Faults:

More a case of routine servicing rather than defects.

Replaced cam-belt, water pump (£450), clutch and flywheel (£460), new tyres all round (£300).

Repaired tailgate (£40) and starter motor (£40).

Eloynos fluid top up (£130).

Spending over £1500 may sound a lot, but it would be expected of any car at the 100,000 milestone. My local garage did the servicing, so it was very reasonable in terms of cost.

General Comments:

I have read many negative reviews, but my experience with the C5 has been excellent. Citroens seem to get a poor deal from reviewers as they're not Mondeos. It's for that reason I bought one. By French standards this model is very conventional (in fact boring compared to the likes of the XM or CX), but by British standards this is an odd ball choice.

I surrendered my company car as it was not practical or comfortable enough for my needs. So I prefer driving a 10 year old C5 to a £20k Renault Megane. In a year I have put 20,000 miles on the clock and it has not missed a beat.

It is a delight to drive. It does not set your pulse racing, but rather soaks up all the bumps in the road. It is like sitting in a lounge chair. I don't want to be at one with the bumps in the road, I want to be isolated from them.

The estate is big, perhaps too big as things tend to slide around. It regularly holds 2 folding bikes and 2 weeks of luggage. The best feature is the suspension, which is relaxed and well proven. The Hydractive 3 suspension has been totally reliable; it's a wonder it is not available on other cars.

The 138 BHP engine is excellent. If you take it easy on the motorway i.e. 63 mph it will return up to 55 MPG. 51 MPG is the average I get on the motorway. which is amazing considering it is such a large car. It never feels underpowered and is always willing.

Faults:

I have had the 2004 C5 now for 2 years, and have to say it's the most reliable car I have ever owned. Nothing, and I mean nothing has gone wrong with it. The electronics are excellent, and everything works perfectly.

The seats are in excellent condition with no deterioration at all.

The only fault I can find, but it's not really bothering me, is the slow retraction of the driver's seatbelt.

General Comments:

Excellent build quality compared to other makes I have had, and that includes Mercedes.

As it's a petrol engine of only 1700cc, performance is not too swift, but sufficient.

Superb leg room in the back seating area.

Faults:

1 year and 4 months in, my car has developed symptomatic stupidity. The fuel filter blocked message will not go away, anti pollution fault appears at higher speeds and decides to go into limp home mode. 3 dealers and still no fix. What do I have to do to get Citroen dealers to fix this irritation.

However, when it is running right it is brilliant. The most comfortable motorway cruiser I have ever owned. 120mph no problem, 6 gears low revs, even at this speed.

I would really like to recommend this car, because it is so damn comfortable and competent. This has to be the biggest front wheel drive car I have driven that laughs at corners. The hydra-active 3 suspension really does work and ensures that the car beefs around even the silliest of corners at speeds that are suicidal in most large cars. My Ford Puma even struggles with some of the corners at the speed I can take them in the C5, but please Citroen, I beg you, sort out these stupid faults. Why did my Peugeots never go into I hate you mode, yet my Citroen does. Is it just me or could the citroen do with a Peugeot engine management system. It just seems like the reject peugeot systems are installed on Citroens.

Me, buy another Citroen, probably never again, but it seems such a shame because it could really be a great car.