Considering An Xm - Reliability?

Sure, but I have to drive hundreds of miles each week. My wallet wouldn't let me run a V6 even if my hippy conscience would. I could have one as an occasional fun car, but I need something to waft me all over the country in supreme comfort at minimal cost.....

Hi Jorgy,

the reason your aural senses are in tune with the "V8" rumble is that the PVR V6 is an "odd fire" engine same as those icons the Chevy V8 [ any size ] and the Rover V8. The Ford V8 is an "even fire" engine and just doesn't have that same spine tingling note.
My 502ci Ford with 3 stage Nitrous Oxide [ 1200 bhp ] wasn't a bad alternative!

BTW - You overlooked the twin turbo Grand Prix version of our favourite engine!!! AND the Alpine Le Mans cars.

Many years ago I built a Drag Bike with a PVR engine, and also started [ but regretably never finished ] a twin PVR engined Dragster. Both engines with GMC blowers and set to run as an odd fire V12.

Ah the things you do in your youth

beachcomber

Hi there Beachcomber,

hmmm, I thought this odd firing was "corrected" with this last version of the PRV for the XM and 605, when they brought out this altered crankshaft -or has this nothing to do with the issue?-.

BTW, the consumption levels you mention for your estate make me think my engine must have a problem -I can't get past 23mpg (90% motorway at 60mph) and that's with a manual box!-. I've been told that perhaps my lamda-sensor could be "lazy"...What I definitely know is my speed sensor is faulty but would this influence the engine ECU in terms of fuel mix administered or so?

Hope you r having fun!

cheers
George

Reliability...
The Christmas Eve night was quite cold in Vilnius, well, something about minus 14 (Celcius). And in the morning I realised that my XM just won't rise up... Voila the reliability... It's OK now, but nevertheless...
One more story. While driving in the town (thanks God, not in the middle of nowhere), I sudenly get the "Hydraulic Pressure" warning. Well, it was the front left hydrocylinder (shock absorber, if you prefer) returning hose that broke, and a green pool around the wheel... So, here we are, all works abandoned and driving straightly to a friend who managed to fix this... Looks OK, just a returning hose, practically no pressure there, but I managed to lose two liters of LHM during that 5 km journey. Imagine the loss of all LHM in about a minute if something more serious...

I had that more than once on my BX, and on one occasion, the warning light didn't come on! The steering suddenly became insanely heavy, and a couple of miles later, the suspension became awfully harsh. Fortunately I still had some brakes when I arrived!

Well, yeah, fortunately!.. And, moreover, I have a DIRAVI steering system in my XM, which is enormously comfortable, only... Only if it works... Otherwise the steering wheel is unturnable, so to speak... If you have a normal one, DIRASS, so it is at least steerable...
I'm very happy with my XM, I couldn't even dream about more comfort on board... But their reliability... Let's say, "Citroen" still has some lacunas...

They are only when compared to diesels. And as for smoothness or acceleration there's no comparing the two

If it's too thirsty for you, why wouldn't you consider installing some LPG system? I have one, EMMEGAS, direct injection sequential LPG system, and I'm absolutely happy with it, 'couse I don't lose it's brilliant traction, or acceleration, at all and the drive is considerably less expensive, bearing in mind that almost 100 per-cent of my circulation takes place in the city. In comparison, my XM consumes something around 15 l per 100 km of essence or 19-20 l per 100 km of LPG (in the city), so, the monetary expression of that would be something equal to 10 l per 100 km of essence. I think it's completely OK, 'cause 2.1 TD (especially those with automatic transmission) eats up something near 10 l per 100 km of diesel in the town, not even trying to compare the dynamics, acceleration, and the noise of the engine...

There's a reason, and it's a good one.

Diesel XM - 50 mpg at £1.06 a litre, purchase cost, £500

V6 XM - 25 mpg at 50p per litres, purchase cost, £500 maybe? Conversion cost, £2000


Quite simply, I can't afford to convert one. Everything else is equal cost wise, but the conversion cost would cripple me, and I'm really not looking for uber performance. Compared to my Toyota Previa, the 2.1 TD will probably feel like a rocket ship.

Hey, what kind and how old XM are you going to buy for £500?
And, as far as the conversion is involved, is it REALLY so expensive in the UK???
At least in Lithuania, the system I've described few posts ago costs no more than £500 (counting in your currency)...
Well, yeah... Then consider reparation cost, which is somewhat higher than for those of diesel. But (excuse me if I'm wrong) don't you have something like environmental tax? Which should be the highest for diesels and the lowest for LPGs?

The 2.1 TD doesn't feel like a rocket ship whatsoever! I've tried two, with manual transmission and with automatic, the latter considerably newer. I liked the latter one much more...

It's a 1994 Hatch with 120k miles on it, coming from a member of this very forum! All the information I can find about LPG conversions prices them at around £2000. The tax might go down, yes, but tax on this is about £180 a year, and given that I wouldn't save anything on fuel, you can see that the payback period is rather long! Even if the car became tax free, it would take 10 years to recoup the cost of conversion from the tax savings.

I'm sure it's not exactly fast, but when you're comparing it a 1993 2.2 diesel Toyota Estima Emina (full size 8 seat MPV with auto transmission), it's going to be much faster, not to mention much more comfortable. I'm sorry to disappoint, but you're not going to sell me a V6. The things it does better are things I just don't need in a car of this sort. If I were going to buy a car to go fast and have fun in, I'd sink my £2000 into a Triumph GT6.

Even if I wanted, I scarcely could, as my V6 has the driver's seat installed on the opposite side and non-UK-compatible headlamps...
However, I just wanted to point out that V6 feels way much better that 2.1 TD.

This post has been edited by Zeus on January 18, 2008 04:47 pm

I meant you're not going to sell me on the IDEA of a V6 - I know you weren't touting for business. The 2.1 TD is the right car for me right now. Any other money is more likely to get spent on a CX, or maybe a GS, but who knows, maybe I'll fall in love with XM's enough to want a fast one. I am looking forward to hitting the sport button, and hustling it through some twisty stuff......

But if a ready converted V6 in the same sort of condition came up for £600 to £700 I bet you could be tempted

Zeus, XMs are worth next to nothing in the UK. This is partly due to the fascination that the UK has of crushing any car older than 7 years.

I had a bump in mine a few years ago. I think it was just over the ten year mark, 2.5 estate, about 120K or so, full service history, flawless reliability and as good condition as you would ever find for the age. The insurance company valued it at £900 saying 'we are pushing that valuation to the limit because of the condition'. A long battle ensued between me and my insurance company.

Having said that, prices do seem to be rising again.

Well, I took my V6 for 2000 pounds (again, counting in your currency), but in really good shape (yet invested some more for the oil changes and hydraurinçage), with two sets of tyres (winter and summer) and already converted into LPG. All leather stuff, climatisation control, alloys (with summer tyres), CD changer, multifunctional steering wheel etc...
As I've noticed (to my big surprise), XMs are absolutely cheap, but the LPG systems are ridiculously expensive in your country... Pretty strange, as, to my mind, it prevents people from installing it for environmental reasons...

Hi Jorgy,
sorry I should have been more specific - I was referring to the early engine, which is definitely odd fire.

Both my petrol XM's have been quite acceptable consumption wise, high 20's early 30's no problem.

What has really astounded me about my current car is the consumption while towing. And I'm talking about a heavy trailer and payload - 2.5 tons min. all up weight. Absolutely effortless, even up long hills. Is it down to the LUcas oil additive??

LPG - cost. DON'T buy a conversion - let someone else pay out the £1200 - £2000 and then buy the whole car for £600 - £1000 later !

The white N reg LPG estate just before Xmas went for £650 on e-bay.

Beachcomber