2.1 Autos- are they really that slow?

[messerschmitt owner]

I've just done 400 miles from Gloucester to Llandudno and back in a manual 2.1 down twisty roads and fully laden. I couldn't imagine doing the trip in the same time in an automatic. Automatics make superb motorway or town cars but only a manual is suited to twisty roads and driving quickly along them. An xm manual can be properly planted on the road and can always be in the right gear to keep the turbo on song in a five speed manual. I'm less sure that you can do it justice in a four speed auto.

I don't find my 2.1 overly slow (and have six points to prove it) and I'm used to driving much nippier cars.

[xmexclusive]

Hi Will

Are the numbers you quoted for active Mk2 cars or totals including SORN.
Presumably they include a range of engines not just 2.5's as well.
The breakdown by type of the 38 Exclusives would be interesting.

775 active XM's of all types now and currently dropping at around 200 per year.
That averages 4 XM 's per week available at or near scrap prices.
Then the 1000 or so SORN ones will probably be throwing up similar numbers.
Still a good few years worth of scrap price XM's before any XM automatically secures good money.
I doubt the price then raised will come near the costs of keeping and maintaining an XM through the intervening years.
I think for now the only justification for having XM's are the pleasure of owning and driving them.
Classic status and prices for XM's are just for dreamers I am afraid.

John

[Dieselman]

I looked for diesels that were not denoted as 2.1 versions and didn't have automatic gearboxes, so had to be 2.5.

If you want to check thoroughly, you can download the raw data from DVLA and filter it by code number.

[citroenxm]

I've just done 400 miles from Gloucester to Llandudno and back in a manual 2.1 down twisty roads and fully laden.

You come ALL the way up here to my local Town and didnt look me up!

Im 15 mins away from Llandudno when at home, and in Llandudno every sat morning.

I did see a DS from ICCR in Rhos-on-Sea though sat afternoon, Llandudnos neighbouring town, it was on the sea front.

[messerschmitt owner]

my white XM was parked outside Venue Cymru all day from 7-40 am to 4 pm.

I was inside at the postcard fair

Came up the M54, A5, A470 and came back via Blaneau Festiniog, Llanfair, Welshpool, Craven Arms and the A49. Fantastic driving roads and apart from some slow traffic past the roadworks next to the power station almost deserted for most of the way. It was 182 miles from Llandudno to home and despite never being on a motorway and hardly a dual carriageway on the way home, I did the journey including a ten minute stop in 3 hours 40 minutes - impressive I thought as I hardly ever exceeded the limit. Knowing the driving ability of both the manual diesel (which was what I was up in) and the auto petrol, I'd have got home faster with the auto on the A55, M56, M6, M5 but on the twisty back roads there is not much between both cars, I reckon.

Snowdonia is absolutely gorgeous and the road into Festiniog impressive.

[Dieselman]

I think paul should organise us a Summer Rally at Festiniog or Llandudno. A day blatting round the countryside and a trip on the railway would be grand.

[messerschmitt owner]

I'd agree with that.

If he's in Stockport next Saturday he will see the blue estate I reckon. At the town hall all day.

[endorfin]

I've only driven one 2.5 and it was nice being quiet and smooth

Would that be my one?

[Dieselman]

Yes. A nice car. I have pushed another 2.5 estate and it was hard work.