Citroen saxo
Author
Discussion

Matt11

Original Poster:

177 posts

186 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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Are citroen saxos good reliable cars? Have seen one with 37000 on the clock a 2000 plate x reg.

C. Grimsley

1,381 posts

224 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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It's like anything, but I would say at those miles it should be pretty pain free, they were great little cars.

Carl

Matt11

Original Poster:

177 posts

186 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
quotequote all
Reliable? Was told to stay away from the French because of electrical problems don't think there is much electrics on this though. No power steering or the likes

Codswallop

5,258 posts

223 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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Low miles don't necessarily mean a car was treated or maintained well - buy on condition. Citroen Saxos tend to be sturdy mechanically, although as was pointed out in your previous treads on the subject, you shoud seek a k11 Micra. Toyota Starlet, Mazda Demio, Suzuki Swift - any of these should see you right too if all you want is cheap reliable motoring.

73mark

774 posts

156 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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Not if the two up the road from me are anything to go by.
Recovery bloke seems to get a lot of work from them.

dabofoppo

686 posts

200 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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My vtr let me down once in 2 years and 65,000 miles when the headlight bulb plugs melted. It was scrapped on 145k due to accident damage and the engine is still going in another vtr. Id say they are reliable.

Matt11

Original Poster:

177 posts

186 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
quotequote all
Codswallop said:
Low miles don't necessarily mean a car was treated or maintained well - buy on condition. Citroen Saxos tend to be sturdy mechanically, although as was pointed out in your previous treads on the subject, you shoud seek a k11 Micra. Toyota Starlet, Mazda Demio, Suzuki Swift - any of these should see you right too if all you want is cheap reliable motoring.
Thanks that's what I will probably go for then, Seems like Japanese reliability can't be beaten? Shame there's not many old model Suzuki swifts around at all. Were they not a mass produced car? Is K11 micra for sell everywere

Tc24

533 posts

168 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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My 1st Saxo was fine (1.1 Forte) - never any issues apart from a dead battery once.

My 2nd (VTR) had a number of issues. Fecked rear axle, bad earth and seemed to eat suspension parts to name a few problems.

Both had over double the mileage of your prospective buy. Overall, providing you look out for the common issues, I don't think you can go too far wrong. My VTR was clearly just a bit of a lemon.

Paul671

337 posts

236 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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Matt11 said:
Reliable? Was told to stay away from the French because of electrical problems don't think there is much electrics on this though. No power steering or the likes
They have power steering.

Friend had a VTS nearly new, he went through several alternators in 3 years (of pretty hard use tbh), other than that it was pretty much faultless.

They are quite a bit older/higher mileage now though..

SeldomSeenKid

525 posts

182 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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Please buy a K11 Micra!! As myself and others have said on your other threads, it's the best bet for what you're after. Saxos aren't bad wee cars, they're better looking and probably better to drive than a Micra, but you'll be hard pushed to find a more solid runabout for under a grand than a K11.

Best of luck with what ever you go for in any case mate. thumbup

FatSumo

15,078 posts

198 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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Loved my VTR, had a mk2 version and regretted trading it in for an mx5 irked


ferrariF50lover

1,834 posts

255 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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Basically, it's exactly the same as every other car on earth, ever. Some (most) are absolutely reliable, a few fall to bits after 5 minutes and every 90 seconds thereafter.

Buy one that looks like it's in the former camp and hope for the best.

Simon.

AnotherClarkey

3,698 posts

218 months

Sunday 13th July 2014
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My 1.1SX was absolutely rock solid over three years despite regularly being thrashed the length of the country. It didn't have power steering.

I am a fan of K11 Micras but the Saxo handles better, is more comfortable, more refined and if comparing the 1.0 Micra to the 1.1 Saxo has much more usable go.

If you can find a clean, entirely unmolested Saxo it will give you good service and the handling is tremendous (especially on the lower powered, skinnier tyred versions).

InitialDave

15,086 posts

148 months

Sunday 13th July 2014
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They are as reliable as any other cheap French car which is popular with young drivers.

senorblm

177 posts

147 months

Sunday 13th July 2014
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Will be finally upgrading from my 2001 1.1i desire that we have owned in the family since new. Great car, big boot and I've only ever had a couple of issues with it. 1st one being the exhaust pipe rusting through and more recently some water ingress in the rear light clusters that required some soldering. Mechanically though @70k it has never put a foot wrong. It was serviced at a citroen dealer up until 59k and since at a local independent.

Downsides to them, EVERYTHING rattles inside and on motorway journeys the road noise is very audible. Fuel economy isnt great by modern standards, takes £70 to fill up and that will get you about 600 miles if you dont drive like an idiot. Tax is also quite high at around £150

chris watton

22,547 posts

289 months

Sunday 13th July 2014
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Back in 2010, my sister asked if I would be 'guarantor' for a loan she wanted for a first car for her husband, who just passed his test. I declined, but instead offered to buy a car for them and they pay me back in monthly instalments, interest free.

Anyway, I chose a car for them, a 1999 Saxo 1 litre for around £500.

This little car is still going, and my parents now use it every single day!

Rich1973

1,278 posts

206 months

Sunday 13th July 2014
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I see you are not one to rush into things Matt!

danzman1991

331 posts

165 months

Sunday 13th July 2014
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I had one as my first car, drove it as quickly as possible everywhere for 2 years and was the most reliable car I had!

Only ever had to repair driveshafts but to be fair, that was my fault not its.

ferrariF50lover

1,834 posts

255 months

Sunday 13th July 2014
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chris watton said:
I chose a car for them, a 1999 Saxo 1 litre for around £500.
What made you hate your brother-in-law?

Simon.

73mark

774 posts

156 months

Sunday 13th July 2014
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ferrariF50lover said:
What made you hate your brother-in-law?

Simon.
laugh