Sold Spuds/repuds Citroen C5 £120 Sussex

[barrett]

Anyone have any use for my colleague's recently deceased C5 2.1 hdi wagon? Rear suspension has collapsed but the engine is sweet and the tyres are less than a year old. Before the arse-dragging incident occurred it drove perfectly alright. It's going to scrap next week unless somebody feels they can use it in some way?

Not expecting much response but it's worth asking before turning into bean cans innit

[Tamworthbay]

Do you know why it’s dragging it’s arse?

[AlabamaShrimp]

It's worms?

 

Honestly never been in one of these. Do they have the same suspension setup as the old stuff or are they all as boring as the rest?

[barrett]

Do you know why it’s dragging it’s arse?

There are various possibilities but it's most likely pump related as the aluminium legs have been replaced not too long ago. Sadly the cost of investigation just to find out its gonna be something really expensive to have fixed means it's had its day. Might be a simple DIY job, might not be. I'd say it's only fit for spares at this stage.

 

It has done sterling service up to now though, it cost a grand and has done 40,000 hard miles in current ownership, often towing other cars or loaded to the gunwales with engines or whatever so he's definitely had his money's worth, but it looks like it's probably time for it to lay down and die quietly now tbh!

[barrett]

It's worms?

 

Honestly never been in one of these. Do they have the same suspension setup as the old stuff or are they all as boring as the rest?

It has a hydro suspension system but it uses an electric, rather than engine-driven pump, and the steering and brakes are conventionally powered. Personally I hate the way they drive and they are MASSIVE amd quite uncomfortable. Not a great continuation of the marque's legacy etc

[stephen01]

^^ uncomfortable? I always rated my C5 as quite possibly one of the comfiest cars I'd ever driven.

 

I loved mine even though it did shit it's gearbox!

[bramz7]

Shame you don't like driving them, I quite fancy one as a tip wagon. They do look like sideways wardrobes on wheels though, although I thought all the Citroen folk loved the pants off of them now?

 

I can't entertain buying this one, no more broken stuff.

[Tamworthbay]

There are various possibilities but it's most likely pump related as the aluminium legs have been replaced not too long ago. Sadly the cost of investigation just to find out its gonna be something really expensive to have fixed means it's had its day. Might be a simple DIY job, might not be. I'd say it's only fit for spares at this stage.

It has done sterling service up to now though, it cost a grand and has done 40,000 hard miles in current ownership, often towing other cars or loaded to the gunwales with engines or whatever so he's definitely had his money's worth, but it looks like it's probably time for it to lay down and die quietly now tbh!

Thanks for the info, and being so honest, sounds like it needs someone who knows these a bit. Bargain for someone. Glwts

[djoptix]

Must disagree on the comfort front, I have had two and found them fabulously comfy. Seat back, cruise on, lovely. Also epic load luggers because they're self levelling, so you can put a quite ridiculous amount of stuff in them. I think the estates are better looking than the hatches too.

 

This is presumably the 2.2 or a 2.0, there wasn't a 2.1 HDi. Does it have leather?

[barrett]

Apparently it's actually a 1.9, sorry!

 

Comfort is obviously subjective, but I don't like the ride of these modern Cits in comparison to older cars and the seats, steering and general size don't wash with me. It is incredibly capable, however, and probably has some life left in it

[ruffgeezer]

Did it piss any fluid out during the collapsement?

[barrett]

Nope, no leaks anywhere and the pump is still audibly working, it's just not quite managing to get the back up. It was a gradual process - the back started sinking, but would always rise up when you opened a door, until the point that it wouldn't, at which stage it as retired to 'broken Cit ranch'

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I once drove one of these 500 miles in a day, and was in no way crippled at the end. Recommended

[Lacquer Peel]

I do like these but what went wrong with Citroen styling at the time? They look so shit, especially the berline.

[barrett]

Yeah they're properly gopping, aren't they?

[loserone]

Only if you compare them with older cars, I reckon. 

 

 

But then I have a LEAF, and even that is growing on me.

[Tamworthbay]

I didn’t like them at first, having had a Xantia I thought they looked a bit fat, but they have really grown on me and I have only ever heard positives from people who have owned them (apart from about depreciation when they were newish).

[barrett]

Yeah, they're fine, it's just a dull modern car and I don't like modern cars. I don't like direct injection diesels, or dual-mass flywheels, or impossibly light steering, or poor visibility or enormous dashboards etc. That's just personal taste. If you like/don't care about modern cars then I'm sure they're fine. It has been doggedly reliable up to now and is great on fuel. The reason they're so bloated is because it replaced both the Xantia and the XM so it had to be 'big enough' to satisfy former XM owners.

[Wingz123]

Cut the cat off....cats on these worth 180-220 providing it is still its original.....

[sierraman]

Really comfy in the back these, in fact I’m dropping off thinking about it.

[Richard]

I don't think the estate looks that bad. It's estate car shaped at least, which seems to be an unusual feature in estate cars. Another unusual feature of them is that the space inside reflects the bulk outside.

 

I'd have thought that the suspension would be relatively easy to sort out by playing parts darts with scrapyard bits, there are plenty of them in yards now and the system isn't that complicated. Just start at the back and replace stuff until it starts working. You're supposed to use a computer to depressurise them before you work on them, but putting the suspension on low and pulling the battery does the same job.  

 

Our one used to sink the back end as you drove, you would have to stop and restart when it got too bumpy. It turned out to be a dodgy brake light bulb. 

[artdjones]

I doubt if it's the pump,more likely to be the height corrector sensor on the back.Which is just an electrical part and doesn't require depressurisation, and is around £30 for a secondhand one.

[Richard]

doesn't require depressurisation.

 

But does require provision for sudden unplanned depressurisation, as with all hydropneumatic suspension- that should go without saying, but just in case it doesn't. I would start with the height corrector too, then work forwards replacing bits until it worked.

[barrett]

This just got taken away on the back of the scrap man's truck. Obviously, as soon as it was loaded up the suspension kicked into life and it raised itself up to normal driving height. Pretty much sums up my entire experience with shonky old Citroens. Oh well, too little too late I'm afraid, it's being turned into bean cans!