Thinking About Getting A C5

[dave7la]

Hi

 

I've currently got a 2008 C2 VTS and been thinking about getting a BMW 3 series.  However, I came across the new style Citroen C5 (2008 onwards) and I'm amazed how stylish they look yet relatively low in price. 

 

Looking to spend no more than £6k but scanning the likes of Autotrader/Ebay I can pick up a 2008 or even 2010 plate for this kind of price (albeit 70k miles on the clock).  Reviews on YouTube seems to praise the car in every way except handling and if that’s all that’s wrong with them I could probably put up with that.

 

I would be grateful for any advice the forum might have based on your experience of the new generation C5 and versions to avoid?? Any problems at particular levels of high mileage?

 

What’s important to me is good mpg and decent acceleration. From my research I quite like the idea of the 2.0 VTR diesel + nav. I'm genuinely excited by the new C5 but want to make sure it’s not a disappointment.

 

Much appreciated!

 

Dave

 

 

[seefive]

I wouldn't get hung up on sat nav - it doesn't take uk postcodes, so if you need to use it  constantly this would be a drawback.

You will find non-nav models cheaper and easier to find.

Other than that, go for it! I have a C5 exclusive nav that's just a few months old now , and very pleased with it.

 

 

[dave7la]

Cheers for response.  I assume the same screen is used for radio, parking sensors, bluetooth etc?

[seefive]

You only get a small monochrome screen, not the big colour one, so not as nice looking.

 

The sat nav does take GPS coordinates, and  you can "translate" post codes using a portable device (eg portable sat nav). Still a bit disappointing though. You can enter an address without post code easily.

 

It also picks up live traffic, which is good, and telemetric  emergency assist facility - you can call for  help at the push of a button, and your location and details are picked up automatically. If you crash the car, the system dials out automatically, activated by an airbag going off. (not sure if this applies on older cars, the UK helpline was only set up recently)

 

 

 

 

 

[dave7la]

Sat nav does sound disappointing but traffic feeds and emergency assistance sound useful.  Probably not useful enough for me to worry about + nav version I suspect.

 

Will keep my eyes out for one, that is assuming I can ever sell my C2.  Not having much luck selling it, there’s hundreds of the damn things out there.

[paul.h]

I can not understand why people want BMWs, may be expensive, unreliable, rust, rear wheel drive (winter is on its way and they do not like snow although snow tyres may help - got stuck on our street once behind a neighbour and it is flat), you have to drive in the outside lane of motorways, etc.

 

The 2008 C5 on (and earlier models) always gets good reports on here, some early ones may have had problems and needed recalls but by now they must have been sorted.

 

You could try part exchange on the C2 to sell it.

 

As for the sat nav, I have it on our 2007 C5 with the colour screen (2.2 hdi VTX), as noted above, it takes addresses but not post codes, the map can be zoomed in/out by turning a knob, the maps I find useful just to have on when in unfamiliar areas and find it better than a Garmin. It will show congestion on the route, etc and overall if you have a choice of a car with and one without it is useful to have.

 

Something to watch for on higher mileage ones are the timing belt will need doing and the exhaust particle filter will need doing, both expensive jobs.