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

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 24 Feb 2011, 19:58

I think my JCB has a smaller profile on its tyres than that XM does Robert.
How long does it take her to respond to the helm with those balloons on it anyway

D

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 24 Feb 2011, 20:25

She's looking a treat Dean

Somehow those tyres look right on an XM...

Back in the vintage era those would be described as balloon tyres....

robert_e_smart · Unread post by **robert_e_smart** » 24 Feb 2011, 20:33

Somehow those tyres look right on an XM...

They fill the arches nicely!

How long does it take her to respond to the helm with those balloons on it anyway Wink

They're a suspension component too

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 24 Feb 2011, 20:38

your not a crossply fan by any chance are you Robert

They do look good on the xm i will give you that, a kind of luna rover look, and they do fill the arches well.

D

robert_e_smart · Unread post by **robert_e_smart** » 24 Feb 2011, 20:46

Rolling Eyes your not a crossply fan by any chance are you Robert Laughing

I'm not old enough!

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 24 Feb 2011, 20:54

Well, just when i had posted about Activa running costs i find discs costs £10 and tyres are cheaper than I thought for after market wheels! I paid £160 for a pair of Toyos for my last C5, they didnt last long either.

Wow! What size tyres does that Xm have fitted Robert?

Im pretty glad our Xm TD doesn't have bigger tyres than it has, they look about right to me. Its standard size is 195/65/15 and thats what it wears, every XM we have had has had 195s. Now that is a cheap size.

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 24 Feb 2011, 21:14

Not being silly for a second the Activa is a wonderfull experience, it isnt the best handling car ive driven and on the track i can think of huge numbers of cars that will destroy it for similar money but nothing does what the Activa does, nothing wafts along with a 4 door family size body shell yet puts a smile on your face in the twisty stuff, probably the closest to it is going to be an Impreza, Evo or Gallant VR4 and you could get a similar age one for about £1500 i think, performance would be much, much better, running costs about the same, but in the bends they would give similar results on the real world roads, and then the Impreza/evo/gallant is the obvious choice isnt it, that and you cant not look like a total end in an Impreza and an Evo is a girls car, in the Activa you look like a normal, intelligent human being, and they will never see it coming

D

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 24 Feb 2011, 21:22

I would like an Activa for its driving abilities but mainly because of its suspension, i love the idea of it and its one of the most advanced Citroen set ups. I do quite like the fact that its a bit of a 'sleeper' normal looking car which can out handle most road cars.

Id never buy an Evo or an Imprezza, really don't interest me. I do know a girl who drives an EvoVII though, so your not wrong Dean

robert_e_smart · Unread post by **robert_e_smart** » 24 Feb 2011, 21:23

Wow! What size tyres does that Xm have fitted Robert?

205 65 15. Standard size for TD Autos and 2.5 TDs.

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 24 Feb 2011, 21:28

I do know a girl who drives an EvoVII though, so your not wrong Dean

Yep, never seen a male Evo driver over here, men who want to look stupid buy the Impreza, girls have the Evo, fact

Everyone knows the thinking mans subaru is the legacy GT-B, if you buy the impreza over this one you should be sectioned.

D

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 24 Feb 2011, 21:29

AH, that'll be why we have never had any XMs with 205s then. They do look huge on there, but i guess im used to looking at ones with smaller tyres.

Still, its 195 Michelins were more than your 205s .... I know why though

205s would suit this 2.1TD manual for one reason, its speedo is very inaccurate, over reads by about 5-6MPH at higher speeds. So i either go by the sat nav or use a higher speed. I assumed its something to do with it being set up for having 205s but i have checked and it should use 195s. The three 2.0 16vs were all about spot on with their speedos.

Should possibly have changed to 205s when it got new tyres, but its how it should be now i suppose.

Ive checked with other owners of 2.1 manuals and their cars over read the speed too.

Citroening · Unread post by **Citroening** » 24 Feb 2011, 21:34

A good mate has an Impreza that's had over £20,000 spent on it (luckily he didn't spend it!) and is running about 400BHP at the last rolling road - he's taken me for a spin in it and it is rather fast!

Don't forget the Subaru Impreza 22B though - the holy grail of Scoobies.

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 24 Feb 2011, 21:37

Citroening wrote:A good mate has an Impreza that's had over £20,000 spent on it (luckily he didn't spend it!) and is running about 400BHP at the last rolling road - he's taken me for a spin in it and it is rather fast!

Don't forget the Subaru Impreza 22B though - the holy grail of Scoobies.

Lovely, but there still has to be an interest for me to like it. Im not interested in fast cars either

Though if someone was into Imprezzas, im sure a 22B would interest them.

robert_e_smart · Unread post by **robert_e_smart** » 24 Feb 2011, 21:44

Ive checked with other owners of 2.1 manuals and their cars over read the speed too.

That Maroon car is a 2.1 Manual, and the speedo in it over-read. It was worse when I put the proper size tyres back on it as well.

I'm not a big fan of the Jap Hot hatches/saloon cars. Then again, I'm not as fond of the Activa as the big barges I'm used wafting along in. But the Activa continues to amaze me how well it does corners. Its a pity that it didn't get developed any further, as the Activa system is a great safety feature, rather than a performance feature. I blame Citroen UK for wrongly marketing the Activa in the Uk as a some type of sports Xantia. It was available elsewhere with practically all other engines except the 1.9TD and some of the early and sub 2.0 petrols. Even the 2.0 16V engine could have been had with the Activa. A 2.1 TD or HDI Activa would be superb, a nice diesel Xantia that enables you to cover a lot of ground quickly, comfortably (relatively) and safely.

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 24 Feb 2011, 21:48

Citroening wrote:A good mate has an Impreza that's had over £20,000 spent on it (luckily he didn't spend it!) and is running about 400BHP at the last rolling road - he's taken me for a spin in it and it is rather fast!

Don't forget the Subaru Impreza 22B though - the holy grail of Scoobies.

20k isnt much in Impreza land though, i know a guy that is running over 400bhp in his first gen STI (they dont like you calling them 'sexualy transmitted infections' by the way) with a complete race spec engine, NOS etc etc, walking is quicker though, he goes through pistons like you could not believe and is often trailering it about

damn quick yes, and it is some machine but i still tell him he has no imagination

D