Citroen XM Forum

At the weekend I had the unfortunate experience of the car losing power and gliding to halt by the side of the motorway. The roadside assistance didn´t take so long and the kids stayed calm while we waited. The problem was the fuel pump. Today my mechanic told me that Citroen (Fr) would deliver the pump at a cost of €300. I did some eBaying and found the same item for €25. The pump is fitted to these cars: Evasion, Saxo, Xantia, XM, Espero, Lanos, Leganza, Matiz, Barchetta, Brava, Bravo, Marea, Punto, Tempra, Tipo, Ulysse, Beta, Delta, Y. So, naturally it´s a commodity item not a special component. Little wonder that Citroen enjoy a bad reputation if they think that selling a €25 part for €300 is acceptable. My mechanic was unsurprisingly a little unsettled by having to cancel his order but with such a huge price difference, I had to do it.

Never realised the pump enjoyed such a wide fitment!

I trust all is now good?

Actually no. In the three minutes between speaking to the mechanic and finding a much cheaper alternative, the mechanic ordered the pump from Citroen (France). He said he could not cancel the order. I now have to firmly point out that I have consumer rights which mean I am legally entitled to send the item back if I do so within seven days. To be honest, I am surprised that the mechanic didn´t just say something like "Well, I´ll just send it back and get a refund for you". Citroen must have a returns policy. To pretend they don´t seems a bit silly. We´ll see how it goes now.

Well, I know in the UK at least that if you order a part through a main dealer you generally have to pay up-front and it's strictly on a no-returns basis as I understand it.

I was warned about that most strongly when I ordered a new Activa ram at over £400 from my local dealer on part number alone. He stated very categorically that if it was wrong then there was no return possible or permissible. He only ordered it after I said yes, OK I understand and promise... That was a few years ago now and after only a year it started leaking.

Hopefully that was my dealer’s policy and not Citroen's but I don't know. Hopefully if it was in force a few years ago it's now been reversed.

I just hope the French ones are a bit more flexible and don't have the same sort of policy.

Fingers crossed.

Actually it´s a matter of EU law. Regardless of what a dealer said your statutory rights are not negotiable. I just heard the mechanic will send the part back. Fingers crossed the one I got from eBay is the right one!

Excellent That is good news and here's to the ebay one giving full satisfaction

Actually he´s sending the part back immediately which is inconvenient. I wanted to have it as a back up if the item shipped from, er, Latvia, was incorrect. I am nervously awaiting the arrival of the item and hope that it´s alright. If it is a messy situation will have been cleared up. If not, then I will have to cast around for another item.

casalingua wrote:Actually he´s sending the part back immediately which is inconvenient. I wanted to have it as a back up if the item shipped from, er, Latvia, was incorrect. I am nervously awaiting the arrival of the item and hope that it´s alright. If it is a messy situation will have been cleared up. If not, then I will have to cast around for another item.

do you have the OE part No. for the correct pump to fit your car,
if not and you send me the last 8 digits of your chassis/VIN No. i will get it for you

regards malcolm

Thanks, I will keep that in mind. How much would one cost? My car is a 1990 two-litre manual.

casalingua wrote:Thanks, I will keep that in mind. How much would one cost? My car is a 1990 two-litre manual.

i was thinking so we could try a double check the one you are buying against the OE part No.

regards malcolm