Vince's xm - 2.1TD daily driver

[Dieselman]

Interesting news here Vince. Could open future prospects for you.

http://www.andrewpage.com/content/6/news

[Vince]

Interesting news indeed Will yes...how it will affect me though I don't know. The Bolton branch of Unipart closed today. I have a list of Unipart branches that AP have bought but there are a huge number of branches that have been closed nationwide and so many people have just lost their jobs at summertime its a real shame felt across the parts industry. What I thought was nice today was that we had a conference call this afternoon and the news directly communicated to us. We were asked to be respectful of the people who lost their jobs today across the country with them being reffered to as "our colleagues" although they didn't work for AP. I think that stems from a mutual respect across the parts world that business is so tough at the moment, we can imagine just how hard those people worked to turn around their respective branches only to ultimately go under. Its sent a big wave across the industry today.....

On the boiler front, its the diverter valve that's packed up. Not a huge problem, but as Jim says the efficiencies of a new boiler estimate an annual saving of around £200. Linda's mum has kindly offered us an interest free loan to get a new boiler....its worth it as we aren't moving house for years to come and it takes a battering with a family using hot water each day like its going out of fashion....

On the car allowance front, TBH no one is sure...its as clear as mud It seems its paid into your salary. id get circa £5K a year extra which is divided and paid into your wage each month. If your tax code also reverts back to normal then TBH I reckon ill be quids in I lose so much money each month on the company car I don't like to think about it.

I hope there isn't any restrictions on car age etc....if so ill see if I can sack it off and just take a van home...for me that might work out easier as the xm then gets used just as social and domestic

Jim, the activa is coming along nicely....but im not going to have time to machine it as im working in the evenings....The engine bay is almost done....the shame is Will doesn't want anything painted really so it looks a hundred times better, but if it was mine id paint it up to finish the job

[Dieselman]

At just the diverter valve needing doing I would repair the original boiler, a new one won't be dramatically more efficient, assuming yours is a fan assisted one anyway. Modern combi boilers are generally a bit rubbish.

On the car allowance front, depending on your mileage that value sounds OK, as you say, you have to add the tax paid into it as well, which is probably about £70 per month, then add in the mileage allocation.

I wouldn't go back to a company car readily, it has worked out fine for me and I get to drive what I want.

If they won't let you use the XM I would probably still take the allowance and run something that gives a surplus of cash for you car fund. If you take a van, you still have to pay some tax and lose the allowance.

[xantia_v6]

On the boiler, if your current boiler is not a condensing boiler, then a codensing boiler is only more efficient if you run the radiator circuit at lower temperature which may require a new set of radiators to transfer enough heat.

[Dieselman]

A condensing boiler is more efficient whilever it is condensing. The issue is that modern combi-condensers tend to fail early.

[Eddie nuff]

Well, the company I work for have decided that all branch managers will no longer have company cars and instead be given a car allowance to run whatever car they want

Your tax code should go back to 1000L. Make sure your allowance is shown on your payslip as "Non-Taxable Allowance".

For an idea of the difference it will make to your wage see this site.

[Vince]

Thanks guys, ill check out the link Neil thanks

[kingp]

FYI the van is the best option for a company vehicle and hence why so many are driving pickups now instead of just vans as they fall into the same bracket which IIRC i £400 a year off your wages. not bad really for a vehicle thats paid for.

Worst case scenario Vince in that you have to have a car under 5yrs old or such, get a nice C1.... they do VAN versions as well for even more fun lol!!

Im still amazed by the activa even though i keep coming home to a burd turd on its bonnet and keep rinsing it off im going to have to chop the tree it parks under a little i think lol

[Vince]

Amazed by the activa?.....i think the V6 will be a bigger transformation next week

In the world of parts, if you take a van you dont often pay anything for it...perhaps a measily amount, but as branch manager i would guess it would be free. Im back in tomorrow so ill see if anything has come through on email...

[Vince]

Well guys, its been a bit of a rollercoaster day xm wise.....

Started off with me panicking about the welding that needs doing to the sills. They i noticed the nsf wing has rotten away a tad at its lower edge. I dont understand why as the rest is solid, but hey...ill keep my eye out for a replacement hopefully in the same colour and get it swapped over.

After my fretting about the potential money im going to have to throw at it, and pretty soon as the nissan will be going, i discussed it with Linda who is now 100% behind getting the xm back on the road so its full steam ahead with getting the work done

The biggest thing for us both that we are looking forward to is every year my american family come over for a week or so. When they do we tend to go on a trip somewhere and next year its been decided that we will be going on a driving tour to north france The reason being is because of an ancestor who is buried over there having died in the first world war and the family want to visit the grave and pay their respects etc. SO THE XM IS SET TO RETURN TO ITS NATIVE LAND

Ive always wanted to drive an old citroen over to france and it looks as if my dream will become a reality...Im loving it