Citroenmads Citroen blog.

[Citroening]

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Some sort of cryptic clue?!!

[Citroening]

P.s I hope my posting mistake was no spotted there!

[Citroenmad]

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Some sort of cryptic clue?!!

A split milisecond earlier and you would have seen my real reply

[Chris570]

d

Some sort of cryptic clue?!!

A split milisecond earlier and you would have seen my real reply

Max power?

[red_dwarfers]

The top shelf lot aren't doing a report on cars with 'X' in their title are they?

[CitroJim]

Readers rides in Practical Moneypit monthly
January car for next year's CCC calendar
Cover pin-up for Xmas Citroenian??

at all of those...

[Citroenmad]

The Activa now has its door trims on and is looking very smart for it I went to the not so local Citroen dealer for some new clips as I knew they stood a better chance of having them in stock, they did.

As I finshed Uni a bit earlier than usual I also got time to take the HDi for its MOT, not due until 28th but I always like to be early with these things. It was not my usual MOT tester but someone who quite clearly hates Citroens and hates older cars. I'll not repeat the profanities which Ive heard today I almost said this car is in better condition than most cars you'll see in here, however I didn't want to jinx its outcome ...

It all went very well and they could not find any faults with it other than ... it failed! The centre exhaust pipe is cracked just before it goes into the back box. This is news to me as from noise it doesn't sound like its blowing. I've not had a good look but the exhaust looks in great condition apart from this cracked bit. So hopefully I can source a new centre pipe within the next few days and get it through the retest before the 10 day limit is up. My only trouble is this week is none stop 9-6 every day now, so I'm not sure when im going to fit that in.

Max Power! I never want to see a Xantia in there

Our XM looks dirt cheap on ebay next to a optimistically priced 2.1TD auto estate ...

[CitroJim]

It's amazing what nice new door trims do for the looks Chris and I've got to agree, it looks brilliant

Sorry to hear about the MOT. Sounds like it was not the best place to go to if he really does have a thing against them. I stopped using an MOT place here for exactly the same reason; he declared that despite giving a pass he hated Citroens with a passion and like yours he used a number of obscure and obscene profanities in the conversation; some that would even make Chris570 blush

The garage who does my MOTs nowadays is an old-school one and the MOT tester used to own an XM and loves them.

I'll be you'll find the exhaust is perfect and that was just a bit of spite on the tester's part because he could not fault the car. On a diesel, leaks are almost always given away by soot and it has to be bad to fail outright - the MOT tester can exercise discretion for minor blows/leak in the form of an advisory.

So, I guess we won't be seeing him in the recommended garages section then...

Just a word of caution: it is alleged that some insurance companies void insurance cover if an MOT fail certificate is issued even though the current certificate remains valid.

There was a piece on it in this month's issue of the Morris Marina Appreciation Society Magazine, otherwise known as Practical Classics. I think it's a right old comic but it does occasionally have the odd shaft of wit in there. Another piece this month reports that all road tax is going on to fuel any time soon so in light of that it may be worth trying to cautiously confirm independently the truth or otherwise of the statement they made about insurance cover and MOT fail certificates.

[Citroenmad]

Well I was very surprised by this as there is no tell tale exhaust blow noise. I had a quick look under the car when i returned but by then it was getting dark and I didn't have the car in the air to get under it. It looked fine to me and I couldnt see this crack to be anything obvious. I will have a better look.

This place is usually ok but its the owner who normally carries out the MOTs. Unfortunately this time it was an employee and I was not at all impressed. I shall be taking my cars elsewhere from now on.

I'm very interested to have a look at the exhaust, I do wonder how bad it is.

Hmm, an interesting thought on the insurance with a failed MOT. Thats annoying, Ive left the HDi Xant first out of the garage for my 7.00 start tomorrow morning. My C5 is 7 cars back!

[Citroenmad]

Its no good, my curious side has got the better of me. Im off out in my scruffs to see this exhaust

[Citroenmad]

Yes, there is a crack right around the end of the centre pipe, just before it goes into the back box. It is blowing but very very slightly, bearly anything at all. I would have thought it more an advisory than a fail due to 'major leak of exhaust gasses'.

I have had a car there before which had such a bad exhaust leak I would have been surprised if anything was coming out of the back box. I had been fiddling with the exhaust beforehand to get it lined up, time ran out and I had to take it with the back box bearly attached. They passed it as they knew I would fix it.

Never mind, it needs repalcing so I'll get it done as soon as I have time.

If there is truth in the void insurance with a test fail thing that is the most insane thing I have heard today. How are you supposed to get the car around to have things repaired? Oh, I see, you leave it for the test centre to repair! Bonkers!

[CitroJim]

If there is truth in the void insurance with a test fail thing that is the most insane thing I have heard today. How are you supposed to get the car around to have things repaired? Oh, I see, you leave it for the test centre to repair! Bonkers!

It's the insurance companies Chris. They will try to wriggle out of anything. Very happy to take money but very unhappy to pay any out it seems. If they can find even a tenuous reason not to they will

And it all follows that it's good for the garages so they'll love it. Next you will not be allowed to take your car away if it fails.

You may think that's extreme but the other day I read somewhere, on the Broken Biscuit Company news site I think, that garages are wanting car washing at home to be banned along with all the Polacks setting up car washes here there and everywhere because it's undermining the profitability of their forecourt carwash operations

There's a lot of thin ends of wedges being driven in all over the place.

Banning doing home repairs has been mooted in the past before now as well. That really hurts garages apparently.

[Citroenmad]

Far too much control is wanted over people.

I suppose I should let the HDi rest until I have it through its MOT. You would have thought that the rule which states you can get an MOT done a month before it is needed is rather pointless now. Since after failing a test you dont really have any time to get the car repaired, as its not going to be insured.

Ive never had any of my cars fail an MOT before, this is a new one on me

I phoned the place who supplied and fitted my Activas exhaust, they were very good and the exhaust is a quality job. They have quoted me a fairly reasonable price. So im going to go back there, possibly. The problem is they want to look at the car first as they are listing two possible exhausts for my car, they are also unsure of when they can get the pipe as it depends which of the two listed is required. Thats a 50 mile round trip, which I might have to do twice and Im not going to push the car there I'll see if I can find somewhere in the town who can supply it and I'll fit it. I do hate fitting exhausts though

[DickieG]

Sorry to hear about the exhaust and the MOT failure Chris just like you I couldn't hear anything blowing. Re the two parts Service Citroen list part number 9677348680 as relevant for that car, the other exhaust is for a much later car with an RP from 8407, mention that and it should save you a wasted journey. ECP list the centre section for £64.

[Citroenmad]

No worries at all Richard To be honest I'm very pleased, they couldn't fault it in any other way, despite the tester not being a fan!

Thanks for the part number, I''ll check that out I hope to get a bit of time tomorrow to see if I can locate an exhaust, perhaps get it fitted too, which just leaves me with trying to get it in for a retest. It'll have a pass in no time