RE: SOTW: Citroen Saxo VTR
Discussion
zygalski said:
Article says 14" tyres are cheaper than 15"s. Not sure about that.
185/65/14 vs 195/50/15 were £100 vs £55 a corner for a decent make last time I checked.
I think they were supposed to be on 185/55x14s ( late VTS was on 195/45 x15s ) - no idea how those prices compare though.185/65/14 vs 195/50/15 were £100 vs £55 a corner for a decent make last time I checked.
Michelin Pilot SX GTs if memory serves me well
Where is it? My neighbours have had a Saxo VTR in that colour for a few months. The paint is peeling in places, and not like on my car where its just cracked slightly from the sun, proper big flakes hanging off the B pillars.
It doesnt seem to ever get driven either, beyond moving from the drive to the road outside.
It doesnt seem to ever get driven either, beyond moving from the drive to the road outside.
The Saxo's always going to have a special place in my heart. I started off by buying a brand new Furio in 2002. Since then I've had a couple of Westcoasts, a couple of VTRs and a VTS which had rusted into oblivion.
Here's the current steed:
2000/V VTR mk2. My wife's car to be exact. She's owned it since Jan 2004 (longer than she's known me) and aside from a couple of electrical glitches that the previous owner never actually put right, it was fantastically reliable for many years. Economy was always excellent - I used to commute in it and 40mpg average was easily attainable, mainly because the 8v engine didn't like to rev; all the grunt came in the mid-range, so revving it never achieved anything.
In 2009 I scrapped my VTS due to rot and upgraded the trusty VTR:
The difference in pace is pretty noticable! Economy isn't as strong, but 35mpg still fairly easily achievable if you're not a dick. Refinement has dropped because the VTS setup has shorter sprinting gears. All the power now comes in at the top of the rev range, and the sort of cars it'll keep up with is always amusing. Also fairly unbelievable, so I won't unleash my 'kill list'
Sadly reliability started to falter in the last couple of years. It's not the 16v engine (though it's harder to look after than the 8v), more that all the recyclable budget components are starting to let go. I had a week or two at the beginning of the year where literally something new each day went wrong. Got those two weeks out of the way, and it was fine! Never actually fixed anything other than a rotten spring cup.
The VTR is a good car. It doesn't deserve the reputation, as 90% of the people throwing comments are clueless inbreds jumping on bandwagons.
I've owned lots of cars, and as an all-rounder the Saxo is probably only beaten for me by the Fiesta Zetec-S mk5. But that's only as an all-rounder, simply because the Fiesta has more toys, it's easier to live with, more refined and (slightly) better made. In normal driving it's also nicer to drive.
But when the going gets fast, the Saxo is better. It's sharper, it's taughter, it's lighter and it's more responsive. The visibility is better and it's more involving to throw around. And completely at odds with everything any old British mechanic will tell you, the Saxo is a SHEDLOAD easier to work on than the Fiesta. In fact, the Saxo VTR has to be one of the easiest cars to work on, full stop. Everything is simple, accessible and cheap to replace.
Interiors are low rent, seats are shockingly bad and they're basic to put it mildly. But underneath there is Peugeot 205 DNA in the design, and for its time that was probably the best supermini ever made.
Good shed. Probably not that model....you can get 106 GTis and the VTS for that money, but as an all-rounder it's about time the Saxo was recognised as being decent rather than chavtastic.
Here's the current steed:
2000/V VTR mk2. My wife's car to be exact. She's owned it since Jan 2004 (longer than she's known me) and aside from a couple of electrical glitches that the previous owner never actually put right, it was fantastically reliable for many years. Economy was always excellent - I used to commute in it and 40mpg average was easily attainable, mainly because the 8v engine didn't like to rev; all the grunt came in the mid-range, so revving it never achieved anything.
In 2009 I scrapped my VTS due to rot and upgraded the trusty VTR:
The difference in pace is pretty noticable! Economy isn't as strong, but 35mpg still fairly easily achievable if you're not a dick. Refinement has dropped because the VTS setup has shorter sprinting gears. All the power now comes in at the top of the rev range, and the sort of cars it'll keep up with is always amusing. Also fairly unbelievable, so I won't unleash my 'kill list'
Sadly reliability started to falter in the last couple of years. It's not the 16v engine (though it's harder to look after than the 8v), more that all the recyclable budget components are starting to let go. I had a week or two at the beginning of the year where literally something new each day went wrong. Got those two weeks out of the way, and it was fine! Never actually fixed anything other than a rotten spring cup.
The VTR is a good car. It doesn't deserve the reputation, as 90% of the people throwing comments are clueless inbreds jumping on bandwagons.
I've owned lots of cars, and as an all-rounder the Saxo is probably only beaten for me by the Fiesta Zetec-S mk5. But that's only as an all-rounder, simply because the Fiesta has more toys, it's easier to live with, more refined and (slightly) better made. In normal driving it's also nicer to drive.
But when the going gets fast, the Saxo is better. It's sharper, it's taughter, it's lighter and it's more responsive. The visibility is better and it's more involving to throw around. And completely at odds with everything any old British mechanic will tell you, the Saxo is a SHEDLOAD easier to work on than the Fiesta. In fact, the Saxo VTR has to be one of the easiest cars to work on, full stop. Everything is simple, accessible and cheap to replace.
Interiors are low rent, seats are shockingly bad and they're basic to put it mildly. But underneath there is Peugeot 205 DNA in the design, and for its time that was probably the best supermini ever made.
Good shed. Probably not that model....you can get 106 GTis and the VTS for that money, but as an all-rounder it's about time the Saxo was recognised as being decent rather than chavtastic.
sc4589 said:
Indeed- aren't the only differences bodyshape & the 106's crap leather interior..? Mechanically they're utterly identical...
I believe the saxo also has a longer second gear, this was done to give a better 0-60 time.ADM06 said:
Has anybody else noticed how saxos and 106s do not drive quite in a straight line?
It's like the bodywork is not properly aligned with the wheels.
Yes, sometimes when you're following them it almost looks as if they are crabbing from certain angles, I'm guessing it might be down to the wider front track.It's like the bodywork is not properly aligned with the wheels.
Personally I always found the 106 gti more desirable.
BrownBottle said:
sc4589 said:
Indeed- aren't the only differences bodyshape & the 106's crap leather interior..? Mechanically they're utterly identical...
I believe the saxo also has a longer second gear, this was done to give a better 0-60 time.The difference is that Citroen changed into 3rd after 60mph had passed. Peugeot changed up before 60mph, and also carried out the 0-60 test with two on board, aswell as a full tank. So even though the 106 carried the GTi badge that Citroen dropped after the AX because it would bump insurance up, the Saxo ended up being grp 14 at the time, where the 106 was grp 13.
Brilliant handling little things hence car of choice in the 750mc saloon championships
Saxo's in action (highlights from this season)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaW0muvrUSw
Saxo's in action (highlights from this season)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaW0muvrUSw
Anyone who properly knows their saxos will understand that a vts never came with the 15" wheels as standard. They all came with the 14" wheels (found on most vtr's) and the 15"s where optional, but where standard on a xsara vts!!
Also in the real world, the vtr 8v saxo was actually harder to run that a vts. Had 4 vts', 3 vtr's and a 106 gti, to compare the whole lot.
Really regret selling 3 of my vts'. Also a 106 gti is overpriced vs a saxo vts and they are practically the same. Ok yes they have leather. But look at the dadhboard. It looks identical to a ph1 106 or a 205. Very dated and suicidal...bit like most interiors in the VAG range!
Also in the real world, the vtr 8v saxo was actually harder to run that a vts. Had 4 vts', 3 vtr's and a 106 gti, to compare the whole lot.
Really regret selling 3 of my vts'. Also a 106 gti is overpriced vs a saxo vts and they are practically the same. Ok yes they have leather. But look at the dadhboard. It looks identical to a ph1 106 or a 205. Very dated and suicidal...bit like most interiors in the VAG range!
vanschpunk said:
Anyone who properly knows their saxos will understand that a vts never came with the 15" wheels as standard. They all came with the 14" wheels (found on most vtr's) and the 15"s where optional, but where standard on a xsara vts!!
Anyone who properly knows their saxos will understand that the VTS Mk2 (with the teardrop lights) came with the 15" wheels as standard.My OH had a 2002 VTR when we met, the exhaust fell off twice, it needed a clutch, brakes and a wheel bearing in the 3 years she had it, it was a great little car, and I look back on it fondly
I fitted Xsara VTS wheels to it and fixed the exhaust permanently with a Powerflow stainless system that sounded no different to a standard, the only thing I never got round to doing was changing the awful seats for 106 GTi ones, as they were too expensive at the time
I would gladly have another, but I would prefer an unmolested VTS
I fitted Xsara VTS wheels to it and fixed the exhaust permanently with a Powerflow stainless system that sounded no different to a standard, the only thing I never got round to doing was changing the awful seats for 106 GTi ones, as they were too expensive at the time
I would gladly have another, but I would prefer an unmolested VTS
My first new car was Y557 MAB a VTR in Wicked Red purchased from Citroen Redditch.
Great fun to drive and fling about the lanes. Sullied mine though with the usual Lexus lights and mesh grille. I was 17 at the time so I'm sure I can be forgiven.
I put 98,000 miles on it in 3 1/2 years without it missing a beat.
Great fun to drive and fling about the lanes. Sullied mine though with the usual Lexus lights and mesh grille. I was 17 at the time so I'm sure I can be forgiven.
I put 98,000 miles on it in 3 1/2 years without it missing a beat.
"only Shed’s legendary sense of fair play and fear of being done for insider trading is preventing immediate purchase."
LOL. Brilliant. Great little Shed! I used to have one of these, then the rear wheel came off whilst driving down a road. It hit another car and totaled it. Freak accident. But apart from that...superb!
LOL. Brilliant. Great little Shed! I used to have one of these, then the rear wheel came off whilst driving down a road. It hit another car and totaled it. Freak accident. But apart from that...superb!
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