Broken steering rack - breaking my 2.5 XM estate

[endorfin]

Steering didn't feel right today so I called the RAC who said the steering rack has broken.

This is the end of the line for me, much as I love the car I just feel I'm not mechanically minded to keep an XM on the road so sadly I have decided to break it unless someone can offer me a decent price to sell it whole. As I feel I would get more for it than I would by selling it as it is with a broken steering rack even though its still drivable.

It has an excellent 2.5 TD engine with no overheating or head gasket issues, since I fitted the new thermostat temp stays nicely at 90. Very rare cream leather interior in very good condition. Its a VSX but practically an Exclusive with electric armrest & leather steering wheel. I feel I've spent far too much on it to just sell it as it is as I know it wouldn't fetch much so I think my only option is to break it. I can imagine a steering rack plus labour would be very expensive.

It also runs very happily on vegetable oil, which was the original reason for getting the car. None of the problems I've had have been veg oil related.

It has MOT until end of September, its taxed til the same but its disabled tax so would only be able to let the buyer keep it until he gets home & gets it taxed himself. Has full service history up to around 120k I think and current genuine mileage is 133k, I've changed the oil every 4k. All the spheres have been changed by Pliades in the last 6 months. The rear OS ABS sensor has failed but the ABS still works. The car still drives and can be steered but I wouldn't recommend going on the motorways until the steering rack is sorted out.

[citroenxm]

Depress me, and tell me were you are.. please..


Thanks
Paul

[xmexclusive]

Hi Paul

In much earlier posts this 2.5 was sorted and repaired for MOT in N Wales (Towyn).
To see you with an interest in 2.5's is very worrying.

Just looked at the other forum. Car now lives in Brighton.
Endorfin reports he has looked at alternatives and is now considering having the rack replaced.

John

[XMX]

Hi Paul

In much earlier posts this 2.5 was sorted and repaired for MOT in N Wales (Towyn).
To see you with an interest in 2.5's is very worrying.

Just looked at the other forum. Car now lives in Brighton.
Endorfin reports he has looked at alternatives and is now considering having the rack replaced.

John

John, There's also me (And a friend of mine too) that ='s Plus two



XMX

[citroenxm]

Hi Paul

To see you with an interest in 2.5's is very worrying.


John

No, not so bad John, Im after ONE, just ONE 2.5 estate for my landlord... then possibly ONE car for spares which may never be needed.. Milage.. he'll clock up no more then 3k a year!

Paul

[endorfin]

Really in two minds about this! I do like the car and I would like to keep it, its just costing me a fortune. I miss my old ZX Volcane!

I've no idea of how much replacing the steering rack will cost or even if its the steering rack or the coupling or even how I can check. Advice anyone?

Yes the car is now in Brighton.

[citroenxm]

What exactly is going on??? Can you shed some light?

paul

[endorfin]

You mean what am I doing with it?

Well I think it would be completely wrong to break this car considering the engine is excellent but I won't get much for it as it is with a broken steering rack so I'm going to look into getting it repaired, and possibly keep it until Sept, put a full ticket on it and then sell it then.

Of course, this all depends on what the steering rack is going to cost to fix!

[Ken Newbold]

I think Paul meant what's the symptom that caused you to notice something was wrong and what led the RAC man to believe the rack is broken?

[citroenxm]

Yes Ken I did, What Symptoms are you getting for a "Broken" rack.

Paul