Veggie and Activa tales but now rental reviews blog!

[KP]

As if I would use anything but the best fuel!!!

It's only a 90bhp but feels so much better than that fitted to the c5 my dad has

I didn't realise it was posh, I have to move the seats myself

[Xantianut]

Ay up!

The piccies of the D3 vs Audi crash are truly horrific.

Had the forum not identified the Audi it would have been unrecognisable as a car, much less owt else!

[Citroenmad]

Thats a tidy looking 306, impressive mileage too!

Have you had enough of your RR already?

[KP]

Not tired of it at all Chris, I do love it and the features you get as standard.
The gearbox really really lets it down though for me.

I've stuck the 306 up for sale but am beginning to think if it doesn't sell then maybe sell the RR on find a cheap 4x4 for offroad trashing and get an immaculate low milage xantia hdi exclusive as i like heated seats now but will miss a timed climate and heated steering wheel and the sheer comfort of it.

I may even be tempted to go the truly bangernomics route and just drive nails that I can touch park against NON-CAR objects and not worry about getting chinked or dinked and when repair time comes just bin it. It would have to be diesel powered cars though so i can continue using the bio

Ideally what would happen is I could sort my fund situation out over the next year and maybe get the divorce behind me as the ex left me to pay off some huge debts and then get a newer RR like a 2010 with the dual view screen and such like.

The RR will get some scuffs attended to and then a seeing to by vince before I let it go though as even though its at the bottom of the price bracket due to miles, for £12k I'd still want it to shine and stand out from the crowd

[Citroenmad]

All the toys and such are nice but surely not essential? I can understand the heated seats

The bangernomics route would be a good one, especially through the winter months, so you dont have to care about salt and such. I have thought of this myself if I make my HDI Exclusive Xantia my daily, I would not want to subject it to all of the winter salt and so I've been thinking about getting a hackabout which I dont really care too much for, to use for the winter and then get rid.

... get an immaculate low milage xantia hdi exclusive as i like heated seats now but will miss a timed climate and heated steering wheel and the sheer comfort of it.

You best start looking for that now! However, there is/was a fairly tidy looking HDI Exclusive on autotrader just last week. Either green or blue, cant remember, about 110K miles and for £600, needs a few jobs doing by the sounds of it.

[KP]

think i would keep the budget even lower than that Chris and stick to getting things for £2-350. Works for Luke albeit his are almost always petrols....

[KP]

Well with the FF offroad due to engine based issues and currently awaiting a Faultmate MSV2 to help me with the diagnostics as i've already replaced 2 injectors (youtube M57 injector removal for an idea!) and still getting rough running i need a proper tool to see what the car is seeing as its got to be a sensor somewhere or the HP Pump giving up.

In the meantime here is an extract from the FF forum on what I've got in the meantime

147k its done but have an invoice for a refurb 2 years ago

Some cheap ones on the bay so i think i'll get one of them and if it turns up and there is too much float then i'll send it back

There was a bit of mayo in the filler/dipstick tube but it had been sat for 3 months and had only been started to move it up and down the drive as needed by the last owner.

I think it needs track rod ends as well and an alignment as it feels vague sometimes but is now starting to smoke on boost a bit and then when you come off full bore the rear view is just a cloud

There is another one not far from me which is really cheap but has no tax which would be doable for me at its price and then just flog this one on for what i bought it for.

The seats inside this one are superb though! I think it just needs an hour inside to get perfect and then the outside has the usual scuff's on it and a funny rubber peeling on the rear sharkfin antenna which i think is actually a fake thing...



Needs the fuses checking as well as cig socket doesn't work, AC belt is wrong and doesnt go round the compressor, and has sak horrible 'WAKEFEST' sticker on the rear window that needs to come off.
Windows are all dusty as i always find with other peoples cars so that needs a glass polish session,
AC related display has lost some digits on the LCD, the normal ones are working a treat and the temp is right too.

Tyres are Kumho Ecsta's and seem quite well with loads of tread and it spins up in 2nd in the wet which is funny, well to me anyway

[KP]

Oh and it smokes but im keeping an eye out for a new turbo.

Apparently I should drop the sump when swapping the turbo and clear out the oil strainer though changing the oil and filter should be enough as the oil filter wil catch everything in my eyes and this method has served me well for other turbo replacements in the past as i get no oil pressure warning light on it ever

And it goes very well considering its the LPT model and not the HPT, though a HPT turbo may end up going on it if the spares adverts go the way they are

[KP]

Well the Saab is now being broken for parts so if anyone wants anythign or knows of anyone let me know me please

Interior took about 30 mins to strip out yesterday and tonight i will look at draining the fuel tank off and getting the Coilpack style module off the top of the engine and the half decent lights, then all the fuses and relays i can get my grubby hands on as relays are always useful and the engine fusebox may move to the RR for use as part of a project to run two batteries and a full time Blackvue unit.

In the meanwhile i went and bought a Citroen C5 2.2HDi Exclusive.
It lacks power low down if you floor it but seems much better if you gently use the throttle under 1800rpm. at which point if your foot is buried the turbo quickly spools and off you go.
Now the fault has been diagnosed as a possible problem with the Accelerator Pedal Sensor. This could be right though i thinki it might be the VNT part of the turbo is sticking and thus not providing the high boost it should do low down until enough air is flowing as the symptom is present regardless of speed or gear.
The exhaust was a bit sooted up but thats now mostly flushed out.
Its in a nice strong Rouge and has the odd mark on the body that i could end up getting sorted and has a washer cover missing from the bumper but am calling citroen to see if they are available on their own.

The wheels will need a refurb but i have a strong alloy wheel cleaner so will see how they come up. Tyres are good and feel nice though need to check the handbook for the right pressures but may just chalk them up to get it right
Its a manual which is always good! the sport button does make a difference which is good as shows the suspension is in check as well
The radio has been replaced by a JVC unit which im going to try and find an adapter cable for if anyone knows a well priced place to buy them?
The display shows the suspension, time, date and temp but doesn't show any of the other things i would expect like MPG and such like. Was this something that needs a lexia to enable or is it tied in with the standard radio units? Dont get me wong the new headunit is a great little number but i like my geeky bits

Its going to get a wash later if i can get the time and a chance and then get some pics up.
Leather interior is certain to go in it with current prices and the help it will give to getting my mum in and out of the car.

Its had a recent Timing belt, Aux belt as well i think, Alternator, DPF deletion and knocked out.
When im done and my folks inherit it as long as its still solid then their C5 Mk I HDi will be up for grabs with a very low milage

[Citroenmad]

I do like those Saabs! Has it expired and so needs breaking?

I hope the C5 is easily fixed with its low performance, the 2.2 can be a source of 'tinkering' at times!

Its tyres pressures should be 36 front 31 rear, well, thats what most of them are with the larger engines and 16" wheels. C5s feel a little soggy with lower pressures

[CitroJim]

Good to see you back in one of PSA's finest Will

[KP]

Well on saturday i roped my brother in after my dad took it for the remainder of the week and fetched a £110 imaculate leather interior from blackpool and spare rear window motor.
Set my brother cleaning it and i started stripping the interior out while my dad worked on the rear door.

It turned out the rear window switch was U/S and the dowel lock on the window to mechanism was at fault as well as the drain holes being blocked.
All cleaned up, dowel inserted and window now goes up and down fine. New window switch to be ordered and drivers side control panel as well as one of the switches has fallen apart on it but rear window motor is available if anyone wants it

Seats went in fine bar the stupid plastic trunking which is a nightmare to get off and back on.
Also an airbag warning is now coming on but clearing from the info display on startup, may just disconnect that for the MOT as it doesn't come on the main dash

Gave it a very quick once over and it seems fine, my dad seems impressed with it but in his usual way just says 'its different'!!
The slow progress isn't that much of an issue for my driving or his. He never boots a car at all and the first thing his C5 did when i drove it back home was belch black smoke out the back at every junction until just before the motorway and now its clear as a whistle Though going from a 2.2HDi to a 2.0HDi90 is a very big step and its much more sedate than the 306 was but im sure it had been chipped!

Heated seat pads and backs work just great and all movement works. He has lost the rear integrated cargo guard though unless someone can confirm its a simple transfer?

Downside is now that i havve given it him Im in the 90 until i get rover fixed. At which point i'll be clay barring it and going over it and selling it on. It won't have any tax being a DLA special but has recently had a new alt belt and cambelt and new alternator as well as the usual service every 6k my dad has done himself.
Just like the 2.2 it has a massive 105k on the clock and is a 52 plate but this ones a hatchback and in LX trim but is totaly standard.
A good hoover and clear out today so i can get my typical tools and rescue kit in has helped a bit and it doesn't look too bad.
Its done 10.5k a year since new but the last owner before my dad got it in 2008 had only clocked it up to 47k so my dads been racking a bit more on it due to his work but its never wanted for anything.

The interior door handles are as normal being that horrid rubber cover plastic so i stripped the drivers side with acetone and will likely spray it up sometime soon but the feel is so much better and it has AC as well but no rear wiper!

Anyone friendly with the M57 BMW engine at all as its killing me with a stupid fault at the minute

Its good to be back and the 2.2 did make me realise how comfy such a cheap car can be with lots of toys and the leather does put the icing back on its cake so i hope my dad enjoys it as it will make getting my mums wheel chair in and out of the boot easier with having no bootlip and rear adjustable suspension

[KP]

Well I've had my dads old C5 for a few weeks now so I've given it a proper wash now after I had done the inside and given it a dam good hoover and wipe down.
This time was a good through wash with Autoglym Car Shampoo, then gentle hose down, then claybar, then shampoo and hose down again then use some demon-shine and wiped it in and hose off again

The headlights need another toothpaste and polish being the stupid plastic that Citroen used they do seem to suffer heavily from micro pitting

Here she is in all her beauty. The worst part of her is the scratches on the top of the back bumper that lips into the boot. Seem to be something almost all C5 Hatches of this age have from others I've seen parked up but being a lighter colour its more visible

[CitroJim]

looking very smart Will I like the colour...

[KP]

It is nice and has the odd supermarket scratch on it but no dings strangely just marks. With one two two going to the undercoat which is white! still, no rust to be found which is good and the engine is strong if a little powerless for me