Replacing Xantia. C5 aircross any good?

[Jaf]

Looking at the C5. What I really want is comfort but with a newer car so I can drive into cities. Living on dirt tracks so needs to be reasonably high. Also need a decent engine and I'm really not sure about 3 cylinder engines.

Or the C4 x? Or peugeot 2008/ 3008? All on the same diesel engine.

Is the C5 aircross comfortable, compared to the xantia? Suspension wise is especially important to me, the xantia is the only car I've been in that doesn't hurt on the dirt tracks.

I know there's the problem with cam chains on the diesels and wet timing belts on the petrols.

I did buy a 2021 year peugeot 2008, 1.5 diesel from Spoticar which is the stellantis selling company. The idiots sent it 700kms, by driver, with no road worthiness inspection. They forgot! They then told me I could drive it 2 weeks until the ITV (MOT). No...that is illegal and would invalidate my insurance! It also had 36 driving fines with 1,300 euros (transfers with the car). I refused the car as I just don't trust its even been serviced. I did notice that the rev counter runs the wrong way, anticlockwise, which is annoying. Just today got the money back, after 4 weeks. No compensation.

Replace isn't quite right, but I do need a daily runner. Fred, my xantia, and Gwin, my ax, will finally get some proper work done. Hard to do living the middle of nowhere with no post and no bus/ taxis! Still thinking of getting another old car though! 25 year old cars can drive into cities once registered as historic. Blurgggh.

[mickthemaverick]

An interesting set of circumstances to satisfy! Not knowing the general rules for historic vehicles in Spain it is difficult to make a valid assessment but in the UK the car has to be 40 years old for historic registration, and then you benefit from 0 road tax and no MOT required, though personally I'd still have one as a simple health check annually. If those advantages apply in Spain then I'd have no hesitation in searching for another Xantia if I were you or even an XM. As for the newer cars you will need input from other members to help with those. Good luck

[Jaf]

Yeah I think the xantia is a great car. Trouble is I'm finding it hard to get parts now. (A whole saga with new steering rack, still not fixed). I just don't think much of modern cars. Went to a salesroom today, looked at a C4, and peugeot 2008/ 3008/ rifter and a VW and a seat. Not impressed with the young saleswoman, but it was good to look at different cars. No C5 aircross but funnily enough there was one in a carpark later. I must look a bit suspicious looking in all the parked cars!

The C4, 2008 and VW would be OK I think. The 3008 has an enormous centre console, far too big. Also how come the seats are so small?! The seats in my ax are bigger!

[Jaf]

The historic qualification changed recently to make it far easier. It used to only apply to very rare cars. Now any car over 25 and fairly original can get it, so my ax and xantia could apply. Being spain there's paperwork and an inspection to be done. Then the inspection is every couple of years, but limited annual mileage. Road tax is then zero, but it's only 40 on the ax, 90 on the xantia.

Mind you I've not needed to go to a city with ULEZ for years!