The XM

[Spaces]

Think the 2.1 would suit well with a manual box, preferably a Break. Series 1.5 preferably. Which isn't to say I wouldn't consider a S2 2.5. Anyone have a lovely one which is needing a bit of welding? Which is otherwise in cared-for order.

[messerschmitt owner]

a 2.1TD with manual box (especially a break) is nigh on impossible to find.

[andmcit]

Haven't seen a mention here yet that ALL the estates do tend to suffer from rot in the back wings.
Manual s1 estates are more likely to appear for sale than s2's as Peter will testify. Guess you'll have to
but Citroenmad Chris' beautiful red estate - it's st the right end of the country for you too!

[messerschmitt owner]

Haven't seen a mention here yet that ALL the estates do tend to suffer from rot in the back wings.
Manual s1 estates are more likely to appear for sale than s2's as Peter will testify. Guess you'll have to
but Citroenmad Chris' beautiful red estate - it's st the right end of the country for you too!

I loved Chris's estate - and Patrick Rugg has a 96000 miler S2 VSX 2.1TD Auto with ALL the toys.

Andrew,

when you come collect your panels, I suggest you try and spot the rot in my XM estate! There isn't any.

Campbell

[andmcit]

There'll always be exceptions to the rule and I haven't any rot in the s1 I have either but by God,
I've seen some badly rotted estates: how many years did hours sit in a garage though!?

[messerschmitt owner]

Andrew

it spent its first few years underground in Canary Wharf and then in a garage in Cheltenham all the rest of its life, with almost minimal miles for the two years before it went off the road in 2008. I'm going to be washing the underside a lot this winter!

Thing is, lots of the possible rust is unseen - those bumper mounts on the inner wings for example.

Campbell

[Citroenmad]

Guess you'll have to but Citroenmad Chris' beautiful red estate - it's st the right end of the country for you too!

Im about to reduce it on car and classic slightly as we do need to sell some cars ... I have also just got a set of stainless steel door chrome strips for it which will soon be fitted. I doubt you will find a better or lower mileage 2.1TD manual estate than this one.

[messerschmitt owner]

it still looks fantastic - I think yours and Patrick's ones are probably the only two left with sub 100,000 miles. His has leather and aircon and in green but is £600 more expensive. Is yours worth what you're asking - I think so!

[addo]

There's a dark green 2.5 manual estate here. Leather and aircon, too!

Owner just wants to be shot of it; price will be a few hundred in the end...

[Peter.N.]

As with most things I think its a matter of horses for courses. I ran XMs for over 15 years in fact I still have one but my son drives it. My priority is comfort and you can't better the XM for that, my second requirement was space, there the estate excels, as a self employed TV engineer I had to be able to cram in as many very large very heavy sets as I could, the CX was better but the XM OK. My third requirement was economy, my 2.1 manuals consistently returned 40 - 50 mpg and on long journeys even more. As far as reliability is concerned, once you get the car sorted that can be very good, I had two that had covered nearly 300,000 miles and were still going strong.

Peter

[Citroenmad]

it still looks fantastic - I think yours and Patrick's ones are probably the only two left with sub 100,000 miles. His has leather and aircon and in green but is £600 more expensive. Is yours worth what you're asking - I think so!

Thanks, I think it is worth what I have advertised it for, its a lot of car and in great condition but it is time for it to move on now

[messerschmitt owner]

Chris

I would have your red car in a shot! But house moves (and it seems a brand new trailer that I accidentally bought today) preclude new purchases! The white hatch would need to go and she's barely run in at 137,000.

I think she's worth every penny of the asking price. She may be old but is obviously well looked after and it's just the price of a decade old Merc estate that's been half way to the moon and back.

So, not a cheap entry into XM ownership but a fantastic entry into it, and the best engine/box combo IMHO

Campbell

[steelcityuk]

I'm sure there's plenty of previous posts on the various forums as to the merits of the 2.1 or the 2.5 TDs. Be aware that the 2.5 is unique to the XM S2 and the Pug 605 and as such there wasn't that many sold compared to the 2.1 that was used in the Xantia, XM, Pug 406. The 2.5 didn't change much in it's life, it was always fitted with a Bosch drive by wire injection pump where as the 2.1 was fitted with 3 different pumps depending on year of manufacture. The 2.5 has 2 radiators and an air to water intercooler so must be looked after if it isn't to play up and parts are rare and/or expensive. Also in a urban enviroment they're not impressively economical unless compared to a 2.0 TCT. All 2.5s are manuals and in my opinion are a pig to work on. The 2.1s can be manual or auto, I've only owned manuals. The best 2.1 is said by some to be a 2.1 manual with a Bosch pump because it doesn't have any electronics to run the engine, just a relay or so for the glowplugs and the fuel cut off solenoid and can be run on Bio or Veg. They are simple to tune if extra power is needed. The S2 2.1s tend to come with the Lucas Epic pump fitted, these are hated by some but others like them because they tend to be cleaner burning and more economical (not by much though), however Veg oil will kill them very quickly. It is possible to retro fit a Bosch pump, injectors and pipes to a Lucas Epic engine.

Personally I found the 2.5 unimpressive, overly difficult to work on and not that powerful - sure it's more powerful than a standard 2.1 and smoother plus the clutch is lighter too.

Hope that helps.

Steve.

[Spaces]

Well I'm a lot better informed about XMs than I was a few days ago, largely thanks to you all here. I can see that although a good XM has the potential to live as long or longer than a good Xantia, it is no better quality regarding parts and construction. Indeed it seems that since it was likely to be owned by the moneyed-classes and a more treasured car than any Xantia (disregarding Setright's comment about training instead of education), Citroën could afford to make them slightly less bomb-proof. But what is lost in this respect is gained in a better ride, more style and the feeling you are driving something a little bit special?

Since I am quite happy with a MiG then perhaps saving an otherwise economically unviable car from the crusher might be the way... are there any sections available through Citroën I wonder? The cars for sale mentioned above look lovely but when experimenting with a new car I prefer to buy something which needs a little work - that way I get to know the model better and it tunes the eyes for the next purchase. Having resurrected 2cvs and CXs in the past, not much daunts me if the spirit is willing... although the cambelt end of a PSA engine does my head in unless it isn't in the car - I usually capitulate.

I think I'll be on the lookout for a 2.1, that engine really impresses me, I just need to drive one - the manufacturer's weights make it look as if a 2.1 will be sufficient. I guess the earlier cars were cat-less?

[messerschmitt owner]

here is a good example of a tidy-ish XM - phone up the garage, buy it sight unseen for a few hundred and fix the minor problems - sorted!

I know it's a petrol - not a diesel, but it's the next best combo of manual and turbo and estate!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CITROEN-XM-VS ... 35bfc0d716" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;