I'm in the market for a filthy cheap 106xsi (1992-4)

[millsn]

Anyone know what to look for that's specific to the car?

[Sheds Moderator]

Join the club, I'd love one. Perhaps a Rallye if I can... 😬

 

Erm, no idea re specifics. I'd just give it the usual oncer and hand over the few hundred quid knowing that it's been mercilessly hammered and will have a few bills in store.

 

I do hope Saxo Dazza and his chums haven't discovered these yet ☹️.

[Bob Corb]

Ours (94 106 Rallye) did its head gasket because the coolant had never been changed. The coolant became acidic, swelled the carboard gasket and pushed the oil seals around. It cost £300 quid to replace but didn't damage the engine otherwise. Watch out for a small oil leakge at the front corner over the alternator.

 

Ours had FSH up to that point but when I realised that they never did anything I got it serviced by a specialist instead.

 

Listen out for a clonking as you drive over uneven surfaces, ours had to have new front ARB drop links. It seamed to eat CV gaitors at one point

 

The exhaust didn't last long, we got a Magnex stainless system and a cat replacement pipe (the rusty old cat lived in the garage 364 days a year and came out for the MOT!!)

 

Watch out for rust behind the rear arch extensions.

 

Otherwise, just look for the usual signs. The numbers on the odomoter always line up super straight, the factory alarm is a liability, the gearlevers do go wonky but a quickshift kit should fix that and make sure you buy a Rallye with all its stickers on (bonnet, sides and tailgate all have the multi colour flashes on)

 

I tried an XSi once thinking I was going to get one to accompany Mrs Cs Rallye but it wasn't as much fun. I bought a new GTi instead (back in 98) but we flogged that after the Rallye outdragged it in a straight line. We would still have the rallye if someone hadn't driven into it and written it off.

 

In fact I want one again...

 

How about this one

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/95579.htm

[Sheds Moderator]

Rallyes are bloody expensive given their age and humble origins. £2.5k for a 1997-8 hatch. You can get a newer 406 with 2 litres, air, leather, CD etc for that.

[millsn]

Thanks Bob,

I have to say I can't consider >£1K filthy cheap. Cheap maybe.. No the 106xsi got a 1.6 somewhere down the line which I think is where it got slower when it received the cat too. So I'll be aiming for a 92-94 car which was crazy fun. Fro under a grand I hope I can't go too far wrong.

[Bob Corb]

Sorry, I got all carried away, I get very watery eyed when I think about "Chas".

 

My best man bought a 92 1.4XSi the year before I got the Rallye, it was very nice. The nice thing about 106s is that they dont actually rattle very much, they're much better in that respect than the 306 which I progressed onto.

 

When I picked up our Rallye (early in 97 - it was 20months old) one of my work colleagues had just bought a Citreon Xantia 2.0 VSX fully loaded for the same price, he thought I was daft, I knew different.

[Sheds Moderator]

millsn, if you can get a 106 XSi for under 1k then that has to be a yes pleaser. That is filthy cheap. 😬

 

Good luck, I might be joining you in the dirt cheap warm hatch stakes once I get a permy UK address sorted and know what's going on.