How Practical is an XM?

[Dean]

buy the black onyx with lpg and spend the cash you save on getting the paint sorted and a set of alloys you will still be quids in ahem

D

[markysimon]

buy the black onyx with lpg and spend the cash you save on getting the paint sorted and a set of alloys you will still be quids in ahem

D

Thanks Dean... I'm already on the case and awaiting responses for those concerned!

Mark

[Dean]

Good luck.

D

[red_dwarfers]

I've just taken my Xantia off the road to use the XM as a daily driver and I can see no reason that it wouldn't be a good daily driver. Engines are the same as the Xantia, suspension is the same and arguably simpler in some cases, tyres are reasonable.

The only real differences I can see as a new comer to the XM world are the extra creature comforts which in effect are made complex by lots of simple parts put together (digital displays for example, common enough in calculators!). Okay some of these simple parts are poorly designed and implemented (leccy window cables rusting) but they are still easily found and repaired most of the time.

One last point, body panels. Okay, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of spare ones if one needs replacing but at least we're not 406 Coupe owners. I hear things can get very interesting if someone wants a new panel...

[Dieselman]

Rather than spend a lot of money at a specialist trader, I would buy a cheaper, but sound car, and spend the money on making it perfect.
Cars from expensive sellers still have problems which need fixing.

This looks pretty interesting to me.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1997-CITROEN-XM-V ... 415aa5b3f4

[citroenxm]

And its the simpler 2.1 engine... but has semi electronic pump...

And being R reg, I wonder what shes like underneath, and what the strut tops are like!

Paul

[robertmnorton]

Both my 2.1's spent 5 years in S France,rotating on a 6 monthly basis to avoid re-registration (a bending of the rules as French law required re-registration if more than 6 months in a 24 month period,keeping my UK isurance plus a second insurance from ITALSURE at a French address with a UK plate),each making the 2600 mile round trip twice in that period,the daily commute,shopping and the travel through France,Spain,Andorra and Pyrenees. they pushed through the snow,freezing temps and the blistering heat.Serviced at 5000m intervals they NEVER required anything other than spheres.2 years back in the UK and only an injector,reluctor ring and abs sensor on the EPIC, glowplugs and pump advance to sort on the Bosch.PRETTY DAMN RELIABLE !
robertm

[markysimon]

And its the simpler 2.1 engine... but has semi electronic pump...

And being R reg, I wonder what shes like underneath, and what the strut tops are like!

Paul

Well if you look closely at the pics, there's rust around the bottom of the O/S/R door... not a good omen! That never looks good on a white car, IMHO.

Mark

[onthecut]

with a (good) knowledge of these wonderful but woefully complicated and flawed cars,

Sorry -- have you actually had a look at most modern cars ????? By today's standards the XM is not only not complicated, it's positively steam age. I'm curious which bit you think is 'flawed' ?

Mike.

[jamieb]

"when she was good she was very very good/but when she was bad, she was horrid"

The flaw is something to do with the gap between the potential and reality. The suspension is a) too complicated and b) imperfectly realised for such a complex system. By that I mean for it to be working properly, too many things in the system have to be on song at the the same time. Of course, once a fault has been identified, fixing it is relatively straightforward but each fault could stem from too many causes. To me, this is a flaw. The trade-off between ride quality and complexity is wrong. When the XM suspension is working properly, it's great, but when it's not - and in my case this is too often - it's worse than the simpler system used in my CX, for example.

Jamie