Faults:

Rear suspension spheres (25) changed for softer ones (31).

General Comments:

This car is only slightly larger than the Xantia, but it feels a lot bigger.

The very large size of the door mirrors mean that for normal garage doors you will require the option to retract the mirrors from an inside button, otherwise it's too wide.

The multiplex electrics cause a short delay for anything electrical. The lights don't immediately switch on or off, but wait 2 or 3 seconds. The button to retract the door mirrors sometimes does not become active for 10 to 15 seconds.

It is important that if you require an automatic to go for the 3 litre petrol or 2.2 diesel because the auto box for these are from a German manufacturer and are OK. The other size engines get a PSA unit which is renowned for giving a very rough downward gearchange.

When purchasing these cars, ensure that you check the ORGA number which is on the drivers door pillar. This number can be converted into the date of manufacture. If the manufacture date is before February 2002 then don't buy the car. After this date, most of the initial teething problems have been sorted and you will have a very pleasant vehicle.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

I purchased my C5 2.0 SX because it had just about everything I was looking for in a family car. For a start it’s one of the most spacious cars I’ve come across which means that I can get two child seats and an adult on the back seat, a double push chair in the boot, and still have lots of room for luggage. I tried out MPVs and midi-MPVs, but quite frankly they’re no wider and who needs all that headroom? Maybe if you’re a six-footer, but I’m not. And whereas the MPVs I tested all strained to lug their massive bulk up to reasonable speeds, the C5 (especially the 2.0 petrol engine) has very decent acceleration.

And then there’s the gizmo's! Automatic wipers, automatic headlights, automatic climate control, trick suspension (automatically adjusting, of course!), electric windows throughout (one-touch, anti-pinch), steering-wheel mounted CD/Radio controls, on-board computer…….and much more. Wow!

The deciding factors were the looks (which grew on me until I now think it’s a very good looking car), and the price. I bought it as a pre-registered from Dixon Motors, which meant it had only five miles on the clock and a full manufacturer’s Warranty, and was a massive discount on the Citroen dealer’s price.

Shortly after buying it I discovered this Web site and read the C5 reviews. To say I was surprised was an understatement! I can only assume that the early C5s had faults which have since been sorted. My car has none of the faults mentioned (touch wood, after only 3,500 miles) by other owners and is by far the best car I have ever owned (and I’ve owned quite a few). And there aren’t many other cars out there which can offer so much entertainment in a traffic queue: simply raise and lower the suspension and watch the bemused looks on other car driver’s faces!! (I really should get out more).