Dean's Activa/XM/V6 and now Talbot blog

[Citroenmad]

Yes Andrew, I can see why you like them so much. I know I took a while to get one, though im very happy with the one I now have

Dean, it is the ability for the Activas ARB to be virtually removed from use in a straight line which gives it a good ride over some individual bumps. The Xm and C5s with strong ARBs tend to pull the car down into the bump, rather than letting the wheels potter over or into the pothole.

Ive driven a C5 with one drop link removed, it was a magic carpet ride! (not recommended driving it without a drop link, it was a short test around the block).

After telling people at work about the Activa, what it is and them trying in vain to keep up with me through the roundabouts on the way into work, everyone wants to drive it! Im not letting them, but thats quite something.

I used to have a car with a private number plate, I got recognised all over often with comments about my speed. I ditched it in an effort to blend in, its worked, very few people see me now Something as distinctive as an XM does draw attention. Our white hatch with the wobby webs was always getting admiring looks and comments. I only have to drive the C15 or Traction to get everyone looking, often with people passing photographing/videoing on their mobiles. I quite like blending in on a day to day basis.

I don't think ive settled with the Activa enough to comment about which I like more. As a car I much prefer the XM, for the practical reasons you mention, the styling (though im liking the Xantia more and more each time I look at it, its a very neat design) etc. XMs driving position is much better for me. The XM is a very different and more out there than the Xantia.

I like pottering around in the Activa, which must mean I like the car for a car and not just because its an Activated version.

I do know that if I had to get rid of my C5 or Xantia, it would be the Xantia that would move on. Despite the fact that my C5 has sat dormant for a while as im using the Activa.

Dean, you have done very well to get "1850"BHP from the 8v 2.0 No, but seriously, 185 or thereabouts must go very well. Ive no idea what mine is, seems to drive ok with lively performance. Apart from the slightly awful fuel economy im getting on very well with the 2.0T CT engine. In fact the only thing I can pull the Activa up on is its economy (which is proving easily bearable) and its lack of storage space. I tend to take a car pretty much on face value rather than compare it against everything else though. I know im enjoying it and find it hard to stop driving it

[Deanxm]

No it wont be for sale soon, i will keep it for a year at least i think Andrew,its a brilliant car to work on i love working on it and getting it just so.

Its not about people taking interest in it, its about how the car makes you feel.
Ive had the Xm for 8 years i think, but everytime i walk past it or away from it it gives me that feeling of a new car, thats why its still here.
The Activa is a great car and i love it for its ability to do what it does and its technical exellence but for me the xm is just......better i guess, bigger, more comfy, better built and purer in design, the Xantia is a strange sort of car, very citroen and quirky but only under the mainstream eurohatch veneer.

Its strange really because the Activa should be my favourite car hands down, i like something to drive with a bit of poke but i hate small cars and disliked my lowered honda and other such cars because of the discomfort, also im a bit of a boy racer at heart and a 2.0i auto shouldnt be my sort of car

I am not saying the Activa is a bad or mundane car, its an awesome car and the only people who dont like them are those that have never had one and that speaks volumes in my opinion, its just the xm is............more citroeny i guess........


D

[Deanxm]

1850bhp!!! i could tell you where it was mapped, but then i would have to kill you

One day i will learn how to type, properly.

D

[Citroenmad]

I do understand where your coming from dean, with the XM being a true Citroen and the Xantia a little more plain, nevertheless a great car.

The Activa is a car which suits me, if truth be known as long as the ride is good then thats all I want. The magic carpet ride of some Citroens is wasted on me. I was on some country roads in our eldest C5 (which is softly sprung) driving enthusiastically the other day and actually felt a bit queasy For the same reason I dislike being a passenger in very softly sprung cars, things which seemingly have little body control. I like lively cars which corner reasonably well and provide a nice and refined driving environment. I say reasonably well as I do get on very nicely with the C5s, they can corner and grip well but earlier ones dont have great body control. I dislike small cars, ok for the occasional use but daily the wind me up. They lack refinement and thats something ive really grown to love. I also like good sized hatchbacks and the Activa proves to be a very practical car but with a nice drive too.

Im enjoying the size of the Xantia, it seems much more nimble than the C5 and Xm. I keep going from a few days in the Xantia to getting into the C5 and being slightly amazed at how wide it is Though before spending time with a Xantia the C5 appeared to be a small car as im so used to it it becomes second nature.

A while ago, before driving one, I thought the Xantia would be a smaller Xm, now ive driven a few Xantia diesels they are so different to an XM, I was not expecting it. Both in drive and feel. The Activa seems to be in another class though, its not anywhere near an XM but quite different in feel to a non-Activa Xantia also, which I was expecting obviously.

I hope to keep this Activa for a good while too, ill see how it goes.

On the feeling side of things, I do like the feeling the Xantia gives and think it does have a bit of presence. Though thats just me I think, most people on the roads will have no idea what it actually is. Most likely have the same reaction to it as my mum and sister did, snobs!

[Deanxm]

Most likely have the same reaction to it as my mum and sister did, snobs!

My Mrs actualy seems to like it as do the neighbours, its as if nobody notices my cars are actualy old bangers.
Been a good couple of days so far, been painting the house (which has a sprayed on pumice like texture ) it took almost a whole day to do half the gable.................
On a plus side the Activa is going well, washed it and another little project i have on the go this evening and maybe a post bbq glow but it looks very summery out now indeed, washed the cars barefoot too

CIMG3270 by Deanxm, on Flickr

Yesterday we went to B&Q to get some bits and as we were heading along this road (minus the snow of course
snow 20101 by Deanxm, my rear view mirror filled with a bright red MG Maestro turbo
He was quickly dispatched by the Activa but the owner turned out to be an old friend i had not seen since school who always wanted one even as a kid and now he does, and its mint, no rust, no repairs, just totaly A1 in all respects it was brilliant to see.
He did commenty that the Activa Bl"$dy shifts though, and then muttered something about french cars
Hope everyone else is having a good weekend.

D

[XantiaMan]

Dean, a standard Maestro Turbo is 0-60 in 6.7 seconds and 131mph top end, 152PS, 169lb ft and 1070kg ,probably running bugger all boost, did you get the reg, i can find out I think i know who it is if on the IOW. There wont be a Maestro out there without a little bit of filler or rust, its impossible, even from the factory

Much better tweaked, the tuning potential is huge, thats why i still have mine..



Chris's Activa was set up for about 12psi in the winter, it will be a bit lower now its warmer, doubt its more than 11psi now. In terms of bhp if its just boost upped your looking at 175-180bhp tops, with a bigger intercooler and 2.5 in exhaust, closer to 200bhp.

Your still battling 1450kg of weight though, but they still get a move on.

[Deanxm]

Gareth, we were rolling so the weight did not come into it too much and mine is tweeked and his certainly wont be, he's a genuine sort of guy.
being a windy road anyway will put things on a more even playing field.

Lovely car though, (you have one dont you?) and i couldnt believe the condition of it, to find a garaged most of its life original rust free example is a real find indeed, he said he went down to hull to pick it up after much looking.
didnt get a proper look over it though i just saw it parked up, shame there were not many made

did you get the reg, i can find out Wink I think i know who it is if on the IOW

No didnt get the reg but i know the guys name, Richard. there is also a Red Montego MG Turbo over here too but i dont know that bloke, nice car to see out and about though, still look great too, very good styling imo.

D

[Deanxm]

not on facebook Gareth, i take it thats a picture?

D

[XantiaMan]

not on facebook Gareth, i take it thats a picture?

D

Its a video.

[Deanxm]

Gareth, I saw him again today, im not sure its actualy a turbo now, he was 4 cars ahead of me in trafic and got the reg, all it said on the back was MG Maestro and had flaps with MG on them, is it the real deal?

Just looked on askmid, its actualy a 2.0i, i asume unturbocharged...........

D

[XantiaMan]

Gareth, I saw him again today, im not sure its actualy a turbo now, he was 4 cars ahead of me in trafic and got the reg, all it said on the back was MG Maestro and had flaps with MG on them, is it the real deal?

Just looked on askmid, its actualy a 2.0i, i asume unturbocharged...........

D

There were a lot more 2.0i's, you'll know if its a real Turbo as they all had this bodykit =



They also had a small Turbo script on the OS tailgate.

The 2.0i was 115bhp and 131lb ft, although the later unleaded versions were less, about 112bhp but they never officially mentioned that!

[Deanxm]

Hard to remember as im not sure what i was looking for but the tyres just looked too skinny from behind, it had a body kit and was all colour coded in the same colour as yours actualy, it had something on the back but couldnt really see, it said MG and i thought all MG maestro's were turbo but after having a look it seems they are very rare, 500 made was it?
Besides the way i left him it cant have been a turbo............

Yours is looking good though Gareth, they are lovely looking cars, i always remember the fibre optics in the stalks and thought it was an excellent idea.

D

[Deanxm]

XM time again

Got the front wheels off and arch liners and gave it all a good wash this evening ready for some stone chip, the autobox is all back together now too although i need to road test it to see if im happy but it shifts properly now.
Just picking my way through replacing some of the wiring loom too, ever since ive had it the insulation has been peeling off the injector wires so i welded to the plastic splints back onto the top of some spare MK2 ones i had and got them ready to fit, unfortunatly i didnt have any shrink wrap of the correct size so it will have to wait until i can get some now.

The slow wipers seem to have had a bit of an impact on their wiring as well, looks like the motor has been under a little load!

xm service3 by Deanxm, on Flickr

Here are a couple of others of the works so far

xm service1 by Deanxm, on Flickr

xm service2 by Deanxm, on Flickr

DAMIT!!!!

xm service4 by Deanxm, on Flickr

D

[Deanxm]

Its been all quiet on the car front as ive been busy (picture by the mrs

CIMG3287 by Deanxm, on Flickr
And no they arent chicken legs

The Activa is going great, developed a rather loud creaking when pulling away or braking dispite the new wishbone bushes but its not urgent and i dont have the time, still dont have some of the trim back inside yet either

I did manage to get an afternoon off last week to help a lad who lives in my brothers block change the engine in his R5 turbo, these cars are so basic its unbelievable, the trouble came when trying to start the car that has had many generations of chav let loose at the wiring, the starter feed was cut the feed to the fuel pump ran through the immobilser, that was knackered it was all a nightmare, then when it did fire up he asked if it would be ok that he dropped one of the Cv joint bearings into the diff housing ...........
So out came the driveshaft again but i couldnt find it near the diff output, nor could my magnetic pickup although it did keep finding the diff/output bearing/case etc etc

At least we got the engine in and got the electrics sorted out, he is on his own with the bearing though, i just dont have time, its a real shame as i think its going to kill the box in no time with it floating about in there.

The XM has not been touched, i need to track down a cheap condenser, i will then cut the steel mounts off of it and make new alloy ones, mine has rotten through were the steel clamps around the alloy, not the best of idea's, may well paint them white too to keep the corrosion at bay.

D

[Deanxm]

Sadly i have to report that the Activa is slightly unwell, During a swift drive last night a rather alarming knocking noise started, it sounded very much like a wheel was hanging off and there was a lot of banging that could be felt through the front bulkhead/floor area.

I did check to make sure the engine was still attached and wheels likewise but in just 0.6miles the noise came out of nowhere and became so bad i was crawling at about 20mph, sounds suspensionish as it is very bad over rough surfaces although there is nothing wrong with the droplinks or struts its much further inboard than that..................dont have time to even look at it at the moment as im rushing to get this dinning room done as i type, i just hope its something simple.

D