Should They Stay Or Should They Go?

Im losing a parking space so one of my XMs has got to go.

Which would you keep

N 2.1td VSX hatch 150K, having a new G box and clutch fitted soon, leather, AC, new rad, starter, glows, timming belt, spheres etc etc. Had it for a couple of years and cost me £2K.
Faults- dash lights not work, spinning locks, abs light thats it

M 2.5td VSX estate 190K but recon engine fitted at 180K, new rad, matrix, drop links, spheres, cloth no AC . Had it 6 months and cost £1100.
Faults - speedo not working (new head unit and sender), abs faults that cuts the brakes for a few seconds, runs hot, rusty pipes at the back.

So, which would you keep? Alternativly what market value would you put on each of them

Ta

Mark

Hi,

Of the two, the 2.5 TDI is probably the more versatile car to keep, but the abs fault sounds a touch terminal. When you say `cuts the brakes for a few seconds', do you mean that the brakes cease to function? Recon engine or not, as you describe the car the value has to be low. `Rusty pipes at the back' ? I've worked to a small extent on BX's, so unless the hydractive stuff adds major complications then pipework isn't a major problem, but hot running engines of any kind (especially diesels) make me wary. One way or another, you're going to have to spend time, money or both getting the car sorted. Imagine you were being offered it for sale; taking into account dealer prices for the work needed, how much would you want to pay for it? To get a realistic value you have to forget how much time you as an enthuiast would spend on the car; instead try to figure out how much the average buyer, (making the decision which big estate car to buy, Ford, Volvo, etc) would spend. Remember too that your `average buyer' would probably find most car dealers advising against hydraluic Citroen's in general, and XM's in particular. I'm not in any way against XM's; having spent well over £1000 to buy and probably more than that (if I priced my own work at what it would have cost me to get a dealer to do it) to work on my V6 auto Estate I am, (regretably sometimes) very much an enthuiast. I'm just trying to play devils advocate here. Why do I keep my car? `Cos I like it, and that's the decision you have to make. Which of your cars do you like the most (or when it's playing up, dislike the least). Have fun, Jim.

Thanks Jim

Well the 2.5 has more fun and as you say is much more versatile. PO could not sort the hot running 92-100 even when it had the previous engine so it must be a fault in the cooling system (or binding brakes). The main rad was changed a couple of years ago but the little is still the original, so this could be blocked or, the water pipes could all be on there way out and are disintergrating and causing blockages.
I agree on your comments re Joe public, the only buyers of XMs now are Cit nuts and there arnt that many af us around.

I know a good 50-60K miles of experiance of the 2.1 so know most of its faults, but wahts to say a few more creep out as soon as its on the road again (duff fuel guage is the latest).

Excluding my time Ive probably spent £4-500 on the 2.5 in the last 6 months plus its purchase of £1100. Therefore if I could get back £1300 upwards I would still be happy. Ebay may be my best bet as the last M plate 2.5 est got up to £1200 before being pulled out.

In the cold light of day the 2.1 is still probably the lower risk car. After two years of hard work I would say it owes me nothing. Add to that the cost of 2nd hand G box plus clutch, injectors and belt say £500. It sounds like a cheap price for a N plate VSX with Ac and all the toys.

When working I like them almost equal, the 2.5 a tad more. When not working, well....... hate the 2.5 and just dislike the 2.1

So

Watch out for a black 2.5 estate on ebay

Thanks

Mark

you must have a spare bedroom big enugh to park an XM havent you???????