Bramz fleet. The ever changing procession of mediocrity. Disaster time....

[Schaefft]

Do eet

[bramz7]

Judging from the (vast) photo file the current owner has on Flickr of it, one of the sills has been scrubbed pretty well by a kerb (I assume someone parked it on a kerb and it sank, nice one) and it's broken through a touch....so may need a dab more welding than expected. Oh well, I'd rather spend it on a £300 XM than a £1500 one!

 

It does also have some recent accident damage to the doors, but I am no stranger to that. At least they still open.

[bramz7]

So as alluded to elsewhere, Wingz went and collected an XM from North London for me yesterday.

The seller had spent ££££ buying it, only to then decide he didn't like it as much as he'd hoped, have the water pump fail, and someone use it as a reversing aid in a few weeks. It was offered up for £300 on the CCC FB page, and at the time I'd decided I did want an XM, but ideally a diesel.

A few days ago, the seller posts again. No one had committed to it yet and he was going to scrap it if it wasn't gone soon...

Okay, it's got issues, but then I realised that even ones at the top end of my XM budget probably would.

He didn't even want any money for it, but I insisted paying him something, so £100 was agreed.

AFAIK, the Prestige was a very high spec car when new. Full leather, electric seats, that privacy glass in the boot...it's just a NA 2.0 Auto but in the time I briefly drove it, it didn't seem bogged down in weight.

 

Now at the local garage for assessment and repair quotes. I did notice the ABS light was on, which could be a dodgy or dirty sensor. I had a curious look on Chevronics website for new ones....ouch.

I did think it might need welding as one of the sills had been scraped along a kerb, but in the dark last night it just looked dirty.

 

[SierraMikeHotel]

Oof. They are lovely looking things.

 

I had to restrain myself when I saw the advert on Facebook, much want but sadly I need an estate.

[bramz7]

I've set aside a decent wedge to spend on getting it running right, hopefully it comes within or just under that! 62K is nothing for one of these cars.

 

It also came with the hand written note from the lady who had it before the chap I got it from. She had owned it since new, but due to it being registered in two company names, her late husbands and then hers, it doesn't come up as that. 

Bonus, all the tyres have decent tread on. 

Bonus, the pixel display screen is perfect.

[Wingz123]

I do reckon that abs light’ll go off after a decent run. Had many many cars when parked up for a little while throw all sorts of lights on the dash. A little run and they all go off. Its just where the voltage on the battery is probably down a little. Same goes for engine management lights - quite often they behave in the same way. This does seem plausible as when you started it up last night the battery did seem just a tad weak. A good drive and it’ll be back to normal. He didn’t mention to me but did that guy say when the water pump failed and how long it had been parked for? Its still taxed and mot’d so don’t reckon it was too long......

[Wingz123]

I hope also this is a keeper for you - Was really impressed yesterday

[Kringle]

Magnifique Bramz.

I'm suprised how many people on here send their steeds* to garages to be repaired/ investigated. The thought of spending 50 quid on an hours labour when I can waste 6 hours is mad.

 

Although on reflection I think it is me that's mad.

[RobT]

I had my eye on that XM a few months back when it was eBay.  He's taken quite a hit hasn't he.  Should join us on here.

 

Good luck with it, hope it doesn't prove too wallet emptying.

[bramz7]

Magnifique Bramz.

I'm suprised how many people on here send their steeds* to garages to be repaired/ investigated. The thought of spending 50 quid on an hours labour when I can waste 6 hours is mad.

 

Although on reflection I think it is me that's mad.

You raise a fair point, but ideally I want this XM to be fixed reasonably well.

Anyway no news yet. I've already got a water pump in my eBay watch list.

[bramz7]

Garage just rang. Definitely the water pump being the leak, they reckon it's been leaking for ages too.

It does have holes in the outer sills that need welding too...

Otherwise not too bad. I've found a gates kit to give them to use, so I'll order that. The ABS light was mentioned too, does anyone know what causes it to come on, is it likely grubby or a broken sensor?

[HMC]

Top save! love these, very envious

[Captain Slow]

XM ABS sensors are painfully pricey. Leave that for now. 

 

Depending on where the sill is, it may not be structural but will need doing for the MoT. 

[uk_senator]

North London? You shoulda brought the 164 up to leave with me!

Nice save sir!

[bramz7]

XM ABS sensors are painfully pricey. Leave that for now. 

 

Depending on where the sill is, it may not be structural but will need doing for the MoT. 

 

I am hoping its just dirty....but hey, again it's just about within budget to sink the £216 (!!!!!!!) Chevronics want for a sensor if needs be. 

Anyway, found a Gates kit online, so ordering that and garage will fit it all. I rang them back and said lets just get it done, at the end of the day it was £100 and spending £££ (or even ££££) is much more tolerable than one costing 10 times as much, am I right?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Jesus £216 for an ABS sensor is gonna hurt, I would defo say wait till the last possible minute before buying that mutha!!

[RobT]

Or buy one of these cheapos and hand it to the garage. Could turn out shit but worth a go.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CITROEN-XM-2-0-ABS-Sensor-Front-Left-or-Right-94-to-00-Wheel-Speed-TRW-454552/232585993883?hash=item3627349e9b:g:cv0AAOSwKQ9aJauK

 

https://www.motor-doctor.co.uk/products/7713413-sensor-wheel-speed

[Wingz123]

If you are adamant it is a sensor, get it in the air, wheels off and measure the resistance of each sensor with a voltmeter so as to spending such a collosus amount on a sensor if it is not needed....

[Stinkwheel]

My one piece of advice after saying, well done in getting an XM they are great, anyway advice is this .... buy a Lexia diagnostic kit and an old laptop. It is very useful when you own these kinds of Citroen.

As for the abs, have you checked the readings at the connection points in the sensor loom? It can be corrosion in connectors or break in wires rather than the sensor itself.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bramz7]

I have left it with the garage to assess now, they are reputable and I know the guy who runs it rather well now. 

Probably a good idea for me to get a cheap laptop and Lexia....

 

 

Has anyone got a handbook for an early XM?

[Stinkwheel]

I have left it with the garage to assess now, they are reputable and I know the guy who runs it rather well now.

Probably a good idea for me to get a cheap laptop and Lexia....

 

 

Has anyone got a handbook for an early XM?

I would recommend joining the XM forum. Lots of info can be downloaded there and there is a lot of knowledge about these cars there as well.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dean36014]

I've a full set of Citroen genuine workshop manuals for my Xm. I think two of them are just full of wiring diagrams! I've just bought a lexis too, unfortunately I'm stumped at trying to install it on the laptop. Computers are a dark art to me. Well purchased though Sam, I was toying with asking for it myself a few weeks back, but have no room left for it. I was surprised to see how much he was messed around though for a cheap xm.

[bramz7]

Thanks Dean. To be honest I only managed to get it with the help of Wingz, he did the leg work for me.

 

The guy was super nice though, and it's a shame that a genuine seller was messed around so much. Easy to understand why stuff gets scrapped really.

[dean36014]

If you ever need photos of relevant pages just shout mate

[wuvvum]

Has anyone got a handbook for an early XM?

Yep.  Can sling it in the post if you want.

[chodweaver]

@dean numbers. Let me know what I can do to help getting Lexia installed - I don't have experience of Lexia itself but I'm familiar with getting old shit software to work on old shit hardware... and I have the software to do it by remote if you want, and the laptop has an internet connection...

 

+1 for XM forum 'club-xm.co.uk' though it no longer seems to work on Tapatalk.

 

There are entire threads on there about sorting abs sensors/woes, and it shouldn't be as expensive as what you're quoted...

[dean36014]

@dean numbers. Let me know what I can do to help getting Lexia installed - I don't have experience of Lexia itself but I'm familiar with getting old shit software to work on old shit hardware... and I have the software to do it by remote if you want, and the laptop has an internet connection...

 

+1 for XM forum 'club-xm.co.uk' though it no longer seems to work on Tapatalk.

 

There are entire threads on there about sorting abs sensors/woes, and it shouldn't be as expensive as what you're quoted...

Thanks mate, need to sum up the energy to do battle with it again. might have a look at it again tomorrow evening.

[bramz7]

Yes please to the XM booklet Wuvs, I'd really appreciate that.

 

 

I came home with this today:

 

1.4 GTS-X. Carb engine and no central locking. Old boy owned for a decade, for his round the corner (literally) commute. Given up driving now he's turning 80.

 

Theres a droning bearing somewhere I think...plus it stutters at 40. Otherwise it's decent, the soft ride was much missed.

No PAS either and it's unbelievably heavy.

Yes it has (working) yellow fogs!

[JohnK]

Nearly bought on Wednesday. Glad it's ended up on here. Well bought Sam

[bramz7]

Just discovered the cambelt and water pump were done in 2014, a whole 2k ago.

Bonus or what!

 

For anyone wondering, I bought it to be a cheap town car.