An Extraordinary Xm Anglesey Odyssey - Got My Car!

The smoking was my stupidity. I went back to the car at the end of the day, it was stone cold. This time, I located the glowplug light, and waited for it to go out; this time it started first touch, no smoke.

I drove my Spanish colleague home 130 miles (I've got around 400 night miles now - I want to drive it in daylight!). She settled into the big seat, stretched, and fell asleep, sleeping almost all the way home as I drove at 70-80 through rush hour traffic. Comfortable! Then I picked up my son - he couldn't see the exterior in the dark, but when he got in, his reaction was "Oh wow! It's fantastic!".

Finally, when I went out to tinker at lunchtime, someone had parked a Xsara Picasso next to it. Great way to point out just how low and sleek an XM is! I am a happy boy.

AHHH SAM,

"WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS RTFM" - SOMETIMES A GOOD IDEA TO DO THAT FIRST !!!!!!!!!!!

A PAL OF MINE DID A SIMILAR THING WITH HIS "NEW" XM - THOUGHT HE WAS PUTTING THE AUTO TRANS INTO SPORTS MODE WHEN HE WAS ALTERING THE SUSPENSION MODE SWITCH!

YOU'LL BE PLEASED WITH YOUR ACQUISITION [ GENERICALLY SPEAKING ], MY OWN EXPERIENCES WITH MY 2.1TD [ ESTATE] WERE FIRST CLASS.

I BOUGHT IT AT 14 MONTHS OLD [ £9250.00 !!!! ] DIRECT FROM CITROEN UK [ EX.MANAGEMENT CAR ] WITH A "MERE" 58 K MILES ON THE CLOCK. OVER THE NEXT 9 YEARS I CLOCKED UP A TOTAL OF 175K WITH ABSOLUTELY THE MINIMUM OF FUSS OR SPANNERING. OIL CHANGE ONCE A YEAR [ YES GETTING LAZY ], DITTO WITH TRANS FLUID [ AUTO] AND HYDS FLUSH EVERY 2ND YEAR. ABSOLUTELY NO SIDE OF THE ROAD BREAKDOWNS OR OTHER ISSUES OTHER THAN NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND CONSUMABLES.

THE CAR WAS USED ON LONG CONTINENTAL JOURNEYS, MANY TOWING HEAVY TRAILERS. ALWAYS PERFORMED WELL IN THAT ROLE. ONE THING THAT AMAZED ME WAS HOW LIGHT IT WAS ON BRAKE PADS - I THINK I ONLY FITTED 2 SETS TO THE FRONT AND ONLY ONE TO THE REARS AND THEN THEY WERE ONLY 2/3RDS WORN. I EVEN BOUGHT NEW FRONT DISCS "JIC", BUT NEVER NEEDED THEM - IN FACT THEY'RE STILL IN MY GARAGE IN THE BOX!

HOWEVER, I FOUND IT A BIT UNDERPOWERED IN NORMAL USE - EVEN MY WIFE COMMENTED ON THE RELATIVE LACK OF PERFORMANCE. THE 2LTR. PETROL TURBO IS FAR LIVELIER [ AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT ] AND WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE DIFFERENCE IN PUMP PRICES - PETROL V DIESEL THE COST PER MILE IS WITHIN 10%. I FIND THE COST PER MILE [ FUEL RELATED ONLY ] TO BE A FAR BETTER INDICATOR OF "ECONOMY" THAN A SIMPLE "MPG". HOWEVER, I MUST SAY LPG IS LOOKING A BETTER BET BY THE MONTH THANX TO GORDON THE MORON.

I'M SURE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ENJOY YOUR RIDE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME - GOOD LUCK

BEACHCOMBER

I certainly will RTFM - trouble was, I had 260 miles to a friends house, sleep, 20 miles to the office, work all day, 130 miles home, with no reading time. I should've remembered from my BX however - same deal.

I'm actually very happy with the performance; you need to remember that for the last 2 years, I've been driving a 1.1 Fiesta and a 2.2 td Previa; both the wife and myself have been feeling very fast in the XM! Maybe if//when I can afford to add a second XM, I'll get a petrol one; I don't know.

Sam.
you'll be perfectly happy with the performance level after your previously mentioned cars!

I was in the market for an MPV some 10 years ago and unfortunately drove a Previa. Pity, as on paper it seemed to be the business. Ended up with a V6 Espace - and then came to the conclusion that MPV's or "People Carriers" were just that - for people - without luggage. Then I realised that's why I saw all those MPV's at the docks when we were going on holiday with sheds on the roof - for the luggage.

My Daughter had a 2.1TD auto [ hatchback ] for 3 years, and again - it was faultless and required no attention.

I WAS tempted at looking for a 2.5 TD, but the sage and wise of this parish put me off those.

With fuel prices looking like getting even higher, LPG seems like the way out for me personally - maybe a V6. There's BOUND to be an LKPG converted V6 AUto Estate sooner or later for £500 - £600, then I'll pounce!

Just enjoy your acquisition,

beachcomber

Or possibly a hatch!


No mines not up for grabs ust yet ! I'm still enjoying it!



Rgds
citroenxm

Hey CitroenXM

as I stated previously YOU are the reason there's no decent one's about - you've cornered the market!!!

How about some info. on living with a V6 /LPG?

I looked at that 2ltr.Auto Estate in London just before Xmas and was really tempted. It had the big cylinder tank in the boot, but also the doughnut "spare wheel" tank as an alternate.

I seriously think that's the direction I need to go in. I've ALWAYS preferred big V's - 6's or 8's and I am a particular fan of the PVR lump.

I had a chance of California garage's ex. demo estate [in 1998? ] Dark metallic green / leather and only 16K miles on the clock. Still kicking myself.

We all laughed when Gordon the Moron stood up 10 years ago and vowed he would make petrol £5 / gallon, not laughing anymore.

Beachcomber

Hi beachkomber

there are LPGd V6s coming on on french ebay not rarely at all -seems the french are poorer than the Germans! -, so keep an eye on overthere -I take it you are "internationalised" enough to find out how to deal with exporting a used car from France -

cheers
George

Hi George [ again today ]

thanx for the headsup - I've got a couple of customers in Normandy so I'll ask them to keep an eye out.

Bought my first car from France in 1969 - an R8 Gordini - things were a bit more complicated then! Last one was a Peugeot 203 "Break" bought last year.

I think I've completely convinced myself that V6 LPG [ Auto Estate ] is the way forward - actively looking.

Beachcomber

I reckon I'd pounce on a gassed V6 as well, specially if it were an estate. For now, however, very happy with my Diesel!