Citroen XM Forum

Its the multi posting that confused the hell out of me, combined with home issues, and tired ness as a whole it just all confused the heck out of me..

Ive no control on FCF, but if I do spot multiple postings on the same subject item I try and clear it up, im not a fan of off topic postings, as valuble info can get lost, and as you cleared up, multiple topics on the same item is also a PITA

I am very sorry for the confusion caused and although I did recall the earlier thread I had deliberately chosen to make a new post in this case! With regards, Matthew T.

Well chaps I decided to go for it as no one else seemed to be interested, at least not apart from Paul. I managed to negotiate the price down a bit and found quite a reasonable deal on delivery through Shiply and the car is now sitting outside our house! Before taking the plunge I spoke a couple of times with both the Vendor and Citraulix who previously maintained the car. It turns out the last owner was an elderly gent who spared no expense including an auto gearbox overhaul costing £2,000, although unfortunately another different problem then developed with the box and the car was laid up for eight years! The other main issue is that the steel engine sump has apparently been holed by a forklift tong but luckily I have a spare engine available. There has not been time or decent weather to properly look over the car including underneath but the general condition of the bodywork seems very good with only one small dent in the rear wing and a few other smaller dents and scratches in paintwork. All the jacking points are intact although I did notice some minor damage in an adjacent sill. The car is basically complete and the interior is particularly well kempt and I especially like the colour that is Cobalt metallic blue like Will's other car. I shall make a further post including photos when I get time. With regards, Matthew T.

congrats Matthew. One for every day of the week I'd like to drive my Diesel, then my petrol and then finally drive a V6. The difference must be like going uphill on a bicycle and going downhill on an electric bicycle?? Petty I'm to scared of those gear boxes with inbuilt filters. Good luck with this one!

Well done Matthew, I knew it would too much of a temptation! Great to save another one.
Can you explain the strange combo of early numberplate and later interior? Having said that as you say, the interior looked in mint condition.

Fingers crossed it's an easy resto.

As the ad said russ.. its a cherised plate on it thats all..

my xm 24v will soon be wearing a D plate..

Oh I see, so nothing strange going on. Jolly good!

Well done, Matthew!

Plates here in Spain are simply issued nationally, and in numerical order. Vowels are not used (except Y), and the format has, so far, been nnnn XXX.

System started around 2002, the first number being issued being (presumably) BBB 0000 . . . No vowels, and four zeros are used. Next would be BBB 0001, BBB 0002.....until BBB 9999. Then BBC 0000, and so on, running through the Cs. BBZ gives way to BCB, BCC.....

We've currently reached issuing of HZK, or so, so not far to go to J plates.

Gone are the days when you could tell where a vehicle was first registered (old-style plates contained region letters), and personalised plates or plates spelling names or whatever just don't happen, with a few unchosen oddities like FLY, CYD etc.

The first couple of letters do give a rough indication of when the plate was issued, but this is joyously thrown off-course by bringing an old car into the country (like our 2.5) and putting it on Spanish plates: when you do this, you are issued with a "new" number, next in sequence along with all the other new car sales! In our case, the system even treated the car as new, and failed to ask for any Vehicle Testing for three years. The joys of living in Spain.

That's good then! I thought the year was mentioned on the plate but I must be mistaken with Portugal. In the Netherlands you cannot have a plate plated without identification and car papers, in Ireland you can go to the shop and have any number plate printed that you want. So much for the EU regulations and fraud prevention:)