Used car buying guide: Citroen Saxo

With increasing rarity comes rising prices, and the Saxo VTS and VTR are unlikely to be so affordable for much longer. Like fine wines, more commonly celebrated French hot hatches such as the Peugeot 205 GTi and Renault Clio Williams have matured to reach bona fide collector status, and their late-1990s descendants are tipped to soar to similar heights. The time to act, then, is now. Just take the time to make sure your Saxo won’t leave a sour taste in your mouth.

How to get one in your garage

An owner's view

Zac Jiggins: “The VTRs came with free insurance originally, so that led to a lot of those being written off, and the VTS – like any Saxo – suffers quite badly with corrosion. Also, they were from an era of Max Power styling, so they were modified heavily – given bodykits and lowered – and that kills the car as well. With so much money put into a car, rather than sell it, owners strip the parts and scrap the shell to get their money back.”

Buyer beware...

â–  Body: Where do they rust? Where don’t they? Your first port of call should be under the ECU and fuse box in the front wings and under the rear arches, but a ‘fine-toothed comb’ approach to the whole body is a good strategy. Virtually every car will have had some sort of welding, so check the standard of work carried out. If corrosion’s been simply covered with a plate, it will need sorting. Check for signs of past crashes, too.

â–  Engine: Cam covers leak on the VTS engine and, unlike the VTR’s smaller unit, there are no gaskets. Good sealant applied properly to an ultra-clean surface should sort it. Make sure the cambelt has been replaced as a matter of course, but both engines are relatively bulletproof. They are, however, known for head gasket failure, so check for leaks.

â–  Suspension: Low-riding lives on in the Saxo community and you’ll be lucky to find a solid VTR or VTS that’s not scraping the ground. Bearings on the rear beam fail and a recon axle is £300-£400 plus £200 or so to fit it. Replacement VTS springs, which have a different damper rate, may be harder to find than VTR units.

â–  Gearbox: Most crunch a bit going into reverse but excessive play at the gearstick usually means the roll pin, selector bushings or spherical nylon selector ball have perished. Check the condition of the clutch, as it’s a good sign of how the car has been maintained.

â–  Electrics: Apart from temperamental ABS sensors in the VTS, the Saxo’s wiring is relatively resilient. If the airbag light stays on – an MOT failure – the under-seat wiring connections may be gunked up with silicon and need a good clean.

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