NOSECONE AND BUMPER WANTED FOR WHITE '98

[iancunningham]

Hi all

Had a bit of an "experience" on saturday night...

Went round a bend (very carefully!) in almost the centre of Stafford and slid off the road on some black ice.

Luckily (?) a 3metre high brick supporting column and some heavy metal railings managed to stop the car going down the embankment behind them. This was the security fence for a local factory, I would have aimed for the main metal gates next to the gatehouse if a car hadn't have gone through one of them and the security barrier five minutes previously. When I came around the corner (with no warning of a problem and not gritted at all on this corner after a railway bridge) this space was also occupied by a police patrol car that had come to investigate the previous accident! Bit of quick thinking and what manouvering called for!!

My XM was only travelling at about 5mph (Jane and two passengers as well as myself) down the cambered slope on the corner, so managed to steer into the pillar (aiming the centre of the bumper at the centre of the pillar - thought it was a bit more substantial than the metal railings!)

Car had almost stopped (combination of working ABS and three month old set of tyres?) when I touched the pillar - which promptly collapsed down the embankment along with two sections of metal railings (about 4-5 metres x 3 metres a panel!)

I checked that everyone was OK, and got out of the car to survey the for damage...

The two police officers then wandered over from their car and after seeing that no-one was hurt - in fact they were quite decent about the whole incident and actually thanked me for manageing to avoid them and their car. We then (all three of us) had to jump out of the way as another police car "arrived" - but thankfully it managed to stop in a controlled fashion in between the other police car and my XM. We were all were astounded that so little damage had been done to the XM. I've cracked the nose cone, broken the front number plate and have a couple of superficial scratches under the front bumper panel next to the foglamp/indicator cluster. (This has also cracked the black ABS at the top of the bumper under the nose cone.)

The two Pcs then (at my suggestion!) went off to put some lights and warning signs out on the other side of the bridge approach. Because fot eh attitude of the XM on the slope, they said that I'd need to organise a tow truck to get it from where it had stopped, but I suggested one of them sit on the front wing while the other pushed from the side and we managed to get it back onto the road - it was so icy, it was like pushing a car round on a turntable! My concern was to get the car out of the way, before someone else came round the corner and hit it! Again at my suggestion, they moved both of their cars out of the way too and opened the other factory gate to provide some sort of escape route to aim at.

Shortly after we left the scene, another car hit the other fence column further down the hill and demolished that too!!! I called in at the factory the following morning to take some photographs (will post later) and was told by a director that this was a regular occurance (!) the local council were aware of this situation on that corner, but because it wasn't an "A" road, they had no intention of gritting it - unbelievable!

Right: Shopping list - car is driveable so no urgency, just got a cracked nose to spoil it's looks! (I've repaired the number plate...)

I would like if anyone has one spare / for sale: a white late Mk2 nosecone (in between the headlights)- I know +'98 is a big ask, but... and a white bumper panel - my car has got headlamp washers but they are not connected, so really doesnt matter if the sale one has them or not... The fog / indicator assemblies are OK and not damaged, so don't need to replace these. Lost the tow cover plates, but again cosmetic , so not essential. I can arrange courier or collection.

Will drive the car as is for the time being, so will need the parts when (if?) the weather gets warmer to bring the Xm back to her former glory... (So not really in any rush - will give me time to divert funds...)

Thanks if anyone thinks that they can help can they call on 07733047935 or email autographics@gmx.co.uk please?

Regards

Ian

[citroenxm]

Hello Ian!

What a shame! If I remember rightly your XM was very tidy, unlike my green V6 Auto was when I came to you!

As a last resort Ive a Series 1 White nose cone in the shed, but not a S2 one.

But thats all - sorry..

Paul

[savoy]

hi
may be able to help
blue bumper and a nose cone from an s reg sx mk2 and a white or green nose cone
please contact me
http://www.savoygarage.co.uk

[boyse7en]

I've got a brand new boxed nosecone in my garage. I think it is a Mk2. It will be in primer. I've got it for a Mk2 I had, but now got a Mk1 so not much use.

Let me know if you are interested

[iancunningham]

Hi all

Thanks for all your replies and various offers...

In the cold light of day yesterday afternoon, I dismantled the nose and bumper to see what the "real" damage was.

Nose cone has a couple of cracks at the edges of the intakes which seem to consist of damage to an earlier "repair" (I use the term loosly!) which may have weakened the whole nosecone. Fairly superficial and cosmetic... Think this nose cone was maroon originally...

The bumper had not fared as badly as first thought... Inch long crack behind the numberplate (impact on the brick column)and broken mounting bracket under the nose cone... rest of "damage" couple of scratches - rest cleaned off with tcut and "back to black" Gap at drivers side between bumper and front wing of about 1/2 cm, so not quite square. Think, being sensible, although the Xm is (as you said Paul) "Tidy" - it's not concours, and is used daily as a workhorse, so I'll probably leave things as they are for the moment and either repair or replace the nose cone later on in the year. Can live with the odd scratch and crack in the meantime?

When I can release some funds (Jan has been a tight month for us all?) I'll give you a call, sort out the nosecone and keep it "in stock" for changing over as and when...

In the meantime, thanks for all your interest and will post some pics soon

Regards

Ian

[xmgob]

Hi got nosecone and bumper for s2 but there in green so would need paint give me a bell 01302883256 thanks roy