XM Pez V6 or 2.5TD ? XM bought, some pics.

[Frogchod]

Visa has gone off with Hairnet so down to two and half cars and a bike. Obviously this is not enough.

Gone off the idea of a C5 V6 auto due to the amount of dead ones on Leboncoin.

Current dilemma is over these two:

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/879454124.htm?ca=4_s

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/891142543.htm?ca=4_s

Both manuals sadly

I'm put of a V6 due to the quoted 8 hours to change cam belt, plus side is LHD V6's got Diravi ( I think?)

Diesel is highish miles but these engines are supposed to be good for it if the interweb is to be believed.

Any thoughts from this bit of the interweb ?

I had a V6 auto about 12 years ago and nothing went wrong, rusted ,leaked or fell off, what should I be looking for 12 years on ?

[dollywobbler]

Believe me, the 2.5 turbo diesel can be a pain to work on too - and the engine is pretty much unique to the XM, being a hotted up van engine. If I was doing fewer miles, I'd definitely entertain the idea of a V6. It's a fantastic-sounding engine. I'd prefer auto though. The four-pedal dance in the XM manuals gets tiring.

 

Given how many XMs there are in France - I saw LOADS when I was there a few months ago - I can't see the sense in restricting yourself to those two though, especially if you'd rather have an auto.

 

Sign up on Club XM for more info. http://www.club-xm.co.uk/

 

In short though, strut top failure is a major concern, so make sure the spheres in the engine bay are not touching the scuttle rail (they do get close but you should be able to get your finger between them). They aren't bad for rot, but sill ends are prone, as are rear subframe mounts. While autos are desirable, the gearboxes can shit themselves if the fluid isn't regularly changed. Otherwise, look for green puddles and make sure everything works. Most things should operate.

[forddeliveryboy]

V6, obviously. Although the diseasal ad reads slightly more promisingly.

 

This one would generate a more interesting collection fred - http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/883453421.htm?ca=2_s

 

This http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/892134242.htm?ca=2_s could be straight from Gavin Green's drive in June '89.

 

 

 

[Station]

XM clutch pedal is very stiff! Very good cars though, I couldn't fault mine.

I've spent 8+ hours on changing brake pads before so it's not bad for a cam belt.

[Bren]

Heart says V6.

 

Head says derv.

[dollywobbler]

Station - I imagine clutches are much lighter on left hookers, as the clutch cable routing is much better! Plus, it's hydraulic on the 2.5 IIRC.

[Frogchod]

That's only a three hour flight...... and close to Andorra mmmm booze trip..

[billyboy406v6]

Head says v6

 

Head says diesel not sexy like v6.

[meggersdog]

What about a pez 2 litre turbo ?

Captain slow of this parish owns a very nice one of those and could probably gen you up on what they are like to own.

[dollywobbler]

Personally, I can't see any appeal in the four pot petrols at all. Either torque and economy from a diesel, or torque and noise from a V6 for me. 2.5TD was never available with the auto 'box while I remember if you do decide that clutch-free driving is for you Frogchod.

[flat4alfa]

Don't discount a nice 2.1 TD over a 2.5

 

I had one two years back as a bought-in-autumn, sell-in-spring, WBOD motorway hack.

It had autobox, cruise and leather comforts.  In a big Citroen, you really want to waft about

 

It ran well and it would get up and go if you gave it enough beans.  The club folks had said it was the better of the two diesels to go for on a budget as the 2.5 was the ££ trouble one.  Ran it on veg for some of the time, 50% mix in winter.

 

Bought it off eBay Citroen 'specialist' for less than £700 with fresh MOT.  Strut tops were good, good body colour.  

Changed all fluids (especially autobox) as soon as.  The rear spheres were tired but a cheap and easy change.

 

Trouble was, for a car purported from new as a quality, galvanised body, it was a rotter underneath, creeping under the underseal; other folks had been 'repairing' under there before.  Also found bare factory welds in the door structure when I changed a window motor.  

Felt that the build quality wasn't any better than any large-ish Fiat group car from the Nineties I've owned.

 

Was cheap though, so sold it on in the spring to a club member; money back

[forddeliveryboy]

The blown petrol four was a particularly sweet, reliable and economical engine - as well as pretty brisk even in the XM. I had one and was surprised by my lack of frustration with it, it's the unblown fours which need avoiding.

 

What f4a says above, too. The 12 valve diesel is a peach, there's good reason that's the one the French bought in large numbers, the 2.5 is a curiosity as much as anything and as such could well see values increase more than others. Which could go towards repair costs.

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/872007757.htm?ca=2_s sounds like it's been well looked after.

 

 

Interesting read for shiters here, http://www.citroenet.org.uk/publicity-brochures/xm/91-car-test/car01.html, it's a reprint of CAR's giant test in Feb 91. The XM was judged into second place, behind the... well, read it!

 

[FakeConcern]

It has to be V6 or nothing!

[andrew e]

That's only a three hour flight...... and close to Andorra mmmm booze trip..

Andorra..... Shudder... It's 2006 and on the Andorran border with the world oldest sniffer dog (which had to be lifted in the boot even with the suspension on the floor) but they let me go eventually! The same XM features in my avatar too...

[eifion]

Having owned both (though an automatic V6) I can say that they're both great cars. The 2.5TD has a two-radiator setup that's unique to them and mine seemed to have a hunger for destroying one of them every couple of years or so. Economy was good, though, with 40 - 45mpg available depending on how hard it was driven.

 

That said, I do love the sound of the V6 engine and it's a much more relaxing thing to drive. There's less engine noise and just the nice-sounding burble from the exhaust. I can just about squeeze 30mpg from my 24v auto if I resist the urge to thrash it.

 

If it was a straight choice between the two I'd be likely to decide based on the state of the sill ends and strut tops rather than anything else.

[Lacquer Peel]

I think you can get a non-turbo 2.1 diesel, that'd be my choice.

 

As a hobby car doing <few thousand kilometres a year I'd go for a V6. It depends what you want from it. I like the choice to burn multiple fuels, so it's a diesel one with a Bosch injection pump for me.

[hairnet]

V6 if ya can live with the slurpage

 

The dizzle for the comedy adverf

[PiperCub]

Would go V6 myself too.

 

Don't know about the 2.5TD but had a 406 with the PSA 2.1TD engine in it and had no troubles in 40K+ miles.

[406V6]

If this is a daily driver doing lots of miles - the TD. Otherwise it has to be the V6. Smoothness and power - lovely.

[Six-cylinder]

We found this one on the way home not too far from you!

[dollywobbler]

LP - don't forget that slurping the veg is very much frowned upon in France.

[robinmasters]

LP - don't forget that slurping the veg is very much frowned upon in France.

They don't approve of the use of alternative fuels, either.

[Frogchod]

Righto. Lookout for sills and strut tops and go for the V6

So I've just emailed Mr Diesel.

If he doesn't respond I'll contact Mr V6

Other options are now on my watch list, no white or green ones because Mrs Frogchod.....

Interesting LPG V6 on the list with expired docs on the gas tank, wonder how much of a ball ache that would be getting it re-certified ?

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/895487997.htm?ca=4_s

[Lacquer Peel]

LP - don't forget that slurping the veg is very much frowned upon in France.

 

I was speaking for myself more than Frogchod. I'm keen to drive to a festival in central France next year, will decant my drums furtively...

[hairnet]

Pics of sausage

.........

[Frogchod]

Soz. Very second hand now...... been flushed...

[Six-cylinder]

I have driven quite a few XMs in the past as I used to sell them new from a Citroen dealer. I find the straight 2.0 car a bit sluggish, the 2.0 turbo are great but no sound track. 2.1TD is a very practical car to get around in but lacks any sparkle, 2.5 Diesel needs an Autobox to make it great for me so V6 is the best choice for a low mileage user! Just my personal tastes as I am sure you will enjoy any XM variant.

 

The photo is the last XM 2.1 TD Auto Estate I drove regular, it was my friends car until about 3 years ago when it blew a head gasket.

[Captain Slow]

What about a pez 2 litre turbo ?

Captain slow of this parish owns a very nice one of those and could probably gen you up on what they are like to own.

 

 

It's a slow car. Certainly until you're moving, when you realise it's faster than you think. But when you're trying to get it moving, it's slow. 

 

It's also thirsty, I've never had 30mpg from a 2.0 turbo and while I like to get a bit of a shift on I'm light-footed enough to have had 36 out of a 2.5-litre 75. 

 

 

I wanted - and still want - the huge world of pain that comes with a 12 valve PRV. I bought the CT because it was very cheap, and because a lot of the names on the logbook are people who make the XM community sit up a bit.

 

 

It's a very nice example all in - but it's had problems. That's the thing to remember with an XM. They all break at some stage and all make you miserable between periods of exquisite joy when they work. I coined a new word for it the other night - XMs represent exquisimisery. If you're a masochist with a taste for the finer things in life I recommend you buy one. But only if you have a working car as a backup.

[dollywobbler]

I think it depends entirely on the XM to be fair. I'm frantically clutching at timber objects here, but in the past 13 months and 12,000 miles, there has not been one moment where I've had to abandon a journey or even think about jumping in one of my other cars. I get in, it starts, I drive to wherever I need to (usually a long way away). Sure, there have been niggly faults, but that's true of every single car (especially those over 100,000 miles) that I've ever owned. 

 

I am glad mine is low spec to be fair. Less to go wrong! Having the Bosch-fuelled, exceedingly simple turbo diesel is another thing to be grateful for. 

[hairnet]

buy the dizzle then come over here and swap it for 6cyls xant v6 when hes out perving at visas