Smoke From Hdi And Falling Suspension ?

[charentejohn]

Can anyone offer advice please.

 

I am trying to buy a Xanti HDI and have found one locally (not easy in France, I am from the UK) which is generally ok.

It looks well maintained if a little 'grubby' with only a few minor scratches.

It has done 183k Km (about 115k Miles), timing belt done 32kKm (and 2 yrs) ago and spheres recently changed.

 

The car had been sitting idle for a few days I think so this may explain the following observation ? Or not....

 

I drove it briefly and noted the following, it started ok, no smoke.

 

After about 20 seconds the front rose up about 2cm, not much but it moved. Is this reasonable as I believe the no sink valve will allow some sinking over days rather than hours. My guess is the car could have been there a few days.

How low should it have sunk in this time ?

Looking at the car when I arrived the heights looked fine, just surprised to see it rise up, then again all others I have seen had just been running so I have nothing to compare against.

 

Drove about 200m from cold down a twisty path in 2nd gear then open road from 1st to 2nd, when in 2nd got a puff of black smoke. Just happened once and otherwise running fine, no smoke when standing still. Could this also be the fact it had stood a while and had warmed up a little ?

I believe they have a soot trap, could this have warmed up and the acceleration blew out some old soot ?

 

Last small point is that the 'fasten seat belt' waring light was on but we had used them. I assume this is just a dodgy switch ? The light is the one next to the airbag one on the dash, looks like a large and small person wearing a belt so assume that is what it is.

 

The seller seems a decent guy and the car is what we in the UK would call 'a good straight motor' in that is it reasonably priced for France (2000 Euros) and seems to work fine otherwise.

 

I would appreciate any comments to help me decide if these could be warnings of future problems.

 

Thanks in anticipation - John

[Johndouglas]

When you say the spheres were changed, did that include the anti-sink ones? How does the car perform when it's taken from low to high on the suspension lever? Usually the seat beat sign is controlled by a sensor in the seat. You didn't give the year of the car but it can't be more than year 2000. 2000 Euros seems expensive. In the UK, a Xantia more than £1000 would have to be very good. Have you thought about exporting a UK model?

[charentejohn]

Thanks for the reply and the warning on the spheres, I will check the reciept to see how many were changed.

You are right it is a 1999 (pre 2000) model, I will check the suspension on monday when I go for a second, more critical, look at the car.

 

2000 Euro is about £1700 at the moment, I know UK cars would be about the £7-800 mark but import costs and depreceation here works against cars in this price range. New lhd lights would be £200, ferry and travel etc about £300 and a certificate of conformity about £100, so £600 in all. Problem is with the steering on the 'wrong' side the car would be worth about £5-600 here. Not a problem with expensive cars as the £600 is a small percentage and easily undone to return to the UK for resale if necessary.

 

In fairness to French cars they don't change gear as often having more open roads here so less wear and tear, unless it comes from a town where I think they suffer more than the UK. Problem here tends to be dings and scrapes and prices based on year and miles and not actual condition, service history etc.

 

I did consider that if I needed an engine and box it would be cheaper to buy a working car in the UK and break it for spares than buy a 2nd hand engine here.