New to Peugeot - thinking 307hdi

[rosco]

I'm thinking of buying a 307 Touring hdi - but I'm kinda stuck on making the leap to something very different to what I'm used to.

To put that in perspective, my current car is a '91 Mazda 121 bubble which has been absolutely 100% reliable during the 400,000km it has clocked up. Never had the head off, original clutch etc. Never looked like letting us down. I looked after it of course...

I'm hoping I'll find someone here who has done serious kilometers, not just run around town?

What could I expect long term as far as reliability and running costs go?

What are they really like to live with?

I'm prone to interstate trips at the drop af a hat, if I can't do that with confidence that my car will not let me down the Peugeot isn't for me. I read of people with sporty models but nothing of people who drive lke me...

Any input welcome!

 

[Pug307]

In regards to high mileage experience and other general discussion, post on the 307 discussion list I run. Almost 350 members now.

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/peugeot-307/

I know we have a Victorian with a daily 160km return commute from home to work. We also have a Scotsman who's passed 100,000km. Both drive HDis.

If you're after high mileage, the diesel engine should suit you fine. Mechanically Peugeots are sound, but it's fair to say that they aren't quite as 'tick tock, hassle free' as a Japanese car. You'll probably have more little annoying things to contend with - eg. electrical glitches, a few more rattles. We're not dealing with things that will immobilise you.

Sometimes I think it'd be a great idea to let the French design the car and have the Japanese build it

 

[rosco]

In regards to high mileage experience and other general discussion, post on the 307 discussion list I run. Almost 350 members now.

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/peugeot-307/

I know we have a Victorian with a daily 160km return commute from home to work. We also have a Scotsman who's passed 100,000km. Both drive HDis.

If you're after high mileage, the diesel engine should suit you fine.

Thanks, I'm checking out the mail list...

What does Peugeot say about "idling down" the hdi before turning it off, do you know?

 

[MR604]

Idling down is letting the turbo cool down before you turn the motor off so you dont cook the turbo. Some one else could explain it better.


I know a couple of Hdi owners and they're rapt with their cars. I was talking to a friend today about his and he was saying that he is getting about 5km's/100km's, with the air con going full time and only 4500k's on the clock.

I believe that servicing costs and times are reasonable as well (compared to local and Japanese car manufacturers)

Hope this makes sense and helps :adrink:


Andrew

 

[rosco]

Idling down is letting the turbo cool down before you turn the motor off so you dont cook the turbo. Some one else could explain it

That's fine, I understand about it, I was wondering what Peugeot's instructions were for the diesel...

I know a couple of Hdi owners and they're rapt with their cars. I was talking to a friend today about his and he was saying that he is getting about 5km's/100km's, with the air con going full time and only 4500k's on the clock.

I drove one yersterday! Not a Touring, but a hdi nevertheless...now my family is bugging me to get one. I have to say it was damned impressive - you'd never suspect it was a diesel or that there was a turbo under the hood.

Very smooth and quiet, but the one I drove had no cruise control (it was a 12 month old second hand hatch with 53,000km on the clock) - I had the idea cruise control was standard.

It was really nice, but there's a big question of price - they say the price is about $31,600 + orc, but the dealer wants $35,600 on road, which sounds too high to me. Enough to stop us buying unfortunately, unless I can talk them way down.

Is anyone familiar with Regal Motors in Newcastle?

 

[Pug307]

That's fine, I understand about it, I was wondering what Peugeot's instructions were for the diesel...

After a hard drive, it would be beneficial to let the turbo spool down. However if you've been driving rather sedately, it's not that necessary.

It was really nice, but there's a big question of price - they say the price is about $31,600 + orc, but the dealer wants $35,600 on road, which sounds too high to me. Enough to stop us buying unfortunately, unless I can talk them way down.

When you say talk them way down - how much is way down?

At the moment, 307 Touring HDis aren't in plentiful supply downunder - generally speaking, there's roughly a two month wait. As a results, large discounts won't be easy to find (large discounts don't exist on small Peugeots, I'm sure if you were buying a 607, you really could talk them way down ).

$35,600 does seem on the high side to me. In NSW you would pay 3% stamp duty, dealer delivery is generally about $1500 (but people normally knock this off anyway when they can) and basic registration is $275 (plus 3rd party, etc).

I'd say a discount of around $2000 is possible.

 

[touring?]

I've got one exactly as you seek. Only has a bit over 4000km on the clock.

Its probably a bit early to say but I have had no problems so far at all. I also come from a completely different, and extremely realiable, japanese breed (ie. diesel landcruiser trayback).

The car is very comfortable for long distance cruising. Its a 70km trip each way for me to work and I often do much longer trips and the diesel ticks along very nicely. Sure, anything is probably going to be comfortable after the tracter springs and military seating of the cruiser but I have done some fair trips in new subaru's and XR's and it compares very favourably. Cornering is deceptive, ie better than you would expect unless you just go ahead and throw yourself into it. I've driven better handling cars, but they had special sports suspensions and cost a fair bit more!
It's no rally car, but it's handled mild dirt work with no issues as yet.
I get some disconcerting sounds from the suspension at low speeds although i've been assured this is not a problem.
Fuel economy is currently averaging a bit less than 6l/100km with a mix of city and highway work. Economy seems to be improving a little with each tank. Plain highway driving seems to average a bit over 5l/100km. The readings on the trip computor seem to be slighly conservative ie. a bit high. Hot conditions do seem to influence economy and performance a little but not enough to be much concern (It was nearly 42oc here a while ago).

Lots of people around here seem to hate the '07's' but I think peugeot have made some compromises for practability and the everyday driver, which the very knowledgable, performance orientated pug nuts around here resent. However for people like me it would seem like peugeot have gone the right way (as long as I don't get multiplexitis or anything like that!), and maybe their sales figures on the 07's would support this.

Anyway on the balance I would recomend (albiet tentatively after 4000km) the 307 hdi touring. If your happy with it from the test drive I don't think you will be disappointed with it in the longer term.
Also work on those salesman for a reasonable discount. If they make $5 profit from you they are better off than if you walk out the door without buying so don't be ashamed to push hard. $2000+ should be realistic.
Good luck!

 

[rosco]

Lots of people around here seem to hate the '07's' but I think peugeot have made some compromises for practability and the everyday driver, which the very knowledgable, performance orientated pug nuts around here resent. However for people like me it would seem like peugeot have gone the right way (as long as I don't get multiplexitis or anything like that!), and maybe their sales figures on the 07's would support this.

Hey, that sounds good! :headbang: I'm looking forward to a proper test drive, we only had like ten minutes the other day...never got over 60kph. I have to wait a couple of weeks before we can do anything more, then I'll go talk turkey.

It had good pickup around town, I need to see how it goes on the open road...I'm going to enjoy this...

 

[yawood]

I haven't driven the 307HDi but last June/July I spent 5 weeks in France and we had a 406 HDi wagon which has basically the same engine as the 307. We did nearly 6000km in the time we had it - all over France and into Germany. It ran like a clock, you would never know it was a diesel, except for the economy, and we cruised at 170km/hr on the German autobahns (saw a bit more than that once when we wanted to see what it would do).

When we filled the normal sized tank (around 60 litres) the distance to empty figure was consistently over 1000km (sometimes as high as 1250km but that was while we were just dawdling away from the pump).

My only advice is to look after it well and have it serviced religously. If you do that it'll last forever.

 

[rosco]

It ran like a clock, you would never know it was a diesel, except for the economy, and we cruised at 170km/hr on the German autobahns

It's hard to picture a diesel cruising at 170kph... but then the smoothness and quiet sure surprised me the other day.

My only advice is to look after it well and have it serviced religously. If you do that it'll last forever.

I always do that, but often not at the dealer. I'll be watching the forums for servicing hint too...damn it throws salesmen when you have accumulated knowledge from existing owners.

I wouldn't expect it to need much attention beyond oil changes...what else needs regular servicing on a diesel?

:drivin:


.

 

[DeKa]

It's hard to picture a diesel cruising at 170kph... but then the smoothness and quiet sure surprised me the other day..

I can. I was chasing a Volvo police car down England's M6 at 2am. I couldn't keep up.

Derek

 

[cruiserman]

I wouldn't expect it to need much attention beyond oil changes...what else needs regular servicing on a diesel?

Regular oil changes as per the specs or before, oil, fuel and air filters especially as a diesel is basically a big air pump, it neets to get lots of clean air. Restrictions in either the fuel or air filters will knock performance around dramatically. Injectors serviced by a reputable diesel injection shop every 150k or so

Look after the fluids and they will look after you. 405 SRDT now has approaching 407k klms on it (next couple of days)

 

[rosco]

I can. I was chasing a Volvo police car down England's M6 at 2am. I couldn't keep up.

I guess the obvious question is "why"? But I'm not going to ask...

 

[DeKa]

I guess the obvious question is "why"? But I'm not going to ask...

At that time in the morning, why not? The police car had the siren on so was obviously in a rush.

Derek

 

[yawood]

It's hard to picture a diesel cruising at 170kph... but then the smoothness and quiet sure surprised me the other day.
.

In 2000 Jensen Button was booked doing 250kph in France driving home from an F1 meeting in a BMW diesel. A BMW diesel has also won a touring car race in Germany. They're not like they used to be.

When we were in France with the 406, we kept a close eye on the economy and the predicted 1000km per tank was very accurate. On the whole trip we filled the car 6 times (it was delivered almost empty and we returned it empty). That was one of the Peugeot leasing arrangements. We've done it a couple of times and they really work well. The beautifully bound information and maps that Peugeot give you are fantastic; it's the only way to rent a car in France if you want it for more than a few days.