One for Jorgy!! And me... :?

[XMX]

I wouldn't read anything into the For Sale number plate, its the same one that is stuck on each end depending on the photos

Hi Robert, I think not (Take another look) . The rear one has the GB/EU symbol on it
Remember, I spotted the reg, number on the Tax disc, being an Aero/Nuclear Manufacturing Engineer I tend have a very keen eye for attention to details

[Dean]

If i remember right Bret was a propper petrol head and had owned many interesting cars before selling them on to get the next 'fix', he may have just had the plates made up to make life easier when selling a car, no tape marks on the windows etc etc

D

[andmcit]

So Xm'ing really is the same as Rocket Science?

Sorry, couldn't resist; actually, were I totally committed (all meanings of the word too ) I'd have already had
every picture downloaded and examined under extreme scrutiny in Photoshop and the brightness / contrast / levels
fettled to show any perceptible feature lost in the usual grim overexposed crap ebay picture. Yes OK, I'm sad.

Andrew

[jorgy]

Hi guys

Not me bidding on this car.

4 things worry me, the two first are most important:

1. why would it be sold twice (and going for 3rd) in 3 months if it's so nice and has 42k? coincidence?

2. why on this advert seller says 124k miles?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1992-Citroen-XM-2 ... 286.c0.m14

3. the rear black light panel, obviously from another car as already pointed (see the difference in the shade, XMs had 2 different shades of these black panels+rear indicator lights, depending on body color, one has hues of red/grey, other is more black), problem is I think maybe the whole door has been replaced as it doesn't align well with the rear light cluster at any of the two sides -and it's a kind of misalignement that I spot for the first time at this area, it's like the gate is not completely shut? Not ur typical misalignment I was asking elsewhere about.

4. mileage proof ?


I'd normally consider it of course -if I had answers for the above- but seeing the interest here, I'm not even starting thinking about it....

cheers
George

[robert_e_smart]

Richard, you are sharp!

Pity the cars providence is being questioned here, I was get excited about another Low Mileage XM being for sale. On the otherhand George, it is worth a punt for its face value, nice looking car, manual, well equiped, etc etc. Not worth bidding what a 47k miler is worth, but surely worth the same as a "cheap" xm?

[andmcit]

First thing I'd suggest if anyone were very keen about buying the car would be to verify more background with
the seller and/or Brett through an Instant Message here. With these very uncertain times there's every chance
the car may have had to go shortly after it's last purchase to fund a £ shortfall etc; without chapter and verse
it can only be guesswork and whatever bid is made will be influenced by probable risk.

It won't be the first or the last time an ebay listing has been goosed by using another auction as a template for
a new listing - I've seen it many times in my work as a Graphic Designer so there may be nothing sinister in the
discrepancy although the disappearance of the nice pictures Brett posted that everyone remarked as being very
professional could be seen as significant.

Incidentally, I've seen cars with totally different tinted tail lights many times and wouldn't at all be surprised if
they left the factory this way - alignment is another matter mind but I wouldn't get so paranoid. If the car were
£2k maybe, but I realistically can't see it getting that far.

Incidentally, I really mustn't go buying any more cars when I should be selling them so don't expect me bidding
£600 as much as I'd fancy doing so!! If it struggles to pass £150 like that black Exclusive I'm sure I may succumb
as it is a nice s1 after all and another one for the set!!!

Andrew

[jorgy]

Well, I've now asked him a few questions, I'll bid/not bid accordingly.

Problem is I'm looking for a reliable car to use immediately for work, if it's low mileage even better, but that's not my primary criterion; he has to convince me of the state of the car. I don't find his advert sufficiently informative, hopefully he's more expansive in answering private questions.

Damn, thinking I lost the 2lt silver one for a few tenners.... (and the seller was EXCELLENT, prob best seller I've had on ebay, he even followed instructions and tested the hydractive for me).

Was basically thinking of that one these days:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

I know it's about 1000000000miles, but if it's well kept as it seems, that's nothing for these -same for my V6 XM with 175k. I was prepared to pay about that sort of money for an excellent, low mileage 2lt, so as well I could go a bit off budget to please myself and get the performance -and it has the alcadra interior that I like (although I hate the S2 dash), and, economy is similar.

In this case, 2 things worry me ALOT:
-maintenance costs (hydraulic clutches turbos intercoolers this that etc etc brrrrr.....)
-if my mechanic has ever touched one, plus the added complexity of that engine.

cheers
G
ps. Andrew, thanks for remembering of me btw, forgot to say.

[Dieselman]

Anyone notice the front ride height is way out. I thought it was in high mode at first, but the rear isn't.

[jorgy]

Right, got news on that.

Other than seeing information in previous posts and links that made me doubt it is 47k, the other thing I noticed yesterday is the state of the leather seats. Photos are not very good, but having the same leather seats myself I'd bet these are not 47k seats. The leather is far too glossy (they are totally mat when new) and it has developed cracks -as my 170k leather.

So, unless the seating is not original, this is not a 47k car. But then seems like all leather and wood trim are original.

So this morning rang Paul Noyce who was selling the car in August. He was extremely helpful and immediately remembered of this XM -I wish all car merchants knew their cars as well.

I was straight to ask that this XM is now on ebay with a claimed 47k. He was quick to say this XM had had a speedo change at around 80k and it really has about 120k (as in their advert on ebay linked somewhere in this thread), so it's correct that speedo now shows 47k. Guess he knew this details from previous owner of 12 years. He also confirmed the car has no service history, so the current seller is totally honest about that.

Otherwise I note that this XM has had a full new exhaust (said in Autotrader advert, and also current seller confirmed it), and that it needs one ABS sensor (as noted in the Autotrader advert).

I'm susprised that the seller seems very reluctant to answer questions -he's only got back to me about 1 of my 3 separate emails asking various details, and so today asked again but have no reply yet -I'll let u know if I do. I'd think it should only help the price if buyers are well informed of the state of the car.

So now that I know the mileage, I'll be bidding accordingly. It's just a shame for other bidders, who don't read this forum, and will be bidding for a "47k" car. I know I'd be very angry later on discovering that it's a 124k.

Still, I'm now in a huge dilema on what to do: get the other, lower mileage, white XM advertised for £295, and spend 100-200 to make it look as posh (IF I want), and another couple of 100s to perfect it mechanically (IF it needs anything)? or, throw about £800 to start with on this higher mileage grey XM, that looks nice but owner doesn't tell me any details so I'm effectively buying "a pig in a bag" as we say in Greek?? Think I'm calling the white XM owner tomorrow for details.

cheers
G

[andmcit]

The current owner could in all honesty not know of the true mileage but would certainly benefit from
bidding for a 50k mile car - this figure could reasonably be significantly off the true value for a 150k
mile one. You know someone could be a real troublemaker and report the 'error' in the car's mileage
listing to ebay who could either have the auction stopped or force the owner to correct the error...

Andrew