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[STEMO]

Oh dear, more in favour of the Frenchie. 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Stick with what you know. There'll be nothing smoother than the C5 or a C6. However, the next best thing is an Omega (Elite). Everything else, every car from the early 00s onwards has become more and more focussed on 'sporty' handling, to impress the Clarksons of the motoring press. Bugger how it handles on the real roads, but so long as it can be seen to powerslide round a test track, that's 10/10 to Autocar/express/TopGear magazine.

If you actually fancy a change, however, then a very very fine Omega can be had for less than a grand. There's even one for sale at the mo on here, a 3.2 V6, looks very well looked after (no, I have no connection with the seller, but if he wants to give me 10% then I won't argue  ) at a mere £750.

[Sir Tigger KC]

The newer shape C5 looks nice, the styling isn't as eccentric as Citroens have been and good value compared to the equivalent Mondeo/Insignia. 

[C5Man]

Oh, sorry, I must of forgot to mention my car is the first generation 2001-2008 model. Not the newer shape. I would have jumped right on the back of a newer one but sadly Citroen decided to take the C5 from its hatchback status to a saloon car, which was a major let down. Thats why I thought I might as well look for a saloon car thats just as comfy.

Well, seen as you've guys have said the C5 should be a keeper, then keep I shall. I've grown a custom for the windows rolling down when I turn on the window wipers anyway lol.

Regards to the 3.2 Elite above, someone mentioned that the front suspension on the Omega needs doing at some point, if all of those problems have been addressed I may be interested actually

[Kevin Wood]

The one thing that a rear wheel drive barge like the Omega will do, is offer a better balance between ride comfort and handling than any of the front wheel drive stuff that is now the majority. Build a FWD car to be comfortable and handling goes out of the window (witness the C5 - sorry!). This is why most FWD stuff is rock hard. The lighter and "greener" they make them, the worse the ride gets, too.

An Elite will probably be the closest to the ride of a C5, as said, and it'll probably handle a lot better, but moving on a car you already like for the sake of a £500 bill is probably not great economics. Any 2nd hand car is going to swallow that up doing the things the previous owner didn't bother with while he was thinking of selling it.

You might just fancy a change, of course..

[STEMO]

Yes, the omega handles really well. It comes into it's own on roundabouts when the road is damp. 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Yes, the omega handles really well. It comes into it's own on roundabouts when the road is damp. 

 

Well that brings up the argument that's been raging since the Traction Avant (another Citroen, of course!) 'which is better, front or rear wheel drive?'

We might as well decide 'Which is the better religion', while we're at it, hehe.

If you want safe, reliable handling, then choose front wheel drive... on the other hand, if you want safe, reliable handling, you probably drive safe and reliably. Which means front or rear wheel drive, or even if you're driving a Reliant Robin with a bag of cement strapped on one front corner, you'll probably never realise how 'off' the handling is. If you don't phallus about on the roads, so it will make no odds to you.

I've had the tail kick out on both Omegas I've owned, (in the wet/icy) and both when I wanted them to, really, I was not behaving as one would on one's driving test  That was my fault, and the car rightly told me off. With proper tyres, not bald ditchfinders, and a correctly set up geometry, that will essentially never happen. And in any case a fractional pull back on the throttle (unless the TC has already done that for you) will bring the very well designed chassis dynamics back into line. Omegas aren't a 'widowmaker' like a AC Cobra/Dodge Viper is. Conversely, I've had reason to swerve, brake sharply mid-corner, in poor conditions, and only after stopping thought 'hang on... how did we not just spin then?' So personally I'd never argue the Omegas handling at anything less than excellent. Excellent for a 25 year old chassis, of course, but it would be unfair to compare it with a brand new A6 Quattro or something, in any case. 

[Kevin Wood]

The fact is, the Omega displays far less tendency to kick its' rear out than most shitboxes do to understeer on forwards into the kerb.

[05omegav6]

Well... As you asked

To answer your first two questions, and to answer a few other "Which is best?" questions...

Rear wheel drive.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist_(film_series)

Petrol
Maggie Thatcher
October gales
Lazy summer afternoons
Falling asleep (and waking up) next to someone you love
The smell of summer rain
Cinnamon
Maple syrup
Dawn in the mountains
Sunset over water

Ok I digressed slightly, stick with the Citroën unless you fancy a change... In which case an Omega Elite is worth a looksee

[Diamond Black Geezer]

First time I've ever seen 'Maggie Thatcher' and 'Maple Syrup' in the same sentence. You are to be congratulated 

[05omegav6]

But never in the same room...

[STEMO]

The fact is, the Omega displays far less tendency to kick its' rear out than most shitboxes do to understeer on forwards into the kerb.

Understeering into the kerb, whilst unpleasant, does not induce the warm feeling you get around the area of your arsehole that losing the back end does. 

[STEMO]

Oh....and it doesn't smell as bad either.

[ronnyd]

Daughter in law has a 2001 C5, considering the lack of TLC it gets it flies through MOTs. Does suffer                                   DPF issues from time to time though, short journeys i suppose. BUT, the Mig is bigger and better.

[ronnyd]

Daughter in law has a 2001 C5, considering the lack of TLC it gets it flies through MOTs. Does suffer                                   DPF issues from time to time though, short journeys i suppose. BUT, the Mig is bigger and better.

Don,t know what happened there.