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I'm looking to buy a new car shortly. Quite fancy one of these. All seem to have pretty good write-ups by HJ and on other sites. Would have preferred to have waited a bit longer as new C5 and new Avensis haven't been around that long. As such, initial problems will not have been ironed out yet. Made a mistake a few years back when I bought a new Laguna in the early months. Lots of problems since. Any advice welcome.
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No question- C5. Delightful looking thing with big wheels. The other 2 are just bland bland bland......
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I have just ordered a new C5 so that gets my vote :-) In all seriousness though Citroen are trying hard to improve the quality of their product and the aftercare etc, so although I doubt they will compare to the Jap levels of service and aftercare they are trying more than they have historicaly.
Day after ordering car I had a letter from MD of Citroen UK thanking me for showing confidence in their product etc etc, then the following week a DVD all about the car and a brief users guide - I can't wait to see what this week brings
Avensis is just bland IMO, and the accord, although nice, is expensive. C5 is much cheaper and well spec'd
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I'm on my second C5. They are very comfortable and safe cars.
The fuel economy is a little disappointing compared to other diesels, but the biggest downside in my experience is the service provided by the dealers. Out of the four Citroen dealers I have used in the past 14 months, two have been absolutely useless, one has been slightly incompetent, and the fourth seems to be OK.
I'm sure the Accord or the Avensis would both be perfectly OK cars, with lovely dealer back up, but I'd take my chances with another C5 I think.
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I was in a similar position a few weeks ago. The Avensis was impossible to see in the metal at that point and most reviews suggested it was very average - HJ's was the most positive. A lot of car for the money though compared to the competition. The Accord was good in the showroom but has become more expensive (I have the old model at present) and the boot seemed to be small and poorly shaped. C5 is well reviewed but my view is prejudiced by the previous model and a friend's experience of that. In the end I plumped for a Mondeo which is due in the next month. In the end I was swayed by the cost, space and universally good reviews - as I recall the only review to place it second in a group test put the Superb first. Skodas are not on my company list or I'd have considered one.
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I was in a similar position a few weeks ago.
Is the "Reliabilty" web page Hj quotes worth taking seriously? If so, Honda is in 2nd position and the Accord itself in first (although presumably the previous model). The Mondeo is quite a long way down the list, but I agree, the Mondeo comes out extremely well in most reviews. Looking at the "What to look out for" section of Hj's write ups, especially the previous models, is an eye opener. The Avensis probably comes out best. I'll be buying in Spain. C5 Tourer auto is more expensive here than the Accord 2.2 auto. Avensis 1.8 Cross Sport auto the cheapest, but has no cruise control. 2 litre petrol not available here. Might wait to see price of diesel auto when it comes out.
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You'll find a few old threads debating the pros and cons of reliability indices. Its a subject in its own right. Reliabilty comes into it but all the specific models you are looking at are too new for the Reliabilty index to have covered them. I know a few current Mondeo owners and none has had any problems. Having said that I'd bet the new Accord will beat the Mondeo for reliability (although even Honda are not infallible - witness current Civic whch is said to be less reliable than previous model). Interesting that you are buying in Spain and I wonder if I'd make the same choice there as UK. I assume specs, prices, warranties will all be different from UK and then you need to consider local conditions - some of the villages I've driven through in Spain mean I'd look for a narrow car with big rubbing strips ;-). Good luck with your choice.
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I've driven through in Spain mean I'd look for a narrow car with big rubbing...
As a city dweller I haven't had to steer my way through too many villages, but I know what you mean. In Madrid most of us live in flats. You should try parking in the underground car parks! Good job most door mirrors fold in electrically these days otherwise I wouldn't get my Laguna in. My choice of car might actually be determined by this problem! When I went to the Citroen dealer they actually said we could test drive the car and see whether it fits in the space! Might have to get a Civic :-)
Specs etc are sometimes different. Can't get a 2.0 ltr Avensis here, would have to make do with the 1.8 and no cruise control. I actually considered buying in the UK. With the strong Euro against the Pound on paper it looks a lot cheaper. Paperwork would be a pain knowing Spanish beaurocracy and they put a 14.75% registration tax on top. But that's another story.......
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Have finally decided to buy the C5 Tourer auto. Test drove it last Monday. It's incredibly quiet and the gear changes extremely smooth. Really feels and looks (inside) like an up-market car. Suspension will take some getting used to, quite soft, but this adds to the comfort. Also drove the Honda Accord Tourer diesel auto, the very top of the range (?40,000 in Spain). Tried out the LKAS (Lane Keeping Assist System). With no hands on the wheel the car wandered towards the lane markings and the sytem kicked in, turning the steering wheel enough to put the car back in the middle of the lane. Quite something, but probably not what I would be willing to pay so much for. Road noise was a rather annoying level. Gearbox not as smooth as the C5 and engine noise on acceleration another disappointment. Great looking car in white with tinted glass at the back. Almost certainly more reliable than a Citroen, but only time will tell. Thanks for all the advice.
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Hope you're happy with your choice. I must say the C5 is a lovely-looking car - much nicer than my "bland" Avensis (I agree, but I didn't buy it for its looks).
Hope it stays bump-free for a decent period!
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I know of someone who has had one of these beautiful Citroen C5s for well over a year(I'm not sure if it is a Tourer or a Saloon). He lives near Harwich and drives a lot in France, Spain and of course UK pulling a caravan. He loves the car and finds it very comfortable. He has had 100% reliability in his case.
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