What to do?

[ragger]

So this is my dilemma: Over the last couple of years I have owned and enjoyed three XMs - a) Citroenmad's old 16 valve, b) a very scruffy 2.5 estate and c) a 12 valve V6 that I lost a lot of money on. When I sold the V6, I replaced it with a Saab 9-5 2.3t on an 04 plate with 85k on the clock and service history. In addition we have a Multipla and a Hyundai i10, neither of which I will be allowed to sell - sold our last Multipla without telling SWMBO I was thinking about doing so: a very big mistake, only rectified by paying more for another one. There is also a 2CV which has the use of the garage that I got a couple of months ago and is great fun in this fabulous summer weather

The only car I really could part with at the moment is the Saab, but it is probably the best car I have ever owned for the job I want it to do. I only use it for longer journeys, all the toys work, it looks smart, has terrific performance (on a par with any of the high performance cars I have had in the past), and I have kept the overall fuel consumption better than 30mpg in the 4000 or so miles I have driven it.

So why even consider a change? I miss the XMs.

I think I am getting closer to extablishing the spec that will suit me best:
I want to try another diesel, the 2.5 I had was a bugger in lots of ways but it went really well, how big a difference is there in the performance of the smaller engine? I am no longer heavy footed, but the ability to overtake safely on "A" class roads and motorways is important to me.
I want a high spec with working air con and cruise control.
I prefer an auto because I still think the parking brake arrangement is a bit of a pain on a manual, but I don't want to sacrifice performance and consumption too much for laziness.
Most importantly, I need to be confident the car has been cared for and will not rob me to maintain, as I am retired and have a number of drains on my pension in the shape of lovely children X 4.

Selling the Saab would probably give me a budget around 2.2k. I know Malcolm at Savoy has a black one for sale (with the wobblies that I really want but I want to find the very best I can afford.

Suspect I'm probably mad for even thinking about changing but these cars do get under your skin!

Will be interested in hearing any thoughts you folks may have.

[citroenmad]

Its a hard decision, as your Saab does what you want and it is a very tidy looking one. As it is only occasional use then an XM would suit your needs fine, even for more frequent use.

If you want me to bring our 2.1TD Xm across for you to drive I would be happy to, they do perform well and so much better than the 16v you had. I would say that ours is a manual and the Autos are a little slower. I recently drove a very tidy auto 2.1TD and it did perform quite well, but not as good as the manual. The owner said he gets about 35mpg, seems a bit low, our manual does 50 without too much effort.

Likewise, you are more than welcome to a drive in my 2.0Turbo automatic, which does go well and returns better MPG than a V6. There are quite a number of TCT XMs around and so can be easy to find, they also might have lower mileages and possibly be fresher cars as a result.

Your budgets should get you into a very good example with money to spare for any things the car needs. Ive not seen any of Savoy cars in the metal, however for top money like that it needs to be one of the top XMs. Diesels do fetch more but are very usable and reliable.

As always, im happy to help when I can with any of your Xm questions or problems.

[Peter.N.]

The C5 is not nearly as bad as I expected, in fact I am quite impressed, if you get an SX they have all the toys, the 2.0 8 valve is brilliant on fuel and you can pick them up for peanuts, I paid £300 for quite a nice one the only downside is that its a 2.2 - but it goes well.

Peter

[citroenmad]

Rob has tried a V6 C5 in the past and I think he found it a bit too ordinary and didn't connect with it. They are very different cars to XMs, as im sure you have found. I much prefer an XM to a C5 and a Xantia, but for a tool the C5 does take some beating.

[ragger]

I don't really know what it was about the C5 that I had. It certainly had lots of toys but I just didn't get a buzz out of driving it. Faulty tyre pressure sensors irritated me a bit but the only thing I really didn't like about that car was the steering wheel. Every time I drove it the first thing I wanted to do was wash my hands. It just seemed to decompose as you used it.

Thanks for your offer about your cars Chris, I don't think I want to go the TCT route, but I would appreciate the chance to experience the diesel estate. Apart from anything else it is a fabulous example. I will give you a call.

Rob

[xmexclusive]

Hi Rob

On a quick look through the post in my opinion I do not think there is an XM that will fit your spec.
I would rule the 2.5 out on two counts.
It was manual only and they have usually had a fairly hard life.
Very difficult now to avoid the rust problems with any XM.
As Robert Smart has reported recently low mileage and good history does not keep the 2.5 immune.
Rads (every 50k), Cylinder head (if you let it boil up), Clutch (175k) and A/Con idler (every 30k) are all particularly high cost 2.5 items.
When it comes to 2.1's, particularly auto's, then forget your overtaking spec as you will spend your life with others overtaking you.

John

[citroenmad]

The 2.1 manual is quite lively, very similar to a 2.0HDi C5, I have done overtaking with ours with ease.

Yep, let me know when you would like to try the 2.1 Rob

[citroenmad]

John does have a very good point though, I don't think your ideal XM does exist

The 2.1TD manual performs quite well in my opinion, however it is a manual and I have only ever seen one S2 with air con and a manual box. Finding a 2.1TD manual is hard enough.

The 2.1TD auto is not too difficult to find, however it is slower than the manual and it uses more fuel. You can find them with AC since the later cars had AC as standard and also an auto box as standard.

2.5TD is manual only and you have had one.

That just leaves the petrols,

Its hard to find a 2.0 16v with decent spec, I have not seen many as most seem to be SX spec and even then they are not easy to find. I have to say, I have driven three 16vs and that white one was by far the slowest .... Im not helping this car sell am I .... another 16v auto (VSX with AC etc) we had was much more lively and more economical too. It would spin the inside wheel on roundabouts if pressing on ...

I know you said not a TCT, however they perform well and can be made to perform even better quite easily. They are often found with air con, economy will be similar to your 2.3T Saab, they suit an auto box and have proven to be a very hardy and reliable engine. As you know two of my cars are TCTs and I get along well with the engine. They should perform well at low revs and have the torque of a diesel (same as the 2.1TD and at similar revs). If economy is not an issue, it might be one to consider.

The only other option would be a later 24v XM Auto, economy would be the only thing it wouldn't do.

I think you might need a compromise somewhere

[normantilbury]

My 2.1 is'nt particualy slow i overtake others no problem it goes very well but as reported earlier i only get 33-38 mpg with the onboard computer confirmed very closeley by my milage program .

Regards,
Norman

[Peter.N.]

My remaining 2.1 manual estate has excellent acceleration, I have breathed on the pump a little but it doesn't smoke and will still return 50mpg under the right conditions.

Peter