Exclusively 2.5

[xmexclusive]

Hi All

Thought it was about time I put up a few details of my XM's.
I use my XM's as working cars and have no other vehicles.
I plan to keep them used in this way for another 15 years or so.
My typical annual mileage is around 25,000 which soon ages a single car so I have quite a few complete cars plus a good spares collection.
I have tried most of the XM models at different times but eventually settled with 2.5's and V6 auto's.
Found both to be great cars but eventually decided that keeping two engine types needs more spares than I could store.
Greatly enjoyed driving both types but it was simply the annual fuel costs that decided against the V6's.
That difference has been enough to cover buying a couple more 2.5's in the last two years.

This years working cars seem to be a good starting point.
I currently have three (a car and estates) with tax, mot and roadworthy.
There is also another estate that I was using until the end of last month that is now being turned into spares.
Good engine and hydraulics but the bodyshell welding needed decided its fate.
In daily use is a emerald green car (M reg - 140k miles) with tan leather trim and a silver estate (also M reg - 180k miles) trim in a state of flux.
Finally there is an out parked (obviously got too many XM's) red estate (R reg - 210k plus miles) with worn tan trim.

John

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Silver Estate (M reg)

This came my way as a result of being offered on this forum.
Not sure about the exact date but as I recall around last christmas.
I was not looking for another XM but Zee the previous owner was going to trade it in if no one here took it.
That it was one of the few 2.5 estates with aircon made me offer for it within an hour of Zee posting.
Knew a bit about the cars history from the previous ebay advert a couple of years ago from which it ended up with Zee.
It had some months MOT and a little residual tax so I took it to Anglesey to get Citroenxm to look at the Aux belt flap for me.
Nothing like an independant opinion from an expert to catch potential problems early.
Brought it home at the end of Feburary when I had parking by taking the Blue scrapper up to Anglesey giving me a round trip.

Since then I have started through the little list of jobs that it needs.
The door locks were iffy, keys worn and remote not working.
So first job was to sort out a new lock set with a full set of keys.
Fitted the door,tailgate and glove box locks. Ignition and underbonnet alarm still outstanding to do.
Fitted a remote receiver and new key to its single working plip.
Glove box left out for now as I will go back and add another plip or perhaps two depending what I use.
Stripped the trim from the tailgate to add high level brake lights.
Wiring is an easy fix into the wing rear light secondary plug.
Outer two contacts are used.
Needed to run the extra two wires through to the tailgate so release the flexible rubber by the hinge.
Find that I got in there just in time as the existing wires were cracked but not broken apart.
Soldered in replacement lengths of wire easy done one wire at a time in this state.
If the wires had broken apart there are at least 3 browns and 5 greens to perm to get the wiring correct.
That takes ages so thankfully saved that problem this time.
Found some wetness in the boot underlay foam so stripped out the trim and underlay.
Was surprised to find small rust patches one each side on the wheel arch inner skin.
Not seen that before though XM estates are prone to rusting of the rear inner wing/boot floor.
In checking out the locking found that the rear offside door central locking is not working.
Got it to stay locked so on the list for later.
Front indicator/fog lights are out of line and loose one end. Another job for RON.
The drivers side front strut head looks as though it will need changing before long.
It seems that the drivers side ones are always in worst condition on my cars.
Then there is the wayward ABS light. Comes on regularly but not every time.
Have I ever said how much I hate the crap Bendix ABS fitted to the earlier XM's.
If the mileage was lower on this car I would retrofit Teves ABS.
Anyway Citroenxm (Anglsey Paul) gave me a gem of a tip about this.
With Bendix when the ABS light comes up while driving flick the ignition switch just a fraction towards the starter position.
A very light touch is needed because you do not want to risk engaging the starter.
This momentarily disconnects the ABS ECU from its supply and restarts the ABS check routine.
It seems that provided the wheels are rolling the Bendix ABS does a different check than the static one.
Result is that the check is usually successful and the light stays out.
Try the same key flip with the car stationary and the static check fails so the ABS light stays on.
Should rewire the remote receiver this afternoon so that I do not need to take the glove box out to get at it.
This will give me easy access to modify the remote and test out spare sets.
Done, fitted a little extension lead so when you open the door flap to the fuses there is the remote receiver laid on the door with a 6 way terminal block in the temporary connectiong wires.
Front suspension is harder than it should be and looks to be riding a bit high.
Not to keen on the 5 spoke alloys either so will see what I can find to replace them.
Steering wheel is offset from central so tracking needs checking before I swap the wheel for a leather one.
Forgot to mention that I have fitted the two cruise switches to the insitu wiring but still need to test it out just incase the brake switch is duff.
So easy as fitting cruise to a VSX 2.5 is a 10 minute job.

To be continued.

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Emerald Green M reg Exclusive car

This one turned up just over a year ago in early 2009.
A few of you will have seen it at Little Horwood last year where it won the booby prize for car cleaning.
It should win again next year as the only thing I have tried to clean off it since is the stick on tram lines some previous owner thought a good idea.
Have not shifted all those either yet.
Seller let me know that it was going to be put on ebay so I went and had a look.
Knew quite a bit of its history so half jokingly I said when it failed to sell I would give him half his starting price for it as it stood.
Well cherished car, been enthusiast owned, FSH etc so expected it to sell with no difficulties but no one bid so mine by default.
Then the fun started. It needed an MOT which we both thought would be no more than a formality.
The examiner found rust in a couple of unexpected places, chassis behind the front drivers strut mount and the front subframe.
They also refused to accept the car back for retest unless the front subframe was replaced rather than weld repaired.
We went elsewhere for the retest and got another failure for 3 small rust holes main body floor found under bubbles in the failing underseal.
To cap the lot this examiner also failed the front suspension as too hard.
Second batch of welding and 2 new spheres later it passed.
Made up a diode test lead and found that the suspension went much softer so went into the ECU and solderered in some 1N4007's for a permanent fix.

To be continued.

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Red R reg Estate

This was previously a taxi in Penzance. Came my way nearly two years ago.
High mileage (210k), well worn tan interior.
Engine needs a bit of sorting as guvenor cuts in too early.
It needed a wishbone bush and penny size hole (rear of passenger side cill) welded for the last MOT.
Currently resting in Peters field because of my parking problems at home.

John

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SORN cars

Just a few others (all 2.5's) stored to keep the mileage down as I do not want to be running old high mileage clapped out XM's when I am clapped out.

John

[citroenxm]

Nice read John..

Not sure about the "expert" opinion mentioned above about AUX Belts!

Paul

[Dean]

Hi John

Very interesting read, i like the way there is just a small understated post about sorn'd cars

D