Actually I am probably more the custodian or caretaker than owner - and I pay for the priviledge! I purchased this car on eBay on Sunday 3rd March 2019, and drove it home to Armidale from the Blue Mountains on Tuesday.
Now I'm not (yet) regretting my purchase - it's a beautiful thing, and the drive home was in the main a pleasant experience. Nonetheless, I am going to start with a list of things that are frustrating, but which it is generally not realistic to fix - ie design features not actual faults. I am still compiling my 'to do' list for initial servicing and fault remediation.
* Headlights - low beam very dim.
* The very crowded engine bay - in true Citroen fashion, if you can see it you can't touch it, and if you can touch it you can't see it. If you can see and touch it, then it's not what you were looking for. For example, it took me ages to find the aircon fill points, and although I may have found the regulator pressure release bolt, there's no way I can get a spanner onto it!
* the 4HP20 transmission - although a couple of fluid changes, and time to get to know each other may change that
* Surprised there is not better sound proofing - the engine note is more intrusive than I expected. Not entirely sure whether it's exhaust or induction noise.
* The 'quarter vents' in both front and rear windows (esp. front - the vertical black bar in the rear windows doesn't annoy the driver).
* Security key pad - OTH I presume this means there is no BSI, so this may be a blessing in disguise...
* Infra-red Plip (not RFI). Series II Xantias got both chip in key and RFI remote Plip in 1998, XM only got new drivetrain and extra airbags.
* The foot operated 'hand-brake'. I am not against the principle, but the lever sits so high when off that I have to use my left hand to lift my knee high enough to get my foot onto the thing. Thank goodness I don't have knee or hip problems - not at all sure how my wife is going to cope. Also not sure what a license examiner would make of it when he asks an L-plater to do a hill start!
* No foot-rest for the driver's left foot
* the strange vertical glovebox (behind the airbag) - however I discovered that with the lid open, I can stand a 1.5 litre water bottle up in it!
* No pollen filter
There will no doubt be other things, but as I get used to the car I'll probably find that not many of these things really bother me.
Cheers
Alec
Now I'm not (yet) regretting my purchase - it's a beautiful thing, and the drive home was in the main a pleasant experience. Nonetheless, I am going to start with a list of things that are frustrating, but which it is generally not realistic to fix - ie design features not actual faults. I am still compiling my 'to do' list for initial servicing and fault remediation.
* Headlights - low beam very dim.
* The very crowded engine bay - in true Citroen fashion, if you can see it you can't touch it, and if you can touch it you can't see it. If you can see and touch it, then it's not what you were looking for. For example, it took me ages to find the aircon fill points, and although I may have found the regulator pressure release bolt, there's no way I can get a spanner onto it!
* the 4HP20 transmission - although a couple of fluid changes, and time to get to know each other may change that
* Surprised there is not better sound proofing - the engine note is more intrusive than I expected. Not entirely sure whether it's exhaust or induction noise.
* The 'quarter vents' in both front and rear windows (esp. front - the vertical black bar in the rear windows doesn't annoy the driver).
* Security key pad - OTH I presume this means there is no BSI, so this may be a blessing in disguise...
* Infra-red Plip (not RFI). Series II Xantias got both chip in key and RFI remote Plip in 1998, XM only got new drivetrain and extra airbags.
* The foot operated 'hand-brake'. I am not against the principle, but the lever sits so high when off that I have to use my left hand to lift my knee high enough to get my foot onto the thing. Thank goodness I don't have knee or hip problems - not at all sure how my wife is going to cope. Also not sure what a license examiner would make of it when he asks an L-plater to do a hill start!
* No foot-rest for the driver's left foot
* the strange vertical glovebox (behind the airbag) - however I discovered that with the lid open, I can stand a 1.5 litre water bottle up in it!
* No pollen filter
There will no doubt be other things, but as I get used to the car I'll probably find that not many of these things really bother me.
Cheers
Alec
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