How Practical is an XM?

[Peter.N.]

Further on the subject of reliability, as dieselman says, once they have been fettled they are very reliable, or at least this has been my experience, I have probably covered an average of over 20,000 miles per year in mine and have had very few actual breakdowns. The green one had head gasket failure at about 125.000 miles but after I replaced it I covered about another 70k virtually trouble free until my wife wrapped round a bus shelter

The mechanics are very durable, the red one my son drives is coming up to 300,000 miles which certainly the 2.1 diesels will do with regular oil changes, the gearboxes are almost indestructable (manuals), clutches can last 200k or more and things like ball joints and track rod ends seem to last almost forever.

As you will have gathered - I like them.

Peter

[citroenxm]

To John I would ask, who is 'Paul' in North Wales? (N.B. I took my first XM to John Price at the Forge Garage at Lydham near Bishop's Castle

Mark,

This is me, Paul, North Wales anglesey.. I have to me,um, well a 2.1 SED awaiting returning to the road for an every day car, a V6 24v S1 Manual car, currently on the road, a V6 SEi S1.5 auto awaitng resto work, A xantia V6 and TD SX, another XM 2.1 Turbo D for bits, plus two sheds of PARTS! Mostly for S1 cars, up to 1994 M reg...

North Wales may sound a long way, but worth it for someone who knows a little, I got a mate who comes across from the Wirral for things to be done.

Cheers
Paul

[jamieb]

My answer to the original question: while mine operate as practical everyday cars it is damn near impossible to get everything working at the same time unless you have a lot of free weekends. So, while my garage is thoroughly pissed off because both mine passed MOTs without a hitch this year, there is need of much fettling. Perfection, as they say, is for thwe gods so while a perfectly functioning XM would great, I simply don't have the time or expertise to make it happen.

Fortunately I enjoy fixing things one at time. Indeed I bought the SI for the robust simplicity of the engine (no electronic management system) so getting it to start on just one cycle of the glow plugs and finding the tiny air leak somewhere in the fuel system are things I'm v happy to work tinker away at. Ditto, getting another replacement speedo cable, working out how to make the rev counter work and fixing the heating system so it doesn't blow frigid air into the passenger's lap all winter.

Bigger things all involve the suspension - still not right - but to be honest, I quite enjoy the challenge (although I would prefer it to work predictably).

Incidentally, my S2 2lt is incredibly reliable. Apart from coming back every year from its MOT with the report that its brakes are borderline (they're not inmho) it just provides endless miles of trouble free motoring (fingers crossed). When I compare my maintenance spend to a friend's with pretty new dinky little Audi A4 , I feel somewhat smug.

Summary - go for one with a good ride and fettle at your leisure.

By the way, I saw on one thread somewhere that the 2l 16valve was livelier than a 2l turbo. is that true?

Jamie

[steelcityuk]

"By the way, I saw on one thread somewhere that the 2l 16valve was livelier than a 2l turbo. is that true?"

I can't answer this definitively never having owned a 16v but various owners tell me the turbo isn't much short of the V6 so I don't think the 16V could be a match for the turbo, I'd guess it's down to the way the TCT delivers it's torque.

Steve.

[citroenxm]

The Turbo is no where near as good as a V6, they simply do not compare.

The turbo is or can be Rapid (with a small Mod) but its just not as refined as the V6. Yes the TCT is a reliable engine, but in honesty, though Ive never tried one, the 2.oi 16v sounds a right cracker! Its 145bhp (5 bhp less then the Turbo) and there appears to be no manifold problems like the turbo, and less complex.. Id love to try one really! The TCT utilises a rather "Full" engine bay... Theres a Turbo Onyx auto for sale on here for 400 quid, but I can tell you lot about it too, becuase it was mine and had a lot of work done! Just because it sounds cheap doesn't mean shes a bad one.

Its black, on a S1.5 M plate the best years in S1 cars really, got an 87k engine fitted and a cracking autobox...

Anyway.....

Paul

[robert_e_smart]

The 2.0 16Vs are very nice. 135 bhp Paul, 5 more than the 2.0 8V.

They're much more refined and economical than the TCTs. Lively enough to pull the Xm about as well.

[Dean]

Yeah the 16v are good but not even close to tct torque, damn good engine though by all acounts.
Anyone who doesnt up the boost to around 12psi on the tct is raving mad by the way too.

D

[Peter.N.]

I think you would be better off getting a cheap but sound one that's not perfect than paying a lot of money, you can then spend the difference in getting yours in good order. However much you pay for one its bound to need something doing to it. I bought my last one for £150.00, not that you will get a 2.1 estate for that now, or even at all, it needed some work which didn't cost a fortune and is still going well over two years later,

Peter

[Dean]

I think you would be better off getting a cheap but sound one that's not perfect than paying a lot of money, you can then spend the difference in getting yours in good order.

Yes, good sound advise, i would rather buy a £500 one and spend 1-2K on it then spend 1-2k on a car as you will always have niggles.

D

[markysimon]

I think you would be better off getting a cheap but sound one that's not perfect than paying a lot of money, you can then spend the difference in getting yours in good order. However much you pay for one its bound to need something doing to it. I bought my last one for £150.00, not that you will get a 2.1 estate for that now, or even at all, it needed some work which didn't cost a fortune and is still going well over two years later,

Peter

Ah yes Peter... I realise the wisdom of what you're saying but as I originally mentioned, I am not an experienced mechanic so the cost of fettling a 'weary' XM could be high, and finding a nearby(ish) mechanic who knew what he was doing is a further issue.