How did this happen? If you look back at my posts, you'll see me saying how I didn't like the C5 styling and would never have one on my drive.
I had been running my Xantia 2.0 16v Exclusive for a while and it was a fantastic car giving me excellent service etc etc.
However, the money became available to buy my first ever brand new car, and I started to look around. I looked at everything, and I mean everything, from a Skoda to a Jaguar. For external styling I liked the Mazda 6, but it didn't feel too well put together, and the interior was fairly basic. In other words, not enough toys!
The same applied to everything I looked at really, so in the end I felt I owed it to myself to look at the C5. That was it. No contest!
I found an unregistered (so I would be the first registered keeper, not the second, and on an 04 plate) C5 Exclusive 2.0 16v (sorry, still don't like diesels) auto with the SE pack in Wicked Red. It had everything the Xantia had: leather, heated, power seats, indexing door mirror etc, plus loads more, cruise control, SatNav, etc, etc.
That's it, I'm hooked. There was no contest, nothing else came close. You couldn't get anything like that for the money. OK, it's last years model, so it has different alloy wheels and hasn't got the built-in phone, but that's it, and for the price I paid I wasn't complaining. I know people who've paid more for a Focus!
So, I had to have it, and do you know, first I got used to the styling, and now I even like it. Mrs A loves the car, and prying the keys from her has become a major problem for the first time ever. I can't sing its praises highly enough.
The Fijian Blue Xantia on an S plate went to the dealer in Chalfont St Giles. I keep wondering if someone on the forum has bought it.
On the subject of the get-togethers, I would have made the Southampton meet but work commitments dictated otherwise, plus I didn't think a car with less than 500 miles on the clock was quite in the spirit of the thing![:p]
Jamie
I gave in and bought a C5!
Moderator: RichardW