Citroenmads Citroen blog.

[Citroenmad]

I took the XM for its MOT test today which it sailed through I didn't doubt it! Its covered 2500 miles in the last year, bringing its current total mileage to 64065 miles.


I got my C5 back this eveing, after it had a new gearbox oil seal, new clutch kit and new dual mass flywheel. The clutch now feels great, low and strong bite point, no judder and no slipping under hard acceleration. Problem solved!

It was not the gearbox oil seal which was leaking, despite it seemingly being a problem, that was oil tight. I got it replaced anyway just in case. It was the dual mass flywheel which had failed, bit too early if you ask me, at only 29500 miles. The clutch friction plate was still very thick, hardly anything in it and the new one, so it kind of rules out driving habits as the cause. I dont ride the clutch so I didn't expect it to be a wear and tear failure, which it wasn't. There is seemingly no logic behind the failure of DMFs.

However, the designer of DMFs deserves to be shot, but not before they have stumped up the cost for every premature DMF failure. They are designed to fail! Its by no means limited to PSA cars either, the majority of modern diesel engined cars have them now and none seem more reliable than another.

All the parts fitted were genuine Citroen parts. Its a shame a kit is not offered to remove the DMF like it is on the 8v HDi.

My bank balance is a bit lighter now

My dependable Activa can have a well earned rest now, its been excellent the last 3 weeks and not put a foot wrong. Its done some miles, what with my gruelling 70 mile round trip into Newcastle City centre at peak times four times a week, 30 mile trips to work and social running about, its been great. Its in need of a good wash now, so that smy job for Sunday.

[CitroJim]

Great new on having the C5 back. Good for another 30,000 miles then, fingers crossed

Excellent news on the XM

There's a subliminal message in your last post Chris

You speak of an XM flying through an MOT and of a dependable Activa along with a C5 with an unhealthy appetite for expensive clutch components...

The only conclusion is that you are far better off with a Xantia or an XM

Now sell the C5 quick and get yourself a nice HDi Xantia...

[robert_e_smart]

Subject: Citroenmads Citroen blog, now with added 2cv

Great new on having the C5 back. Good for another 30,000 miles then, fingers crossed

Excellent news on the XM

There's a subliminal message in your last post Chris

You speak of an XM flying through an MOT along with a C5 with an unhealthy appetite for expensive clutch components...

The only conclusion is that you are far better off with a XM

Now sell the C5 quick

I have taken the liberty to correct Jim's previous posting as above!!

I couldn't say better myself. Sell the C5, and use the XM. Perfect!

[Citroenmad]

I should hope it will see another 30K miles, thats very low mileage and I should expect a lot more from it.
Adding up the mileages ive done in all the cars, ive driven over 25K miles within the last year. That would mean I would need a new DMF every 14 months or so If I only used my C5.

Our identically engined C5 estate is just about to turn onto 80K with the original clutch and DMF. My uncle also has a 2.0HDi 16v 138 with 90K and the clutch has been fine on that too, the bite is very high but it doesnt slip. Not sure how mine went so badly wrong, typical

Yes, the XMs and Xantias are very hardy cars and can be easy DIY cars to own. Id have an XM over a Xantia but XMs can be very hard to find and seldom come with AC, manual gearbox, and a diesel engine - my ideal XM spec! Xantias are also around in greater numbers and so are easier to find.

Believe me, ive considered buying a HDi Xantia and im rather tempted by Franklins dads car. However Im not sure if I want two Xantias, I always said id try not to own two of the same model of car. Great cars though and when I look around for something of a similar price to the advertised Exclusive with a reliable diesel engine attached to a car which wont give constant reliability headaches, its a hard one to beat!

I am looking for a replacement for the C5 at the moment, however I have tried this twice before and ended up back with a C5. Fact is I like C5s a lot and they do everything I want and need in a car. We'll see, im still thinkning about selling but have not fully decided yet.

[myglaren]

I ventured north in my C5 on Wednesday night, all the way to Alnwick, avoiding the polar bears (it's the farthest north I have ever been in the UK )

Was looking for the Aurora Borealis but they had moved it.

I was very pleased with the C5's performance though, it is about six months since it has done more than ten miles at a time.
I have been considering upgrading the headlight bulbs to Philips 'Extreme Vision' and have a set in my Amazon basket that come with free sidelight bulbs - a deal clincher as a sidelight failed last week.

However, pushing on down country lanes after leaving Alnwick in disgust - no Aurora, no fish'nchips and no sign of the Duchess of Northumberland, I realised that there is nothing at all wrong with my lights as they are. Also, on leaving the car to do a bit of stargazing and leaving the sidelights on as a precaution against getting rear-ended (shurrup Malcolm! ) I found the sidelights working so no need for them either.
May get them to have in the car for the next bulb failure though.

Naturally I got lost and ended up in Morpeth, which was no fun at all.

Enjoyable drive though

[Citroenmad]

Alnwick Steve, thats just above South Sheilds, not far at all Did you go to see the Castle? Thats well worth a trip around You have not been to Scotland?

C5 headlights are not bad at all, in fact some of the best I have used. Ive never bothered with brighter bulbs as they are very effective. Apparently some brighter bulbs damage the lens of the headlight, which might be true as some C5s have very cloudy front lights, on some S1s the perspex lens looks quite yellow and crazed.

I fitted some slightly brighter sidelight bulbs to the front of C5Is as they were a bit dim, I also put in chromed indicator bulbs too, as they take out the orange in the lights. Not done that with this one actually, might get onto ebay now!

C5s are very good cars, I love mine and still would find it very difficult to replace it with something which I like as much and is such a good all rounder. I curse them when they go wrong (I would any car!) but I soon get over it. I have to say that considering the miles ive driven in C5s they have been very good and any failings they did have were infrequent and easy to fix, apart from this latest issue.

I have liked using the Activa for a few weeks daily but im very glad to be back in the C5 again today, its such a nice car. After the Xantia its the size and the space of the C5 which I like, amongst other things.

[myglaren]

Alnwick Steve, thats just above South Sheilds, not far at all Did you go to see the Castle? Thats well worth a trip around You have not been to Scotland?

North Shields Chris! I live six miles from South Shields

C5 headlights are not bad at all, in fact some of the best I have used. Ive never bothered with brighter bulbs as they are very effective. Apparently some brighter bulbs damage the lens of the headlight, which might be true as some C5s have very cloudy front lights, on some S1s the perspex lens looks quite yellow and crazed.
Mine are yeller and have what looks like some fungal growth on them.
Only made them worse trying to polish it off - it's mainly inside.
I thing I have degraded mine by having the lights on all the time. Will have to replace them for the MOT although there is no reduction in light output.

I fitted some slightly brighter sidelight bulbs to the front of C5Is as they were a bit dim, I also put in chromed indicator bulbs too, as they take out the orange in the lights. Not done that with this one actually, might get onto ebay now!

C5s are very good cars, I love mine and still would find it very difficult to replace it with something which I like as much and is such a good all rounder. I curse them when they go wrong (I would any car!) but I soon get over it. I have to say that considering the miles ive driven in C5s they have been very good and any failings they did have were infrequent and easy to fix, apart from this latest issue.

I have liked using the Activa for a few weeks daily but im very glad to be back in the C5 again today, its such a nice car. After the Xantia its the size and the space of the C5 which I like, amongst other things.

[Citroenmad]

Ive done over 200 miles in my C5 today with 4 people onboard, the new clutch is faultless and a joy to use. It averaged 50.3 MPG, I can't complain with that!

Alnwick Steve, thats just above South Sheilds, not far at all Did you go to see the Castle? Thats well worth a trip around You have not been to Scotland?

North Shields Chris! I live six miles from South Shields

Geography was never my strong point

[myglaren]

Forgot to say that no, never been to Scotland. Not Wales either despite my mother being Welsh. Hardly anywhere in fact.

[Citroenmad]

Forgot to say that no, never been to Scotland. Not Wales either despite my mother being Welsh. Hardly anywhere in fact.

You've not lived Steve
I do like Scotland, generally spend at least two weeks a year there, im off up there in March actually. To a nice little cottage on the west coast, overlooking the sea.


The C1 found some snow today:

Up on the Yorkshire moors, above Leyburn.


Ive given my Activa a well deserved wash and hoover today and is now back under its cosy car cover. Hopefully until the salt dissapears.

[myglaren]

Forgot to say that no, never been to Scotland. Not Wales either despite my mother being Welsh. Hardly anywhere in fact.

You've not lived Steve
I do like Scotland, generally spend at least two weeks a year there, im off up there in March actually. To a nice little cottage on the west coast, overlooking the sea.

May go one day - don't speak Scottish though

My son is up there very frequently so the car has been, just not me in it.

[Citroenmad]

Almost a month without an update, thats not like me!

Well there is nothing to update with really, car wise everything is how it was. We are slowly getting a few bits and pieces done to the 2cv, the last thing being getting new track rods and setting the tracking, it was toeing in by an awful lot. The front height has also been raised slightly as it was sitting a little low. The difference in its drive is quite improved, the steering is so much more direct, lighter and it feels nippier. It is amazing how a bit of extra drag effects the huge 29bhp output! Its due its MOT before long and so we are getting a few niggly things worked out. I fitted a new indicator relay last month which has sped up the flash time and has also fixed the interior warning light and clicker.

My C5 is going like a dream again now, back to normal service with its new clutch. I had a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon last weekend, where I met up with Kev (red_dwarfers), it was a great weekend in great company. Warwick Castle and the Coventry Transport Museum are well worth a visit! My C5 returned almost 50mpg, impressive given my return trip was 210 miles and done in no more than 3 hours ...

I got my Activa out yesterday, just to give it a run around since it had been standing a while. While I was swapping around its wheels, to put the Michelins up front, I gave the brakes a check over and did a bit of rust-preventative cleaning/spraying. The rear discs are not looking great so I should probably replace those at some point. I did patch up the exhaust in the summer but it really needs a new centre and possible backbox, so that will need doing too. Its also due for road tax. If I needed something to keep me even more busy then im sure it would



I had a trip to a Citroen indy at the weekend for a bit of a nosy about, he has a couple of activas which are in need of work. I have my name down against a few bits from the worst one, its quite rusty in the body and is destined to be broken.

I also popped into a Citroen dealer where they had two DS5s in the showroom, though both were locked, perhaps they are not officially lauched yet. They are a nice looking car but not as big as I thought it would be, its hardly any different to a C4 in length, or it doesnt appear to be.

Im off to Scotland for a week away in a few weeks time, im planning on going to Ireland while im there and driving up to see Giants Causeway. Then some mountain biking and lots of walking, should be a good week. Im very tempted to take the Xantia instead of the C5, though I suspect my passengers will prefer the C5

Well, a boring update! But these are Citroen cars and so rarely go wrong!

[R9UKE]

Chris if you a fancy a drive in Avantime and whatever other rubbish I have, please let me know when you're here - I'll arrange to meet up with you

Xantia looks great in that pic, btw!

[Citroenmad]

That would be great Luke, i would love a drive in an Avantime or any other French lovely!

Though its probably going to be a bit of a fleeting visit, as it would just be a day trip. Ill see what I can do

Thanks, not the best scenery but I liked the picture

[CitroJim]

Thats's a lovely atmospheric picture of your Activa Chris

I've been using my Activa for the past few days and I'm loving it Main reason is I'm having a new boiler installed and the driveway where the Activa lives needs to be clear during the day. So why not enjoy the Activa?