Vince's xm - 2.1TD daily driver

[Dieselman]

Funny thing is i just received a headhunting phone call earlier on from an industry recruiter. He is going to set up a meeting with me next week with a very interesting sounding company.....see what happens

Didn't know McDonalds did that for their crew member positions.

Lol, your a funny bugger Neil Fact is ive done that job...many years ago when i was 18. I hated it

Perhaps it's time to look for something completely different to what you have ever done before. Step out of your comfort zone...onward and upward.

[Eddie nuff]

Was the job loss expected or did they pull it out of the blue?

[Vince]

Was the job loss expected or did they pull it out of the blue?

To answer your question Neil...Was it expected? No. The reasons being that in September i was told i was doing a great job and thanked for the hard work and dedication i was putting into the Bolton branch, after taking the branch from a 48% professional standards audit score when i first joined it to a 96% score in just 8 weeks then maintaining it..Improving health and safety audits from a previous zero score to a maximim 5 rating in a similar period. Winning back previously lost accounts and increasing daily turnover from £2500 a day to an average £3600 a day (no mean feat in Bolton i can tell you) and resolving previous long standing staff disputes getting everyone to work as an efficient team...which was the key to achieving the above.

A short while later co-incidentally approaching the 2 yr employed by the company status,(you have no rights of appeal as an employee until after 2 years service) im suddenly asked to leave citing that "its just not working out" Literally as brief as that!

Draw your own conclusions as i really don't understand it at all....My theory is that the Bolton branch loses money each month and has done so for years....Im a heavy cost in such a small branch and its rumored the company are having cash flow issues since buying Unipart out, so perhaps the branch will be closed? In the meantime. I was the biggest, easiest cost saving due to being under 2 years service.

Rather than let it bother me or mulling over the possible reasons why, im looking ahead with confidence. Im good at what i do and have proven this over and over again in different branches i've gone in to sort out. Andrew Page just wasnt the right company for me for whatever reasons

[russ92xmsed]

Well Vince they have lost a a very hard working employee, that is impressive what you achieved. So its their loss. I think you are very right to not worry over why you were let go, clearly there are other bigger issues within the company. Onwards and upwards as they say!

[captainhaddock]

Money over people, the usual thing. IIP nonsense or not.

Only in your case it is not enough, the reason they gave you, I'd at least made them life difficult to have that 'not working out' in writing. To maneuver them into difficulty, then hit back.

You'll be replaced by a cheaper person no doubt. Hope you'll find something better soon.

I work for a guy who privately owns around billion euros but wouldn't give you a day off for the funeral of ones father or mother. Money rules, let them suffocate in it.
You'll be all right though! Get it off your chest always helps.

Don't worry, enjoy some time off

[Dieselman]

Was the job loss expected or did they pull it out of the blue?

To answer your question Neil...Was it expected? No. The reasons being that in September i was told i was doing a great job and thanked for the hard work and dedication i was putting into the Bolton branch, after taking the branch from a 48% professional standards audit score when i first joined it to a 96% score in just 8 weeks then maintaining it..Improving health and safety audits from a previous zero score to a maximim 5 rating in a similar period. Winning back previously lost accounts and increasing daily turnover from £2500 a day to an average £3600 a day (no mean feat in Bolton i can tell you) and resolving previous long standing staff disputes getting everyone to work as an efficient team...which was the key to achieving the above.

A short while later co-incidentally approaching the 2 yr employed by the company status,(you have no rights of appeal as an employee until after 2 years service) im suddenly asked to leave citing that "its just not working out" Literally as brief as that!

Draw your own conclusions as i really don't understand it at all....My theory is that the Bolton branch loses money each month and has done so for years....Im a heavy cost in such a small branch and its rumored the company are having cash flow issues since buying Unipart out, so perhaps the branch will be closed? In the meantime. I was the biggest, easiest cost saving due to being under 2 years service.

Rather than let it bother me or mulling over the possible reasons why, im looking ahead with confidence. Im good at what i do and have proven this over and over again in different branches i've gone in to sort out. Andrew Page just wasnt the right company for me for whatever reasons

You probably had to rattle a few cages and put some backs up to achieve the performance. Been there, done that, the firm had to employ more staff once I was gone, then it all went a bit Pete Tong...especially for the backstabbing shit stirrers that had it in for me.

Just move on and find an employer that values your efforts, there are plenty of companies need good people to get the ship to float.

[Vince]

Thanks guys, i took alot of positivity away from this when i read it this morning....its good to know its not just me who has experienced this kind of injustice...but also to know that things often work out for the best

Thankyou

[Eddie nuff]

. . . after taking the branch from a 48% professional standards audit score when i first joined it to a 96% score in just 8 weeks then maintaining it..Improving health and safety audits from a previous zero score to a maximim 5 rating in a similar period . . . and resolving previous long standing staff disputes getting everyone to work as an efficient team...which was the key to achieving the above.

You probably had to rattle a few cages and put some backs up to achieve the performance.

I think Will got pretty close. Much like when you jump in between a couple having a right barney, they turn on you for having the nerve.

They'll be scrapping again by now and you're well out of it.

[Vince]

Apologies guys for the lack of involvement on here recently.... Since being out of work ive been in a bit of a weird place

Well after the initial flapping, and the pump on the xm getting steadily worse at dumping veg oil / diesel down the front of the engine, its gone in this morning to Paris Autos in Stockport for heart surgery

The original pump is going to be restored by a local well known diesel pump specialist and fingers crossed it will be done and ready for i'm hoping Thursday this week.

Im meeting Will KP tomorrow morning and whilst he goes to pick up the SED which has had its welding done at Paris, ill pick up my pump and ferry it to to where it will be rebuilt

Its costing all of the money i had made recently from doing a couple of cars (luckily), and a little on top, but the thought behind it, is that we need a reliable economical car for winter, and continuing to run it will allow me to finish off some smaller jobs that still need doing.


Ultimately once done, i have decided to pass the mantle over to a new owner and it will be going up for sale once i get a new job. So ill have it for a short while yet....could be a long while, though i hope not as my financial situation wouldnt allow for that...

There will be no specific reason for this, the xm still ticks a big box for me every time i look at it and drive it, but i fancy a new project now that i have helped Paul (xm) return a once loved xm back into a tip top daily driver, and from what ive read manual 2.1td's are hard to find in decent condition.

With the extensive work mine has had over the years, although the mileage is higher than some, it will make someone a very nice reliable solid xm that needs nothing doing to it or spending on it.

So, if you know of anyone who is considering a move into xm ownership, or someone who wants a trouble free solid xm capable of going anywhere anytime, i don't mind doing some advance negotiations

As i said to Paulxm yesterday i think it was, hydraulic Citroens run in my blood from childhood so no doubt once the xm moves on, its not goodbye, at some point i will own another....hopefully an early cx, gs, or a V6 xantia (of which im driving one on loan at the moment ) or even a v6 xm

Who knows what the future brings???

[ragger]

Bit surprised you are thinking of a change Vince, but then I do have a habit of changing cars myself

I'm now on my fifth XM in about six or seven years and I have found the one I love and hope to keep until the tin worm says otherwise: the V6 Exclusive with modern autobox and no sunroof is the ultimate for me. To balance the sheer luxury of this fine beast I also have a Polo diesel for all those journeys you don't need to enjoy.

Good luck with your independence - if you were closer, I would like to be able to make use of your skills.