Citroen XM Forum

Hi everyone,

So after a few very quiet months I am coming out of my forum hibernation and the best way to do this, in my opinion, was to start my own Member's Cars thread.
I've lived with the XM for a few months now and have become accustomed to it.

Some thoughts:

I have fallen in love with the ride quality (surprise surprise). Motorways are just lovely and at the moment I actually look forward to such journeys.
Surprisingly I have fallen in love with the handling as well! Yes, I have seen the XM/Elan handling comparison video on Youtube but I am surprised by its prowess in the bends nonetheless. I have to grudgingly admit that it seems far more capable than my Saab 9000 Aero (which is to some extent polybushed, has uprated shocks and Eibach springs). I've driven it on the beautiful tight twistys of the A83 down the west coast of Scotland, where I've also driven my Saab many times. My conclusion is that it can take the bends and turn in at greater speed than the 9000, in more comfort! Fantastic.

I haven't done any work on her yet as it is far too cold and I hate being freezing!

List of jobs that need to be done:
Fluids change (Oil, Filters, Dex2 box change).
I think I may have an LHM leak, need to trace.
Passenger door mirror motors not behaving as they should. May be the console controls but I don't know.
2 inoperative window mechanisms (OS front and NS rear).
The front bumper seems loose on the OS and has dropped a bit. I don't think the car was like this when I got it and it is annoying me now! I do remember hearing a loud metallic report when on the motorway and only noticing the dropped bumper after this? Definitely further investigation required. also the front bumper is scraped on both sides and I'd like to rectify that eventually (not my handiwork I hasten to add!)-



Cruise inoperative (perhaps to be attended to at the same time as the bumper as Jim told me the vac pipe for it goes down there and bumper removal is required to access).
Headlamp washers are in a state.
And of course, the S2 left dot matrix is illegible. I have great fun matching up the few pixels that do show up to the handbook messages (and I'm getting quite good at it ).



I took some pics that I quite like in an Asda car park of all places.

Even though this one (which was just a test) doesn't show the car properly, it is a great example of why I imagine people on here love their XM- not just for its technical achievements, but for how its design stands out amongst the sea of bland and faceless modern metal that frequents our roads (and therefore, ahem, car parks).




A few more:









Why Zelda? I have no idea! It just came to me. I don't name cars, I never have done, so, as in many other ways, the XM represents a departure from my motoring past. It's a departure I am very much enjoying so far.


Rohan

Excellent stuff Rohan and delighted to see you're happy with her and she's making the right sort of impression on you!

For a big old barge they do handle. I'm always amazed when piloting mine along twisty stuff how I always catch up what's in front.

I'll bet the front bumper side mount has rusted away... It's very common and not hard to fix either. Have a look at my Presitge blog and you’ll see some pictures of how I let some new metal in on the bad side. Certainly nothing to worry about and besides whilst the bumper is off it affords the perfect opportunity to fix the cruise!

Looking forward to seeing regular updates to this blog

Great to see your getting on really well with Zelda Rohan. Brilliant....and a healthy list of things to fix too. As it should or will be with an XM!
It looks like a really nice car and I bet matches your other half's BX GTI..if she still has it!

They are just so comfy and sure footed, amazing you think it's better than the Saab. credit to Citroens engineering and probably the best kept secret. Makes us lot nice and smug.

Look forward to some more blogging.

I've never really been one for naming cars. Mine currently are known as Activa, New V6 (from a time when I had two V6 Xantias, one old and one new) and XM.

If I was going to name the XM she'd be 'Luxy' on account of the 208 in her number plate and the massive influence Radio Luxembourg had on my young life.. Many an evening spent listening to it fading in and out on a variety of mainly valve wirelesses in varying states of disrepair...

The connection is that Radio Luxembourg in those days transmitted on 208 metres in the medium wave band. 208 metres sounds so much better than 1440KHz...

Well at last I have gotten round to the fluid change. As you all know the weather has been diabolical overall recently, I'd been putting it off for ages.

Fluid: Oil was black.
ATF was brown!
Air filter- filthy.

Soon I had changed all of this, fresh oil, ATF, oil and air filter.



The oil filter was quite awkward to get to and I actually removed the plastic pipe that connects to the inlet manifold for ease of access.

Anyway, I'm glad that I finally got this done.
It was also my first good look underneath an XM. I find the underside of cars quite fascinating to look at.

The box changes seem smoother now, I must say.

Now I have the problem of the oil/fuel leak (I'm not sure which). I am sure this is getting worse and need to track it down. Unfortunately I am not really sure where to start. I did previously think this was an LHM leak but have changed my mnd. I made a video of the underside which shows the extent of the problem. The upside is I suppose that the subframe must be getting some fairly good protection from rusting away!

I'm going to try and upload the video soon, so that you can all have a look.



The rear brakes seem to have gotten a bit grindy in the last few weeks. The Doseur Valve may be the next port of call. I've been reading up on that and will probably give it a go.
I bought some nearly-new front discs and pads from a fellow forum member, I think I'll get the same for the rear and replace everything at one time.

Still hugely enjoying the car every time I drive it.


Rohan

Great to see some progress Rohan, nice work. The gearbox certainly benefits from new ATF.
Don't look too closely at the underside of the XM, it is interesting, but slightly scary!!!

I tweaked my Doseur Valve yesterday. I ever so slightly backed it off the rubber button to leave a very very small gap. If it is touching that rubber button that bit too much, it activates the brakes. A good sign this is happening is screeching rear brakes when the car rises from rest. Lubricate it too. The pivot point can seeze.
Bit fiddly to do, but worth it. Whilst your there clear out the scuttle, i would. The amount of leaves and composting rubbish that collects in there is quite impressive. Also check drain holes to see if they are flowing and I would as I did yesterday, get to the bottom of the front wings , peel back the wheel arch liner a bit...and clear the rubbish out of the bottom of the sill/ wing. There is a kind of hole that lets the water out, but means everything in the scuttle gets washed down and collects. I suppose if left it'll rot out that area.

That's my suggestions anyway!

The time has come for me to service mine later this month. Annoying the oil filter isn't like a 2.5. It is literally handed to you on an engine sized plate!!

Great to see your still enjoying it.

Don't forget to bleed all your brakes as well

Excellent stuff Rohan

russ92xmsed wrote: Don't look too closely at the underside of the XM, it is interesting, but slightly scary!!!

I know It has MIG Welder written all over it

doesn't it just.

russ92xmsed wrote: I tweaked my Doseur Valve yesterday. I ever so slightly backed it off the rubber button to leave a very very small gap.

The clearance should be 9mm.