Yes Andrew, they do.

I dont think that the XM is as addictive as the CX was but its probably more practical. My last CX went through a head gasket every 15k and when you consider I ran it for over 150k - that's dedication. I still consider it in many respects the best car I have ever owned. I only bought my first one because of the refinement of the diesel engine, I knew little about the car, but I hadn't driven it for long before I started to appreciate the superb directional stability due largely to the central steering knuckles, the diravi steering, the ride comfort and the huge load space in the estate, and it was much easier to work on that the XM.

On the downside, the heater was next to useless, 1st gear was far to high so you had to do a lot of clutch slipping to get away, although the clutch lasted for about 200k, and you had to adjust the handbrake about every 15 minutes. The head light were good though.

The XM on the other hand, has an excellent heater, is geared just about right and has brilliant fuel consumption (2.1 manual) It doesn't drive like a 17' mini as did the CX but it does have a nice comfortable interior.

Peter.N.

Well Peter, at least a CX 2.5 head gasket job was a painless exercise to do and with
plenty of practice something you could do in time for tea!

I'm not so happy with the s2 heating system as I was the s1 - I'd manage to properly
toast the insides of one of these - I think Citroen played about with the heating on the
s2 dash facelift and made it worse. And how can a few little switches replace the chunky
centre handbrake console levers also seen on a the engine control of a Boeing 747
anyway - who were they kidding!?

If there was ONE single aspect of a Cx that would need a proper redesign, it's got to be
the handbrake - talk about an afterthought! An elegant engineering "principle" died on it's
feet in reality here where it was meant to have inboard discs longitudinally behind the
boxer6 or rotary3 engine after all...

I think Citroen stretched just that little bit too far for the moon and was pulled (and chained)
back down to earth by Peugeot who've never trusted Citroen since after being hoodwinked
into signing off a make believe alternate Cx to the point of no return when the reality of
manufacture was too far advanced to stop completely...

just a conspiracy theory held among the Cx Cognoscenti!!

Andrew

Hi Andrew

Oh it was! How I wish they had made the XM engine lean forward. By the time I had changed a few studs for bolts and one or two other mods, two or three hours would probably do it. Adjusting the tappets again was probably the longest part. Do you know of another OHV engine that had a cam belt?

It probably took me as long to change the gasket on my XM as it took for all those on the CX!

I'm sure the engineering that went into designing that handbrake could have produced better, if the pads had not worn it would have been brilliant, perhaps they should have been metal! I certainly dont think anyone actually drove it any distance, or at least used the handbrake or surely they wouldn't have put it on the market like that, but - was it not the first car with a disc handbrake?

The capitulation to McPherson struts was definitly a backward step, I assume it was done on cost and uniformity grounds.

Peter.

Um guys.... CX's not have an efficient heater ?? Um, surely you jest. Mine get damn hot even with the heater in the "off" position.... Infact excruciatingly bloody hot. I know some fool who's currently insulating there CX inside and outside, and fitting twin air-conditioning... and modifying the fan housing in a feeble attempt at making the damn car usable !!

What's all this talk about head gasket. The mighty CX here has done nearly 150,000miles. Doesn't use a drip of oil between changes, and to my knowledge it's never had the head off .... Oil changes is the only upkeep the motor needs (other than the damn thing is currently leaking oil onto it's clutch ).

The only reason we aren't running two CX's here, is the ventilation in them is appalling, The ventilation in the XM is nearly as good as a locally made car.... So a huge bonus !

seeya,
Shane L.

The diesel intercooled motors have their heads off more than on Shane!

I don't think I can recall seeing the inside of one of the petrol ones...

OK, I jest, but I've only ever done the one head gasket and that was because the previous cowboy
owner of the 1984 series 1 turbo 1 petrol GTi removed it off a fully working car and sold it to
someone as he'd decided to scrap it = I bought the remains!

Andrew

My GTI Turbo had 250,000 miles on it when I sold it, and went like a train and didn't use a drop of oil. Wish I still had it! Funnily enough, I refurbed the handbrake mechanism on that car and it ws the only CX I've had that didn't need adjusting - I used to do it every other service, and never had a problem with MOTs.

A CX Safari with a DK5 engine and Hydractive would be nice! Don't suppose for a moment the engine would fit, but we can all dream!

I was unfortunate enough to have one of the Indian, I believe it was, blocks made from recycled metal, there were quite a lot of them about, I believe it only affected the Turbo diesels. The car had covered 266k when I sold it, in the 150+ that I had it, in addition to the gaskets I fitted two heads and had the block machined, all to no avail - it was a beautiful car though....