Tips on buying a C5

[Xantic]

If i was to buy a C5 what pitfalls or issues should i be aware of.

Having read about issues on earlier C5's is there a particular year that i should be looking from. Do not want to spend a fortune on a C5 but i need some info so i can see if one is affordable and it gives me plenty of time to look around for one because i am happy with the Xantia at the moment even with a few niggly faults..

Don't know how many of you have a C5 but you must have had niggly faults by now or advice what to stay away from.

TIA
Russ..

[wheeler]

All I would say is avoid the 2.0 HPi engine like the plague if your looking at a mk1.

[Xantic]

Forgot to mention it must be diesel..

[Sid_the_Squid]

What about the Dual mass flywheels, dont they cause issues? I've been reading up on them recently, and whilst they sound like a nice thing to drive with, from what I've read it can be very costly to get a clutch change.

Anyone with a C5 got experince with this?

[steelcityuk]

I went for a C5 2.0 HDi 110 Exclusive.

Why that model?

No DPF, Only 147g/Km so cheaper tax, no dual mass flywheel as far as I know of (?) and easily remapped to 135bhp.

Boringly reliable.

Needed a new A/C control panel because the original had been smashed - don't know how.

It's very comfy and the ride is nice and floaty despite being only Hydractive 3 (no sports/soft mode). However the seats aren't as nice as an XM.

Any questions?

Steve.

[Xantic]

I went for a C5 2.0 HDi 110 Exclusive.

Why that model?

No DPF, Only 147g/Km so cheaper tax, no dual mass flywheel as far as I know of (?) and easily remapped to 135bhp.

Boringly reliable.

Needed a new A/C control panel because the original had been smashed - don't know how.

It's very comfy and the ride is nice and floaty despite being only Hydractive 3 (no sports/soft mode). However the seats aren't as nice as an XM.

Any questions?

Steve.

Yes..What year is this car. ?

[steelcityuk]

It's a '53' plate.

Unfortunately no colour LCD screen, no sat nav and the leather seats aren't heated unlike the Xantia Exclusive I had.

Steve.

[Paul-R]

Unfortunately no colour LCD screen, no sat nav

Neither has mine but it's no loss from what I've read elsewhere.

Can I just add that some of the fancy things fitted to the Exclusive are really not as good as they sound.

The auto-sensing wipers were so infuriating to me that I eventually turned them off with the Lexia. At times they were very slow to acknowledge that the screen was wet, others it would scrape across the screen when it was almost dry and, the one that annoyed me the most, in mild rain it would flail away at high speed when it just didn't need it.

The auto dimming mirror is disappointing as well. Yes it works at night but is totally useless with a low sun streaming through the back window. I've looked at takining the mirror off and replacing it with a manual one but it looks as though there is too much electronic gubbins inside.

[falling-out-with-my-car]

wasn't there an issue with the engine air intake being on the wrong side of the car tucked up in the wheelarch where it sucked up water from the side of the road?

regards Nigel.

[myglaren]

I have a 52-plate 2.0 HDi 110 SX.
Had it almost two and a half years now.

I haven't had anything like the amount of trouble that most people seem to experience but perhaps we only hear of the problems and satisfied users don't have much to say.

I have had the rear callipers refurbished before they needed it.
Had the front discs changed, again pre-emptively.
The climate control module failed last year, fitted a replacement, £45 from the main dealer round here.
Although it had been done I couldn't confirm it so had the timing belt, water pump tensioners and pulley, plus the auxiliary belt and tensioners/pulley renewed.

It has been idling roughly lately, took it and had the injectors checked as I suspected one was 'off' although it runs fine at speed.

Injectors declared A-OK but suspicions fell on the dual mass flywheel (yes, it does have one).
Had that replaced and the clutch along with it. They were both close to the end of their lives but unfortunately it hasn't solved the problem with the rough idle.

I keep suspecting the ride is too firm but then drive another car for a few days and can't describe the pleasure of returning to the C5.
I swear the GS was better in many respects but I often use my son's 306 and it is very crude compared to the C5.

I am currently using my daughter's SAAB 900 2.3 and although it is pretty fast, I now realise that is isn't that much quicker away than the C5. Seems to be than I check the speedo and it isn't going as fast as I had imagined.

And I am going to contradict myself here. In a previous post I stated that the SAAB had comparable suspension, and her older 900 certainly did but this one is considerably inferior after experiencing it on a longer run.
It is very noisy in comparison too.

With the top up it is claustrophobic, the gears are clunky and the brakes very poor in comparison to the C5, which doesn't have 'proper' Citroen brakes to start with but by god they pull you up sharp when needed.
I did have an experience of this a while back, going to the airport ar 3am, empty dual carriageway, knocking on at around 110, clear view for a couple of miles.

A parked Bland Rover in a layby pulled out in front of me, which wasn't a problem although he never indicated. I went to the outer lane and was about to pass him when he too pulled into the outer lane - at 40 miles an hour and far too close.

Hit the brakes and it slowed to forty in seconds,straight and true. I felt the brake assist kick in with a vengeance, first time that had happened. All the lights started flashing too. LR saw what he had done and how close he had come to getting squished and veered all over the road almost finishing up in the ditch. C5 was unperturbed.

Impressed the hell out of me, most other cars would have been in the back of the LR or in the ditch.

C5s have their problems and their detractors but you can say the same of any car on the road.
Most garages will tell you that they are underrated.

One opinion I heard was that most other cars have fairly frequent problems that are a niggle but don't cost much but cause a lot of down time and recur frequently.

Citroens have big, expensive problems that are few and far between and are comparatively easy to fix.
YMMV

[bencowell]

I went for a C5 2.0 HDi 110 Exclusive.

Why that model?

No DPF, Only 147g/Km so cheaper tax, no dual mass flywheel as far as I know of (?) and easily remapped to 135bhp.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I can confirm that the 2.0 HDI 110 does have a DMF. I used to have my old one in the garage.

There is a very nice solid flywheel conversion kit made by Valeo.

Ask the poster called Citroenmad on here, he has my last C5 with a converted solid flywheel and another C5 with a new clutch on a DMF.

Ben

[Paul-R]

I was under the impression that the phase 1 C5 HDis were fitted with solid flywheels. Anyone have chapter and verse on this?

[myglaren]

Definitely Dual-mass on mine, I saw the old one and the old clutch.

He replaced it, after giving me the choice, with one the same and the same clutch although there were cheaper versions available.

He also mentioned the solid flywheel but said that although there was no firm evidence yet there were suspicions that the solid flywheel may be responsible for the reduced life of the gearbox following replacement, this mainly from VW failures.

[steelcityuk]

I went for a C5 2.0 HDi 110 Exclusive.

Why that model?

No DPF, Only 147g/Km so cheaper tax, no dual mass flywheel as far as I know of (?) and easily remapped to 135bhp.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I can confirm that the 2.0 HDI 110 does have a DMF. I used to have my old one in the garage.

There is a very nice solid flywheel conversion kit made by Valeo.

Ask the poster called Citroenmad on here, he has my last C5 with a converted solid flywheel and another C5 with a new clutch on a DMF.

Ben

Ah well can't have it all. I'm not too bothered, I do all my own maintenance so if it goes I'll fit a solid one. Just as I was at the counter at GSF getting the clutch for the XM, the guy next to me was buying the parts to sort out a 407 HDi, just shy of £500 (inc 2 filters) using LuK parts.

Steve.

[dieseldoggy]

I have a 52-plate 2.0 HDi 110 SX.
Had it almost two and a half years now.

I haven't had anything like the amount of trouble that most people seem to experience but perhaps we only hear of the problems and satisfied users don't have much to say.

I have had the rear callipers refurbished before they needed it.
Had the front discs changed, again pre-emptively.
The climate control module failed last year, fitted a replacement, £45 from the main dealer round here.
Although it had been done I couldn't confirm it so had the timing belt, water pump tensioners and pulley, plus the auxiliary belt and tensioners/pulley renewed.

It has been idling roughly lately, took it and had the injectors checked as I suspected one was 'off' although it runs fine at speed.

Injectors declared A-OK but suspicions fell on the dual mass flywheel (yes, it does have one).
Had that replaced and the clutch along with it. They were both close to the end of their lives but unfortunately it hasn't solved the problem with the rough idle.

I keep suspecting the ride is too firm but then drive another car for a few days and can't describe the pleasure of returning to the C5.
I swear the GS was better in many respects but I often use my son's 306 and it is very crude compared to the C5.

I am currently using my daughter's SAAB 900 2.3 and although it is pretty fast, I now realise that is isn't that much quicker away than the C5. Seems to be than I check the speedo and it isn't going as fast as I had imagined.

And I am going to contradict myself here. In a previous post I stated that the SAAB had comparable suspension, and her older 900 certainly did but this one is considerably inferior after experiencing it on a longer run.
It is very noisy in comparison too.

With the top up it is claustrophobic, the gears are clunky and the brakes very poor in comparison to the C5, which doesn't have 'proper' Citroen brakes to start with but by god they pull you up sharp when needed.
I did have an experience of this a while back, going to the airport ar 3am, empty dual carriageway, knocking on at around 110, clear view for a couple of miles.

A parked Bland Rover in a layby pulled out in front of me, which wasn't a problem although he never indicated. I went to the outer lane and was about to pass him when he too pulled into the outer lane - at 40 miles an hour and far too close.

Hit the brakes and it slowed to forty in seconds,straight and true. I felt the brake assist kick in with a vengeance, first time that had happened. All the lights started flashing too. LR saw what he had done and how close he had come to getting squished and veered all over the road almost finishing up in the ditch. C5 was unperturbed.

Impressed the hell out of me, most other cars would have been in the back of the LR or in the ditch.

C5s have their problems and their detractors but you can say the same of any car on the road.
Most garages will tell you that they are underrated.

One opinion I heard was that most other cars have fairly frequent problems that are a niggle but don't cost much but cause a lot of down time and recur frequently.

Citroens have big, expensive problems that are few and far between and are comparatively easy to fix.
YMMV

The Saab's just a vectra with some saab bits on top ie badge? no wonder GM's going/gone bankrupt! they have taken a great brand and quite royaly screwed it!