Elmas Xantia V6 and Musical Stuff

[CitroJim]

A walking lampshade... Dogs wearing one always make me smile

[elma]

Kelvin is awake now, the nurse tells me he is quite drowsy which is to be expected.
I get him back and find out whats actually wrong with his leg at 16:00
Time really cannot pass fast enough today.

The Xantia smelt of coolant a lot more than usual on the way to the vets this morning.
Other than a food shop now and collecting him it is off the road until this is repaired.
I will spend tomorrow sat with Kelvin and attempting to source a new replacement elbow.

[elma]

Kelvs has arthritis. Two vertebrate are fused and his left hip is a different shape to a normal one. The right has it mildly as well but not nearly as bad. Prognosis is fairly good but there will be some changes to lifestyle that may not go down well with him.

So happy to have him back, that was a traumatic day and of course the vet was running late.

He gave 2 nurses and the vet hell trying to get him out of the kennels despite the fact he could only just stand. Then he heard my voice and wobbled over looking very relieved. He jumped into the car like when he was young despite the anaesthetic as he was so eager to get home.

He's still wobbly and very cuddly. I think we'll both be sleeping in the dog bed tonight. Good job he has a giant beanbag the size of a double bed.

Oh and he's got to wear the most ridiculous t shirt for 10 days. When he's more with it he's going to make it very clear he does not like it.

Own work

On the car side I have a mk1 Vsx td coming to live with me in a couple of weeks. It'll take the strain off of getting the v6 into order. It's really hard having a rolling project as a daily driver so I'm very happy. Mk1 Vsx td sinker the same colour got me into Xantias so this ones brought back a few memories already.

[CitroJim]

Poor old Kelv... What sort of lifestyle changes James?

Interested to learn more of this S1 VSX TD

[elma]

Less running and probably a swimming ban. We've got to learn his capabilities and work within them. We're going to the vets again on Monday and in 9 days, I'll discuss it then. Yesterday all I cared about was getting him back home. He's still wobbly today but much less so. We'll be staying in all day relaxing. He's been through an awful lot for a senior citizen.

I'm also very interested to learn more about the vsx. I didn't think it would hang around for long so I jumped in before any pictures went up. Hopefully some will still appear but I haven't actually asked for any. At that price cosmetics don't really matter at all.

I intend to borrow bits off of it for the v6 while I refurbish the leaky bits. Then give them back and sort out the vsx's issues. Not sure if it'll be my second, economical car, a farm work mule or rehoming to someone that couldn't do the work themselves at the moment. I'm very soft in green Mk1 TD vsx Xantias so I probably won't let it go. I know my way round the xud9 better than any other engine so they are easy for me, even the cambelt and glowplugs have become a matter of routine.

[CitroJim]

Less running and probably a swimming ban. [/quoue]

My worst nightmare.... Poor Kelv I feel for him...

I'm also very interested to learn more about the vsx. I didn't think it would hang around for long so I jumped in before any pictures went up.

We've really seen some very quick sales on here recently! I did the same as you when Zel posted Gabriel up for sale...

I have a feeling you my find the VSX TD a keeper in the end James That’s if you love TDs as I do...

I drove mine yesterday back-to-back with the Pug of Love... I know which I love a lot more

[elma]

It's my 9th TD Xantia and my 3rd vsx, you're feeling may be quite accurate.
The v6 has already found a big place in my heart and is staying so I'll have to work out weather it's economical to put both on the road and save fuel money on the v6. If not the vsx will be on off road tyres doing farm chores with me or passed to a friend so I can keep a close eye on her and go for an occasional spin.
I don't think I'll be able to part with a green vsx really though so it's probably found its last owner.

[CitroJim]

I still miss my V6 James so I understand that... Good job you've never sampled an Activa (yet) or you'd need to find a reason to keep three

Never get a 207 - they get under your skin in a funny old way too...

[elma]

Well an Activa is on the list. I think maybe in 2 years I'll be able to enjoy that ambition. It was going around the MK roundabouts in yours that gave me the itch, incredible cars.

Much the same with the V6, I enjoyed the noise of the engine driving around France with Mike in his XM. There was one occasion when he put his foot down. The noise, smoothness and feeling of the power, well I knew I had to have one. Little did I know it would happen so soon after.

My Activa will have to be a Mk1, don't care what engine or the side the steering wheel is on. It's the first car in my life I'll be willing to spend over £500 on, it's worth spending up front for the best one you can find with an Activa I think. It will eventually be a V6 or the most tuned Hdi on Earth, either will be fine.

A Cx Gti is on the list as well, maybe one I won't achieve but it's always going to be there in my mind and I do hope I can have one eventually.

No worries about me getting a 207, I hate driving small cars. I sit with my knees apart when driving and the Xantia is one of not many cars that facilitate this. Even the C5 I find quite uncomfortable to drive as it doesn't let me get my knees where I like them.

[CitroJim]

I don't find the 207 small at all James... Nowhere near as comfy as a Xantia though...

[elma]

It's the width you can spread your knees I judge car size by.
A very unique system but I get a sore right knee when driving due to a bad rugby tackle when I was a lot younger.
The Xantia fits me just perfectly.

[CitroJim]

The Xantia fits me just perfectly.

Me too. Like a glove. It remains my perfect car... I've never found anything that might be a long-term successor...

A C5 might but the nearest I've found so far is a 407..

[elma]

I'm hanging onto Xantias until we leave engines in the past, failing that I'm getting a motorhome. Modern cars, never again, to me just mundane objects that have to much unnecessary junk to go wrong. I could be persuaded to drive a Maserati if I had too but I would need a substantial pay rise first.

[mickeymoon]

I don't find the 207 small at all James... Nowhere near as comfy as a Xantia though...

I find mine remarkably comfortable and not small at all, which is saying something as I've owned countless Xantias and C5s, and three XMs.

Surprisingly when we get a newer car later this year I find myself thinking I'll keep the 207 instead of the Berlingo, if we can fit cruise to the 207.

[Zelandeth]

There's a lot to be said for finding a car in which the driving position is "just right" for you. Still reckon that's one of the reasons I latched onto Lada's quite early on. I know I'm not shaped exactly like Mr. Average (probably why I find modern VW products so excruciatingly uncomfortable), but for me the driving position in the Riva fits like a glove. I get very used to the gear lever never being more than a hands width from the steering wheel as well, and usually wind up punching the stereo in the 107 the first time I go for a gear change when I drive it...

If we've never properly stuck you in the driver's seat of that Jim we really should do.

Saab as well, though that's one that very few people question anything about once they've spent more than ten seconds behind the wheel...Difference is that Lada got a lot of things right by sheer fluke, whereas Saab did so by very, very careful design and leaving absolutely nothing (even the colour of the dash lighting, which is designed to be the most visible to the dark adapted eye) to chance.