OT: Citroen specialists / breakers
OT: Citroen specialists / breakers
Author
Discussion

Marshy

Original Poster:

2,751 posts

311 months

Wednesday 15th January 2003
quotequote all
Have just been offered a 95 Citroen XM VSX Turbo (breathe...) for 600 quid on a have it now, pay when you like basis. Which is handy, 'cos the Fiat Teapot is driving me barmy, and its old owner wants it back as he's back in the country for February. Saves me trying to nurse it through the MOT then...

The Citroen is basically an honest car: I've known it via its current owner for some time, so I'm essentially unworried about it from a "going bang" point of view.

However, it's driver's electric window ist verbuggert. Called a local Cambridge ex-dealer, and was quoted close on 200 beer notes for the ordinary mechanism, more if it had the one-shot function.

One third the value of the car to fix the window? Ho ho.

Anyone know of any good breakers or specialists around Cambridge who might be able to beat this price? I was hoping for somewhere under 100 quid really... I mean, it's just the window fer chrissakes.

Thanks

(And if you didn't see the last blatant advertising thread: go listen to my band at www.stryngs.com )

Marshy

Original Poster:

2,751 posts

311 months

Wednesday 15th January 2003
quotequote all
Jesus. I posted this at just 10pm... it's not yet midnight, and it had nearly fallen off the first page.

[nostalgia]I remember the days when a post wouldn't leave the first page for a day, maybe two[/nostalgia]

>> Edited by Marshy on Wednesday 15th January 23:20

pbrettle

3,280 posts

310 months

Wednesday 15th January 2003
quotequote all
Yo Marshy,

Have taken the battle bus to a specialist in Cambridge several times. They know what they are doing and are especially good on the trick suspension (though please note that the ZX is "normal" and the previous comment is from the various chats that I have had with them). Cheap and chearful and never do any more work than was specifically needed - which makes a nice change... The company is The Wellington Garage and they are on Coldhams Lane (the industrial estate down by the railway tracks). They are in the Yellow Pages and Yell.co.uk for maps etc. I would recommend them as they did a good job on the ZX.

Also used a garage in Newmarket called Goldings which is also OK. But suspect the Cambridge one is better for you.

Cheers,

Paul

P.S. For those specialist parts that you need from dealers (like some immobiliser relays for example) use the dealer in Duxford and NOT Marshalls. Have had a company car and got totally pissed off with them NOT fixing things.... Forced the leasing company to use Duxford Station Garage and they are brilliant in comparison...

CB-Dave

1,002 posts

287 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
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If it's anything like the one shot/variable system on my 405 (it stands a good chance of being) then the one-shot box is a requisite part or the windows don't work at all!

Go scrappering for a 405 SRi/GTXi/Mi16 etc etc and rip the drivers side door card off, behind there is a little box with a plug in it, unplug the box and pocket it - also pocket the switches as the one-shot ones have a tendency of knacking up (my variable up doesn't work!)

Or you could simply break the car, and put the engine into a 205 for a track day car (I believe it's the XU10J2-based 1998cc iron-block turbo lump)

That's the lump I'll be putting into the 405 in due course, one thing I seem to recall is that the flywheel is different and an Mi16 item should be sourced to keep the BE3/5 box in the 205... anyways - I'm digressing...

Basically, hit a pug or citroen specialist or just prey you're lucky in a normal breakers, you'll find the window box in citroen BX's too, I think Xantias have them as well (as they were just a superset of the XM/BX models anyway), and pug 405's and maybe 605's will have them (the 605 had electric everything!)

Marshy

Original Poster:

2,751 posts

311 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
quotequote all
Cheers chaps.

Paul... guess where the near-200-quid quote was actually from? Yep, you got it. Sigh. Already been recommended the Duxford lot too.

I'll keep scouring for a breakers yard I guess.

davidd

6,712 posts

311 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
quotequote all
Try N.F Motors on the A10 at Shepreth 01763 262832 If they are still there. they looked after our ZX and were very good value for money (they also helped out with the racing 2cv).

Have you had it apart yourself? You might find you can take the broken bit to somewhere like halfords and get a halfords copy of it.

D.

Marshy

Original Poster:

2,751 posts

311 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
quotequote all
They're gorn. I won't get the chance to spanner at it until later today... 'cos that's when I actually get the car.

Are we still lunching? Looking forward to seeing the beastie if so.

incorrigible

13,668 posts

288 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
quotequote all
I'm guessing you're going to drive this for a couple of years and then throw it away

How about just glueing the window shut, that's virtually free, and you won't get a problem of it happening again

Marshy

Original Poster:

2,751 posts

311 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
quotequote all
I might only be driving it for a few months, and then selling it on.

But I can't live with a broken driver's window. I'll look like a complete arse in carparks for a start.

I figure that what I spend fixing it, I'll get back at resale. Maybe.