MikeT's C5r 1.6 hdi Estate

[CitroJim]

I assume Borg & Beck are a trusted brand?

They always used to be Mike... Once the standard by which all else was judged...

[MikeT]

These are the deals you look for Mike.........if they are boxed Mintex should be OK.

Poor little twig of an immigrant guy just delivered my hefty package. "It's very heavy" he informed me as he passed them over.

They are boxed Mintex and even come with a hologram seal so hopefully they're not fake.
Though there is a schoolboy typo that I wouldn't expect from a German manufacturer....

[GiveMeABreak]

Merlingo! Are you sure these aren't knock offs!!

[MikeT]

Merlingo! Are you sure these aren't knock offs!!

Stop it, I was 99.9% sure.

First off, the seller has 10's thousands of 100% feedback
The price is good, but not too good to be true
The box looks real (apparently fakes have colour/font/logo differences)
The included instruction leaflet looks top quality (fakes usually skimp/fail here)
Mintex (TMD) claim their security holographic seals (which mine has and was intact) are 100% proof it's a genuine product

[lexi]

It is hard to know where any of this stuff is actually made and packaged now, even when it is Genuine.

[GiveMeABreak]

Well my front suspension strut has just arrived from good old Poland at just under half the dealer price, so is booked in on Monday. It was well-packed and has the genuine label on. It's reassuringly heavy , and I'm not sure the fakers have bothered with these ..... however, considering next to the 9 steering racks that have been replaced in the X7 poll, the front struts are currently in second place with 6 replacements from regular members here - so I hope the cloners are not reading this!

[lexi]

That car of yours Marc is like Triggers Broom. What have you not replaced on it?

[GiveMeABreak]

Indeed! Good old Trig

At this rate of component fails, I can just see Del Boy flogging dodgy struts down the market, saying "a few more of these 'spension whatsnames' and we'll be millionaires"

[CitroJim]

Indeed! Good old Trig

At this rate of component fails, I can just see Del Boy flogging dodgy struts down the market, saying "a few more of these 'spension whatsnames' and we'll be millionaires"

[MikeT]

Cree LED's arrived this morning, Marc. Thanks for the recommendation.
They look very robust and well made and hopefully won't suffer the "sequencing" my current sidelights contracted.

Colour me disappointed.
I just went out tonight and noticed the NS sidelight is not working again. Typically just to irritate me that the NS requires battery removal and the nonsense steps before and after.

Now what in tarnation, I say, what in tarnation is causing this?

[CitroJim]

Now what in tarnation, I say, what in tarnation is causing this?

Mike, check earths... My old 207 used to gulp down bulbs like a glutton and once I found a bad earth she never ate another in all the time I had her...

[MikeT]

I need to get to the bottom of this. The idea of having to change bulbs every four months makes me want to get rid of the car.

The sides have been through halogens (original) and two different designs of LED's so I'm leaning away from "cheap bulbs" being the problem, especially when the dipped beams fail a little too often as well.

[Gibbo2286]

Have you checked the alternator output Mike? Too high will blow bulbs often although I can't remember the last time I had one of those.

[MikeT]

Have you checked the alternator output Mike? Too high will blow bulbs often although I can't remember the last time I had one of those.

While investigating the battery charge status last year (after replacing bulbs twice), I monitored alternator output during a long drive and saw nothing errant. I will have to restest the earths though. My earlier tests were hurried and may have been floored.

[MikeT]

Yet another silly annoyance - the ashtray likes to open itself as if the latch is weak/broken/missing - ie, it'll pop open with any bump or vibration through the car (ie constantly when driving!).
Initially, I did manage to somehow jam it (in frustration) and it stayed shut for over a year but an unknowing passenger poked it a few weeks ago and it won't stay shut anymore.

The passenger inspected it and suggested there's a part missing which is my initial best guess too but without a working one to compare, it's just a guess.

On mine, there are no moving parts on the ashtray itself but it's recess does have a resistant free-wheeling cog wheel on the left (which engages a rack moulded into the 'tray) and a spring on the right which provides the opening force when unlatched so it does open smoothly as expected. What I can't see is how it's supposed to latch and stay shut. Anyone care to pull their ashtray out and maybe kindly provide a few choice photos? A replacement is a mere £72.28 from Citroen.