like the original wankel engined Gs and Ami models in the early
70's that were tried out on a limited production with Citroen enthusiast owners. If you want
one, you really need to search one out asap and spare it from being scrapped as an engine
donor just to make a nasty little Peugeot hit that big tree on the sharp bend that little bit
harder when Wayne 'loses' his uninsured death trap.

That red one is a beaut.

Andrew

It pulls at all my low-mileage, full-service-history, under-a-grand strings but I'm sure that once it was sat on my drive I'd quickly get bored of it. I don't hoon anywhere any more, and my prior experience of a Xantia left me feeling it was just another dull, slightly soulless, flat-seated French shoebox from the 1990s. Somehow the XM manages to rise above that.

I will grant you that several Citroen fans I've spoken with over the recent months have assured me that a properly sorted Xantia V6 is actually the best sports car Citroen (n)ever made. Is the Activa better? I suppose it comes down to personal taste.

Hi Phil,

I tend to agree that the Xm has an undeniable feel or 'character' that for some people a Xantia
may not match; under the skin there's a significant common ground of shared design and even
identical components. If you see a Xantia parked tight to an Xm you'd be surprised at just how
big the Xantia is and matches the Xm's dimensions but just without the long front overhang.

The Activa seats are undeniably the best of any Xantia and very different to the one's you found
in that loan car you had recently. I personally don't find any of them uncomfortable although
the VSX/Exclusive/Activa are undeniably batter. It is down to personal taste but I do like driving
the Activa more than the V6 24v Exclusive but it has a lot to do with the totally fabulous manual
hydraulic clutch whereas the V6 is auto only but with the best alternate auto adaptive auto.

Funnily enough, I've grown a greater respect for my new v6 Xantia over the past few weeks
after an initial disappointment it wasn't somehow better than the Activa! I expected it to deliver
that much more with such a great engine but felt a bit of a let down anti climax with the
undisputed power being well guarded by the autobox. It took a while to change my driving
attitude and adapt myself to it as it adapted to me and I believe we now have a happy mutual
understanding!!

It IS a great car and there can't be so many comfortable effortless and so accomplished family
holdalls that can drive like a sportscar; shame the UK didn't see the V6 Activa as this would
surely be such a great car!

In the end, the Activa edges the head to head for me maybe down to the gearbox, but more
likely for the planted totally glued to the road smooth handling that is very hard to describe
but feels totally unruffled and natural until you realise what speeds you're actually doing.
Treated with common sense and respect there won't be any nasty surprises where the unwary
can lose the car by being too cocky or expecting miracles from a VERY competent car.

You know the answer? Have one of each!

Andrew

NOOOOOOOOOOOO - I really REALLY fancy it but I really REALLY MUSTN'T!!
I like Activae with sunroofs... Here's one with AC AND a sunroof!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1996-CITROEN-XANTIA-...emZ170302962353

Goddammit, thinking about it, I'd swap either of my two Activae that don't
have sunroofs if I could. Can't go buying it in the hope I can be strong
willed about selling one of mine though. Laughing

So, anyone here going to spare it from a grisly end? Did I mention it's
a rare sunroof Activa? Think so.

Andrew

Blimey Andrew!

I have had its sister here, well, nearly a sister, A P reg Xantia Estate VSX TD, P635CJM!

IF that car stayed cheap, Id be seriously interested! Could do with an Activa up here to show those bloody stupid vouxhall Drivers a thing or two!!

It bound to goto a shopping trolly pusher!

Paul

Tell me about it, criminal isn't it!

I'd expect it to struggle past 250, 300 tops judging by the current state of recent ebay Activas.
Right spec though, sunroof, AC and cloth in THAT unique orange crimson Delage red flip paint
colour. You really HAVE to try an Activa if you haven't done so before they all die for the cause
of the pubescent morons in their 106's...

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on February 15, 2009 08:58 pm

You wait for one and then they all appear at once like buses:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1996-CITROEN-XANTIA-...3369832QQihZ018

Double vision or what! WITH A SUNROOF etc etc etc

I actually felt really sad after reading this!

Are you going to let this into the clutches of the nasty evil Activa Despatchers?

Andrew

Surely a Xm is a lot longer than a Xantia? An Xm hatch is almost the same as the C5 in length, which is a much bigger car than the Xantia ... Ill get out the brochures

I do like Xantias, but xms are so much more appealing, so many people have Xantias, the basics are boring but are a very good car, very comfortable and still a real citroen! However the Activa is more up my street. Mainly for its rarety, the fact its a big part of Citroens history and it proves what really could be done with that suspension.

I wish to god my dad still had the Activa, a mint 64K miles car in the Activa red which had been very well looked after. It developed a leak and as we rarely used it (i couldnt drive it - although i did sneak a drive once or twice - but I could now!) so we thought we will get shot of it as we didnt need it.

Only recently had i realised how nice it really was and how much i want it back.

I like the low mileage car as i would imagine it should be almost hassle free, an ebay bargain may need a lot spending on it, and probably wont be in such great condition when its mechanically sorted out anyway. Then again, it may well be.

I know our Activa had its problems before we bought it, it would lean to one side after it had been parked for a while, i think a new height corrector was needed, a left to right one? That was fixed before we got it though. One of the rams had started to leak and some of the pipe work looked iffy, although on top it was totally mint.

Activas use bigger diamiter pipes than the normal Xantias, if i remember right? Which would have been expensive to buy from Citroen, and the usual handy mobile person couldnt make the larger pipe work.

I was thinking, would i rather have an Activa than our Xm, the answer is no, not even for the most perfect example there is.

Im going to get an Activa at some point, i cant resist them for too much longer.

This post has been edited by Citroenmad on February 15, 2009 10:55 pm

The Xantia IS a big car.

You'd be surprised about the comparative sizes of both cars; sure the Xm has waaaaaaaay more
sticking out the sharp end beyond the front wheels which is where the real difference lies but
measured side by side from the centre line of the front axle and there's little difference in it at
the back!! I know as the damned things won't all fit in the barns as easily as I'd like to so I
can get MORE of em in!!

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on February 15, 2009 11:12 pm

they are virtually the same width, Ive towed a good few Xantias behind XM's and I have to fold the door mirrors in so I can see behind!!


The Xantia has an awfully flatter seat to pedal layout and it kills my lower back, EVEN with the seat set to high.. the pedals are just too low... :-(

I find that a dammm shame because I do like the Xantia...

Ive not tried the Exclusive seating however...

Rgds
PAul

Paul, try driving an Activa - have you done so yet!? You may like it but yes, the seat adjustment
of the Exclusive should make things more bearable if you don't suit the normal Xantia seats.

Later s2's apparently had a minor rejig of the squab shape/design which makes them a lot better
for some drivers - can't say my rump is that finely tuned to notice as I hop in and out of so many
different cars and can adapt quickly!!!

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on February 15, 2009 11:25 pm

Agreed, also it doesn't help if you've got canoes for feet...I find Xantia's difficult to drive because of this and my Father used to get hip ache in his.
Personally I find all Citroen seats too soft and short in the back.