Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

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Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

Hello,
After almost 13 years of owning an S Reg Citroen Xantia 1.9TD Estate, I have decided it
may be time to move forward and embrace technology a bit but I am very confused as to which
might be the best Model C5 to go for, I have heard that many Xantia drivers buy them and simply sell
them on a few weeks later because they don't like them but I'm not giving up just yet.
I had heard comments like this about the Xantia many years ago.

I have a medical condition that means if I want another car it has to have similar suspension
to the Xantia and if any such cars still exist I am kind of the opinion that it might be sensible to try to
find a C5 and soon. My Xantia and I have only done 100K in 13 years so I'm not doing much driving
but I do appreciate the comfort of the ride.
I'm looking for a diesel again and its got to be an estate car for the loading capacity and
ease of loading. fuel economy is also a plus.

I would appreciate any advice from those who have owned a C5 please?
Particularly advice as to maintenance costs are there any nasty surprises along the way of
living with one?

Many thanks in advance.

Nigel.
Citroen Xantia S2 1.9 TD estate 189K soon to be broken for parts Jan 2017 headlamps & radiator fan assembly already spoken for & A 1987 Citroen 2CV6 special just for fun.
New addition Citroen C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive Hatch purchased 09/12/2016 with 83K on the clock.
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by Stickyfinger »

Budget Nigel ?

Mk 1's are getting very OLD now.....rare to find a short mile car and these days, they look really ugly now. A lot of 2.2's but if you can find a 2ltr 8 valve it is bomb proof and no FAP/EGR

Mk2 are about but a lot of them are 2.2, less MPG and fitted with FAP/EGR which with short miles can cause problems (as per any oiler) with EGR valve. Mk2 the (often called) Facelift makes them look better, essentially the same car mechanically as the Mk1

Mk1 and Mk2 cars, all is sortable, rear radius arms will almost certainly need doing due to age and/or miles....both effect them. If it is caught in time it is about £400 the pair at a garage that has done them before.

C5x7's hold to quite good values, look for a few months and you can find a good one....a totally different car both under and out, the best one IMHO
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by RichardW »

Having only driven one for a short period, I'm not really in a position to say, but...

I'd go for a 2.0 HDi 8V in mk2 guise. You would need to try the various trim levels to see how the seats suit - but overall reports are that they are very comfortable. This engine will only come with Hydractive 3 (which isn't really, as it is similar to the std 6 sphere Xantia set up, just with electronic height correction).

The main failures would appear to be:

COM 2000 units (the steering column stalks) - expensive to replace, but can often be repaired when they go wrong by the chap in Bradford
Rear brake calipers leaning over due to rust (inherited from the Xantia, but made worse to rectify by the loctite on the bolts)
Rear arm bearings (which need the removal of the darned calipers as above!)
Suspension pumps on high mileage cars can pack up.

Generally though, there are not too many recurrent faults popping up.

I'd go for the MK2 as the MK1 is butt ugly on the front, and at least 12 years old now. 2.0 HDi has more power and seems OK, but does have a DPF. 1.6 HDi can be a disaster area, so best avoided!
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

Thanks for that, I had heard that the 1.6HdI was a no-no most of the heavy work like rear arms
it would be taken to Martin at Pleiades in Sawtry Cambs. who is my Independent.
The Xantia is over there at the moment after another MOT failure this year requiring welding.
she will be a patchwork quilt soon underneath. Had to do the steering column myself on the Xant.
not a nice job at all.

Im finding model Nos confusing to say the least unfortunately adverts don't specify Mk1 or Mk2
The 2.0l HDI VTR looks nice in estate form have seen one at around £700 at 130K and others up to about 4 Grand
at around 80K.
are these in the category your talking about?
sorry Ive been stuck in the past for 13 years in my Xantia.

Are they all turbo diesels the Mk2's ?

cheers Nigel.
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New addition Citroen C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive Hatch purchased 09/12/2016 with 83K on the clock.
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by jgra1 »

Nigel the bonnet / headlamps are the biggest giveaway re m1 and 2
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

I got a C5 VTR MK1 estate last summer. It needed work (and still needs some to be done), but it is 04 reg. 2.0l HDi (and while it does not have the DPF it certainly does have the EGR). I have had the radius arm bearings done, and it made the ride return to the Citroen level of comfort (cost was under £500 for both sides). I am happy with the level of comfort, and there is a nice toy that you may well like; there is a button in the boot that lowers the back end down to make loading easier (and when you close the tailgate the car automatically raises back up). Where are you based? If you are near Reading I may well be able to let you drive mine to see if it is right for you (no, I am NOT selling her!).
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

ok excuse my dimwittnedness its been a long time
since Ive looked for another motor, all be it reliability or even stupidity.
I guess the Mk1 has those triangular pointey rounded headlamps without the double chrome strips on the grill
and the Mk2 has the double chrome strip on the grill
with a chevron in the middle of each strip? much nicer looking front end?

any ideas on the 2.0l HDi vtr bit please? circa 2006.

thanks again Nigel.
Last edited by falling-out-with-my-car on 18 Feb 2016, 13:11, edited 1 time in total.
Citroen Xantia S2 1.9 TD estate 189K soon to be broken for parts Jan 2017 headlamps & radiator fan assembly already spoken for & A 1987 Citroen 2CV6 special just for fun.
New addition Citroen C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive Hatch purchased 09/12/2016 with 83K on the clock.
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

James,

apologies for my Mk1 comment above. its personal taste really.
Thanks for the offer I'm a little distant in Kettering.
I know I know most people say where's that?
The Weetabix factory is just up the road to me.
and No I don't eat three.

Cor Dear I've been out of the buying game for to long.
sounds like I'm looking at the right model then but I cant
decipher whether or not they are 16valve or 8 valve in the adverts no-one seems to include this info
anymore. A C5 VTR estate it shall be then. I'd better get out there and have a nosey.

Thanks again.

Nigel.
Citroen Xantia S2 1.9 TD estate 189K soon to be broken for parts Jan 2017 headlamps & radiator fan assembly already spoken for & A 1987 Citroen 2CV6 special just for fun.
New addition Citroen C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive Hatch purchased 09/12/2016 with 83K on the clock.
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

As the 8 valve HDi 2.0l engine is considered bomb proof (provided it is looked after properly) I would go for one of those. I don't know when the 16valve variant came into the picture. If you haven't got one in the next month or so I may well be able to take a detour when I come back from seeing my Mum in Birmingham.
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by Paul-R »

The early Mk1 C5 is a much better looking car than the facelift in my opinion. When the facelift came out I couldn't believe how ugly it was. At least the estate retained the same rear as the early C5. But there was still the ugly front and a lot of wasted space in the lengthened front end.

AFAIK all facelift 2.0 HDi are 16v and fitted with FAPs. In fact I think all the facelift diesels are fappped. The 1.6HDi does not have a good rep if oil changes and the filter mod have not been done. If you want a diesel without FAP then a pre-facelift Mk1 is the only option. And I think that some of the non-UK markets had a FAP even then.

How much do have to spend? I think that I would go for a (proper) Mk 2 - the C5 X7 as it's known if I had enough. Be careful that you don't underspec the model though as cheaper ones have coil spring suspension.
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

Nigel, your comments on the look of a MK1 C5 did not offend me, as everybody have their own tastes. However, the MK1 and MK2 have a huge amount in common (the body shell seems to be the same, unlike the X7) and they share a lot of parts, so you should get an idea of how they would ride regardless of which one you try.
Last edited by Hell Razor5543 on 18 Feb 2016, 17:04, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by SaabC5 »

Me personally i prefer the facelift to the Mk1, i think the Mk1 looks like a smacked arse and i owned one for 3 years! If you must have the hydro suspension in the X7 look for the buttons between the seats and the electronic handbrake. Only the Exclusive got the "proper" suspension setup, the rest make do with coil springs.
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by daviemck2006 »

I had a mk1 2.2hdiSX 2003 and a mk 2 2.0hdi16vVTR 2007, and found little difference in the drive train apart from the newer car had 6 gears. I prefer the front of the mk 2 and the rear of the mk 1 hatch. Estates are all the same though. The mk 1 sx was nicer inside, and the seats more comfortable. Both were good cars, and I think if I had not have crashed the second one it's quite possible I would still own it. I think you wouldn't go far wrong with a 06, 07 2.0hdi, but give it a good run on the motorway every month or so. Personally if I ever have another it will be an exclusive or exclusive se with leather.
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by lexi »

There is one thing that you won't get on a C5 that your Xantia had.................Rust!
A mk1 car will be a project (as all Cits are). There are only the 4 or 5 things that may or may not need doing. Different car from little Xanty, bigger tougher less complicated. So many jobs are easier than say a 1.9td Xanty. You are doing the right thing. Take your time and try get one with a few jobs done(not easy).
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Re: Which is the best Used Citroen C5 Estate to go for please?

Post by KennyW »

Nigel,

I've juust bought a C5 x 7 exclusive estate and so far I have not been disappointed.

The ride quality is great, Hydra 3+,

It is the 163hp version and on my recent long driver averaged 45 -47 mpg.

Also there are a pletheria of electronics within ( this could a problem later).

Worth alook but these estates are rare.

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