Why Am I Not Bidding On This...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Citroen-XM-V6-24V-Pa...id=p3286.c0.m14
http://i19.ebayimg.com/07/i/001/08/f7/7625_1.JPG

Don't 'get' the "water retirement" reference in the deficiencies - is it a failed head gasket
or a radiator or what. Sad to see it as a non runner.

Andrew

But this may be a better prospect!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Citroen-XM-3-0-V6-24...id=p3286.c0.m14

Andrew

Sh!t, think I want to buy a left hooker!!! and have the DAVRI steering (did I spell that right)...

P

DIRAVI is the one to have - we've been lumbered with DIRASS in the UK - the glorified
BX/Xantia steering system with silly ram and horrible nearside steering gaiter...

Andrew

Insurance isn't as loaded against LHD as it used to be although there are arguments for saying the
forward vision of the driver is impaired and can be dangerous if overtaking; not an issue with a car
that can safely overtake in far less time than many; assuming of course, there isn't
another vehicle oncoming like there ALWAYS is...

The only real negative for a left tiller is specific parts and the nervous breakdown you'll give any
front seat passenger who are in the 'hot seat' so to speak! If they're reliable they can be your
extra eyes to see ahead further mind.

Lhd Citroens are great fun mind and makes everyone have a double take!

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on September 07, 2008 06:48 pm

Yep, insurance is no problem and doesn't cost more than for a RHD. I paid £200 last year.

Yep, sadly, overtaking is forbiden in those narrow country side roads, unless you like to scare yourself...But in any other terrain, no problem whatsoever with visibility.

I discovered that you quickly adapt to drive anything. I often drive my grlfrnds RHD ZX but it's not more troublesome than changing a pair of trousers for another one.

On the V6 PRVs (12v), the one specific part that's different is the clutch. I have had a RHD-spec one fitted on mine and it has never been good (it has a very "on-off" operation). Also, the brake doseur is differently coded but who knows if it's actually just a bracket's diference or so. Also had to buy second hand mirrors from German ebay when somebody broke mine, as the wiring is reversed (temp sensor), naturally. But no other differences really. BTW, since a year or so, there is such a huge supply of XM parts on german ebay that it is difficult not to find anything you want.

To MOT/register a LHD in the UK you don't need to change absolutely anything (still have the original "km/h" speedo, headlights,...). I used to drive with some stickers on the headlights till I discovered they are nicely adjustable on the XM...

BTW this 24v is one I'd buy if I had any sort of cash at this moment!!! Low miles, low price, nice color...!

I had bought my XM eu1150/£923 from German ebay in 2004.

cheers
George

This post has been edited by jorgy9 on September 07, 2008 05:37 pm

George,

Interesting to see your comments on adjusting the headlights; is this only lhd to rhd option?
I was under the impression the front glass was specific as a means of focussing the beam so
would this not be out of alignment if the dip is passing through it at a different point?

Is there an argument then that lhd lights are better if you travel abroad from the Uk regularly?
I've got a pair off a broken left hooker but have probably mixed them amongst the others I've
saved of scrapped cars; is there a way to determine LHD and RHD by simply looking at them?

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on September 07, 2008 10:00 pm

Hi Andrew

There are three types of XM headlamp design. Original Mk1 LHD, the RHD variant of this design fitted to all UK RHD XM's and the improved Mk2 headlamp produced ony in the LHD type.

John

Hi Andrew

The adjustment I meant is by means of the 2 knobs just "above" each headlight under the bonnet, that turn them up/down and right/left. I'd find it difficult to believe RHD XMs are deprived of those?!

2 years ago the MOT man seems to have discovered these knobs and adjusted the beam himself thus I'm not using tape anymore.

My car happens to have one headlight of each S1 and S2 styles. I'll make a photo from near and post it, see if u can say a difference between LHD/RHD.

G

The earliest Gs from 1971 to 74 had a twin bulb headlight with themsin beam sitting below a single
dip bulb. The ingenuity of Citroen or more likely Marshall was a switch on each headlight that IIRC
swivelled the dip bulb 90degrees for left or right hand drive. This feature was dispensed with when
the combined dip/main bulb replaced the earlier design.

I thought for a moment the left hand drive Market cars had a similar arrangement having the
separate dip bulb design with a universal main which after all simply throws the high beam
stright ahead with no cut off.

The rhd cars have the same adjuster knobs too but nothing you'd alter the throw of the dip
beam pattern. IIRC, the pattern onthe glass is an exact mirror between lhd and rhd.

Andrew

Hi Andrew and George

One of the knobs is vertical adjustment the other is lateral rotation. These move the complex surface reflectors. The amount of movement is much greater than is needed for adjustment correction so perhaps you can just about get enough movement to set the dip for the wrong direction. The headlamp beam is so wide that you will not notice that it is off line except on a very long straight road. I suspect that the dip reflector shape varies between RHD and LHD but cannot check this. The pattern on the inner lense for cut off is different each side with LHD and RHD being mirror images of each other. The Mk1 lense and glass patterns were accepted as deficient and were optimised for the Mk2 facelift but then only applied to LHD production as the costs for manufacturing new RHD lense and glass moulds was considered uneconomic.
I cannot see how it is possible to get RHD cut-off with a standard LHD headlamp so without masking it must be a MOT failure. Though you might well be able to swap the plastic lenses from one side to the other to swap cut-off side. It is usual practice to change the headlamps when a car is permanently imported or exported from this country. I guess that the general poor dip light output of XM lights masks most of these problems but I would be very cautious about using a RHD XM on LHD roads even with masking if any of the dip light output mods had been done (HID's fitted, plastic lenses removed or Dip bulb metal shields removed.

John