405 & 306 purchase - hints

[paulclifford]

Greetings
I've owned many French cars - love em! Started with a '63 Simca Etoile & moved thru numbers of Citroens & currently have a Renault. Nice R25. But I've never owned a Peugeot and am very near to trying one. (The Renault sunroof is rusting out and cost of repairs prohibitive!) I have looked at a dealers who has 2 x cars that look and drive well, but have huge k's. A nice '96 306 XT dt with 196,000 kms on it and a lovely '96 405 s/w turbo diesel with 199,000 kms. The body work is extremely good on both (and no rattles at all!) - and they are both $5995.00 $NZ. The 306 is a beaut wee zipper to drive - although the 405 is nice if not quite so quick & sprinty off the mark. Only 2 of us at home now, and possibly the 306 would be good (and has a nice driving position for a 'shorty',) but then again, the 405 wagon has some luggage/carrying advantages being a wagon. I guess a good place to start would be to try & trace some history - maybe even change belts etc. Any advice? I guess the question might be; anyone owned both?

This will be my first foray into the diesel field and I think it will be worthwhile given the better kpg - and although there is a road tax ($200.00 per 10,000 km's), the price at the pump is favourable at 63c per litre compared with $1.04 for petrol.

Althouh I'm not in the market for new, sat in a 307 s/w for $36,000 NZ - all that glass in the roof would take some getting used to! But lovely driving position

Cheers
Paul

 

[orestes]

Greetings
I've owned many French cars - love em! Started with a '63 Simca Etoile & moved thru numbers of Citroens & currently have a Renault. Nice R25. But I've never owned a Peugeot and am very near to trying one. (The Renault sunroof is rusting out and cost of repairs prohibitive!) I have looked at a dealers who has 2 x cars that look and drive well, but have huge k's. A nice '96 306 XT dt with 196,000 kms on it and a lovely '96 405 s/w turbo diesel with 199,000 kms. The body work is extremely good on both (and no rattles at all!) - and they are both $5995.00 $NZ. The 306 is a beaut wee zipper to drive - although the 405 is nice if not quite so quick & sprinty off the mark. Only 2 of us at home now, and possibly the 306 would be good (and has a nice driving position for a 'shorty',) but then again, the 405 wagon has some luggage/carrying advantages being a wagon. I guess a good place to start would be to try & trace some history - maybe even change belts etc. Any advice? I guess the question might be; anyone owned both?

This will be my first foray into the diesel field and I think it will be worthwhile given the better kpg - and although there is a road tax ($200.00 per 10,000 km's), the price at the pump is favourable at 63c per litre compared with $1.04 for petrol.

Althouh I'm not in the market for new, sat in a 307 s/w for $36,000 NZ - all that glass in the roof would take some getting used to! But lovely driving position

Cheers
Paul

either way your purchasing a great car, but both are great in difrent ways, i think you'll find the 306 to be a little faster then the 405 wagon. it all depends on what your looking to do though, if you need to be carrying a lot of lugage or the kids then the 405 wagon would be the better car for you. as with regards to what needs to be done, being that both cars have done near on 200000 km's, make sure that the cam belt is done as these only last 100000 km's.

 

[dbc]

Paul,
I would not be too concerned about the mileage on either of these cars, especially the diesel. Wasn't it Peugeot's boast that its diesel engine could do half a million miles? Perhaps others on the forum can comment on how robust the diesel is. I drive a petrol-engine 405 with just 155,000 km on the odometer.
Properly maintained and driven it should last at least 400,000.
Daniel

 

[M. Tippett]

405

I drive a petrol-engine 405 with just 155,000 km on the odometer.
Properly maintained and driven it should last at least 400,000.

I hope you're right; my 1989 405 petrol has 313,000 km on it and another 87,000 would be a nice cherry on the cake

So far so good, touch wood

-Mike

 

[touring?]

Paul,
I would not be too concerned about the mileage on either of these cars, especially the diesel. Wasn't it Peugeot's boast that its diesel engine could do half a million miles? Perhaps others on the forum can comment on how robust the diesel is. Daniel

I don't know from experience about the life of the peugeot diesel (I only have 4000 on mine) but I put 430 000 on a 93 toyota cruiser diesel with no problem . The compression was tested at about 300 000 and it had hardly deteriorated from new at all. Based on it I say it is a pity that toyota dosn't sell diesel sedans or wagons on australia (even if they are white goods on wheels); is it the same in NZ? However to be honest unlike 80% of the people on this forum I am liking the 07 disease .
Unless you like to rally or something I say definately try a diesel. For the everyday driving that almost everyone does 90%+ of the time ( ) they are much nicer.

 

[paulclifford]

Thanks for your comments on this guys. I might just hang out for something a bit higher spec'd. The 306 & 405 dont have aircon - not essential as our temps not as hot as AU. And yes, we can get Toyota, Mazda & Mitzi diesel cars. NZ imports 2nd hand cars from Japan so there are huge choices of cars. Not only Jap cars, but Euro's imported to Japan now on the 2nd hand mart. Oodles of Bimmers, Mercs, Audi & so forth (& Citroen, I've noticed)- & choices of diesels amongst these too. Mostly no history (unless you can read Japanese!) but much higher spec'd at 5 - 6 yrs old than we can buy new. CD's, air, every imaginable electric gizmo. Some of them even with white gloves in the glovebox (presumably it's original intention!) as Asian women usually drive with gloves on. (Have a look next time you spot one).
Cheers
Paul