xantia versus c5

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Post by daviemck2006 »

I suppose the oldest car I have anything to do with is my son in laws 52 plate feista (wrecked, god knows how it keeps going). Maybe I should sell my 107 commuter and go back to an ax or visa! Have had an ax diesel in the past and liked it and suppose it would run veggie as well. Either that or wait 10 years untill c5's are old :D
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Post by steelcityuk »

Just to add a little to the mix, I started with a Xantia, went to a XM then C5 and back to an XM. The Xantia was OK but not Citroen enough (thinking back to my brothers BX). The XM was fantastic but didn't have all the toys and was rusty. The next XM wasn't as comfy and I couldn't find a good XM at the time so I went to a C5 HDi 110 Exclusive. Nice ride - very consistent, all the toys, very reliable but too normal and I missed the XM quirkiness so it was back to XMs.

I guess some would say the same about XMs, they prefer CXs/DXs, etc.

Look at it this way thousands of taxi drivers use them.

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Post by daviemck2006 »

was the xantia not slated when it was new for not being citroen enough and being too normal? Just seem to recall something like that. I did fancy one at the time but expanding family meant ford galaxy for space, hated it and changed to pug 806 1.9td
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Post by Peter.N. »

They have gone steadily down hill since the CX - or even before.
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Post by C.J. »

XantiaDaveEire wrote:
Peter.N. wrote:We are all stuck in a time warp and don't like modern cars :D
Agreed :lol:

But also the fact that modern Citroëns don't really cut it in terms of what a "proper" Citroën is.The designs imo are far too safe and just not quirky or original.

The fact that the latest bog standard C5 has coil sprung suspension says it all really :roll:
Damned fine looking motor though. Certainly got the exterior right anyway.
Wonder what percentage are being sold with hydopeumatic suspension?
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Post by Citroenmad »

XantiaDaveEire wrote: The fact that the latest bog standard C5 has coil sprung suspension says it all really :roll:
I will stress here that when I jip on about C5s I never include the 'Germanic' C5III in any of it, its not the original C5, its not the best C5 in my opinion either. Its a rebodied Peugeot, yes the C5I and C5II use peugeot components and a lot of its running gear is shared, but the germaic one on coils is a 407 so you might as well buy one of those for less, I also prefer its looks. Its also a saloon which is useless to me - different people, different needs, different requirements etc

As for reasons why I dont like the new C5: Im coming around to its exterior but for me its trying too hard to be stylish. This has compromised interior space greatly, I actually find it hard getting into the back of a saloon C5III as its tight, the doors appear small and im quite tall, though the original C5 has loads of room for me. The saloon is just that now and limits practicality greatly, I couldnt buy one. The tourer is just that too, its not an estate, which is something Citroens were extremely well known for offering. The tourer is shorter in length than the C5II estate and the boot is much smaller with a very sloped rear window. Our C5 is a working car and could not possibly be replaced by that pretend tourer version, we have looked! Its interior also seems to be form over function, I dislike its small windows which limit visability and makes me feel hemmed in. The original is very roomy, airy and spacious with good visability - something else Citroen is well known for.

So big Citroens have a reputation of being large, spacious cars, with a excellent ride, self leveling suspension which adds safety features, large estate cars or more recently spacious hatchbacks. The C5III is too far away from this to be a true Citroen for me and I cant see me getting one for those reasons. People who think the original C5s are not Citroen enough, well the C5III is even further away. When you get to know a C5I or II, you realise that although they might appear more ordinary, they offer a lot of past and favored Citroen qualities.

Not that I think the C5III is a bad car, not at all, but its very more ordinary than the previous C5 and a few seem to have reservations about that car for the same reasons ... in fact its so ordinary that I would look elsewhere for a replacement for my C5II, as that doesnt come close to comparing for the car I need and want it to be. My C5 is going to have to last me until Citroen make a big car which tempts me.

Also, the Xantia lovers, if a C5 doesnt "cut it in terms of what a proper Citroen is" How do you think the BX owners felt about the Xantia in the 90s? Very similar I would suspect and I know many who did, my parents were some of them. Obviously there have been similar stories about the XM when that was launched in that it differed greatly from the CX, the CX with the DS (possibly the biggest change of all). Its evolution and I do wonder how things will progress regarding the "proper" C5s! As you can tell, im stuck here in original C5 land and not liking the replacement, much like you Xantia owners dont like your cars replacement either.

We all look for different things in cars, its what ever suits you and your requirements and wants the best .....

..... Fact is the C5 is not a bad car, which is what this thread set out to ask.
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Post by Citroenmad »

C.J. wrote:
Damned fine looking motor though. Certainly got the exterior right anyway.
Wonder what percentage are being sold with hydopeumatic suspension?
Very few, only Exclusive and all Automatics get it.

Its easy to tell what a C5III is riding on, if it looks high then its on coil springs, if the ride height looks right its a hydractive. You should also just see two spheres hanging down in the centre of the car at the rear.

Very few are, most I see are SX or VTR spec which dont have hydropneumatic suspension. Which appeal to the reps and and company car users.

I do believe they ride well on coil springs, though its no compromise!
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Post by DickieG »

For what its worth I went from countless number of Xantia's in every high spec form you could think of to a C5 Exclusive SE Christmas Tree (which broke down every time I used it, so I returned it to the dealer) then via a BMW 5 series straight back into a Xantia and now feel now very relieved to be back with a sensible car :D

The only cars I can imagine replacing my Xantia's with are either the present C5 (as previous models look as if they were designed over the phone/ugly) or the very latest BMW X3 as I've spent several days with them and have been very impressed.
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Post by P616VKX »

The C5 is just not what a car is meant to be. It doesn't put a smile on my face, it doesn't look good and it just seems like a jelly mould car... Mass Produced and very very soggy.

I've only had a Xantia for a little while, but I already know I'd rather have another Xantia to a C5...

And as for the HDi engine being good... Yes, it may well be, but it doesn't suit my needs and proved to be the most unreliable piece of trash ever. My car was maintained by Essex Police before I got it, not abused or anything... And then it blew the turbo. Then the thermostat housing. Then the bearings.

Honestly, an XUD Exclusive, if there is such a thing, would suit me down to the ground. And even then, I'd take a Petrol Xantia over any C5 offerings...
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Post by Citroenmad »

Have you much experience of a C5 P616VKX?

You had a 90 HDi I think? Which I have know to have a few problems with turbos, though this does seem to effect the 110 version much less often - often put down to a lack of servicing though not always.

You can get a 2.1TD XUD Xantia Exclusive, not very common though.
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Post by DickieG »

P616VKX wrote:And as for the HDi engine being good... Yes, it may well be, but it doesn't suit my needs and proved to be the most unreliable piece of trash ever. My car was maintained by Essex Police before I got it, not abused or anything... And then it blew the turbo. Then the thermostat housing. Then the bearings.
I believe there's quite a contradiction in the above statement in that Police cars are the most thrashed vehicles you could ever imagine, I cannot think of any other owner who drives their cars flat out every day and whilst they are well maintained they have at least three non owner drivers each day who make countless short journeys at high speed then immediately turn off the engine cooking the turbo bearings, hence why Police cars get through so many turbos.
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Post by timborob »

P616VKX wrote:The C5 is just not what a car is meant to be. It doesn't put a smile on my face, it doesn't look good and it just seems like a jelly mould car... Mass Produced and very very soggy.
These are harsh words indeed....
I can't see how you can think the Xantia is that much better styled?
(I like both of them personally)
and what's Mass produced and soggy got to do with it?

I would expect there were ALOT more Xantia's sold than C5's
and isn't the standard Xantia's suspension that is softer which i would define more as soggy.

I'd think some more before leaving comments like that as there's a gang of C5 owners ready for you!!
:wink:

Well the C5 puts a smile on my face or I would not have brought one
:)

I'd agree with Citroenmad has said regarding the C5's
including the new C5 III being not the best replacement for the older car
as its style over functionality.
BUT if one was passed on to me I'm sure I could live with it
:lol:
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Post by myglaren »

I am a somewhat ambivalent C5 owner.

When it is running right (it isn't currently) it is a very acceptable drive and I wouldn't describe it as soggy. If anything it is a bit on the hard side in comparison with previous Citroens (GS, BX and Xantia) that I have owned.

I am here going to come out on the side of the series one too. I am not convinced that the 'facelift' is any improvement externally and the S3 while 'modern' looking' is far too much of an emulation of the current generic car shape - they all look much of a muchness to me.

I do prefer the styling of the Xantia and when I first saw a C5, which I had been looking forward too, it came as both a shock and a disappointment.

I'm somewhat reconciled to the looks of the estate and when I look out of my window, mine is sandwiched between a Vauxhall people carrier thingy and an Astra - they are all in silver and I think the C5 is far sleeker and more elegant in appearance compared to the Meriva or whatever it might be and the Astra can go straight to hell with it's pokey little windows.

I still have urges to replace it with a CX or XM but I am taking the pills and they are working up to now.
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Post by Xaccers »

I think us Xantia fans are pretty safe pointing out how bland/ugly the S1/S2 C5s are (and I only like the S3 in tourer form) , it's not like the C5s are reliable enough to give chase *tee-hee*
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Post by P616VKX »

DickieG wrote:
P616VKX wrote:And as for the HDi engine being good... Yes, it may well be, but it doesn't suit my needs and proved to be the most unreliable piece of trash ever. My car was maintained by Essex Police before I got it, not abused or anything... And then it blew the turbo. Then the thermostat housing. Then the bearings.
I believe there's quite a contradiction in the above statement in that Police cars are the most thrashed vehicles you could ever imagine, I cannot think of any other owner who drives their cars flat out every day and whilst they are well maintained they have at least three non owner drivers each day who make countless short journeys at high speed then immediately turn off the engine cooking the turbo bearings, hence why Police cars get through so many turbos.
It was a police liason car used for a domestic violence unit.
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