2.5 diesel XM - yes or no?
Moderator: RichardW
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pete_wood_uk
- Posts: 180
- Joined: 22 Apr 2004, 13:08
- Location: Cambs, United Kingdom
- My Cars:
You too? I must admit I was a bit put off when I got there, it's a bit of a ramshackle place, not what you'd call a proper dealer's forecourt, to put it mildly, but I saw the (soon-to-be-my) Xantia HDi 110 Excl Estate in a very honest condition - straight in off of an 85k mile/4 year contract hire, still dirty. He said he'd do a full service, cambelt, aircon clean/recharge, valet, etc in the price. Now obviously I can't tell whether he's *actually* done the cambelt without a major unmantling job, but there's certainly a new alternator belt, fresh oil, and shiny-looking bolt-heads on the cambelt cover, so I have to conclude that he's done what he said he'd do. Even better, he brought the car on a low loader to my house and took my (temporarily less than 100% reliable 
) CX GTi away.
When I got there he'd just won en ebay auction for an early 1970s Citroen corrugated tin van (is that the H van?) so I thought this man is clearly nuts / an enthusiast.
) CX GTi away. When I got there he'd just won en ebay auction for an early 1970s Citroen corrugated tin van (is that the H van?) so I thought this man is clearly nuts / an enthusiast.
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martyhopkirk
Might i suggest the HDi Xantia too - Ive got a 90 though its been chipped to about 110 ish BHP - and it pulls my Swift Corvette 16/5 a treat - fully laden with all the bits we are looking at about 1350kg and that does not include the stuff in teh boot of the Xant.
A LOT cheaper than an XM, mine never seems to be overworked,a nd has onlygone over the 83ish degrees running temp once (over pennines on M way doing 70 with van on back in August).
Biased I know, but I know what I like, and its Xant shaped[:D]
A LOT cheaper than an XM, mine never seems to be overworked,a nd has onlygone over the 83ish degrees running temp once (over pennines on M way doing 70 with van on back in August).
Biased I know, but I know what I like, and its Xant shaped[:D]
With regards to the cooling problems, have you tried Water Wetter (http://www.redlineoil.co.uk/products/waterwetter.htm), which is supposed to reduce the running temperature by about 10 - 15 degrees.
Not tried it myself, but I've read good things about it.
Not tried it myself, but I've read good things about it.
Your a great lot and I really appreciate the comments. I am off to Diss tomorrow morning, he is not open this Saturday because of a new forecourt and garage being built.
Will let you all know what I decide. I can guarantee that it won't be my head that makes the decision[:0]
I have to balance my need for a heavy car, the trailer comes in at 12 to 1500kgs depending what I am doing and then even the 2.0 Hdi Xant would find this a trial at times ........ and I do love the XM's
The fully loaded VSX sounds great but it will have to be near perfect at the price he's asking and with verifiable FSH. I will need whatever I get to last at least 5 years too but that should OK.
Hey ho it's off to buy we go..[:D] R
Will let you all know what I decide. I can guarantee that it won't be my head that makes the decision[:0]
I have to balance my need for a heavy car, the trailer comes in at 12 to 1500kgs depending what I am doing and then even the 2.0 Hdi Xant would find this a trial at times ........ and I do love the XM's
The fully loaded VSX sounds great but it will have to be near perfect at the price he's asking and with verifiable FSH. I will need whatever I get to last at least 5 years too but that should OK.
Hey ho it's off to buy we go..[:D] R
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martyhopkirk
Robin, the 110 Xant is rated to tow 1500kg (the 90 is rated to tow only 1300) - you can chip the 110 to throw out 130 - 140 BHP for about £200 - no real improvment in top end, but does improve torque.
Ballance the cost of keeping and running an XM against how often you need to tow. Then compare the cost with a (newer) Xantia!
Ballance the cost of keeping and running an XM against how often you need to tow. Then compare the cost with a (newer) Xantia!
Marty, my head and therefore so not so common sense tells me the Xant is the best route. If I can find a good Exclusive then I will take that and think of the rechipping, so thank you for the information.
My trailer is a single axle box van with the aerodynamics of an 8x8x10 foot house brick. It had twin axles originally but would toss my Xant about unmercifully along the rougher roads when fully loaded so I converted it to single. It rides better for the car but stresses the tyres now!
Oh well, let's see what impulse does!
My trailer is a single axle box van with the aerodynamics of an 8x8x10 foot house brick. It had twin axles originally but would toss my Xant about unmercifully along the rougher roads when fully loaded so I converted it to single. It rides better for the car but stresses the tyres now!
Oh well, let's see what impulse does!
OK I know what you will all think but I have done a deal with Wolsey House and Danny. A 97 R plate XM 2.5 VSX with 88k miles, full supported service history, all THREE belts changed on time, fluids flushed at 72K, new front spheres and rear H/C, four new tyres with less than 8k on them, the displays work and no tow bar. Clean straight and with protective carpets right through.
They are putting in a new pair of rads (suspicious blue seepage), there is an auxiliary cooling rad plus the intercooler and condensor rad for the A/c, fitting a tow bar, full service and brake overhaul and 12 month MOT all for the asking price. Which is ........ Have a guess![}:)]
I pick it up end of next week.
R.
They are putting in a new pair of rads (suspicious blue seepage), there is an auxiliary cooling rad plus the intercooler and condensor rad for the A/c, fitting a tow bar, full service and brake overhaul and 12 month MOT all for the asking price. Which is ........ Have a guess![}:)]
I pick it up end of next week.
R.
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pete_wood_uk
- Posts: 180
- Joined: 22 Apr 2004, 13:08
- Location: Cambs, United Kingdom
- My Cars:
I think he might mean the cam belt replaced three times rather than 3 belts.
Wolsey House and the XM Centre are probably the two most expensive places in the world to buy an XM. They know they have a captured market (enthusiast mugs like us). If you look through autotrader or exchange and mart or indeed just about any other advertising medium you're going to find the same model, year and mileage as those in WH and XMC (where do you think they get their cars!)at a fraction of the price.
You really have to convince yourself that a car bought there has some incredibly huge benefits to justify the hike in price.
If you read the posts on XM-L you'll find examlpes of XM owners chasing a particular car in the normal press and losing out to WH who pipped them to the post. The next week the car is advertised at a huge markup. You need to be convinced that in that time period the car has had all the things done to it (all the normal problems which are usually covered in this forum and other XM forums) to the extent where the normal devaluation rate has been significantly reversed.
Can't say that I'm convinced but each to their own.
Cheers
Norrie
Wolsey House and the XM Centre are probably the two most expensive places in the world to buy an XM. They know they have a captured market (enthusiast mugs like us). If you look through autotrader or exchange and mart or indeed just about any other advertising medium you're going to find the same model, year and mileage as those in WH and XMC (where do you think they get their cars!)at a fraction of the price.
You really have to convince yourself that a car bought there has some incredibly huge benefits to justify the hike in price.
If you read the posts on XM-L you'll find examlpes of XM owners chasing a particular car in the normal press and losing out to WH who pipped them to the post. The next week the car is advertised at a huge markup. You need to be convinced that in that time period the car has had all the things done to it (all the normal problems which are usually covered in this forum and other XM forums) to the extent where the normal devaluation rate has been significantly reversed.
Can't say that I'm convinced but each to their own.
Cheers
Norrie
My error i think, we confirmed that all the belts had been done so it must have been all four replaced. I will check though.
There certainly aint no room to party under that bonnet! I am looking forward to getting it home now. R.
P.S. Forgot to mention the new exhaust too.
No it wasn't cheap but how do you value a car in this condition with so few late model 2.5 VSX's to choose from? He has eight in total ranging from around a grand to mine at several more plus some, but only this one with A/C and cruise control etc..
I can, hopefully, rely on it for many miles to come with the major expenditure covered. It would have cost me far more than any reduction I could have negotiated in parts alone. I would then have had to find the time to do the work myself and I get enough spanner wrestling in my daily life thanks.
Expensive, that's relative. Cheap no, fair I think so. As you say, my choice. R
There certainly aint no room to party under that bonnet! I am looking forward to getting it home now. R.
P.S. Forgot to mention the new exhaust too.
No it wasn't cheap but how do you value a car in this condition with so few late model 2.5 VSX's to choose from? He has eight in total ranging from around a grand to mine at several more plus some, but only this one with A/C and cruise control etc..
I can, hopefully, rely on it for many miles to come with the major expenditure covered. It would have cost me far more than any reduction I could have negotiated in parts alone. I would then have had to find the time to do the work myself and I get enough spanner wrestling in my daily life thanks.
Expensive, that's relative. Cheap no, fair I think so. As you say, my choice. R
does it have the digital climate control and the alcantra suede seats ?, i recon you will have paid about £4k without those bits or £4.5k with ?,
nice low mileage by the way !!, as long as you watch the temperature like a hawk when youve got your foot down and let up as soon as you see it start to rise you should be ok, i think that the damage has already started to be done by the time the overheat alarm goes off
nice low mileage by the way !!, as long as you watch the temperature like a hawk when youve got your foot down and let up as soon as you see it start to rise you should be ok, i think that the damage has already started to be done by the time the overheat alarm goes off