Oldest XM in the UK - Now with registration!!

[Dieselman]

With others the age of a car is the registration date, with Citroen we have the option of the ORGA number. When assessing the age of a Citroen do members take the registration date or the ORGA number as its age, as it does make a difference if your car has sat in a field, or a dealers showroom, for a number of months?

My first XM was an early red badge car, but I didn't have it until August 1st 1991. I had the car out of the showroom as I wanted white.

[Ciaran]

Yes chaps I confess it was me that acquired the 1989 lhd V6 2v advertised on C & C, which I could not resist viewing when recently working up in Yorkshire! Apart from having Diravi, the age of the car was appealing and it turns out to be an extremely early example, plus it is also in my second favourite colour. I checked the RP number after my visit and she rolled out of the factory exactly one week before the Monte Carlo launch on 23rd May, which is five months before the XM appeared in the UK! The car has a very interesting history, having been first registered in Germany and owned by a priest and then purchased in 1994 by a Polish gentleman, who brought the car to the UK when visiting his son at Leeds about two years ago. For the age the condition is not that bad, with the worst defects being quite severe damage to the front jacking points and some poor re-painting on a rear door and adjacent wing. Apart from the usual lower front wing problem there is really not much corrosion, with a bit of other damage on the sills and heavy surface rust on the rear subframe. The engine sounds sweet despite around 160K and seems to have been well looked after with regular oil changes etc. and the hydraulics are all functioning okay. Although the car only arrived Saturday I have already changed over the wheels (originals to be offered on ebay), with other minor fixes including a replacement gear lever knob and keycode lid. I hope to spend the minimum initially all being well to get her through an MOT and registered, which will require some welding and a replacement rear silencer at the very least. As I do not know the original registration date that must have been during the summer of 1989 I hope to register on the RP, in other words she should get an 'F' plate!! I attach a couple of photos after today's work and watch this space! With regards, Matthew T.

Trust you Matthew!
Congratulations, that's one lovely looking XM and will be even better when you've worked your usual magic on it, not to mention the historical significance, well done

Ciarán

[MTXM]

I also agree with XV6 that the car could have sat in a showroom, or been stuck with Citroen, but I guess we will never know for sure! For me the lhd is a big attraction Eddie, but I guess we are all different. In respect to re-registration, unfortunately there is no option if this car is to be driven legally in the UK and the Polish plate was not original but from 1995. It would probably be possible to get the car registered on the Polish documents I have, but that would mean it getting an 'M' or 'N', so no contest really! An 'F' plate should be obtainable once I have proof of age from Citroen UK, which seems entirely appropriate, after all there was at least one UK pre-launch 'F' plater. In this case the model is an Exclusive that would have come with alloys as standard. I think it is the production date of the car that is important as two of my cars were registered late and have 'inappropriate' numbers, while the 1990 lhd 24v was not registered in Germany until 1993! With regards, Matthew T. PS. Many thanks for your kind remarks Ciaran!

[xantia_v6]

DVLA always assign an age related plate based on documented production date, not first registration date, except for new cars being registered by dealers. If the production date is not documented, then it would be a Q plate.

[MTXM]

In the case of my German 1990 24v I think the car would have received a 'M' or 'N' plate based on the first registration paperwork that came with the car, although I secured a letter from Citroen XM confirming the production date in late 1990 that enable an 'H'. Regards, Matthew T.

[MTXM]

If the theory on my other thread is correct then this is the 999th V6, and therefore not in the first thousand XMs produced, so perhaps she was not at Monte Carlo after all!! In my other enquiries to date I have found a V6 one week older in Germany and a 2.0i twenty days older in Holland! With regards, Matthew T.

[MTXM]

I now have further details of the even earlier V6 in Germany that has RP 4566 and chassis number ending 0856. As you will see from the photo the colour is also Meteor Grey and the mileage is very similar to mine, although the condition sounds to be rather better! Regards, Matthew T.

[MTXM]

Here are some further photos of my car after recent work including a tidy up of the engine and in transit to the welder! Regards, Matthew T.

[russ92xmsed]

Looking nice and tidy under the bonnet Matthew. Hope the welding goes well, not too many horrors lurking hopefully.
The wheels are more like it!
Interesting about the other early Germany car too. How interesting, is the owner an XM fan, of just happens to own one.

[captainhaddock]

I don't like the pic with the recovery truck with 2 xM's! You should do that in the dark MXTM
Seriously nice XM though! Wonder how that drives..