Accidental XM - Rust photos, page 4

[Lacquer Peel]

The MOT sounds like doom and gloom but I bet it's just a few hours of welding. [/optimism]

[Matt]

Sills are usually victims of poor jacking. I've never known a car where the sills are almost certain to be ruined to quite such an extent.

 

 

Mine were iffy, one was me, one was the part worn place I used back then.

 

Their fucked on the zx too but not rusting so I dont care too much about that, especially since its a worthless car

 

The jacking point on the right rear is pretty mangled. They do seem like they stick down from the sill pretty far. I'm not sure if the ends of the sills by the jacking points is where it has failed though.

 

The MOT sounds like doom and gloom but I bet it's just a few hours of welding. [/optimism]

 

And the steering and a brake hose that burst during the test... Apparently where it needs welding is very close to fuel and LHM lines and the interior would need to come right out too.

 

I spoke to the tester today and he basically thinks it's fit for scrap and that it's not worth bothering with. I spoke to a guy that lives where I work about using his transporter; he sold it to a guy who apparently works on cars on the side and seems to know a few other people too.

 

He (the guy I spoke too) is a good chap and always looks after his friends (he doesn't really have money worries) so because he knows I work there and has seen me around I think he might be able to help me get some 'mates rates' type deal with people he knows. That might save the project, but I'm not holding my breath. Other than that I think it'll have to be broken for spares until I get my money back and the rest sold/bridged which is killing me because my heart is ruling my head in a major way right now.  It's utterly fucked, but I like it so much.

[dollywobbler]

It's a tricky one. Problem is, there's quite a lot to an XM, so a few small jobs to turn into many hours of work. Sorting out a bad one is certainly likely to be a world of pain. You feel less bad about problems developing when the car has been running nicely for the past 15,000 miles.

 

Personally, I think I'd probably knock this one on the head. Perhaps offer it up on Club-XM as a parts car. LankyTim's seems a good bet for a second attempt, or mine may be available soon too...

 

I'm all for risky buying, but even I drew the line at the XM. It's one of very few cars where I went and viewed it, carried out a thorough test drive and even inspected it on a ramp and only then discussed the asking price. 

 

It's a real shame this one hasn't worked out well. When they're good, they really are very good indeed. Though I often wish mine was a V6 auto...

[Matt]

It's a tricky one. Problem is, there's quite a lot to an XM, so a few small jobs to turn into many hours of work. Sorting out a bad one is certainly likely to be a world of pain. You feel less bad about problems developing when the car has been running nicely for the past 15,000 miles.

 

Personally, I think I'd probably knock this one on the head. Perhaps offer it up on Club-XM as a parts car. LankyTim's seems a good bet for a second attempt, or mine may be available soon too...

 

I'm all for risky buying, but even I drew the line at the XM. It's one of very few cars where I went and viewed it, carried out a thorough test drive and even inspected it on a ramp and only then discussed the asking price. 

 

It's a real shame this one hasn't worked out well. When they're good, they really are very good indeed. Though I often wish mine was a V6 auto...

 

I think you might be right. I'm just not ready to admit that to myself yet...

[Bren]

The problem with ploughing on with something like this is that it gets out of control - then you wish you had disposed of it.

 

I'm all for saving cars, but if your'e paying somebody to do the work it adds up. Plus, you don't know what issues it will throw up once it has an MOT and is pressed into use.

 

I love XM's but sorry, this would be a good source of spares. Save yourself heartache.

[Lankytim]

Fuck it off pronto

[Bobthebeard]

I think you might be right. I'm just not ready to admit that to myself yet...

Learn when to cut your losses and leave is wise advice.

Advice that I have rarely followed sadly!

[dollywobbler]

Indeed. It's the experience some of us have of spunking away shit loads of cash on hopeless shitheaps that allows us to vent forth. Sadly after the purchase this time, but hoping there's some comfort in the fact we've all done it.

If money isn't too much of an object, then you can earn HERO status by ploughing on regardless. We've seen epic examples of that on here. But sometimes, reality has a nasty habit of getting in the way.

[Bobthebeard]

Indeed. It's the experience some of us have of spunking away shit loads of cash on hopeless shitheaps that allows us to vent forth. Sadly after the purchase this time, but hoping there's some comfort in the fact we've all done it.

If money isn't too much of an object, then you can earn HERO status by ploughing on regardless. We've seen epic examples of that on here. But sometimes, reality has a nasty habit of getting in the way.

 

Example..... Although a lovely car that I want to improve and keep!

[Matt]

Here's the rust that I've been able to photograph plus there is a couple of bits that I think are further towards the centre where the seats mount that I couldn't see. The first two are on the drivers side chassis leg, under the large plastic box. It's the nearside rear jacking points that will make me loose sleep tonight as the others look to be fairly easily repaired?



 



 

 

I also noticed today that the panel gap between the drivers and rear passengers door is rather inconstant being wider at the top. To top it off I was supposed to be moving it to the farm today but nobody around knew anything about it or where to put it so it's cost me fifty quid to drive it 30 miles back and fourth on the back of a recovery tuck just for it to end up a third of a mile away from where it already was. That was at 'doing a favour' rate too. Much unhappiness continues.