Old XM or Older?

[Photeauart]

Thanks Jim & Mark. I'm (for a change) trying not to dig a hole for myself. I don't have the space to keep it whilst any work is done so if I find a car that needs work it will have to go to a trusted garage. At the very least to make it useable. I have to factor in any potential costs that will add which might make the exercise turn into a pain. Once sorted I will then get rid of my existing car, yes the boring but incredibly reliable Prius. You can view my ugly mug and a little of the XM here:


My colleague Andy and I produce "fun" videos (in between my profession as a photographer) so it's meant to entertain a little we hope, but also is the essence of how the viewing went. It took almost an hour to get the XM to start as someone had chopped off the battery leads! Enjoy. The white one on auto trader looks quite nice. Might take a closer look. The annoying thing is he (the dealer) has probably picked it up for a modest figure. Am I being naive?

[Deanxm]

This car last passed its MOT in May of 2006, nearly 10 years ago with 123033 miles on the clock, i can see in your vid it currently has at least 12303? miles on the clock so it looks like it passed its test 10 years ago, drove home and never turned a wheel again.
If your worried about the tyres this isnt the car for you, sitting outside untouched for so long it will need a full and detailed service, new brakes, tyres and sphere's as a starter.
Im not convinced this one is rust free, if there is corrosion in the cills then it will be in other places too.

Xm's are rare animals now, MK 1's much more so and 2.1 manuals are hens teeth. The Autotrader one is a very rare thing and having sorted the long list of mot failures would guess its a much better proposition for you, it has also been used so will only require the day to day wear and tear keeping an eye on and for £1500 is a bit of a bargain.

My XM was fairly clean and well pampered through its life (most left are) and even that required some substantial upkeep and work by the time it turned 20 years of age to keep it on the road and running well, its now 24 and running very well indeed but even the best XM is no Prius, not by a long way so with any Vehicle with limited and sometimes expensive spares availability the future can hold some troubling times, i think its worth it but im a masochist, the question is, are you?.

D

[Photeauart]

Yes Dean, whilst my comment on the tyres probably seems a bit obvious… on camera you mouth comes out with all sorts of rubbish! My thought process was exactly what you have picked up on… apart from the obvious tyres, service, this and that just to get legal and rolling I sensed that there was much more that I couldn't see that would come and bite me in the bum. The sad story was that the elderly gentleman (older than me anyway) had bought it… mot'd it and whilst driving it home realised his eyesight wasn't up to driving anymore. It was laid up straight after it got him home. So the mileage reflects that to a T. I'll likely take a look at the one on auto trader and see what transpires. Again if anyone wants what appears to be a potential engine donor or even a braver restoration. I'll be happy to pass on the location and contact info. Watch this space.

[citroenxm]

Wow.. What an easy project.. No xm sunroofs work... Headlights.. Got loads here.. Side lamps Pleanty around they are on ebay for about 26 quid.. Displays not hard to sort out.. I think you have passed a very VERY potentially good car there. As said body is the most important and if i found one with a solid body id jump one it.. A solid body for 100 quid that runs ........GET IT NOW DONT HESITATE. Spheres arent an issue.. 55 quid a pair from aep glasgow.. (citroen services)...

[Deanxm]

Thats all very well but by the time he has paid someone to trailer it home, sort it and buy all the bits, then deal with all the stuff that will fall off when its piut back on the road due to standing about for 10 years it would be cheaper to just get the one on autotrader for £1400, which you can test drive and know is fine as its being used and has a fresh mot.

D

[BenC5HDi]

Thats all very well but by the time he has paid someone to trailer it home, sort it and buy all the bits, then deal with all the stuff that will fall off when its piut back on the road due to standing about for 10 years it would be cheaper to just get the one on autotrader for £1400, which you can test drive and know is fine as its being used and has a fresh mot.

D

I agree 100% with this!

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[citroenxm]

Well i am the stupid one.. I dont agree.. But then i dont agree over on club xm often either..

Having xm that have stood for years before purchase nothing did fall off.. Buying a 1400 one is no better they are just as weak in the rust places... But... Who am i?

[Deanxm]

You are someone who has the space and skills to tackle any job on a car themselves, not everyone has that skill set or tools and space.

D

[Deanxm]

Now the autotrader one is £695 you couldnt even buy the garden orament and trailer it home, fit fresh tyres and mot it for that.
I would have to ask why such a well priced car has been halved in price though but even so....

D

[demag]

There's also a grey petrol on eBay £720 I think.

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