Citroen C5s

mak224751 · Post by **mak224751** » 04 Aug 2005, 13:10

Hi All,
I have just got rid of my xantia and am thinking about buying a Citroen C5. I have seen one for £5000 on a 51 Reg, 73000 miles and it is a Citroen C5 Saloon 2.2 HDI. What are the general views on these cars as Which magazine slated it but the top gear website gave it a good write up. Any comments would be appreciated before I blow my hard earned cash
Thanks

mezuk04 · Post by **mezuk04** » 04 Aug 2005, 13:35

You could always buy me one first and I shall tell you [:p]

madasafish · Post by **madasafish** » 04 Aug 2005, 14:14

Anyone who buys a C5 has lost any critical faculties regarding style and beauty imo. Looks dumpy/ugly and depreciates faster than a stone falling down a cliff. And Ciroen very kinf=dly designed some built in faults so the customers could test them.

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 04 Aug 2005, 14:44

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by madasafish

Anyone who buys a C5 has lost any critical faculties regarding style and beauty imo. Looks dumpy/ugly and depreciates faster than a stone falling down a cliff. And Ciroen very kinf=dly designed some built in faults so the customers could test them.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Now you've done it, I want one.
I want a 2.2 HDI, same fuel economy as my Xantia 1.9TD except fast too. Good diesel engines, good ride, at least I won't have to look at the outside when I'm driving it.

AWG · Post by **AWG** » 04 Aug 2005, 15:28

My father has bought one. The suspension and braking seem very different. Separate pumps for each leg and a conventional braking system. Loads of electrics playing games with the ride height when you just look at the car. I suspect that there is much less one can do to the suspension system as it appears to be composed of less user servicable parts (that's less not fewer!). Suspension seems to get tricked by some road surfaces. Haven't looked at GSF yet but some service items are AMAZINGLY expensive.
Having said all that it's a very nice car from the inside!

Rostami · Post by **Rostami** » 04 Aug 2005, 15:31

What do you mean bt "conventional breaking system"?
Has it become a regular Dot5.1 thing? Is it no more a part of the hydraulic system??

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 04 Aug 2005, 17:11

They've got conventional servo-assisted hydraulic brakes just like the rest of the Peugeot / Citroen range. The cost of developing EBD and Emergency brake assist must be what did it, frankly I don't think its a step forwards at all.

ActivaV6uk · Post by **ActivaV6uk** » 04 Aug 2005, 18:00

I've experianced a C5 2.2 on the track and all the current citroen range with Vanny the 2 cars in the current range that shone (including the C4 VTS) were the C8 (cant remember engine speck but they were all exclusives) and the 2.2 C5 estate the road holding of the hatch isnt as good as the estate and the car fidgets under hard cornering the C8 is actualy more capable than the c5 hatch but the C5 estate that was the suprise especialy the over all performance not much could keep up with us and high speed handeling was like the C8 better than the sports C4's!!!
On that note the worst car of the day was the 1.1 c3 senso drive, after being out in one i have no fear of pulling out on one in my V6 xantia at a roundabout if it has right of way, even if its started moving its never going to get near me, we did at least 3 laps in all the other cars even the C1 but 1 lap was all we could bring our selves to do in the senso drive!
Andy

Post by **Sir Clive** » 04 Aug 2005, 19:46

I've owned my C5 Hdi estate from new, having traded in an HDi Xantia for it.
After 75,000 miles I still love driving it, and have often travelled over 300 miles in a day with no discomfort.
If the one your're looking at is a 51 reg, check that it doesn't make clonking noises from the rear suspension, and also check that the rear tyres haven't worn unevenly. The fix for this was a complete rear beam axle replacement, which *should* have been done under warranty.
Oh yes, and the brakes may be conventional in operation but they are very powerful and I have no complaints.
The green LHM has been done away with, replaced by fully synthetic fluid which lasts for 100,000 miles.
Tyre wear can be heavy, and with the added weight of the car, drop links can need replacing after 40-50,000 miles. They are the same part as on later Xantias though.
Oh, and check the rear silencer. On early cars they tended to rot out the stub pipe where they joined the exhaust pipe, and later exhaust systems have been modified. I ended up with a custom made stainless steel rear box, half the price of a genuine part and a lot cheaper.
Regards
Philip

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 04 Aug 2005, 20:03

Do you know of anybody who has had to replace a FAP particle filter?
I've heard that these are expensive, figures like £1500 have been mentioned, and I don't really want to spend that amount of money on anything apart from the car.

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 05 Aug 2005, 00:17

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Kowalski

Do you know of anybody who has had to replace a FAP particle filter?
I've heard that these are expensive, figures like £1500 have been mentioned, and I don't really want to spend that amount of money on anything apart from the car.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
a FAP change & Eolys fluid re-fill should cost around £250-£350.thats with an exchange FAP.

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 05 Aug 2005, 14:15

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by wheeler
a FAP change & Eolys fluid re-fill should cost around £250-£350.thats with an exchange FAP.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
And can it be done DIY?

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 06 Aug 2005, 00:17

theres nothing to stop you changing the particle filter & re-filling the Eolys fluid but you need a Lexia or Proxia to re-set the counters in the FAP ECU.

JT · Post by JT » 09 Sep 2005, 19:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Sir Clive

I've owned my C5 Hdi estate from new, having traded in an HDi Xantia for it.
After 75,000 miles I still love driving it, and have often travelled over 300 miles in a day with no discomfort.
If the one your're looking at is a 51 reg, check that it doesn't make clonking noises from the rear suspension, and also check that the rear tyres haven't worn unevenly. The fix for this was a complete rear beam axle replacement, which *should* have been done under warranty.
Oh yes, and the brakes may be conventional in operation but they are very powerful and I have no complaints.
The green LHM has been done away with, replaced by fully synthetic fluid which lasts for 100,000 miles.
Tyre wear can be heavy, and with the added weight of the car, drop links can need replacing after 40-50,000 miles. They are the same part as on later Xantias though.
Oh, and check the rear silencer. On early cars they tended to rot out the stub pipe where they joined the exhaust pipe, and later exhaust systems have been modified. I ended up with a custom made stainless steel rear box, half the price of a genuine part and a lot cheaper.
Regards
Philip
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Rear beam axle replacement? Is this expensive? Why does the whole thing need to be replaced?

406 V6 · Post by **406 V6** » 09 Sep 2005, 20:39

it's a factory fault, and the expense is fully supported by Citroën. Affects mostly 2001 models. At the time, rear spheres were of the wrong type, same as the above.