1992 Citroen XM 2.0i from Malaysia
Summary:
Harder to maintain compare with my wife, needs lot of money, tempermental, undependable and hopeless
Faults:
Roof lining came off like a a big cloth fell on top of you, grey cloth stuck to polystyrene foam low quality compare with Japanese car.
The seats internal foam start to detrioate become powdery and dusty. Bad for the lungs. Seats lack support after that.
Uses a lot of foam to prevent vibration on the panels, dashboard and in the Air Con housing. The foam suffer the same fate, detrioate and non left.
Uses low quality wires overall. Problematic with electrical side i. e Hyractive fault, stuck in hard mnode, ABS error, Shows fault in the lamp via the display, but the lamp is OK. Clicking relay, Tick, tuck tick for no apparent reason. The radiator fan operates crazily.
Substandard switch door for courtesy lights. Short in wiring cause by loose sill light damage to the door switch to
melt.Not one 3 of them together melted.
Inferior plastic and rubber parts could not withstand hot climate. Tends to crack and give way faster than Japanese cars. Think of the cost to replace all the dashboards, switches, knobs, engine mounting, suspension bushes, front mounting struts, hydraulic parts, harden hoses after a year or two. Compare with Japenese parts 7 years at least.
Inferior clip on nuts used all give way by rust.
The parking brake flimsy.
The automatic gear flimsy design, but the car height adjuster is too tight. The whole assembly can come out if switch harder.
General Comments:
If you stay in tropical, hot climate better avoid four season car. They don't last. The manufacturer should at least consider this before exporting to hot climate countries. Japaense manufacturer consider this and that is why their cars are ultra reliable in my country.
No proper R&D on Citroen car, imagine failure of front mounting strut will punch right through bonnets even for Xantia models. Not only that many other things, this page cannot contain all. I only shake my head when look at it. Not worth to mention. Crying shame!
Citroen should engage Japanese to design and built their cars then it will be great. Easy to maintain, fuel efficient and relible. They make cars suitable to that country.
If you do not agree, I am willing to sell my XM to you at the price you think it is worth.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 29th November, 2005
28th Sep 2007, 23:38
Hey man... I'm willing to buy your car. Just let me know how much you want for it. And I don't think the Japanese should touch Citroen because it will make the car like any other on the road.
3rd Aug 2008, 06:29
Guys, nobody wants to make bad cars. There's always room for improvements. Everybody condemned Japanese cars in the past but look at them now. I believe Citroen likewise will improve, just give them time.
I own a Xantia and very reliable, no doubt about that. If this Malaysian friend wants to sell his XM, kindly contact me at tkongtk@yahoo.com. XM is probably one of the most comfortable cars ever made. Just give it more attention to avoid costly repairs and of course, don't neglect your wife.
Cheers...
29th Jan 2009, 00:54
Hey guys, I am 27 year old doctor from Iraq and I have Citroen XM 1991. It's a very fast and comfortable car, but it need a lot of money to fix it. Although I love it, it has one problem, it leaks a lot of hydraulic fluid... thanks.
5th Apr 2009, 17:10
Come on my friend, the XM is a piece of craftsmanship with "french esque" flair, and for all its quirks, well it's just all part of the cars uniqueness. The odd relay clicking is almost reassuring.
I think you draw the short straw when you got your one, but please try again, don't give up, there are more out there and becoming classic.
9th Nov 2010, 02:30
Can't agree more... have passion, know your ride!
5th Dec 2005, 04:35
SO WHY NOT BUY A JAPENESE CAR?
It is obvious you have no real knowledge when it comes to Citroen cars, you can't compare Citroens to Japanese cars, Why? because they aren't Japanese now are they.
You buy a hydraulic citroen for the smoothness and that old classic Citroen look, and that clicking sounds like the Accumulator sphere, you need a new one, you would know this if you actually new anything about the car you bought.
I'm only 20 and I'm not gonna spend money on something I know nothing about, poor description and very poor knowledge! My advice is buy a Fiesta, small, cheap and carp and requires no knowledge whatsoever.