Reliability

We've got a 306 HDi Estate at work as a Pool car. Its had thrash since it was 12miles old and its never broke and judging by the way its driven its bloody reliable.

Matt

I've never really been swayed by the 'looks' of a car, but if you want reliability (the looks are your own choice), I would seriously consider a Japanese car - Toyota, Honda, Nissan etc. Peugeot and others are too cheapskate even to convert their windscreen wipers to RHD on some of their models - what else do they skimp on? Japanese cars are originally designed to be RHD and therefore don't have any strange conversion linkages and compromises, as do European cars.

Terry D.

Get a Volvo : ) an old one that is.

FWIW Honest John does not recommend Pugs because of their unreliability. It seems to me, when looking through the specs. that they don't have the performance or economy of their competitors either.

Rob Graham

I wish the dick heads who sold the 306 turbo diesels on the basis that 'they are as good as petrol engines these days' had put 'were 25 years ago' between engines and these.

Pug 306's are the no1 car to be found in offside lanes of dual carriage ways overtaking fresh air. 2nd are Corsa 1.2's. 'If I pulled over you couldn't possibly accelerate from 65 to 70 and overtake me before I would have to pull out to overtake that lorry a 1/2 mile ahead, so I'm not moving over!' Mine can't so you can't either.

-- Peter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!

Den,

I ran a 98 "S" 306 1.8 (16v) GLX as a company car until a couple of months ago. I got it at a year old with 35,000 miles, and got rid of it a couple of months back with just over 80k. It never physically broke down in all that time, but did suffer from a lot of silly (and repeat) problems, mainly:

Erratic idle and "surging" in traffic caused by duff idle stepper motor. Was cleaned out and replaced twice, and was going again when the car went back. Everything to do with the stereo - dodgy aerial wiring, duff remote control stalk, code problems. Top end of engine started getting noisy past 60,000 miles, and oil consumption started increasing quite dramatically. This is possibly due to Peugeot's ludicrous 20,000 mile oil change intervals rather than a fault with the car. Handbrake went out of adjustment in a matter of weeks after a service. Poor connections in airbag wiring kept making the warning light flash.

Plus points: The actual build quality was OK - it was still quite "tight" feeling with 80k on, Fantastic to drive with really sharp handling - leahues ahead of Golf, Astra etc, and even more entertaining than the Focus. Not unreliable as such (never let me down), but it did suffer a lot of niggling problems.

I've just bought a D-Turbo version, so my overall impression couldn't have been too bad. I think they're basically great cars if you buy carefully, and are prepared to put up with or continually fix some silly niggly problems.

Cheers Dan

PS - 8 valve "TU" engines (1.4 and 1.6) are generally reckoned to be more reliable and durable than the 16 valve "XU" units (1.8 and 2.0). Also easier to work on.

Forgot to mention as well, my 1.8 petrol was great on fuel. Averaged 37 mpg and it wasn't driven gently.

Dan

IMO you can't get any better than Honda for reliability, it comes as standard. I have a 96 Accord 128,000 mls original clutch,battery, alternator,starter. Ive had it 3.5 years and spent relatively nothing on it mechanically (cam belt) uses NO oil or water and it has never once refused to start or not run well, it is quite quick for a big heavy 2ltr and more importantly no little toe rag wants to nick it. I always swore by Fords and this is the first "foreign" car ive ever owned, the Accord is a brilliant,bomb-proof, reliable and also a very much under-rated car.

The most likely thing you'd get are electrical problems, which seem to be common to most French cars, but the type of faults you'd get (if any) aren't the sort to bring the car to a grinding halt. For example on my 306 D Turbo, I've had the following: Glowplugs failed - only noticed when the last one went! They were changed, then the relay controlling them went meaning they died another death. Some of the loom worked free and was eaten by the driveshaft, resulting in no RHS indicators. They were all irritating problems, but not what I'd call major. In any case, the 306 is a very nice car to drive, so I can forgive it's occasional temper tantrums!

Tom.

This sums up my sentiments rather more effectively than my previous gazillion words of waffle.

It is a very nice car to drive.

Cheers Dan

Depends what you mean by good. I've just gone from a 1.8 petrol 306 to a

Dan

NO NO NO

Never buy a FROG motor - check the surveys - they will back me up

Built in Britain.

I used to have a 306 1.6 XR many years ago, had it for about 2 years - completely trouble free (although it was only 8 months old when I bought it). It did however get recalled for a replacement starter motor, although this was a recall across the range I believe - I never had any problems.

One funny thing though, the day after buying it, it simply would not start, starter motor could be heard though... after a lot of cursing and thinking I'd been sold a duff car - I realised I hadn't entered the PIN number into the keypad immobilisor!!! oops!!!

Don't confuse the man with facts :-)

Oh gosh. It's really a Hillman. Prefer a nice Singer Vogue - my dad had one in the early 60's.

Does the Ryton plant have the same performance as Jap plants operating here? Nissan Sunderland is supposed to be the best Nissan plant in the world for productivity and quality. Both Toyota and Honda have found that their UK plants are good performers. Toyota is going to a three shift system and looking for more staff.

-- Peter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!

TopGear survey and Peugots - say no more squire!

Well, despite my excellent 306, I do know someone with a 307 and he's had it back to the dealer on numerous occasions....all electrical faults.

Not to mention that the TD returns ~40-45mpg even when the loud pedal is well used - not manufacturer figures but mine, which I prefer. :-)

As an aside, has anyone tried the BP 'ultimate' diesel? I'm going to try a couple of tanks and see what happens. I predict that the car will be much faster due the amazing lightening of my wallet...

Tom.