should I buy a DS5

[jgra1]

what do you think all?
as some of you know, I bought a broken C5 exclusive many years ago, a 163HDi 2010.. fixed it and it's running well, the only grumbles are that I bought a saloon! and the ride quality has always been quite poor (boaty)

I wanted to upgrade to a manual, Xenon, DAB car with more practicality ! so:


I had forgotten DS5's existed until this morning, and have found a broken 200 Hybrid..
reasons for:
It's an estate, which is kinda useful.
I have a shed load of 163 engine parts lying around
DS5's are cool
it has 4x4 (nice to have on the odd occasions)

worries:
what horrors could the hybrid system throw up, and do they matter for a cheap car which should run on the engine anyway?
are parts available for them including second hand
will the car just feel slower and heavier than my C5 ? with slow gearchanges and crashes over potholes? (I don't know what wheels are fitted)
will any of my engine parts fit if needed? (the car has a suspected engine issue, that doesn't scare me to much, it's a project after all)
will my Diagbox thing see it?

can I run a car vertical on it, with just the reg?

any thoughts all! its fairly cheap, a £300 courier away and I think 2013

It's not manual, probably doesn't have Xenon's or DAB - it's an estate though!

John

edit : I will read this part of the forum of course!


edit 2 : Is it possible to fit a towbar to a hybrid DS5 ? Looking at a couple of sites suggests no? :O

[GiveMeABreak]

No estates John these are just hatchbacks

As it's a 2013 you can use Diagbox V7.** on it no problem.

The suspension on these are notoriously horrible by all accounts, bumpy and you can feel every pothole and bump - so do get a test drive of one elsewhere if you can first of all as they can be a bit of a bone shaker.

As for the Hybrid - there is no mains charging of the battery directly - it's all done via the car. To ensure the service life, a computer constantly monitors the temperature and voltage of the traction battery, which allows a service life equal to at least 10 years, without noticeable loss of performance. So you are fast approaching that limit now John.

Be aware that the replacement batteries on these are currently £6552.00

Ther is a specific towbar that can be fitted to the Hybrid model, but is specific because the traction battery is in the trunk area.

[jgra1]

many thanks Marc!

sorry I meant a hatch or estate really, not a saloon

noted re: battery and tow bar - I tried 6 different tow bar places in the end with no joy..

anyway, the upshot, after all the excitement of yesterday, is a complete U turn! After reading and watching review after review, I think they look great, but unless I could afford a facelift with better suspension, I am not that interested.. The extra weight and space of the hybrid doesn't seem worthwhile (let alone any maintenance issues)

For my budget, about £4000 top, and going for a normal diesel 163, I feel the really I would be driving a car similar in spec to the C5, and also not one that would be a perfect place to be on local B roads, coupled with torsion bar suspension and based on the lowly C4..

saying all of the above, there is one locally I could go and see, and a manual which may make the 163 feel a bit more interesting.. I don't know if it has swivel Xenon's but I doubt it..it's cloth/leather and manual seats.. so really it's a step down in many ways from my C5 and about 3 times the value! 85K Miles not 170K though.

I was thinking of the dark side and a good Honda CRV, as SWIMBO's old civic 2.2 does seem a lively engine and that car does drive well too.. granted a CRV wont be a drivers car, but may be an ok long term hack. Ideally with the DTEC version.

A 508 could be a contender too mind

[GiveMeABreak]

No worries, if you need a specification breakdown of any DS5 you might be interested in, let me know the VIN and I can summarise key equipment options for you.

Also, a member has just updated his post concerning the DS5 suspension, have a read here John on the updates he made:

viewtopic.php?p=730498#p730498

[jgra1]

that's all positive news re Bilsteins! .. I have communicated with the hybrid owner, including a quote I just received for local towbar fitting (£550! ouch - I am used to buying one for £40 and fitting myself )

I also mentioned the battery life span and cost... (Marc, re-reading your response, it sounds like the batteries are good for 10 years then on borrowed time)

you never know, he may come down on the price!

Thinking about the suspension, the hybrid is different at the rear to the other models, and maybe is a better drive anyway.. will update if any news..

[GiveMeABreak]

This is the towbar specific to the Hybrid DS5 John and is the type that can be removed without tools.

The part number is: 9427CT, £388.02
The 13 Channel Harness is part: 1606859980 for this vehicle, £187.31 and contains the BSU trailer fuse box of course.

(Photo stated is non-contractual).

Description:

CITROËN VEHICLE COMPATIBILITY
Specific to hybrid vehicles

DESCRIPTION
Towbar with tow ball that can be removed without tools (RDSO), for towing a trailer, boat, caravan, professional equipment, etc. in complete safety.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Ball type: Detachable.
Maximum towing weight: See the vehicle handbook.
Supplied with fastenings and installation instructions.

ADVICE ON USE FOR A PRIVATE CUSTOMER
The number plate must always be legible in order to conform with regulations
The towing weight varies depending on engine versions, therefore it is essential to consult the vehicle documentation.
Carefully follow the instructions in the assembly manual.
For safety reasons, the fitting of a "TUNESI" type blade stabiliser system on the towball is strongly discouraged.
WARRANTY / AFTER-SALES SERVICE
Warranty: 1 year parts and labour.

SALES STATEMENTS
Increase your loading capacity and tow a trailer, boat, professional equipment, etc. in complete safety.
The tow ball can be fitted and removed in a matter of seconds, without any tools, allowing you to easily and effortlessly change the appearance of your vehicle.
Recommended for vehicles fitted with a rear parking assistance system.
Supplied with a storage bag.
Before purchasing, check your vehicle’s maximum towing weights and gross train weights.

Bear in mind I would do another check from the actual vehicle VIN if you went ahead to ensure these are 100%.

[NotAnInterestingName]

I'm a proud fairly recent DS5 owner (6 months). It doesn't really fit into the hatch vs estate categorisation really. The best description I've read is that it's a coupe-estate, which I'd agree with. My definition of an estate is one that has side windows behind the back doors, which it has - although it's not very high and these side windows are actually plastic due to its weird shape.

The boot is actually pretty long and wide, only medium height up to the load cover, probably due to the high floor with the adblue tank or batteries in your case. I regularly carry quite a lot in it. But without the load cover you don't gain much, you might be OK with a medium dog but probably not a washing machine. There again I'm pampered, as my other car is a Berlingo.

In a weird way, it's sort of a DS4 estate. As the DS4 was based on the short version of the Peugeot 308 and the DS5 is the same platform but the longer 308 estate version.

Honestly I was reluctant about buying such a rare car. But the oily bits are bog standard. It's blooming lovely to cruise around in, provided you don't encounter too many potholes. Seriously it was slated for its firm suspension, but it's better than the Berlingo. But ours is the later DS-brand one that I believe they softened up somehow. The earlier Citroen ones may be worse. It's more likely that when new it was being compared against posh brand cars that definitely do have more sophisticated suspension, as it was once a very expensive car. But when compared against the sort of boxes normal people get to drive it's probably unremarkable.

Just be ready for random strangers stopping you in car parks to ask what it is, but we quite enjoy this sort of nuisance.

So buy one, you probably won't regret it.

[Ross_K]

I also mentioned the battery life span and cost... (Marc, re-reading your response, it sounds like the batteries are good for 10 years then on borrowed time)

It's a hybrid battery like any other, so individual cells within the battery should be replaceable (if someone's comfortable working with electricity )



I don't believe that the age of the hybrid battery is a factor so much as the amount (or type) of use the battery gets during its life.

My Prius had really low mileage for a 2004 (100,000 miles) when I bought it, and it needed a replacement hybrid battery right away. The previous owner was an old guy who used it for short journeys, and didn't use it all for a whole year during COVID. On the other hand, there are people on Prius forums with 400,000-500,000 miles on the clock - and still on the original hybrid battery...I guess because it's being charged and discharged regularly in a controlled way by the hybrid ECU, rather than being left to discharge over weeks or months through lack of use.

I assume you can use Diagbox to check the health of individual cells within the battery?

[NotAnInterestingName]

The problem with batteries is that they don't look scary as people are used to putting them into their radio or whatever.

But get enough of them end-to-end and they can get up to some deadly voltages. Unlike the mains, you can't switch them off. Plus they can burst into flames if you short them.

Interesting video, but I'd definitely have rubber gloves on for starters.

[Ross_K]

Definitely not a job for the faint-hearted (specially those with pacemakers)

[jgra1]

many thanks all

how time flies ..

NAIN, good stuff.. re. suspension, it seems that changing the shocks to good quality aftermarket on early models did wonders for the ride quality ! a point I made to a local owner trying to sell their DS5 to me, she seemed baffled but there you go

So, I abandoned the hybrid DS5.. and a series of interesting turns followed.. based on how impressed I have been with my other half's old Civic 2.2cdti,
I bought a H***a CRV 2.2 EX DTEC from a local auction, as a Cat D... I even went to see it before hand and was happy enough..
However, I have stripped part of it, and it's got some bent metal :O .. Nothing terrible but..

I am driving it now, it's what it is..
some things, one of which will surely pertain to the DS5 ..

I hadn't realised just how much I appreciated an Auto (7 years in the X7 so far) - the manual 6 speed is ok, but goodness it's all a faff in an old SUV..

I had no idea just how good the C5 exclusive interior was! the 2012 CRV is, let's say, utilitarian.. it's not quite as well spec'd as the 2010 X7, but it's the look and feel that is miles apart..

A honda DTEC 2.2 is a lovely engine, quiet and refined. Due to physics though, mated to a manual box, the economy is worse than the auto C5! ('Parkers' numbers may have got me here)

Saying that, the car is robust, I don't care much about potholes, and it's an ok driving position and good if mum and I go out for the day (she's 78) and loves sitting in the back, and it does have the glass roof.

My first car with Xenons, they are ok, but not quite the change I thought they would be.

Anyway, sorry to ramble.. now I have a lovely C5 I will sell if anyone wants it, I will keep the CRV for a while and shift that too, and maybe get something else, possibly an X7 tourer, a DS5 or a Pug 508 tourer..
John

[NotAnInterestingName]

Looks like a nice car. Will never go back to a manual though, both ours are autos and there's so little price difference for used cars normally that it's usually worth holding out for an auto. It seems that there's still a good number who only want a manual, so they all find homes at similar prices to the autos.

Plus I have long legs and I find Peugeot/Citroens are a bit tight on legroom, I have a mod that I've done to both the Berlingo and the DS5 - take out the double-width brake pedal and replace it with the one from a manual, leaving a big gap where the clutch would be on a manual. I can stretch out as far as I like then, and there's a bit more room on the right side anyway, I can lean my knee against the door.

But it sounds like you've got a good buy.

[Ross_K]

Those diesel CR-Vs are a good car...from 2012 onward anyway...the earlier ones were absolute rustbuckets.

Equipment is sparse like you say, but that just means there's less to go wrong

[jgra1]

thanks both..

mine is a 2012 but the last of that style before a facelift! another buying error on my part

the 2012 onwards model has some electronics to overcome the daft pseudo 4x4 issue! ('Real time 4wd' - from what I can gather there is a hydraulic coupling in the rear diff (a multiplate clutch) that engages the back axle when a pressure difference is detected due to a mismatch in front wheel speeds.. I think the issue is when both front wheels are spinning at same speed, icey hill for example, the rear wheels don't engage !

I also seem to have self diagnosed a sciatica, after 15 years of hip/leg pain... the C5 always made that more of an issue, was hoping a different driving position would help.

looking ahead, I am starting to wonder now if an auto petrol may be my future! with such a price difference between U/L and Deisel, and very little commuting, maybe it's time to change 30 years of (mainly French Diesels)

[NotAnInterestingName]

There's a big difference in pence, but the percentage difference probably isn't vastly wider than what's been typical over the years, the high price of both makes the difference look worse. It's probably still better value due to the higher mpg.

Besides, I find all petrols feel gutless once you get used to a diesel, they have so little low rev torque.

I'm hoping diesel will drop in price once all the fashion-followers have switched to petrol and electric. When it's just us, truckers and van drivers left it will be like the old days when it was a by-product of petrol that they needed to get rid of.