eBay: loads of 'em

[xmexclusive]

Hi All

I think this is getting a little out of hand.
I have visited WHM a few times in recent years while on the regular holidays in Norfolk.
I agree that their prices are well on the high side but the cars for sale are not kept in a field.
The sales and storage area is open but gravelled and reasonably laid out.
It is only the cars bought in as parts donors that reside in the field out the back.
There will always be a market for a small number of old Citroens sold at high prices to non technical hands off owners.
WHM are one of a small number of organisations meeting that need, also making a living from providing regular repair and servicing.
Many of us are fortunate in being able to work on our own cars or have enough technical knowlege to source and specify reasonably priced repairs.
It can give considerable pleasure in Citroen ownership. The hands off people just happen to choose or need to go about things in a different way.
In fact I suspect one or two of us would like a share in the servicing work. Might even find it is not as lucrative as it appears.
A few of us have also found that selling old Citroen cars is not a gold mine either.

John

[andmcit]

Just expressing my personal opinion - nobody has to agree with me.

So people who are a bit green to Xm'ing and don't know any better who fancy having one
need to pay an additional £2.5k over and beyond the 600quid going rate for that XM from
WHM once every other week or so, so that this important specialist can be maintained and
a key service is provided for second hand Xm's? I'm not buying it and I never will (from WHM).
I actually own x3 ex Citroen CX Centre cars from Roger and they're not premium quality
over and beyond the alternatives; certainly not justification for the extra dosh.

Of course there's no money in old Citroens, unless they're 50's/60's vintage or Maserati
engined.

Andrew

[carliterature]

I'll just clarify regarding my post, I didn't see the field - just the gravel sales area. But the guy did mention on the phone about the cars I wanted to look at being in a field.

I think this is one that could run and run in terms of how much someone's prepared to pay for a car. For instance, the last four cars I've had (the three V6 Citroens in my sig and a 3-litre Alfa 166) I've paid well over (as in WELL over) what the likes of Parkers suggest for such cars. However, this has been because of my personal experience looking for and buying such cars. I'm sure some people have managed to find the odd gem at a very reasonable price but my luck's never been that good. Sure you see, as in my prior experience, late V6 XMs going cheap but I've tended to find them with LOTS to be desired. And therefore when I've bought the ones I have they've been well looked after with a detailed history. How often for instance do late V6s (again, another cheap plug for mine!) actually come up? Can't remember the last one I saw on AutoTrader for instance. Now, this isn't suddenly a rallying call to vouch for WHM - I'm sure some people have gone there and found them to be totally spot on and love their purchases but bear in mind how much this one got up to first time round: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT (apologies in advance if the winner/ seller is here, I'm not picking fault) but I'd imagine the price reached such levels that many people were in need of smelling salts, yet the advert and the details are ambiguous (in my opinion) yet it still reached £2500... Some people (like me!) will pay 'strong' money for a 'rare' car. I've been looking today at late Alfa 166s (the facelifted one) with a Parker's suggested price of a max of £3k for an 04 plate 3.0 Lusso. I know they're not the trade bible but there's one on Auto Trader for £8.5k!!! Now, is he taking the pee (probably yes) but it'll probably sell for a lot nearer that price than £3k.

I'm not quite sure if I've got my point across there - in a nutshell, there's always someone willing to pay the price, it's just a case of how long you're prepared to wait.

Keith

[citroenxm]

Just off above subject, but the P301 LEY car is an On My DoorStep car!!

EY was the Anglesey and Caernarfon area Registration code, it was sold from EITHER: Citroen in Portmadog, or West Shore in Llandudno, or Slaters in Abergele!!

Its NICE for me to see a Citroen with an EY reg mark on it, like peter and his BL reg cars...

Paul

[Dean]

I guess John is right and we cant slate a company based on the personal experience of just a few people, i personaly dont think much of them from my dealings not from the car sales but from the spares, but as Keith has said the value of the car is what someone is willing to pay for it and you have only been ripped off if you feel ripped of, if i sold mine for 5k and the buyer is chuffed as nuts with it where is the problem? hell i paid £1000 for it and i dont care that i could have got one for £200 either

D

[Peter.N.]

As John says, the expensive cars are generally bought by people that know little or nothing about them, they may get a good condition, well maintained low miler and pay lots of money for it, but when does go wrong, which it will, they are in a far worse situation than most of us DIYers as they have to pay top prices for servicing and repairs. If you have plenty of money, that's fine, but I'm sure most of us here don't.

The XM is a beautiful car, the only thing that would stop me running one is being unable to repair it myself.. With even a little knowledge you can buy a cheap car from ebay and for a few hundred pounds spent and some hard graft you probably have a better car than one that matey paid several thousand for. They really are a DIY car.

Peter

[ThwartedEfforts]

If the discussion about WHM is getting out of hand, it's certainly not helped by their advertising now referencing 'the usual rubbish' when a good proportion of said rubbish belongs to or is known to CCC and/or forum members here. It's plain bad manners, so as far as I'm concerned they've pretty much asked for a drubbing.

All that aside, it is all useful information for people looking to buy an XM (wouldn't we all have liked to know about the dealer before we bought? - I for one would have avoided a court case) and come on - there's no smoke without fire. It can be no small coincidence that so far the majority of people who have had an experience with WHM have had the same one. A poor one.

Caveat emptor.

[onthecut]

Clearly some 'fishing' prices being put on some of these offerings, but I do wonder if we are approaching the time when decent examples are going to start going back up a little ? A substantial proportion of UK XMs are probably gone already and with few on the market at any one time, market forces must eventually come into play. I've stood and watched all sorts that now make serious pennies go round sale rooms for nothing, relatively speaking, at the low points in their cycle.

Mike.

[carliterature]

If the discussion about WHM is getting out of hand, it's certainly not helped by their advertising now referencing 'the usual rubbish' when a good proportion of said rubbish belongs to or is known to CCC and/or forum members here. It's plain bad manners, so as far as I'm concerned.

Completely agree, such a comment is completely lacking class in my opinion. They should be of the belief their cars or so good based on how they are described without descending into comparing with cars of other people.

Keith

[xmexclusive]

Hi All

It seems that stired it up a bit!!

I did use the words "a little out of hand".
All I tried to do was to correct a factual error about the sales area being a field.
The gravel has been down and the gates up to hide the field for at least 3 years now.

John