I live in Belfast, so it was a flight over to Liverpool and back home on the boat. It was a fairly anxious journey as it's got a bit of a coolant leak but in the end the low level light never appeared. I topped it up before I left, once more before going down the kingsway tunnel and again before disembarking. It only needed about a litre in total.
Anyway, some pics. Here it is on the top deck
Waiting to disembark. LOVE the interior, especially that steering wheel.
This was MEGA steep. Fine on the way down but a bit scary on the way up given I hadn't used the handbrake before and had no idea what it was like
Before hitting the motorway a quick coolant check, hadn't used any between the boat and here
Crap arty shot outside a local shop
And finally the new view from my kitchen door - the wheel trims were a genuine selling point for me!
My plans for the car in the short term are to sort the coolant leak out, tidy the lacquer peel and give the paintwork a good claying / Polish.
The hydraulic pump is rattling on a couple of cylinders but Jonathan kindly included a spare with a leaking input shaft so I'll have a go at rebuilding one or both.
Other than that I plan on getting some miles on and slowly working through whatever wee jobs I can in an attempt to freshen it up a bit - it won't be a daily driver for me so I'll be able to take it off the road for periods to do bits and pieces.
Quick list of immediate niggles:
1) the top of the ride height switch has snapped off, making it fiddly to use. I'll have a go at gluing it back together unless I can find a cheap replacement.
2) the water leak. Jonathan seems sure it's one of the metal coolant hoses at the back of the block and I'd be inclined to agree. This will be easy to rectify although requires much dismantling. I'll go over the rest of the coolant system at the same time. I've a new valeo radiator to fit, not that it needs it but it was reduced on amazon to £12!
3) the lacquer peel. I'm just going to flat this back and re-lacquer, this approach has worked for me before
4) the hydraulic pump needs done as the power steering is intermittent.
5) bodywork is quite solid but needs a good claying and Polish.
6) interior is all there, I've a mate who works wonders with a VAX so the seats are coming out and everything is getting steam cleaned. It's not that it needs it but my mate insists on going over any cars I buy and it does fairly bring the carpets etc back up.
You should check amazon out, see my haul:
I think after the job Jonathan done bringing it back after the crash the poor XM deserves to be kept going!
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