P659 FRS Black Exclusive at Pease Pottage

[xmexclusive]

Estates tend to be worse than cars as the back end underside seems to trap more salt spray.
The bottom edge of the inside of the cills collects moisture and is well rusted before anything shows.
I believe that the rust process has much to do with parked vehicles condensation cycles.
Mk1 XM's particularly cars in early life were much more likely to be garaged.
That virtually eliminates the condensation cycles in the closed sections of the body shell.
Lift the bonnet on any outside parked XM spring and autumn and you will see condensation droplets around the strut heads etc.
The amount of condensation is going to be far worse in the bottom of the bodyshell closed sections.
I think the factory that produced the estates and some later cars had a reputation for poorer bodyshell preparation.
So not sure there is a best year for XM's.
By the standards of many other cars XM's have minor rust problems.
It just that the designed to the limit multiple thin section chassis makes most visible rust an MOT problem and weld repair can be awkward.
For owners that cannot weld the repair estimate is often more than the car is worth.

John

[Dieselman]

ound the strut heads etc.

I think the factory that produced the estates and some later cars had a reputation for poorer bodyshell preparation.
So not sure there is a best year for XM's.
By the standards of many other cars XM's have minor rust problems.

I agree about the XM being pretty good for rust, other than when the protection gets damaged, such as jacking points.

Huliez built the estates and they do rust more, I suspect the protection process is missing a stage or two.

[CitroJim]

Huliez built the estates and they do rust more, I suspect the protection process is missing a stage or two.

Same exactly applies to Xantia estates...