The Glorified Taxi - C5 Exclusive Tourer
Discussion
Since selling my Legacy a month ago I've been borrowing cars from friends and family whilst spending all the hours looking at what to replace it with and that was a real challenge.
My initial plan was to get something smaller, as it's mostly just me going too and from work. I didn't really want to spend more than a few grand and was pretty set on a Clio 197/200 but when I really thought about it, I figured once the novelty wore off, the ride and size would get pretty tiresome. Especially as the wife's C3 Picasso isn't "quite" big enough as a family of 4s main car, especially when you throw 3 dogs into the mix.
Then for some reason I then went and had a look at a 2007 Freelander 2. It was local and cheap, but had done 177k. I passed thankfully.
I then really thought about what I use a car for, and my new commute (mostly A road and M27/M3) I realised I wanted: comfy heated seats, good lights a good stereo and decent fuel economy.
With my few grand budget I spent an absurd amount of time looking at Saab 9-3 and 9-5s as I thought this might work but had reservations about ride and the quality of car I could get for the budget. I was also fed up with putting so much fuel in the Legacy I worried a Saab would do similar (was looking at aero only).
Now anyone who's followed my car disasters over the years will know I have a bit of a thing for French cars, well Citroen mostly. This wasn't helped when my good friend Kitchski got himself a budget C6 https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... I've always loved the C6 and have always wanted one. The problem was, as always, was my budget. £750 ones don't come up often and when they do, they require a gearbox. The good ones with the spec I wanted and history are 3.5k upwards, with circa 120k on the clocks and from 2006/7. Call me a tart but I wanted a newer car than the car is just sold.
I did find what I thought was a good C6 in Oxford which I went and saw a couple of weeks ago. It was newer (just), it was a lignage but had full leather (important as I wanted heated seats) and it had the upgraded stereo. Unfortunately it wasn't well as you can see below.
What this did do for me was give me my first ever ride in a C6, which was a good thing. The ride was lovely but the inside just felt a tiny bit dated to me. Add this to my own personal concerns, tax being £565 a year, potential running costs and the fact it is a saloon, which isn't ideal with dogs and bicycles (I was willing to overlook this before I actually went in one) I was torn on what to do. I still wanted one, but my wife is so pissed off with me changing cars whatever I get I need to keep for some time and I couldn't be sure this would be the case with a C6.
Whilst looking at cars I'd also been looking at the Citroen C5 Touring Exclusive whilst considering a C6. The exclusive has the same hydractive suspension as the C6, and the tourer is the estate version....
https://youtu.be/O5_tCTJX05I
If the title hasn't given it away you can guess where this is going.
My initial plan was to get something smaller, as it's mostly just me going too and from work. I didn't really want to spend more than a few grand and was pretty set on a Clio 197/200 but when I really thought about it, I figured once the novelty wore off, the ride and size would get pretty tiresome. Especially as the wife's C3 Picasso isn't "quite" big enough as a family of 4s main car, especially when you throw 3 dogs into the mix.
Then for some reason I then went and had a look at a 2007 Freelander 2. It was local and cheap, but had done 177k. I passed thankfully.
I then really thought about what I use a car for, and my new commute (mostly A road and M27/M3) I realised I wanted: comfy heated seats, good lights a good stereo and decent fuel economy.
With my few grand budget I spent an absurd amount of time looking at Saab 9-3 and 9-5s as I thought this might work but had reservations about ride and the quality of car I could get for the budget. I was also fed up with putting so much fuel in the Legacy I worried a Saab would do similar (was looking at aero only).
Now anyone who's followed my car disasters over the years will know I have a bit of a thing for French cars, well Citroen mostly. This wasn't helped when my good friend Kitchski got himself a budget C6 https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... I've always loved the C6 and have always wanted one. The problem was, as always, was my budget. £750 ones don't come up often and when they do, they require a gearbox. The good ones with the spec I wanted and history are 3.5k upwards, with circa 120k on the clocks and from 2006/7. Call me a tart but I wanted a newer car than the car is just sold.
I did find what I thought was a good C6 in Oxford which I went and saw a couple of weeks ago. It was newer (just), it was a lignage but had full leather (important as I wanted heated seats) and it had the upgraded stereo. Unfortunately it wasn't well as you can see below.
What this did do for me was give me my first ever ride in a C6, which was a good thing. The ride was lovely but the inside just felt a tiny bit dated to me. Add this to my own personal concerns, tax being £565 a year, potential running costs and the fact it is a saloon, which isn't ideal with dogs and bicycles (I was willing to overlook this before I actually went in one) I was torn on what to do. I still wanted one, but my wife is so pissed off with me changing cars whatever I get I need to keep for some time and I couldn't be sure this would be the case with a C6.
Whilst looking at cars I'd also been looking at the Citroen C5 Touring Exclusive whilst considering a C6. The exclusive has the same hydractive suspension as the C6, and the tourer is the estate version....
https://youtu.be/O5_tCTJX05I
If the title hasn't given it away you can guess where this is going.
After looking at every single C5 exclusive on the market, multiple times over, it became clear that the exclusive trim isn't universal. Most have part leather (no heated seats) Some have nav, others don't. Some have Bluetooth and others don't. Etc etc. I could only find two in the country with full leather. One on Wales for 5k with 93k and another in Manchester with 111k for a similar amount.
Then on Friday I found another on Facebook marketplace. It had the full leather heated massage seats, 83k and was up for 3.5k. I messaged him Friday and arranged to go see him on the Monday. I'd still not been in one at this point.
So today, at noon, I set off from Southampton to Leighton Buzzard. I was concerned I'd not like the car, especially after finding out it was the 140bhp version, not the 160bhp version. There was no mention of cambelt in the description nor when discussing with the seller. It was his dads car and he'd died fairly recently, he was just selling it. With this in mind, and me still being massively unsure if I wanted the C5 or a C6, I arranged a backup C6 but it had done 130k and cost more than the C5.
My afternoon started with a half hour walk.
Followed by the Hythe ferry to Southampton.
Followed by another walk.
To catch the first of these.
It should have been so simple. A train up to Clapham Junction, then another to Leighton Buzzard. Unfortunately that train was cancelled.
So, my 2nd train was to Vauxhall. Then onto my 3rd train, the underground to Euston.
Then onto my 4th train to Milton Keynes...
Which turned out to be the wrong train! Thankfully I noticed before it left the station. I finally got the right train, which took me to Leighton Buzzard!
Turned out to be a bit of a mission. I arrived at 1719, having left home at 1200. This was a stressful few hours. I'm not cut out for London life!
Anyway, I was met by the son who was selling his dads car. He was a really lovely chap, he let me drive from the off, and let me drive for as long as in wanted. The first surprise was that it had the optional 19s fitted which is totally missed from the advert. The car drove immaculately. Truly couldn't fault it. No knocks, nothing. He'd already said he'd take less than advertised, so we had tentatively agreed a price prior to my journey. It was more than I wanted to spend initially, but less than a C6 was going to be.
We drove back to his place, where he dug out the paperwork. I had a flick through and found out it has only done 2k in the last 2 years, and had a cambelt change in 2018 and was last serviced in 2019. The cambelt was the deal clincher for me. It's obviously been looked after and loved. It also still has his dads "private" plate on it. It should be on a 59.
I didn't haggle. Yes it needs a service and some tyres but it's was still a bargain.
So here it is. Not a remotely pistonheads car but I'm utterly blown away with it. It even had enough fuel for the 2hrs back to Southampton.
Spec wise, it's a pretty good one. Full leather with heated and massage seats. Full panoramic roof. Navidrive. Parking and parking space sensors. 19inch alloys. Electronic tailgate and Bluetooth. The only things it seems to be missing are directional headlights (fog comes on instead) and lane departure warning.
I wafted home in my new C5 averaging 46mpg, arriving home at 2030. Totally relaxed and loving my new ride. Even with 140bhp it seems to go well enough, but a remap will take it up to the 160/170 mark should I desire.
Best keep this for a few years now I guess
Then on Friday I found another on Facebook marketplace. It had the full leather heated massage seats, 83k and was up for 3.5k. I messaged him Friday and arranged to go see him on the Monday. I'd still not been in one at this point.
So today, at noon, I set off from Southampton to Leighton Buzzard. I was concerned I'd not like the car, especially after finding out it was the 140bhp version, not the 160bhp version. There was no mention of cambelt in the description nor when discussing with the seller. It was his dads car and he'd died fairly recently, he was just selling it. With this in mind, and me still being massively unsure if I wanted the C5 or a C6, I arranged a backup C6 but it had done 130k and cost more than the C5.
My afternoon started with a half hour walk.
Followed by the Hythe ferry to Southampton.
Followed by another walk.
To catch the first of these.
It should have been so simple. A train up to Clapham Junction, then another to Leighton Buzzard. Unfortunately that train was cancelled.
So, my 2nd train was to Vauxhall. Then onto my 3rd train, the underground to Euston.
Then onto my 4th train to Milton Keynes...
Which turned out to be the wrong train! Thankfully I noticed before it left the station. I finally got the right train, which took me to Leighton Buzzard!
Turned out to be a bit of a mission. I arrived at 1719, having left home at 1200. This was a stressful few hours. I'm not cut out for London life!
Anyway, I was met by the son who was selling his dads car. He was a really lovely chap, he let me drive from the off, and let me drive for as long as in wanted. The first surprise was that it had the optional 19s fitted which is totally missed from the advert. The car drove immaculately. Truly couldn't fault it. No knocks, nothing. He'd already said he'd take less than advertised, so we had tentatively agreed a price prior to my journey. It was more than I wanted to spend initially, but less than a C6 was going to be.
We drove back to his place, where he dug out the paperwork. I had a flick through and found out it has only done 2k in the last 2 years, and had a cambelt change in 2018 and was last serviced in 2019. The cambelt was the deal clincher for me. It's obviously been looked after and loved. It also still has his dads "private" plate on it. It should be on a 59.
I didn't haggle. Yes it needs a service and some tyres but it's was still a bargain.
So here it is. Not a remotely pistonheads car but I'm utterly blown away with it. It even had enough fuel for the 2hrs back to Southampton.
Spec wise, it's a pretty good one. Full leather with heated and massage seats. Full panoramic roof. Navidrive. Parking and parking space sensors. 19inch alloys. Electronic tailgate and Bluetooth. The only things it seems to be missing are directional headlights (fog comes on instead) and lane departure warning.
I wafted home in my new C5 averaging 46mpg, arriving home at 2030. Totally relaxed and loving my new ride. Even with 140bhp it seems to go well enough, but a remap will take it up to the 160/170 mark should I desire.
Best keep this for a few years now I guess
Edited by S100HP on Tuesday 20th October 00:07
fleming164 said:
These are very tempting. How does it compare, comfort wise mainly, to your old XC70? We're going to be in need of an estate soon and I like the uniqueness of these.
Not even playing the same sport, let alone the same ballpark. Refinement is immense, as is comfort and gadgets. You can barely tell it's a diesel it's so quite and smooth.S100HP said:
After looking at every single C5 exclusive on the market, multiple times over, it became clear that the exclusive trim isn't universal. Most have part leather (no heated seats) Some have nav, others don't. Some have Bluetooth and others don't. Etc etc.
I noticed that too when I was looking at 3.0HDi C5s (sanity prevailed soon after), odd specifications too. Take this one for example:https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010094...
3.0 HDi, full leather, satnav but no xenons!
Nice car though, hope you enjoy it!
Managed to have a little poke around in daylight now.
These are the best seats I've ever sat in. Infinity adjustable, you can even fold the top half of the seats. As previously mentioned these are a pretty rare option, being heated and with the massage function, which is a rather odd sensation.
The rear seats are huge as you'd expect, with the built in sun blinds.
There is mood lighting around the car, in all the door handles, above the center console and the glovebox along with the footwells. Apparently this was discontinued on the slightly later cars.
The boot is a great size, please excuse the hedge trimmer. It is self opening and closing boot.
And whilst playing around with the hight adjustment in the rear I found this little light was removable.
It's a torch!
This is the view from the driver's seat. It feels quite a bit more modern than the C6 I think. As mentioned above by someone it has the fixed hub steering which houses all the buttons for everything. From memory on here we have cruise control and limiter, night panel mode (will grab a picture at night) and phone (on the left), the right hand side are your radio controls (radio and nav housed in the "dashboard").
You'll also notice two scroll wheels. The right is to do with the radio dashboard, the left is to do with the data displayed on the centre console, where the speedo is. You have a needle which shows your speed around the outer ring, but you can also select between digital speed, nav directions or mpg history
The vehicle parameters are also houses in here, which shows I have the directional headlamps.
One downside is that the Bluetooth is only for calls, I cannot stream music, but it does have a slot for a usb in the glovebox and it also has the built in jukebox, I'll just need to upload some music to it. Apparently it can also play dvds and you can connect VGA to it?!
So there we go, this is my new car which I'm pretty damn happy with right now. I think they're handsome things. I've no doubt that this has probably bored the tits off some of you, but as always I'll try to keep this thrilling readers car updated.
These are the best seats I've ever sat in. Infinity adjustable, you can even fold the top half of the seats. As previously mentioned these are a pretty rare option, being heated and with the massage function, which is a rather odd sensation.
The rear seats are huge as you'd expect, with the built in sun blinds.
There is mood lighting around the car, in all the door handles, above the center console and the glovebox along with the footwells. Apparently this was discontinued on the slightly later cars.
The boot is a great size, please excuse the hedge trimmer. It is self opening and closing boot.
And whilst playing around with the hight adjustment in the rear I found this little light was removable.
It's a torch!
This is the view from the driver's seat. It feels quite a bit more modern than the C6 I think. As mentioned above by someone it has the fixed hub steering which houses all the buttons for everything. From memory on here we have cruise control and limiter, night panel mode (will grab a picture at night) and phone (on the left), the right hand side are your radio controls (radio and nav housed in the "dashboard").
You'll also notice two scroll wheels. The right is to do with the radio dashboard, the left is to do with the data displayed on the centre console, where the speedo is. You have a needle which shows your speed around the outer ring, but you can also select between digital speed, nav directions or mpg history
The vehicle parameters are also houses in here, which shows I have the directional headlamps.
One downside is that the Bluetooth is only for calls, I cannot stream music, but it does have a slot for a usb in the glovebox and it also has the built in jukebox, I'll just need to upload some music to it. Apparently it can also play dvds and you can connect VGA to it?!
So there we go, this is my new car which I'm pretty damn happy with right now. I think they're handsome things. I've no doubt that this has probably bored the tits off some of you, but as always I'll try to keep this thrilling readers car updated.
S100HP said:
One downside is that the Bluetooth is only for calls, I cannot stream music, but it does have a slot for a usb in the glovebox and it also has the built in jukebox, I'll just need to upload some music to it. Apparently it can also play dvds and you can connect VGA to it?![/url]
Yeah, this headunit (NG4) was a bit of an oddball. It had the internal HDD but didn't support the bluetooth streaming profile, just the phone profile. You should be able to hook a USB BT adapter to one of the slots. It wasn't fully integrated with the car either, that's why you have the various vehicle settings shown in the instrument cluster display and not in the central one. The same unit was fitted in certain MYs in the 308 and when it was, the vehicle was configured as "less central display" pretty much, and it had to have a separate (resistive-ladder type) switch pack that was installed in the centre console and hardwired directly to the instrument cluster (which had to be one with a larger matrix display), which meant you lost the cupholders in certain combinations.
Sorry for the thread-derail, it was my offering for the useless tidbit of the day.
So this has fully active hydraulic suspension? I have ABC in my Mercedes and it's surreal how flat the car stays under cornering and heavy braking, I gather the Activa system can do much the same thing.
It sounds like an absolute bargain, I'd snap it up at that price.
It sounds like an absolute bargain, I'd snap it up at that price.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 20th October 12:07
stickleback123 said:
So this has fully active hydraulic suspension? I have ABC in my Mercedes and it's surreal how flat the car stays under cornering and heavy braking, I gather the Activa system can do much the same thing.
It sounds like an absolute bargain, I'd snap it up at that price.
It has hydractive 3+ It sounds like an absolute bargain, I'd snap it up at that price.
Edited by stickleback123 on Tuesday 20th October 12:07
The 3+ Hydractive hydraulic suspension has 3 automatic modes:
Motorway position (lowering by 15 mm of the vehicle height above 110 km/h)
Poor road surface position (raising by 13 mm of the vehicle height below 70 km/h)
Comfort or dynamic suspension (variation of suspension firmness)
The BHI of the 3+ Hydractive suspension calculates the optimum vehicle height, using the following information:
Vehicle speed
Front and rear vehicle heights
Rotation speed of steering wheel
Angle of rake of steering wheel
Vehicle's longitudinal acceleration
Vehicle's lateral acceleration
Speed of suspension travel
Movement of the accelerator throttle
It's very clever. Only fitted to the exclusive (and some early VTR+) and the C6.
Just been out and given it a wash and some aqua wax. Paint is a little flat, it's been into a carwash more than once but nothing that cannot be recovered.
Also tried to get a picture of the panoramic roof. It's a lovely touch.
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