C5 Recomendations

[sinbad]

Hi,

 

we're in the market for a new car we've been looking for the last few months at wagons. Our choice seems to have narrowed down to choosing between the passat and the C5 (both diesel 2.0). Here (Australia) they are a comparable price.

 

After crawling over both cars and driving both we really like the C5. The useable room in the luggage area is a plus with our two big dogs and two kids. I started researching what owners thought of the C5 and found that there is a lot of negativity about the car. There seems to be more complaints about various things in the C5 than for the passat or the subaru liberty, another car that we've looked at. Also of concern is the C5's depreciation, which everyone says is huge, though we looking at keeping the car for 10 years, so that may not be such a concern.

 

So what we want to know is a C5 as bad for reliability as a search around the internet implies, or are C5 owners more vocal about their car problems, or is there another reason for this perception? We really liked the feel and handling of the C5, but would hate to buy a problem that we end up hanging on to due to poor resale prospects.

 

Cheers

[shallishanti?]

I don't think that a VW is any more reliable these days, just their reputation is. My experience of modern VW engineering suggests that they are bloody awful.

[hertsnminds]

According to this website

http://www.autointell-news.com/european_co...l-1998-2002.htm

 

Citroen produce about 157,000 C5 per year.

 

How many complaints have you read about 10, 50, 100, 1000?

 

If you take full production from 2001 (6 years) that's over 942,000 cars. Even if you have read 5,000 complaints that is about 0.5 percent of all of the cars out there.

 

 

Ian

Black 55 VTR+

[Guest chrisnn]

According to this website

http://www.autointell-news.com/european_co...l-1998-2002.htm

 

Citroen produce about 157,000 C5 per year.

 

How many complaints have you read about 10, 50, 100, 1000?

 

If you take full production from 2001 (6 years) that's over 942,000 cars. Even if you have read 5,000 complaints that is about 0.5 percent of all of the cars out there.

Ian

Black 55 VTR+

 

It is right to have this sort of balance. My employers specialise in customer satisfaction work, and a characteristic of postal surveys, is that those who respond are frequently those who are dissatisfied in some way. Those who are happy are less likely to respond. Unless you appreciate this it is quite easy to gain a biased negative view from a small number of vocal people, which may not be the view of the happy majority..

 

A good example is my Triumph Stag which was derided for its unreliability in its day, but is now a thriving classic car.

 

Chris

Silver 03 Pluriel

[iannez]

ask on a citroen forum which is the better car and its always going to be a citroen. for me it would be the vw all day long. normal suspension, normal wiring and a lot less complex resulting in cheaper bills if anything goes wrong. if it was a company car then i would pick the c5 as its a much better drive and someone else will have to worry about repair bills and resale when its time to get rid. vw's dont have a good reputation because they are rubbish. thats a silly statement. even if the vw goes wrong it will not break the bank. when the c5 goes wrong (which it will) will break the bank. if you get the passat and you dont like it you will be able to sell it for decent money. a c5 you wont. try a non biased forum like ford or vauxhall and ask the same question for a honest answer. if you still want a c5 the 110bhp 2.0 is the one to go for.

[Randombloke]

iannez is more or less right.

 

I buy Citroens as the depreciation in the UK is appalling and at the 4-5 year mark when I buy them they are probably about 2/3rds to half the price of the equivalent VW.

 

However, I would get a C5 with Hydractive 3+ as this is the boy. (Exclusive or Exclusive SE)

 

I would advise against buying a VW, just find the equivalent Skoda and buy that.

 

If you are going to keep the car for 10 years then you may as well have VW bits at Skoda prices, and the lower residual will not bother you.

 

My experience of VW/Audi is that the Quality Control is not as good as it was, but it is still ok.

 

There are an enormous number of Skodas in the UK being used as taxis. They have gone from being 0% of the market in taxis ten years ago to probably some 25-35%.

 

Octavias seem to go well but can destroy gearboxes at about the 125-150,000 mile mark.

 

On the other hand, a Citroen is like a dog. It's not just for Xmas but for life. If you doubt this ask any C5, XM, CX, BX, SM or DS owner.

[DasBoot]

Reliability always seems to be raised when it comes to Citroen. Sometimes I wonder if it is asked about in the UK because of the silly preoccupation of many "Brits" with our "traditional enemy" (which is really the US anyway). All the usual "cheese eating surrender monkey" rubbish, try spending a week or two with Tracy Chav from Essex and her wonderful ready meals and microwave to learn the real meaning of "enemy" (or was that "enema").

 

Regardless has anyone got a stratergy for reducing reliability problems? Alterations to service schedules, introduction of other routines, changes to specs or parts used, consumables used?

 

In the past I have always done the following, used a full synthetic oil in conjuction with Slick 50 and a K&N Air filter, used engine flush every oil change to reduce the chance of clogging, lumps etc. Changed the Brake Fluid to DOT 5.1, used Braided Brake Hose and EBC Green Brake Shoes. Cleared and flushed the cooling system with top quality fluids, distilled water, and coolant lubrication. Identified possible problem in hosing in the engine bay and replaced with braided hose. Ensure the steering fluid is periodically change more often than recommended. With cars with LHM and hydraulic suspension checked the system fully, replaced any hosing with braided and ensured the correct working of the pump.

 

I know this sounds like a bit OTT but between the alleged problems I've heard of in two of the main budget car makers in Europe, Citroen and Fiat a few hours extra initially, especially on second hand vehicles, can make the difference between being on the road and off it in the drive.

[72dudes]

I tend to agree with iannez - the Passat is a "normal" car and will cost less if it goes wrong.

 

I bought a 4.5 year old C5 last year because

(a) I like the comfort, feel and quirkyness of them, and

(B) the equivalent Passat, A4, Rover 75, even Mondeo, would have cost a lot more

© I found a 2.2 Hdi SX with all the goodies like cruise control, Hydractive 3 adjustable suspension.

 

All the things you suggest to keep it reliable are worthwhile of course, but actually the oily bits on a C5 are very reliable. It's the electrics and more annoyingly the electronics which will go wrong!

 

I bought a Warranty Direct independent warranty for mine and within 3 months I had to claim for two central locking motors on the passenger doors which failed. This paid for the warranty! Subsequently the things which have gone wrong have not been covered - turbo pressure switch, egr valve/vac solonoid - all of which lead to the dreaded "Anti-Pollution Fault" message appearing on the computer readout, which can then take a while to correctly diagnose.

 

Have a look at the Warranty Direct website (UK only) and they give a full database of how relaible each car is over here - the C5 would have fared very well if it weren't for the Electrics problems.

 

Good luck whichever car you go with! ;)