12 replies to this topic

[Jordie]

Hi all,

 

Just won a saxo vtr via the ebay, just wondered if anyone had experience with one and things to double check when i collect it.

 

Its standard, unmodified etc....the reason i bid on it, i didnt want one that was messed with.

 

Its to be used as a daily hack to save the mini during the winter etc. I had a 206 but found it dull and boring, slow and it needed work on every body panel, so fancied a small hot hatch as they say, so for £11 extra insurance, VTR seems ideal.

 

Jordie

[mini93]

Same as a peugeot 106 and other saxo models. Check the rear beam, when they havent been looked after well (or lowered incorrectly) often the bearings for the radius arms become damaged/wear our. If lift like it for too long the beam tube can be worn through.

You will be able to hear if its gone while driving, you will have a clunking noise and when jacked up, will feel movement in the wheel.

Bearing kits and paying someone will the special tools to service the beam can be expensive!

 

Rust, boot floor, rear arch tops,  chassis rails under the floor (mine went quite bad in the 106 gti i had) and the inner wings

[Jordie]

yeah i know about the rear axle, the 206 suffers from that aswell. I seen loads with key fob/remote central locking problems on ebay, so will check that.

[blacktulip]

i drove one my brother used to own years ago and it felt just like a normal hatchback to be honest. the vts he had was much different, very quick and handled great.

[Jordie]

got to be better than the 206 i had lol.

 

VTS is extra 20bhp or so, 16v engine, so will have abit better performance.

[mini93]

The VTS had thicker ARB's too

[Dan]

  Terrible main connectors in the electrical system lead to phantom problems.  The big circular connectors they have everywhere are the problem.  Also if the airbag light is flashing, check the wiring under the seat that connects to the pre-tensioner system.  Just squeeze the plugs a bit to close them, the light should go out.  Noisy injectors.  Cheap fuel pressure regulators that like to fail.  Cheaply made but expensive to buy and replace exhaust systems that like to rot out.

[Jordie]

nevermind.....went to look and buy this morning, ended up walking away.

 

photos made it look better than it was.

 

rust on bootlid below glass, someone had rubbed back and painted with rust eater type stuff.....wasnt mentioned on ebay ad.

 

Started it up, exhaust noisey....seller said they are all like that.......pointed out to him that the manivertor (manifold come cat) was blowing and you could see the fumes under the car.

 

Test drive noted brakes spongey. also had been lowered and was very stiff and noisey over bumps.

 

Walked away.....search for a new daily hack continues, think the saxo will be crossed off the list now....

[The Matt]

They are a good little hatch with a bad name....IF they've been well looked after.

If you're already going off the idea, then ignore what I said, they're rubbish.

[Jordie]

ive seen a VTS locally, mk1 shape, i prefer the mk2 however but i may go look at it. the vts is really clean, loads of history, not even a car park dent on it.

[harrymini2012]

i had a vtr up until this time last year. was a good little car, kinda want another one for a daily if i could afford to insure 2 cars... in the year i had it it never skipped a beat. Considering i thrashed it a bit too much, it held up well .

[Dan]

They are a good little hatch with a bad name....IF they've been well looked after.

 

 

 

  I had one from new until it was about 6 years old.  It was well looked after.  Had Citroen servicing until they took the licence away from my local dealer, by which time it was 4 or 5 years old and from then on it went to a local factory trained Citroen specialist / genius.  It had all the bodywork assessments on the service schedule, all the recalls and all the recommended service upgrades.  It was still a terrible car.  The body seems to made of the kind of metallic paper foil they used to wrap Kit Kats in (when the world was a better place and Kit Kats were wrapped properly) rather than actual steel.  It seemed to have around 15 welds total.  It lost all its body rigidity inside the first 500 miles.  You could actually feel the shell loosening up as you drove the thing.  The chassis development was abysmal on that car, and the gearbox was all over the place.  It had a weird habit of moving the accelerator pedal all by itself under your foot every now and then which is terrifying.    Now it wasn't a VTS or VTR and was just a plain old Saxo but they aren't that different.  The body is the same.  They are not good vehicles.

[Jordie]

Viewed a mg zr 1.8 today n won it on ebay afew hrs ago. Ive got a vvc engine to go in my mini so if nothing else its a tax n tested donor car. Its v.good tho n got for a gud price.