Citroen XM Forum

casalingua wrote:Isn't taking it a bit too far with this efficiency lark to dispense with a few litres of a consumable like LHM? I think the refusal to stock it isn't driven by economics - the saving is so minuscule (5 litres of shelfspace and 50 quid of sunk capital) - it's a choice made to discourage the drivers of older Citroens from keeping them.

All businesses will look to remove and liquidate old stock after a certain time period, as it's dead money and space.

"All businesses will look to remove and liquidate old stock after a certain time period, as it's dead money and space.[/quote]
Actually all businesses make value judgements based on qualitative as well as quantitative factors. How nice should the carpets be? How much free coffee to make available? How often to paint the walls (every two years or four or six?) Should they keep four types of wiper rather than five? Citroen UK don't know how many Xsara or DS4 owners are in the vicinity? Do they hire four mechanics at a total of £120,000 per annum or five slightly less well paid ones? Do they spend £130 on office chairs or £120 on each chair? What grade of toilet roll is good enough? You get my point by now. The cost of keeping 5 or 10 litres of LHM in stock is only half the calculation. The other half is qualitative, to do with pleasing customers, strengthening a reputation. The money aspect of it is trivial compared to the benefit of keeping loyal customers happy who will recommend the garage to others. So the decision to discontinue stocking a bit of LHM only appears to be based on sound "objective" judgement. In reality the cost-benefit analysis shows to me that Citroen have decided to actively discourage owners of older Citroens rather than merely to save money. The money saving is patently nugatory: what garage doesn't have five litres of shelf space and what garage couldn't tie up fifty quid of capital without being able to forget about it indefinitely? Every office I've ever been in has had thousands of pounds of inert capital lying about and every garage too.

That, and you can buy it readily online!

How useful is that when your Xantia is running low in LHM on a trip on Thursday afternoon outside Cirencester? But if you can say "Frankenshaw Citroen were able to help me out last week" then maybe that could generate a sale of a car because someone liked their service reputation. The actual situation is more like avoidance: "Citroen? Nah, they don't give a stuff".

Very true Casalingua. Same in Ireland and Holland, I can tell you. Stupid, beyond belief. My company would have been bankrupt years and years ago. Don't know how Citroen can put up with this kind of service. But they can, up to now. And that's why they won't sell LHM. Among other things. Cannot last for ever though.

I know...it is useless, fora company that used to sell quite a few models, all relying on LHM, it is appalling dealer support.
So I suppose the plan is now to stock up ourselves and have some in the boot. I will from now on.

All mine have 1 litre already, as spare, in the boot. For years now. Never had to use any.....
I usually stock up by the 20 litres at Chyparse in the Netherlands.
If you have a serious leak, you won't get far but maybe just far enough.
LHM, I'll need some more soon.
By the way, I lost trust in Citroen dealers more than 20 years ago. For a non LHM related issue.

I keep a litre in the car in a nice round can. It's actually quite appealing in its way, reminding me that I have a special car. Nothing leaks since I had the pinion valve re-done. I must get another can just because I can. As it were.

Would a Citroen dealer/garage keep LHM on the shelf? You bet they would, if their mechanics needed it. Can you imagine a repair job or service being stalled for want of some fluid?
Demand? A dealer might be able to ignore XM and older, but what about C5, C6 and Xantia? (Different fluid, granted...)

C.

White Exec wrote:Would a Citroen dealer/garage keep LHM on the shelf? You bet they would, if their mechanics needed it. Can you imagine a repair job or service being stalled for want of some fluid?
Demand? A dealer might be able to ignore XM and older, but what about C5, C6 and Xantia? (Different fluid, granted...)

C.

Note ! Xantia's use GREEN LHM too, (not the later spec.) ORANGE LDS as the C5's and C6's

Also the C5's and C6's have to use a separate type of hydraulic oil for the PAS and also a separate reservoir/supply (DOT4) for the braking system too !

Rather than using one common tank/supply to feed the brakes/suspension/PAS as has been for the Green-Blooded models !



XMX

.