Johndouglas

C5's need their first service on the hydraulic system at 5 years, including a change of fluid. Sinking overnight (other than slightly), indicates an internal leak on the antisink valve or on one of the rear spheres.

Remove the centre block - that's the piece with the pipes attached. Underneath it are two filters. They need to be cleaned in petrol. Undo the two bolts and lift the tank out. It's held in with a spike at the bottom. With the tank out, pour the liquid into a container and dispose of at the local dump. They'll have an oil tank.

You should have a sight glass on top of your LHM reservoir. The gold ring should be between the two red marks. If it's low down, put in some more LHM. Check your spheres by having the engine running, then pressing down on each corner. You should be able to push it down about six inches. Next, move the height lever from low to high several times, waiting for the car to reach correct level. It might be that you have sticking height correctors. A spray with WD40 will free them up.

Easy enough to do. If the old fluid was really brown/yellow, the system would benefit from flushing. You must only use Hydraflush. 5ltrs is about £14 from GSF. If you use it, empty out the old stuff, put in the flush and leave it for about 1000 miles. Empty out, put in new LHM and preferably bleed the brake nipples. Some Xantia owners claim they can lift out the centre block from the reservoir, remove and clean the two filters, then remove the tank to empty. However, on my 2.1, the pipework never seemed long enough to allow the centre to be removed. Consequently I had to mark, then disconnect the pipes.

You can buy the headlamp masks on the ferry or in the dockside shops. They have full instructions for most vehicles. Why do you want to convert the speedo from miles to km? Simply convert the km distances into miles. I spend 3 months of every year driving abroad and I don't find it a problem.

I really do sympathize with you. Cant help wondering if 20,000 mile service intervals has anything to do with it. Personally, I think it's potty. I wouldn't let mine go beyond 6K before changing oil & filter.

I've been travelling to Spain for several winters and have always carried a full spare bulb kit both for car and caravan. For the past year I've been driving the C5 with xenons. I'm going to carry the normal headlight bulbs and just plead ignorance. I'm told that xenons are very long-life.

Naurauto are a bit like Halfords. They're usually found in hypermarket precincts. If you ever get to Calais, there are two. One at Auchan, the other at Carrefour.

I would say you are being ripped off. In just a couple of weeks your car will be out of warranty so you can get it serviced anywhere. With only a small annual mileage, all the car needs is an oil and filter change, together with fuel and air filters. An independant garage would do your service for much less - and also do the required MOT at the same time. No MOT work should be needed.

It might just be that the sump plug hasn't been tightened correctly. I would remove the undertray, clean the bottom of the engine, then, after a couple of days, you can see where oil might be leaking from. My daughter's Xsara had the same fault a few months ago. I hadn't got the oil filter tight enough.

Do they? Who told you that? I bought a Xantia new in 1998 and when I sold it in 2005, it had never been near a garage, other than to be MOT'd each year. Also, my other cars, with the exception of the C5 only go to the garage for MOT. They don't need specialist servicing - but they do need looking after.

What does the dipstick show? I always fill mine to the upper mark on the stick.

Sorry if I have misinformed you, but looking at the French Revue Technique the picture I see looks just the same as the gearbox was on my previous Xantia and BX.

I've just noticed you have a C5. If you tinker with the egr valve on that your on-board computer will maybe protest.

I've heard on other forums that guys have by-passed it. It's given them better fuel consumption and a bit more performance - but it's not very eco-friendly!

Having too much LHM in the reservoir won't do any harm and it won't stop the system working correctly. All it will do is make a mess on the top of the tank, plus dripping on the ground. You'll need to look at the height corrector between the rear wheels. It may be in need of lubrication or the plastic arm on the ball joint may have come off. To do this, you'll have to get underneath. It's best to use a couple of ramps, but if you have to use a jack to get sufficient room, also use some support.

Right!

When I was in Spain a few years ago I couldn't help but notice how few Xantias there seemed to be on the roads compared with the numbers in UK. On the other hand, Xsaras which were then not popular in UK, were to be seen on Spanish roads in their thousands. I never did unstand why.

You obviously don't know how much they are each!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can't help you with this since I haven't come across one. I've been driving Citroens since 1990 and so far I've been able to look after them myself. My C5 (which is under warranty) is currently without its radio. So far the local dealer has had it for four weeks. I'm not impressed!!!!!!!!!

If you're loosing oil from the gearbox it's probably one of the two driveshaft oil seals. To replace them DIY will cost you in the region of £6 per side, but it's quite a bit of work to remove the driveshaft first. To top up the gearbox get the car standing level. Jack up the n/s wheel and remove it. Take off the inner wheel cover, and you will see the end of the gearbox. Oval in shape. Remove the large screw which is at about four o'clock position. Inject some 75/80 gear oil into the hole until it begin to drip out. Replace the bolt and tighten.

It depends on what you mean by biodiesel. All the diesel sold in France for the last couple of years has been 5% biodiesel. If you mean putting some veggie oil in with your usual supply then it will be a bit thicker than what your lift pump will like and it will probably burn out.

As you say - who is right? There's certainly plenty of conflicting advice. But if xenons on the C5 don't need masks, why should the C4. They're probably the same lamps. I drove overnight to Southern Spain last January in my C5 and I didn't get flashed once, whereas previously, in a Xantia, if the masks weren't right, I was soon told about it.

And you're probably right! I've just been looking at the Eurolites beam bender application list. For my C5 they list a requirement for "standard headlights only" - 2001/2004 position 5, 2004 onwards position 2 , nothing for Xenons. For the C4 - Standard headlights - position 5. Projector/VTS headlights position 4. So I guess all you guys with C4 Xenons do need some form of masks. Eurolites can be found here: http://www.travel-spot.co.uk/products/eurolites.htm but they are on sale in all the ferry shops.

I'm told the beams are 'flat-topped'. Presumably, they don't 'kickup' to the left. Having used them on overnight driving last winter, I was very impressed with Xenons compared with my previous Xantia's masked lights.