CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[CitroJim]

Robyn's landed a full-time job with NHS Direct working the phones in the call-centre so she's now financially independent of me (maybe, perhaps)

As she'll be working shifts, I've just helped her buy a car, a 2007 Pug 207 1.4. It came cheap because it was her mums and she's just gone and lost the plot totally and bought some rag-top Audi thing... Just after she'd spent a small fortune on the little Pug on tyres, exhaust and brake discs amongst other things...

A 1.4 207 is perhaps not the first choice of desirable vehicle but for the silly price we negotiated and all the work done it was a sensible move. It's of known provenance...

It has an emissions fault on it and to my memory it's had that on and off for most of its life... Something to do with one of the O2 sensors... It doesn't seem to cause big issues and the MOT is not due until November so plenty of time to look at it.

All is well with my fleet. I've had no time to play with any of them but today I impend to fit new pads and discs to the Xantia V6. they are badly needed.

Tomorrow I may be able to play XM and start investigating the gearbox and climate ECUS.

[Citroenmad]

That is a very nice looking interior in your V6 XM

Congratulations to Robyn on her job and new car. The 207 is one of the nicer smaller cars in my opinion and a nice upgrade from a 206.

[DHallworth]

Jim,

I'd never looked at 207's until we bought Cheryl a 1.6 HDi GT at the end of last summer when her Xantia was written off. They really are nice little cars.

Hers has 110bhp and drives brilliantly. It's a lot quicker then I expected it to be too. They're solidly built and drives lovely even with the silly low profile tyres on it!

Great news on the job front too, I'll bet she's looking forward to having her own independence too!

David.

[CitroJim]

Thanks both I've yet to drive her 207 but it's in that lovely Pug metallic Blue (Posiedon?) but reckon I soon will..

Found a problem on the XM thanks to you Chris It does have the wrong size tyres. 205/60 rather than 205/65

I'm going to swap them for the right ones but keep the wrong ones as they are Xantia size... I'm bloody annoyed though...

Yesterday was wholly spent working with Team WFA removing the Mazda RX-8 engine

Never ever let it be said that any Xantia, XM or indeed any Citroen suffers poor accessibility or that any job is difficult. You certainly won't after working on an RX-8.... They are the very definition of poor access and bizarre design everywhere and boy, did that engine, despite being a tiny thing, fight us every millimetre of the way.. It was epic but we won. Others would surely have failed on several potential showstoppers... The RX-8 makes the XM even look like a really well thought out engineering masterpiece of careful design and implementation. That must give an idea of how 'fun' the Mazda is to work on

Also got my new pads and discs fitted and just as an encore also fitted new discs and pads to Chris's SWMBO's C4...

Not a bad day’s work...

[Citroenmad]

Sounds like you had a very full day yesterday Jim!

It would seem the RX-8 defeats a good few people, judging by how many full cars get broken up, they are also pretty worthless.

Found a problem on the XM thanks to you Chris It does have the wrong size tyres. 205/60 rather than 205/65

Ah, sorry to be the bearer of bad news If you are after a new set, I have found valye tyres to be unbeatable on price, even fitted. Unfortunately 205.65.15 is not the cheapest size.

These look very good value

[CitroJim]

I did Chris but happily, apart from being a bit normal tired I survived it well. Not done anything much today but delighted all the same that I do seem to be getting better I'm not pushing it though...

Just discovered my Xantia V6 needs some urgent TLC. She's just developed a big coolant leak from the rad. I knew the rad was getting marginal and it's gone past that... Just after Chris and I drove his and my XM back-to-back and then drove my Xantia V6 as a kind of control..

All three cars were driven erm, with some enthusiasm and I guess that’s what sent the rad off to oblivion..

Question is, do I have a Nissins for £154 or save a few quid and go for a nameless one at £135?

So, that means the XM will be in daily use next week...

Thanks for the tyres links Chris... Those Contis look good. I was horrified to see a 'Goodride' budget tyre on their site. Wonder how many have been mistakenly taken in thinking they're Goodyears? With a name like that they have to be bad...

Yep, I can see many very determined people admitting defeat with an RX-8. We even had to modify tools to do the job...

And the amount of profanity we got through was biblical... Stocks of PERCYWHATSIT are running low too...

Never again will we ever make any comment about how ball-achingly difficult a job can be on a Citroen because honestly, after an RX-8 there isn't!!!

[Northern_Mike]

Jim, I recommend giving Total Tyres in Binfield a ring if you want some tyres, see what they can do. You can stop by for a brew and some tyres on your way down to Somerset next..

I say this because the price they quoted me for the Avon ZV3s which are £71 delivered / £84 fitted from the site Chris mentions are only £71 fitted at Total Tyres.. so , they might save you a few bob and give you a journey break. Especially if you go the right way down to the M3 next time...

[CitroJim]

Thanks Mike, that's appreciated

[CitroJim]

My new rad has arrived. A Nissins one from ebay and it's spot-on correct.

Hopefully I will be able, if weather and health are kind, to get it fitted at the weekend.

The XM is going into my local garage on Saturday for a bit of fabrication on the slightly blowy exhaust. I'd get a new one but they are quite simply unobtainable so it's a case of repairing what's there or spending a lot of dosh and having a custom stainless one made up. That'll likely happen in the future but for now the transverse box is sound enough for a repair by the looks of it... The front pipes to transverse joint is where the problem is...

I'm also cogitating over the purchase of four of these Falkens. I can't get used to the thought of the car having the wrong size tyres and it's really bugging me. I won't be happy until the right size is on there.

I understand Falkens are OK. Correct?

[Hell Razor5543]

Jim, what about the spare wheel? Is IT the right size?

If you are unable to fit the rad this weekend, then (all going well) I will be more than willing to help you fit it next weekend.

[CitroJim]

Jim, what about the spare wheel? Is IT the right size?

Not looked yet...

Thanks for the offer of help with the rad next week James

[daviemck2006]

My daughter put 4 of those on her astra td, she's done 20000 on them and just replaced the fronts, because tracking was out, worn on inside and still 4mm on outside. rears look hardly touched, and she does not hang about. he's put the same on again cos she's not lost traction or grip on them, and that includes cold frosty and snowy scottish winter roads. Going by her experience I would certainly recommend them.

[Xaccers]

I use Falkens Jim and haven't spun off the road so far

[hattershaun]

My C6 is riding on a set of FalkenZE912 and I have nothing but praise for them, albeit in a different size.

[CitroJim]

Good to hear that Falkens are good The only comment I saw potentially against them is under the new energy ratings they score very poorly for fuel consumption...

It's all academic now as I negotiated a great deal with my very local tyre place for a set of four BF Goodriches. I've used these tyres on no end of Xantias (My V6 Xantia currently rides on them at the front) and like them very much.

I was shocked to see the old tyres on the XM are T rated (116mph) for speed (should be V) Whoever fitted them to a V6 should be put against a wall and summarily shot

Today I plan to replace the leaky rad in the Xantia V6 with a shiny new Nissins and take the XM V6 to our local garage to have a look at the exhaust and then to our tyre place for some new tyres... Two jobs I don't do...

My workshop has been cleaned, tidied and organised ready for the arrival of an RX-8 engine....