XM vs. Xantia

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 17 Jan 2007, 19:09

Ok, I've never driven a beemer, and never want to, so don't have anything
to base an opinion on other than road tests in the many mags I've read over
the years; bottom line though, is the appalling ride of BMW's which I would
imagine will be a real shock to the system after a big hydropneumatic Cit.
What do Subaru do in the way of big useful estates; do they have a decent
ride on them? Do they even do diesels!?

Thing is, big estates have been killed off in the car market now in it's insane
desire to have vans with windows pretending to be "people carriers" as well
as those silly Tonka toy 4x4 aberrations with "DANGEROUS KILLER" written
in big lettering on their sides...

Andrew

deian · Post by **deian** » 17 Jan 2007, 20:15

bmw's aren't bad you know, i had an e30 325i Sport before, and it's very good, very crude and snappy, very controlable, but that is what you get in a powerful rear wheel drive car, just something you gotta get used to if you change cars, i don't wanna get into the rwd vs. fwd debate, but i'm a rwd guy at heart, if the xm was rw it would be THE ultimate car for me,

have you looked at an Merc E class estate? or a dare i say it, a volvo?

KP · Post by KP » 17 Jan 2007, 21:13

If you have looked at one of those and like your citroens i would ask you how much of your soul was left if you ahd thought as one as a viable option to a Xantia or XM estate

Post by **Peter.N.** » 17 Jan 2007, 21:38

The BMW 5 series before the latest monstrosity are reputed to have a good ride, they have sensibly sized wheels and tyres, a friend of mine had one and was very pleased with it, then he changed it for the new shape and said the ride was dreadful, in fact he has now sold it and bought a Merc. The run flat tyres seem to be the main problem. I have considered the E Class, in fact its the only estate that comes anywhere near the XM for size, but I have had so many horror stories about the cost of repairs that its really put me off. The also suffer from rust! One of our neighbors has one and he has just had it repaired under guarantee, I wouldn't want to pay the sort of money that an 'under guarantee' one would command, and what do you do when the guarantee runs out! Another problem is that it is very difficult to get a manual, and I hate automatics!.

KP - I would love to have a later XM but the last batch of manual estates were sold in '96 and then there were only 61 of them and I have had two! after that all autos. I have only ever seen one late manual estate 'T Reg' for sale in the whole country. Mine is going fine at present so have no desire to change it, but I am going to have to one day.

deian · Post by **deian** » 17 Jan 2007, 21:48

the previous shape 528i was praised by jeremy clarkson you know, the e class IS big, but i hate mercs, but i'd say the beemer was built from the outside in rather than the other way round as estates should be designed.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 17 Jan 2007, 21:55

I drove a friends Rover 75 diesel estate last week, it was on my short list but although its a very refined car and the ride is not bad by modern standards, it has no space in it at all when compared to an XM, and access to things in the engine compartment is a joke. The new 5 Series has more room in it, but thats all you can say for it!

Peter.

Quackers · Post by **Quackers** » 17 Jan 2007, 23:38

I've never owned an XM or been in one. Only had 1 BX and 4 Xantia's. But is this not like asking which is best a C5 or a C6 (the C5 being the new Xantia, and the C6 being the new XM?)

Post by **Peter.N.** » 18 Jan 2007, 00:17

If they made a C6 manual estate - that would probably be my next car!