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- Citroen C5 SX 2.0 HDi
- Neil.'s review
Have a picture of Citroen C5 SX 2.0 HDi?, please send it to us.
| Performance | 7.4/10  |
|---|---|
| Practicality | 9/10 |
| Reliability | 5.3/10  |
| Value for Money | 6.6/10 |
| Overall rating | 6.3/10 |
By Neil.
on 10th Jul 2003
| Performance | 8/10 |
|---|---|
| Practicality | 9/10 |
| Reliability | 1/10 |
| Value for money | 6/10 |
| Overall value | 6/10 |
 Neil.'s recommendation | |
Ride Quality
Comfort
Interior space
Performance
Unreliability
After 36,000 miles of running a C5 I have very mixed feelings about this car.
On the one hand it is the best motorway cruiser I have ever owned. Regular 300 mile journeys result in no stresses or strains and the car laps up the miles, achieving 45 mpg. It is so much roomier and more comfortable than the various hire cars, Vectras, Mondeos, etc that I have had to use at too frequent intervals. The ride is unbelievably smooth on anything but rutted lanes and the engine is strong and willing!
On the other hand, there is one huge problem - reliability. The much vaunted multi-computers seem to suffer from dementure. Virtually everything that is electronically operated has had to be replaced. It has a nasty habit of flashing "Serious Brake Problem - STOP" at frequent intervals, and warnings about airbag failures too occur weekly. These have all proved to be sensor problems, unlike the radio that couldn't be turned off (without removing the fuse) or the suspension that keeps rising and lowering several hours after the car has been parked and locked up. (At least this amuses bystanders). Several colleagues running C5s all report similar electronic niggles.
More seriously my C5 won't start when hot. This has resulted in 6 visits to the dealer who, to date has replaced the fuel pump (twice) the diesel rail and the filters. Whatever they do results in a cure for two weeks before it recurs with no warning. I don't think that this is a common problem as even a Citroen agent in France told me that he hadn't come across it before - or at least I think that's what he said.
The C5 is an impressive and very practical family car, that I believe is miles ahead of its competitors. But it is let down by silly problems. I have been assured that the electronic glitches have been sorted out and do not occur on newer cars and that the starting problem is a one off. If this is all true, and I hope it is because I have this perverted affection for the car, I would recommend the C5 diesel to anyone, especially with the current Citroen offers. If not, then its a gamble and you may be wiser to opt for the more mundane but reliable alternatives.
| Helpful | Unhelpful | Agree | Disagree |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Total Respect: +1
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corinnewainw on 21st Oct 2003
rickhough
on 28th Sep 2005