Upgrade Xantia > C5, advice sought!

RustyUK · Unread post by **RustyUK** » 12 Feb 2008, 23:54

Hello all,

I've owned Xantia's for years, and have pretty much come to know them inside-out, and do most maintenance myself. Of course, they're all becoming a little aged now, so I'm looking for something built this millennium. I don't think I could cope again with a "normal" car without the hydropnumatic suspension, so a HDi C5 is the obvious choice!

Alas I don't have any hands-on experience with these cars. I've heard the hydraulics are far more difficult to work with - is a sphere change just as simple as a Xantia, or did I once hear something about C5's having some all-in-one non-user-serviceable unit on each corner? Do they all use electronic height sensors now?

Presumably an LHM change is just as straight-forward as a Xantia...

One of the Xantia's weak points is the heater matrix. Are these still a weak point, and just as awkward to change on a C5 (the entire dash out)?

Any other pitfalls or comments?

philipte · Unread post by **philipte** » 13 Feb 2008, 07:22

No LHM on a C5, they have orange blood, not green

It only operates the suspension and steering. The braking system is a conventional hydraulic one.
I changed the fluid on mine afer 100k. I used a large syringe and a piece of plastic tube to suck all the fluid out of the reservoir, and replaced it with exactly the same amount of new. It doesn't seem to discolour like LHM, the old stuff was indistinguishable from the fresh!
Spheres have the multilayer membrane and last *much* longer than the old style green ones. Mine still seem fine after nearly 6 years.

The heater matrix doesn't seem to be a weak point, but in exchange you get the infamous dual mass flywheel. I managed to get mine to last for over 80k before the clutch slip became too embarassing.....
Oh, and of course the combined crank pulley/damper can/will start to fall apart sooner or later.

If you go for an earlier 2 litre Hdi without the FAP and Eolys fluid you'll also save yourself money and hassle.

I've done 110 thousand miles in mine now, and its still going fine.

RustyUK · Unread post by **RustyUK** » 13 Feb 2008, 12:57

Thanks for your comments - I didn't know they don't use LHM, indeed seems they use LDS at more than £6/litre! GSF sell the spheres too at twice the price of Xantia spheres. Ah well. I hope they're the same diameter so my funky new removal-tool works.

Normal brakes too? Nooo! That'll take some getting used to. If I go with a C5, it'll likely be a 2001/2002 model.

Unread post by **RichardW** » 13 Feb 2008, 13:14

The PAS and suspension are separate. Each axle has its own reservoir and (electric) pump, and hieght correction is achieved electronically. The early ones had some problems with the rear suspension knocking and axle failing, but most of those should have been ironed out by now. The COMS 2000 (indicator and wiper) switches fails on early cars, but they seem to have sorted it out now. Overall, there seem to be pretty few problems reported really, and they are relatively cheap (I saw a 4 year old 60k 2.0HDi Exclusive with Sat Nav for <£6k when I was looking - but bought a £3k Xantia HDi instead in the end). Very comfortable if the 40 od mile test drive I had in a 2.2 SX is anything to go buy - but the 2.2 is best avoided, it's thirsty and suffers turbo and FAP problems at about 70k.

philipte · Unread post by **philipte** » 13 Feb 2008, 14:10

To be fair, the LDS only needs changing at 100,000 mile intervals, and ISTR it only takes a bit under a couple of litres.

Normal brakes yes, but again they're pretty powerful and I didn't have any problems acclimatizing to them after owning a Xantia and a BX previously.

I'd definitely agree with Richard about avioding the 2.2 litre engine.

ncoll · Unread post by **ncoll** » 14 Feb 2008, 07:22

My 2.2 auto estate has now done 176k miles, apart from the pulley being changed 150k and the usual rear caliper mounting problem I've had no trouble, must admit that mpg can be low if you get heavy footed. I would like to change the transmition fluid but as yet I haven't found out what type it is.

RustyUK · Unread post by **RustyUK** » 14 Feb 2008, 21:58

Thanks for the replies guys. It may have gone already, but the car I have my eye on is a 2001 HDi SX - with the 2.2 engine! It may possibly still be mine for £2k, a little over 100K miles. I'd rather do that now than embark on a cambelt + bits change and other stuff on the Xantia - all being well with the C5, of course.

What's prone to going wrong with the 2.2 engine?

wheeler · Unread post by **wheeler** » 14 Feb 2008, 23:15

RustyUK wrote: a little over 100K miles. I'd rather do that now than embark on a cambelt + bits change and other stuff on the Xantia - all being well with the C5, of course.

What's prone to going wrong with the 2.2 engine?

well the timing belt is due on this engine at 100k so make sure its had it done. if you ever have any problems with the injectors they can be a nightmare to get out, even to the extent of having to remove the cylinder head.

RustyUK · Unread post by **RustyUK** » 14 Feb 2008, 23:37

Well yes, if this particular C5 falls into my hands, the first thing it'll get is a cambelt change anyway! 'd just sooner have a car a little bit younger, than do mine now and spend again later in the year anyway. There's dealership service history with this one but nothing evident for the last 40k miles, which is a slight worry.

reblack68 · Unread post by **reblack68** » 02 Mar 2008, 13:42

RichardW wrote:The COMS 2000 (indicator and wiper) switches fails on early cars, but they seem to have sorted it out now.

What are the symptoms of this? The rear wiper/washer stopped working soon after we got the car. It started working again for a while then stopped again. The car is a 2002/52 LX Estate.

mooseshaver · Unread post by **mooseshaver** » 03 Mar 2008, 12:43

reblack68 wrote:
RichardW wrote:The COMS 2000 (indicator and wiper) switches fails on early cars, but they seem to have sorted it out now.
What are the symptoms of this? The rear wiper/washer stopped working soon after we got the car. It started working again for a while then stopped again. The car is a 2002/52 LX Estate.

On mine the right indicator stopped working. The switch inside the unit I think had failed, but the whole unit ws repalced. I think I still have the old one somewhere incase the new one failed and I could make a good one out of two duff ones.

It started intermittantly, then failed all together.

reblack68 · Unread post by **reblack68** » 03 Mar 2008, 20:13

Our rear wiper has burst into life again!

RustyUK · Unread post by **RustyUK** » 03 Mar 2008, 21:33

reblack68 wrote:Our rear wiper has burst into life again!

Well count yourself lucky that you have a wiper blade

I managed to secure the C5, and wow, what a fantastic car. It looks virtually new inside and out, and been well looked after by its single owner, I intend to continue that. It's the smoothest, quietest ride I've had in any car to date.

Just the one little oddity, unlike other C5's I've seen, it doesn't have a rear wiper!

Anyone want to buy a Xantia now?

bencowell · Unread post by **bencowell** » 04 Mar 2008, 17:25

Rain X removes the need for a rear wiper. You get used to it. I prefer it now.

I hate driving hatchbacks/estates/dad's Picasso on wet motorways because of the dirty spray dragged onto the rear window.