My "New" Barge....Has disgraced itself ALREADY!

[Baz]

Hello chums....Thought I'd take advantage of a few days off work, and grab myself some "Online time", and where better to spend it than my favourite car forum! Thought I'd show you all what I'm driving nowadays....Not sure that anything I have at the moment is bona fide "Shite" just yet, but it certainly has potential!

 

Okay, firstly to my latest acquisition:

 

2004 Citroen C5 2.0HDi 110 Estate.

 

Where I sit....

 

....and where the filthy hounds go!

 

After a six-year love affair with Mazda, I've returned to my first love....French cars....I wanted a big estate with the potential to be quite cheap to run over the slightly above average mileage that I cover every year and (As I couldn't afford a decent Mazda 6 Diesel estate!) this seemed to fit the bill very nicely....It's certainly a lot of car for the money....This example has covered 130,000 miles in the hands of just one owner, who seems to have looked after it very well....The service history is very comprehensive, and was done at Tolley's of Colchester, including the timing belt change at 105,000 miles in April last year, so that's unlikely to need doing again, at least while I have the car! Another sign that this car has been looked after, is the last M.O.T, done in July: There was an advisory of some minor scoring on one of the front brake discs....The owner had discs and pads fitted all round! Condition-wise the car is very good: It's had a new N/S/F wing at some stage, and this is starting to rust around the lip of the wheelarch, but the rest of the car is spotless....Only other faults are a chip on the windscreen (Not M.O.T. failure) and the glovebox light doesn't work!

 

The car reminds me a lot of my CX20RE from the dim and distant past....It's a very similar colour for a start, but the drive is very similar....Soft, squashy and comfy....Not an ideal town car, but covers distances quickly and effortlessly, and hopefully economically too, but time will tell on that! There is plenty of room for dogs, kids etc. and more electronic gimmickry than I can be bothered to list....More to go wrong I guess, but my favoured Citroen Specialist reckons they're okay, so I decided to forsake Japanese reliability in favour of French comfort/style....We'll see if I end up regretting it!

 

The outgoing model:

 

My 2005 Mazda 6 2.0 TS Estate.

 

Now covered 172,000 miles in it's seven years, and still going strong....No faults except the heated rear screen doesn't work, and possibly a bit of wear in the steering rack, causing a sort of "Slack" feeling that only really manifests itself on rough surfaces such as my driveway....It's passed the last two M.O.T's like it, and I have my mechanic check the front suspension/steering every time he has the car, and he says it's fine....It's really just the weekly fuel bill that made me want to change it, otherwise I'd probably keep it another two and a half years! Sadly though, once my plate is transferred, the 6 will be cleaned up, and Ebayed.

 

The runabout:

 

2006 Hyundai Getz 1.5 Diesel CDX.

 

Used daily by my partner, Sam, this car is really economical if I drive it....Sadly, Sam covers about 3 miles a day in it, so it never really gets warmed up....I take it on a run from time to time, and it'll do sixty to the gallon if you drive it carefully....Problem is, it's a very difficult car to drive carefully: It's just so FAST! Third and fourth gear acceleration when overtaking is really quite vivid....Easily faster than either the Citroen or Mazda....Bodyroll is quite pronounced, but it clings on pretty well in the corners, making this car a great deal more fun than you'd expect!

 

My Bike:

 

1990 Kawasaki GPZ500S A4.

 

After a succession of larger bikes that never got ridden, I decided to downtrade a little, and this is what I found....22 years old, and twenty-four-and-a-half thousand miles, but looks like it could be six-months old....Surprisingly fun to ride too....Took it down to the Brighton Speed Trials in September....400 mile round trip, and thoroughly enjoyed it!

 

After Christmas we're hopefully going to be buying a place of our own....Hopefully with a proper driveway....If that all goes off okay, I may well be on the look-out for some sort of project car....Something French, but maybe a bit more "In Keeping" with this site....BX or XM estate maybe? Better start getting Sam used to the idea now!

[dollywobbler]

C5 is definite autoshite! They're bloody hopeless! Though very pleasant when they're working...

 

At least the tool-eater HDi isn't too bad compared to the 1.6.

[Micrashed]

timing belt change at 105,000 miles in April last year, so that's unlikely to need doing again,

It did well to last that long - dont believe Citroens 100K service interval - its not unusual for them to grenade at 50K

[dieselnutjob]

if it's an 8 valve it doesn't matter much, they just break a few rocker arms normally

our 806 had a 120,000 miles on it when I bought it. The old belt had a crack in it so I would say that that's way over the safe limit.

nobody seems to know why the 16V ones bust their belts

I have heard that very poor maintenance (like driving around with no oil) can cause issues with the chain that goes between the camshafts. If this chain goes then it will take the belt with it.

Also the C8/807 had an issue that the timing belt cover could fill up with water

The belt went on my 607 2.2 HDI at less then 50,000 miles on the previous owner, who managed to get Peugeot to pay the bill despite it being out of warranty. I just changed the second belt at 120,000 and the old one seemed fine.

[KruJoe]

Yay, Baz is back!

Where have you been for the last couple of years?

[wuvvum]

Good to see you back on here. That GPZ looks a honey - I've had two of those, they're great little bikes, and really not that much slower in the real world (at least on Norfolk roads) than a lot of the bigger stuff (although the ones I've had have all been later bikes - don't know how / if the 16" front wheel on the earlier bikes affects handling?)

 

What engine is in the Getz? Is it the three-pot VM that the Accent CRDi was fitted with, or is it the 4-cylinder engine from the Kia Rio diesel? I was speaking to someone who had one of those as a daily and he reckoned it was incongruously rapid too.

[Junkman]

I think you did very well in the shite department.

[CreepingJesus]

Nice GPz, very 'under the radar' bikes. Sporting enough to be fun, but good for everyday use too.

[Richard]

C5s are great. We've had this one for five and a half years and it got a first time pass on its MOT yesterday.

 

DSC_8162 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

They don't seem to have any particular weaknesses- some electrical randomness but you can get that in any 21st century car. 50mpg and acceptable performance in something that size is pretty impressive I reckon. The HDi engine even managed to lose the cooling/HGF issues that affected XUD engines.

 

Earlier in the year I was offered this 1.8 petrol/LPG example for weigh-in money because it had lost half its gears.

 

DSC_9810 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

A new end on a cable restored the gears and it passed the MOT with only tyres, minor fettling and a washer pump (which had been working fine up until then). It's scrubbed up pretty well and all works pretty much as it should.

 

DSC_0318a by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

They definitely qualify as Shite though, because even Citroen people hate them.

[Baz]

Yay, Baz is back!

Where have you been for the last couple of years?

 

It's just been everyday life really....I work unsociable hours, we don't have a garden to speak of at the moment and my dogs require walking for a couple of hours a day, lazy teenagers to ferry about, and all manner of other stuff keeps me from even spending quality time with Sam, let alone sitting and relaxing in front of my PC screen....Now that I'm back in a Citroen, I'm gonna make a real effort to get on here at least a couple of times a week though....In fact, I have a hernia operation due on 5th November, so that should allow a few weeks free for some time on here!

 

Good to see you back on here. That GPZ looks a honey - I've had two of those, they're great little bikes, and really not that much slower in the real world (at least on Norfolk roads) than a lot of the bigger stuff (although the ones I've had have all been later bikes - don't know how / if the 16" front wheel on the earlier bikes affects handling?)

 

What engine is in the Getz? Is it the three-pot VM that the Accent CRDi was fitted with, or is it the 4-cylinder engine from the Kia Rio diesel? I was speaking to someone who had one of those as a daily and he reckoned it was incongruously rapid too.

 

Cheers....I'm quite surprised how much I enjoy the GPZ....As CreepingJesus mentioned, it's quite a sensible choice, yet is quick enough, and feels enough like a "Proper" bike to keep the more experienced rider interested....I can't say that I have an issue with the 16" wheels, more that the tyres (Whilst looking almost new) are quite old and hard....Some new Bridgestones when funds allow, should inspire more confidence in the twisties! Only other thing (And this may be worse in my case, as it's a small bike carrying a lot of weight!) is that with only a single front disc, and rear drum, it feels somewhat under-braked....We make allowances though, and all is fine....It's a good, comfy, capable and economical machine!

 

The Getz is the 109 BHP 4-cylinder engine, which strangely seems to only come in 3-door form....The 5-doors seem to have the 80 BHP 3-pot (Which I'm sure is a lovely little engine!), but they don't fall into the £30 a year tax band that ours does, and they're over five seconds slower to sixty than ours! Seriously....If Hyundai had given that car decent handling, it would be a superb little hot-hatch....I think it surprises quite a few people out on the road, not least me!

 

C5s are great.

 

It's good to see that they have at least a few fans on here....I think I will miss the Mazda in a way, but I'm glad to be back in something a little more interesting, and if it's already reached shitedom, then so much the better! I think I'd still like something "PROPER" one day though, to bring to meets and stuff....Something to make you all go "Oooooh, and Aaaahh" just like that gorgeous R20 would have, had that wretch not taken my money and stitched me up....Thought I'd just mention that, before someone else does!

[Lankytim]

Ive always liked these but have heard loads of horror stories about poor reliability. Are they honestly nice motors? I may have to sniff one out one day.

[155V6]

GPZ looks new ,my Brother had one when they were new & really liked it.

[dollywobbler]

Proper Citroenists don't like them because there's an electric pump powering the suspension hydraulics with 'normal' PAS and (I think) brakes. It's a much cut-down version of 'proper' hydropneumatics and an electric pump? With French electrics?!

 

They're also a bit ugly, though these later ones are much nicer.

 

I'd probably still own one though.

[Spottedlaurel]

Great to see you around again Baz!

 

Must keep in touch with you about trackdays at Marham next year, the date got messed-up again this year and eventually there was a very quiet one in August. Should be back to April again for 2013, so they say...

[Baz]

GPZ looks new

 

Pictures can flatter to deceive, but in this case, it IS as nice as it looks!

 

They're also a bit ugly

 

It's all in the eye of the beholder really....I'll admit that the C5 is nowhere near as gorgeous to behold as most of the big Citroens, but I think it looks okay....Especially in estate form.

 

Great to see you around again Baz!

 

Must keep in touch with you about trackdays at Marham next year, the date got messed-up again this year and eventually there was a very quiet one in August. Should be back to April again for 2013, so they say...

 

Cheers S.L....And yes, another trackday would be fun....I'm unlikely to have anything of my own to run, but I'd certainly like to tag along again....Unless Sam would lend me the Getz? That'd give it a good clear-out!

[Junkman]

Proper Citroenists...

 

God help us...

[Baz]

Today, I was just driving along, minding my own business, on the way to take the hounds for walkies, when the heater blower just stopped....No funny noises, no intermittency, just working, then stopped....Somewhat miffed....I've checked all the relevant fuses, all of which are okay....I'm assuming there is a resistor/control unit in there somewhere that should be my next port of call, but time to get ready for work now, so it'll have to wait....

 

I'm not much of an electrician....I hope I can get this sorted quite quickly and cheaply, as a heater blower's kind've essential when you're leaving work at 2am on a frosty winter's morn!

[Junkman]

Bad news: the module is integral with the blower/motor unit.

Good news: they are cheap on ebay and easy to swap.

[ruffgeezer]

If the resistor fails, usually it will only work on flat out speed, we have replaced a few motors, but it is normally the resistor that is the culprit, I'm pretty certain that as these are BSI equipped, they don't suffer with the failing ignition switches like the xantia/saxo/xsara range before them.

 

If you have any issues, you can always drop me a pm, we do a lot of C5s now, one thing I can advise is to try and pull the pins on the rear cylinders out, give them a clean and a grease and replace them every now and again, the cylinder boots are prone to leaking and it is a cunt of a job if the pin is seized in.

 

Remove the pin (4) and give it a good clean and grease:

 

Hmm should I have found a more Haynes style picture?

 

Ah yes here we go, remove the pin (that you can't see in this tiny, tiny, underexposed picture:

[Baz]

Well, we now have working blowers again....Ordered a resistor off Ebay yesterday, it was here this morning....Impressive stuff!

 

We also now have a bit of a rattle at idle....I'm suspecting something like crankshaft pulley....It seems to be in that region anyway....Ho hum....I'm sure we'll get it sorted eventually....Either that or chop it for another Mazda!

 

Funny....Five or six years in Japanese cars, and now I find it UNACCEPTABLE to be working on my car in the driveway!

[Morgan84]

The C5 is a nice looking car,but it wont have japaneese reliability;however it won't rust underneath like a Mazda will.I have heard bottom pulleys can have issues and give a rattling,but hopefully not too expensive if it needs anything

[ruffgeezer]

Yeah, they are prone to shitting out the crank pulley as it is a damper design one with the rubber/springy metal shit centre.

 

Usually it fails completely and they sound like a bucket of spanner in a cement mixer, however some of the pattern part replacements squeal when they give up the ghost.

 

So yeah, RHF wheel off, arch liner out, and have a look at the pulley if it looks like this it is well on its way to being knackered:

The ring of rust around middle is the indication of wear in the pulley

 

You should replace it soon as we've seen the metalwork come out of these and scamper off up the timing belt housing.

 

They are around £80 pattern part and quick and easy to do.

[wuvvum]

That's either a tiny pulley or a f***ing huge ant.

[Baz]

So yeah, RHF wheel off, arch liner out, and have a look at the pulley if it looks like this it is well on its way to being knackered:

 

I'm going in "To have a bit of work done" myself on Monday, which will leave me out of action for a while, so realistically (Bearing in mind I seem to be working 12 hour shifts this week too!), I think I'll probably end up sticking it into my favourite Independent Citroen Specialist, let them sort it!

 

At first, I wasn't too sure about the car....Was having serious thoughts about sticking it straight on Ebay, and keeping the Mazda, but in spite of the teething problems, I find myself warming to it (And the dramatically reduced fuel bills!) more and more....I think I'll keep it at least until early next year anyway.