Going to look at an XM tomorrow - any advice

[Dieselman]

I would certainly give £200.00 for it. I'm sure if you don't want it someone else would take it on.

Peter

I think I know someone who could well be interested in that and I don't mean me...but maybe I could be persuaded as well.

[andmcit]

Hang on, form a place in the que!!

Andrew

[messerschmitt owner]

if I don't want it or am not allowed it, then it will appear here!

[andmcit]

Were it passed over I wouldn't want to buy this myself (I have x3 manual 2.1TD's)
but I'm surprised there seems to be a lot on interest in it - I had this impression most
of you on this forum have "the hots" for automatic gearboxes...

Andrew

[messerschmitt owner]

Andrew

I have a fleet of vehicles here and, although a newer XM would be nice, I think I prefer the one I have - half the mileage, just had most of the major issues sorted and what would I do with no. 2 apart from buy it to sell it, removing a couple of its better features along the way. I think I need to take the battery off the motorhome and wander back down to stick it on the green XM and see what happens when I start it up.

[Peter.N.]

Oh, right five years, sorry if its been under cover I still reckon it will be OK, I would certainly give it a go anyway, can you not just stick a battery on it or jump start it and get it out where you can see it properly?

Peter

[andmcit]

I think it'd be OK even having sat there in a dry dark garage a Peter says.

Some of mine have sat in my barn and been recommissioned happily enough. Biggest
PITA is brakes sticking, exhausts going crumbly and tyrewalls splitting. Check the water
is all 100% and bled and the engine oil looks happy. Prime/bleed the diesel feed and
cycle the glowplugs several turns and give it a go with a chunky battery...


usually the problem I have with my older Citroens is the fuel needing to feed through
and faffing with the carbs on G's and iffy wiring connections on the HP fuel pump on
the Cx's. Not quite the same deal with the TD's I have to concede.

Andrew

[jorgy]

I think it may make a very good car for somebody. It looks very tidy -strut tops look fine-.

My 2.1td, as it happens, was also 5 years standing BUT: *under the sky*, uncovered, and, on its bump-stops! The only things to throw away were: all the tyres (cracked walls), 1 strut top, and needed all new spheres. Brakes were totally free and good, exhaust was good also, even the alloys are in good order. Of course I did all belts and fluids. I'm still cleaning the engine bay from leaves, spider webs, mouse-food and anything else imaginable. Despite that, there's no rust at all under all this, it's like new.

I think the greatest risk with this car is in the engine: whether it has been left with just water, or with a good antifreeze mix in the cooling system.

cheers
George

[messerschmitt owner]

George

it has antifreeze in there. tastes sweet! Can't see properly of course, as it's stuck in the garage, but it tasted OK.

I'm going to go round with a battery and see what happens - blow up the tyres too. Until it starts it is worthless and until it starts and is out of the garage there is no real clue as to what condition it is really in.

Thankfully, diesel does not go off the same way that petrol does.

Wish me luck!

[kenhall]

Good luck with your inspection - I hope the owner has remembered the keypad code!

Ken