Peugeot Problems

Peugeot has long been highly regarded in this country. They won respect for their worthy efforts in the early Round Australia Trials, which were regarded as a true test of a car in the early days.In recent times they have had a more chequered time. At one time they were assembled here, but that was some years ago and they have been imported for many years now.In those recent years the brand hasn’t always been well supported and it has lost some of the lustre it once had as a consequence.Build quality has always been an issue with French cars and Peugeot has suffered from inconsistent quality, and it wasn’t always helped by a lack of support from dealers or importers.The 307 replaced the 306 in 2001 and came well credentialed having been voted European Car of the Year for 2002.While it replaced the 306 it was significantly larger than its predecessor. While the 306 was regarded as a small car, the 307 was a size larger, almost a mid-sized model.But along with the extra size came an airy and roomy interior, which provided comfortable accommodation for four, or five at a pinch.While French cars are usually renowned for their comfortable, absorbent ride, the 307 didn’t fit the mould.Peugeots have always been regarded as having a supple suspension that has delivered a most comfortable ride, without having a negative effect on the handling, but the 307’s ride was more nervous and without the absorbency of other Peugeots.On the road it showed a nice balance with good grip and communicative steering, and a solid braking feel. Overall it was a nice package.There were two petrol engines and a diesel offered in the 307. The petrol engines consisted of a 1.6-litre double overhead cam four that produced 80 kW and 147 Nm and a 2.0-litre DOHC four that produced 100 kW and 190 Nm; the 2.0-litre single overhead am diesel boasted 66 kW and 206 Nm.The transmission choices were a five-speed manual, which had a rather imprecise shift, and a four-speed auto, which was quite a limiting factor when it came time to get up and go.In auto form the 1.6-litre 307 was best described as lethargic. Even with the right foot buried deep in the carpet, and the air turned off, the acceleration could easily be measured using the progress of the sun.In manual form it was a different story. With relatively short gearing the five-speed manual car got off the line quickly and with a good torque spread it was a nice easy car to drive.It took 11 seconds or so to reach 100 km/h from a standstill, with another 7.5 seconds needed to cover the standing 400-metre dash. Its top speed was 190 km/h.The 2.0-litre was clearly quicker, and quite a nice little performer, while the turbo diesel delivered at the pump.Initially the 307 came in hatchback form, but a wagon and a convertible were added to the range in 2003.The XS 1.6 five-door was the mainstay of the range and came with a host of standard equipment including front and side airbags, ABS with brake force distribution, cloth trim, power windows, remote central locking, air-conditioning, immobilizer, and CD player. The XS could also be had with the diesel engine.In addition there was XSE five-door, which had the 2.0-litre engine plus a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and five-stacker CD system.Atop the range sat the XSi three-door that also had the 2.0-litre engine plus leather trim and 17-inch alloy wheels.Build quality was inconsistent at first and there were a few problems as a result. The 307 seemed to be plagued by electrical gremlins that can be frustrating to sort out.Some owners complain about the rate of brake wear that has them replacing pads and discs relatively frequently. There is also some complaint about the brake dust that builds up on wheels.Seats tend to collapse at low kays when the cushion material breaks down.Paint quality is also an issue so keep an eye pealed for blotchy marks and faded areas on exposed surfaces.It seems that most owners rate the 307 quite highly when all goes well, but quickly become frustrated when problems develop.It’s a good idea to find a dealer with experience working on Peugeots, as some dealers appear to struggle to diagnose and fix faults when they occur, while other dealers appear to be on top of things and fix problems quickly.The 307 boasted an impressive array of airbags that provided a comprehensive package of protection when things turned nasty. All models had front airbags for the driver and passenger, plus front side airbags and front and rear curtain airbags.With antiskid ABS braking, electronic brake force distribution and emergency brake assist, along with good chassis fundamentals, the 307 makes an attractive buy on safety grounds.Richard Powell has owned his 307 HDi for just over three years and has traveled 105,000 km in it. In that time the only real problem he’s had has been the replacement of two blinker assemblies, which was done under warranty and the plastic air, flow director underneath the car getting destroyed on country roads. It has proven very economical approaching 5.0 L/100 km on long trips and just over 6.0 L/100 km around town. It is very comfortable on long journeys and just seems to eat away the kilometres, but the suspension can bottom when loaded and going over rough roads. The car drives, brakes and handles well, all very predictable. It is not very quick off the mark, but once there can cruise at high speed all day and is not slowed down by hills.Rohan Matthews has owned his 2003 307 HDi wagon for three years and it now has 90,000 km on the clock. He had problems with the gearbox, which was eventually traced to an incorrectly fitted bearing on the main shaft. He also had problems with the dashboard display, which kept failing, and the indicators, which have had to be replaced four times. The stereo head unit has been replaced four times and the latest is also faulty. The padding in the front seats is failing, even at the low kilometres. There has also been an issue with the spare wheel winch, which failed the second time it was used, and the paint quality is poor. Worst of all, he says, is the poor customer service he had received from Peugeot. Even though it is nice to drive he tells people to steer clear of Peugeot and buy a car that has the backing of a company who gives a damn.In contrast David Cooper has had few problems with the 307 1.6 five-speed manual he owned for 2.5 years before trading up to the newer model. He says it was a great car that he enjoyed driving, made even better by changing the dreadful Dunlop tyres for Michelins at 30,000 km, which improved the whole feel of the car.David Wryell has had his Peugeot 307 XSE for just over three years and feels it is a much better car than most media reports say. Big comfy seats that don't give him the niggling back ache that most of the Japanese cars he has owned did are unbeatable. The Peugeot doesn't float on the suspension like his last Volkswagen did and doesn't depreciate like a Renault. Dealer servicing has been very good, and combined with 7.0 L/100 km on the highway it is reasonably cheap to run.Richard Campbell is in the depths of despair trying to sort out his daughter’s 307 XSE. It’s done just 25,000 km, and has been suffering from an intermittent electrical gremlin for two years that affects the starting. So far dealers and auto electricians have been unable to trace the problem, which is heard as a clicking noise under the bonnet without the starter engaging, or sometimes a long cranking period without the engine firing. His daughter loves the car on the rare occasion it performs and starts first time. One of the reasons she purchased the car was the safety feature of six airbags and the visibility, but she is now totally disillusioned with it.• Patchy and faded paint• Check all electrical systems are working• Faulty sound systems• Roomy and comfortable interior• good chassis dynamics• modest performance• diesel frugality• Inconsistent build quality• Variable dealer serviceRoomy and comfortable smallish car with good driving dynamics, but with questionable quality.

Hot hatches date back at least to the early 1960s when the then British Motor Corporation gave its blessing for the Mini Cooper, but it was taken to a new level with the VW Golf GTi, and its French rival, the Peugeot 205 GTi.Both followed the proven Mini Cooper formula of taking a nimble little car and stuffing a hot engine under the bonnet, uprating the suspension to build on the agile foundation that already existed, dressing it up with some sporty graphics, and letting it loose on an unsuspecting car buying public.That was the attraction of the hot hatch. Those in the know could pick it from the crowd, but those who couldn’t would usually be stitched up when the lights went green. Even better when those who were the butt of these automotive jokers were driving bigger, more powerful cars.The oil crises of the 1970s changed the automotive landscape in a fundamental way. The motor industry had to go back to the drawing board and come up with new cars that were more fuel efficient, and that ultimately meant building smaller cars with smaller engines that stretched the golden litre further than it had ever been stretched before.The Mini should have been a winner in this environment, but the British car industry was melting down with troublesome unions, appalling build quality from outdated plants, and designs that were bogged down in the past.VW was also struggling to find a car that would replace the much loved, but quirky, Beetle, and used the Mini as the model for its Golf which has gone on to become the winner the Mini perhaps should have been in the long term.While the Golf was a popular model, it was the hot GTi that redefined what a performance car could be when it was launched in a fuel starved Europe in the late 1970s. It handled brilliantly, had sizzling performance and looked the goods.Across the border in France, Peugeot was also reworking the Mini formula in a way that would result in the 205. It too was a small front-wheel drive hatch with a wheel on each corner, and its funky little GTi also caused a sensation when it was launched in the early 1980s.For a young guy or gal on the move in the 1980s there was nothing to compare to the 205 GTi. Like the VW Golf it had uprated sporty suspension, a hot engine, and a sporty body kit, but it was also cute in a way the Golf could never be coming from Germany.The 205 GTi finally came to Australia in 1987, but it wasn’t the GTi the Europeans were able to buy.By the time it arrived here it had been detuned slightly to meet our exhaust emission laws, and down-specced to be price competitive in the local market.The local GTi looked like its European cousin, it had the same three-slatted grille, the beefy rub strips down the sides, and the fog lamps. It also had the brilliantly nimble handling, but it didn’t quite have the sizzle of the Euro cars.When first launched the GTi had a 1.9-litre single overhead camshaft engine with eight valves and fuel injection that put out just 75 kW and 142 Nm. The European models had around 100 kW, the difference being due to a lower compression ratio used on the engines here, along with a different cylinder head with different porting to cope with the exhaust emissions that were in force at the time.The lower output meant the 205 GTi was something of a disappointment, but there was always the handling to compensate for the loss of power.A five-speed manual transmission was standard and drive was through the front wheels.There was also a long list of standard features to help make up for the lack of grunt. Air-conditioning was standard, as were 14 x 6-inch alloy wheels, central locking, fog lamps, a leather steering wheel, power windows, and a four-speaker radio cassette sound system.Unfortunately power steering wasn’t standard, it seems that the Peugeot engineers couldn’t work out how to include air-conditioning and power steering in the 205 when they did the conversion to right-hand drive and they decided air-conditioning was more important for the Australian market. The result was heavy steering.An update in 1991 brought power steering and air-conditioning, and a welcome injection of power.The engine now had 90 kW and 152 Nm, which boosted performance to a much more acceptable level.The 205 GTi finally disappeared from local showrooms in 1994, the cars sold from 1991 regarded as the ones to buy now.The 205 GTi was regarded as a great car when new, but by now they’re getting old so be careful when considering buying one. It would be wise to have it checked by an expert.Many have been owned by enthusiast owners who have driven them hard. That’s what they were designed for, so that shouldn’t come as a surprise.Avoid high mileage, and cheap cars as these can be troublesome. Look for low mileage cars that have been garaged, and serviced by Peugeot specialists.A key part of the 205 GTi’s performance equation was their light weight, but with that came body flexing. When new that caused a lot of squeaking and squawking around the doors and rear hatch as the panels moved on the seals. Now it’s seen in the form of body cracking, seen mostly as cracking in the caulking used to seal panel joins.Early cars were fitted with incorrect pistons at the factory, which caused piston slap rattle and excessive oil consumption. Most were fixed when new because of customer complaint.High mileage engines need regular checks for oil consumption because they tend to burn oil. Wear in valve stems and seals is the most common cause of oil consumption today.The gearbox is fairly robust, but is prone to failure of second gear synchro with high mileage. Replacement parts are available, at a cost of $700-$800.A hard life on the road contributes to front suspension bush wear, and high rates of brake wear. Brake life of 30,000 km is quite normal. Rear subframe and trailing arm bushes are now being replaced quite often.Ellen Dewar bought her 205 GTi three years ago, and while she admits it’s getting near the end of the road with 220,000-plus km on the odo doesn’t want to get rid of it. She loves it, she says, because it’s roomy despite being small, it’s got heaps of go, and lots of street cred. On the downside she’s had to replace a drive shaft, repair the air-conditioning, and the engine is burning oil.Nick Barker bought his 1987 205 GTi a couple of years ago. It was his first car and he now admits he was a little gullible. The 17-year-old apprentice motor mechanic soon realised it hadn’t been well looked after, and he’s had to do a lot of work on it, including replacing both drive shafts, rebuilding the front brakes, and replacing the water pump to restore it to roadworthy condition. Despite the problems he says he loves the car, which he reckons is cool, and fast.• agile go kart like handling• sizzling performance, particularly from later engine• lots of body squeaks, and even cracking• cute and cuddly styling• excessive oil consumption from worn engine• wear in front and rear suspensionFabulous little hot hatch with sizzling performance when new, but age is catching up with it, and that can result in expensive problems if you buy the wrong car. Buy with care..

Peugeots have always had a special place in the heart of Australians, older ones at least, those who can recall the French makes efforts in early round Australia trials. Back then it took a special car to conquer the rough and rugged conditions a rally through the outback presented, and those early Peugeots were among the best in the bush.Younger Australians might not know much about those early exploits, and modern Peugeots have moved away from the old mould, but those who sample the delights of the modern Pugs are usually swept away by the same things their parents and grandparents were.Refined, comfortable and agile are words often used in describing a Peugeot, the smooth supple ride legendary, the agile handling revered. Throw in a little French flair and you arrive at an attractive package.The 405 marked a move away from tradition for the French company. Most Peugeots before the 405 were rear-wheel drive, but the 405 joined the trend towards front-wheel drive when it was launched in Europe in 1988.It was a fundamental change, but the company managed to retain the basic elements of what makes a Peugeot to ensure it didn’t move too far away from its roots.Build quality was a major issue for the 405 from the start. Rattles and squeaks were commonplace, and there’s no better place on earth to bring them out than Australia with its rough and ready roads.The early history of the 405 is a chequered one. It suffered from build quality issues, fuel quality issues, pricing issues, and was hit by the backlash against all things French when the French government decided to bomb a tiny Pacific atoll into oblivion.Early 405s struggled when run on our low octane regular unleaded when they were designed to be run on the higher octane fuel in their homeland. The engines lost power here and many local owners were disappointed when they found their cars wouldn’t perform as well as European road tests led them to believe they would.Peugeot had to react on the run. Changes were made progressively, and the car improved on all fronts, but it was the raft of changes made in 1993 that really had an impact on the car.The 405 was a pretty four-door sedan, and wagon, no matter which way you looked at it. It had smooth, clean, contemporary lines that even today look smart and modern.Inside, it was typically Peugeot. It was roomy, with ample accommodation for four, the dash was nicely laid out, there was a good sized steering wheel, and the seats were not only ample, but superbly comfortable.Power initially came from a 1.9-litre single overhead camshaft fuel-injected four-cylinder engine. When run on our 91 octane unleaded it lost some 10 kW from its European spec, which meant it put out a paltry 80 kW at 5500 revs and 163 Nm at 4250 revs.At best that meant the 405 was a willing performer. In reality it couldn’t match cars coming from Japan at the time; it was a car that couldn’t be justified on the basis of performance.It was, however, quite economical. Even driven hard it would return around 9.0 L/100 km around town.More performance was available in the form of the Mi16 sports sedan with its twin cam four-cylinder engine, but it too lost out when run on our fuel. As a consequence it had 108 kW at 6500 revs, along with 174 Nm.Transmission choices were a four-speed auto and a five-speed manual. While the auto worked quite well, most buyers preferred the manual to better keep the sluggish four on the boil.Under the 405’s stylish skin was MacPherson Strut front suspension, and an anti-roll bar, while at the rear it had an independent system of trailing arms, torsion bars, and an anti-roll bar.Power steering was standard, and it had disc brakes at both ends, and alloy wheels filled the wheel arches.Inside, the 405 was nicely equipped, with standard air-conditioning, power front windows, power mirrors, remote central locking, and six-speaker radio/cassette sound.The S model had all of that, plus leather trim, leather wrapped steering wheel, and power rear windows.The Mi16 was distinguished on the outside by a rear spoiler and front fog lamps, inside it had air-con, remote central locking, leather wrapped steering wheel, power mirrors, power front windows and six-speaker sound.The 1.9-litre engine gave way to a much better 2.0-litre four in 1993. It was one of the changes that transformed the car. It then had 89 kW on tap, and performed accordingly.Buyers could then choose from the SRi and the luxury STi, and the Mi16.Peugeot also unveiled a diesel version the same year, the SRDT. The 1.9-litre turbocharged, intercooled four-cylinder diesel delivered 68 kW at 4000 revs along with 196 Nm at 2250 revs.Performance wasn’t zippy, but fuel efficiency was, as seen by the results of the round Australia fuel economy test run by Peugeot at the launch. After three weeks and 16,032 km the average fuel consumption across three vehicles was 5.34 L/100 km.Peugeot service specialist Ted Geermans has seen plenty of Peugeots through his Peugeoplus workshop and advises against buying early 405s.They have lots of problems as a result of the poor initial build quality, suffer excessive oil consumption, and the auto transmission gives trouble.It’s better to buy a post-1993 model, STi or diesel, which had most of the problems sorted and now give little trouble.Certainly look for a clean, well cared for car, and one with a service record from a Peugeot specialist or dealer.Driver’s airbags were standard on the Mi16 and STi from October 1994. They were optional on the SRi and SRDT.Darren Dumble owns a 1994 SRDT with 200,000 km on the clock. The car is fantastic, he says, getting better than 7.0 L/100 km around town, and up to 1150 km between refills. The car rides and handles like a dream, the diesel provides effortless highway cruising, even when fully loaded. There is no sign of rust in the body, and no oil leaks.Ted Croft bought his daughter a 1990 MI16 this year. It had done heaps of kilometres, but he reasoned, on a $10,000 budget he could buy this car and have money left for a new engine or gear box if needed. It has comfortable seats, holds the road like a magnet, pulls up in a hurry, has air-con, power steering, ABS, a sunroof, a spoiler, mag wheels, a sporty note.• poor build quality, squeaks and rattles in early cars• exhaust smoke signals valve stem seals need replacing• auto trans problems• better performance from post-1993 2.0-litre engine• good diesel engine option• comfortable ride• great handlingNicely styled European that rides and handles like a dream, but early cars afflicted with build quality problems. Buy post-1993 if you must.

Peugeot has had a proud history in this country. The company’s exploits in early Round Australia trials in the 1950s established its credentials beyond doubt. Back in the 1950s it took a special car to conquer the rough and rugged conditions a rally through the outback threw up as a matter of course, and those early Peugeots were right up there with the best in the bush.The rally successes might be a fast fading memory for those old enough to have witnessed them, and younger Australians probably don’t know anything about them, or much less care, but those same qualities that marked the early cars have been carried through to more modern models like the 406.Smooth, refined comfort combined with a reassuring agility; with a little French flair thrown in for good measure make the 406 an alluring proposition.MODEL WATCH While there can be no mistaking Peugeot’s French connection it has few of the quirks that its cousins from Citroen are renowned for having. In most respects the 406 is a very conventional car.Peugeot made a switch from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive with the 405 that preceded the 406; it was a late change, but one that had to be made if the company wanted to stay on the pace with the market.The 406 was a little larger than its predecessor so it was roomier and more comfortable inside for those in the front and the rear.Like at Peugeots the 406’s ride was supple and superbly comfortable, the seats generous and supportive. Peugeots are renowned for their so-called “long legs”, the ability to cruise for long distances without any fuss, and the seats are part of the package that allows the driver to emerge after hours at the wheel feeling as if they’d just driven around the corner.Along with the roomy interior, the 406 had a generous boot capable of swallowing plenty of luggage for a lengthy trip. It also had a full-sized spare wheel.Power was provided by a 2.0-litre double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine, which produced a relatively modest 100 kW at 5500 revs and 187 Nm at 4200 revs. With the weight of the 406 the 2.0-litre engine was made to work quite hard. There was also a double overhead camshaft 3.0-litre V6, which added some welcome zip to the 406 equation with 144 kW at 5500 revs and 267 Nm at 4000 revs. Buyers had the choice of a five-speed manual and a four-speed auto, and the drive was through the front wheels.The model range began with the ST sedan, which came well equipped with velour trim, air-conditioning, ABS, dual airbags, power windows and mirrors, remote central locking, power steering, and eight-speaker sound. An SV sedan added alloys, auto air, engine immobiliser, and auto windscreen wiper actuation. There was also an SV Wagon, which also came with cruise and a CD player, and a stylish SV Coupe.From 1998 the range also included a diesel STDT sedan and wagon, which makes the 406 a model worth considering in this age of spiralling fuel prices. The turbo diesel was a 2.1-litre eight-valve single overhead camshaft unit putting out 82 kW at 4300 revs and 251 Nm at 2000 revs. An upgrade in 1999 saw more aggressive styling, more equipment across the range, increased performance and a new 1.9-litre HDi turbo diesel.IN THE SHOP Generally the 406 is doing a pretty good job and owners are pleased with its performance and reliability. There were question marks about Peugeot build quality in the 1980s and ’90s, which perhaps explains the electrical gremlins one owner complains about.Mechanically the 406 seems robust and reliable, the cam timing belt needs changing around the 100,000 km mark, but check the state of the oil in the engine. Infrequent oil changes leads to the build of sludge, which can become terminal if left. A service record is important. Being front-wheel drive listen for clicking noises when turning, which might indicate worn CV joints.IN A CRASH Airbags were standard across the 406 range so passive safety is of an acceptable level, while the stable handling and powerful brakes provide a decent level of active safety. ABS electronics added to the active safety of the later D9.OWNERS SAY Self-confessed Peugeot nut Doug Brockfield bought his 2.0-litre manual 406 new in 1998. It's now done 275,000 km and he says it has served him very well in all respects. There have been a few electrical problems, but by and large he says the 406 has been very reliable and a delight to drive. Tyres last for 80,000 km and fuel economy is a wonderful 7.0 L/100 km on the open road. The car has done numerous trips to the outback when the renowned Peugeot "long legs" come to the fore. He says that servicing costs and parts prices are quite reasonable. Summing up, he says the 406 is a fine car, and a second hand, well maintained one, would be a good buy.In the last five years Ray Nicholls has owned two 406 sedans, a 1997 D8 auto ST followed by a 2001 D9 V6 SV. He’d previously owned a 405 and says the 406 was quieter, roomier, and sat better on the road. Its handling was superb, and it was reasonably economical at around 9.0 L/100 km around town. His second 406, a D9 now with 133,000 km on it, was a totally different vehicle to the first. It was more economical, the performance was improved, the brakes are sensational, the seats are more comfortable and he believes it was quieter. The V6 was quiet, smooth, and had wonderful performance. Economy on the open highway was similar to the four-cylinder ST, but suffers in city driving.Serge Petrovich hadn’t owned a Peugeot before buying his 2003 2.0-litre auto ST new, but he’s now done about 135,000 km in it and simply loves it. He says the handling, economy and all round drivability is fantastic.LOOK FOR • Attractive styling• Roomy interior and generous boot• Supple ride• Agile handling• Good economy from four-cylinderTHE BOTTOM LINE The 406 is a smooth, comfortable, economical mid-sized car that makes a wonderful long distance cruiser.RATING 75/100

The Peugeot 306 was a revelation when it arrived in 1994 bringing an intoxicating European blend of prestige and practicality that had been missing from most of the familiar small cars at the time.Contemporary road testers were universal in their praise of the small Peugeot, particularly its ride and handling which were considered outstanding. They were also enamoured with its cute styling, which was a distinct change from the staid Japanese hatches that then dominated the market.MODEL WATCHThe 306 N3 range opened with the budget XR three-door hatch, and extended to the nicely equipped XT five-door hatch and concluded with the sizzling S16 sports hatch. A few months later a cabriolet joined the party, and in 1995 a four-door sedan was added to the range.The XR and XT were mechanically identical using the same all-alloy 1.8-litre single overhead cam fuel-injected four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels through either the standard five-speed manual gearbox or the optional four-speed auto.Peak power was a modest 77 kW at 6000 revs, torque peak was 160 Nm at 3000 revs. Biased towards low end and mid-range drivability the 306 was no top-end screamer, but it did deliver smooth and unfussed motoring.Weighing just over 1100 kg the 306 was never going to be a fireball, yet it still returned the reasonable 0-100 km/h time of 12 seconds in manual form. Disappointingly, the auto was about two seconds slower.Sharp, precise and at the same time impressively supple the 306’s ride and handling was a delight delivered by a combination of MacPherson Strut front suspension and trailing arm/torsion bar independent rear. Part of the 306’s secret was its long suspension travel which allowed the suspension to soak up the bumps instead of bounce over them as some other cars tended to do with their stiffer suspension set-ups.Even with this ability to soak up bumps the 306 still handled beautifully. Its power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering was nicely weighted and gave the driver plenty of useful feedback.Equipment level of the XR reflected the price, but it had power windows, central locking, rear wiper and an adjustable steering column. The XT got more in the form of power mirrors, fog lights, an external temp gauge and boot carpet. ABS was optional on the XT but not available on the XR, and neither had airbags to begin with.The sporty S16 three-door hatch was powered by the 2.0-litre twin cam four valve engine from the larger 405 and was an altogether different car. Output was a very respectable 115 kW at 6500 revs and 193 Nm at 3500 revs. which gave it plenty of punch and got it to 100 km/h in 9.2 secs while covering the standing 400 metres in around 16.5 secs.The S16 was fully featured, boasting alloys, ABS and air-con. It was only available with a manual trans, and there was a sunroof available.The heavily revised N5 series arrived in July 1997 and this brought new twin cam engines and much improved performance. The 1.8-litre engine then had 85 kW at 5500 revs and 158 Nm at 4250 revs, which gave it a healthy boost in get up and go.The entry level model became the Style, the mid-spec XT remained, the S16 became the XSi, and the sizzling new GTi6 was the range-topper.The GTi6 had a zippy 124 kW four cylinder engine and six-speed gearbox, and a vast array of features.IN THE SHOPThe 306 is generally a robust and reliable little car with the post-1997 model rated slightly better than the earlier models.Some 1.8-litre engines in early cars suffered from an audible piston rattle and high oil consumption, and while most were fixed under warranty there are some still in service that haven’t been rectified. Listen carefully for a rattly engine.Later twin cam engines have few reported problems, and the 1.8-litre has more respectable performance than the earlier single overhead cam unit.It’s important to change the cam belt at the recommended 80,000 km or four year intervals on both the SOHC and DOHC engines. A broken belt is likely to result in serious internal damage to the engine.No problems are reported with the transmissions or drivelines, although the manual gearbox is much preferred to the auto, which turns the 306 into a slug.Brake wear is an issue with all 306s, the front disc rotors wear out quite quickly and they’re relatively expensive to replace.Later post-1997 cars boast thicker body panels, which make them a little more damage-proof than earlier cars that pick up daily dents much more easily.OWNERS SAYChris Teh bought his 1999 306 GTi6 when it was six months old. It has done 75,000 km now with little trouble and is generally in good overall condition.The 22-year-old electronics engineer is generally happy with the car, although he says the servicing and parts costs are high. The cost of insurance is also a problem for him.Chris likes the interior that he says has plenty of room for up to five people he regularly has to accommodate. Even though it’s a little dark inside he likes the ambience and the lack of obvious plastic trim parts.Performancewise he thinks it lacks the performance of other cars in the same price range, but likes the ride and handling. He is critical of the clutch, which he says is too heavy for a woman to use.Little has gone wrong with the Peugeot, Chris says. He’s replaced the front disc brake rotors twice and the rears once, and the clutch cable has been replaced.LOOK FOR:• cute as a button styling• roomy well appointed interior• modest performance from SOHC 1.8• more zip from DOHC fours• high brake wear• excellent road manners

With its folding steel roof Peugeot’s 206CC was two cars in one, combining the fun of a convertible with the comfort and security of a coupe. It wasn’t the first car to feature a retractable steel roof, the Americans were toying with the concept in the 1950s before Mercedes really nailed it with the SLK in the ’90s, but the cute Peugeot was the first to make it an affordable alternative to the rag top.Traditional convertibles had folding fabric tops, but there are a number of deficiencies in a soft top. They don’t provide much, if any, noise insulation, they often leak and can be slashed by someone intent on breaking into your car, and those foggy plastic rear windows are just a pain. On top of that they contribute nothing to a car’s structure at all.A steel roof, on the other hand, doesn’t leak, it can be as quiet as a regular coupe or sedan, afford a greater level of security, and can contribute to a car’s strength by dint of its rigid panels.MODEL WATCHThe arrival of the CC – coupe cabriolet – version of Peugeot’s little 206 came as a surprise.Mercedes-Benz had shown a folding steel roof was plausible with the SLK sports car, but the idea of employing the apparently expensive concept on a cheaper model wasn’t really considered a possibility.It’s really a brilliant concept. With the steel roof in the raised position the occupants are afforded the comfort and protection of a coupe, but it’s also possible to lower the roof to reveal a fun convertible in a matter of a few seconds.If there’s a downside to the concept it’s that you lose more than half of the boot space you might otherwise use for carrying luggage, shopping or what have you when the roof is folded away.The 206CC sat on the same wheelbase and track as its sedan cousins; it also shared the same front floorpan and drivetrain with the more modest models in the 206 range.It didn’t matter which way you viewed it the 206CC was cute, a mix of form, fashion and function with a roof that disappeared from view in 20 seconds at the touch of a button on the console.Inside it had four seats, but in reality it was a two-seater with rear seats suitable only for occasional use.The seats, dash and door panels were lifted from the 206 sedan, but the rear is unique to the CC.Under the cute curves lay a form of MacPherson Strut front suspension, with an anti-roll bar, and a system of torsion bars at the rear, also with an anti-roll bar. On the road it had a comfortable ride and it handled with aplomb.Steering was power assisted rack and pinion, while brakes were disc front and rear with the assistance of anti-skid control and electronic brake force distribution to ensure optimum brake effort where it was most needed.Two engines were on offer, a 1.6-litre double overhead camshaft fuel-injected four-cylinder unit that was linked to a four-speed auto, and a 2.0-litre double overhead camshaft fuel-injected four that came with a five-speed manual gearbox.The 1.6-litre engine developed 80 kW at 5800 revs along with 147 Nm at 4000 revs, while the larger engine made 100 kW at 6000 revs and 194 Nm at 4000 revs.On the road that translated into a 0-100 km/h sprint of 12.5 seconds for the 1.6 and 9.3s for the 2.0-litre model.Standard features included climate control air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, cloth trimmed sports seats, drilled ‘rally’ style pedals, height adjustable steering column and driver’s seat, and remote central locking.IN THE SHOPThe earliest 206CCs are approaching the time for a timing belt change and it’s important it be changed at 80,000 km or four years, as a failure will result in some nasty internal damage to the engine.Check for a service record that can be verified, and look inside the oil filler cap for sludge, the enemy of all modern engines.Transmissions stand up quite well, as does the rest of the drivetrain, but brake wear can be high with discs expensive to replace.Check that the roof operates smoothly when being raised or lowered, if it doesn’t it could be because of poor crash repairs that have left it misaligned.The 206CC also suffered from some dash shake so expect a few rattles as time goes on. It’s not a major problem, but can be annoying.IN A CRASHDual front and side airbags provide comprehensive crash protection, while ant-skid brakes with brake force distribution add a further layer of dynamic primary protection.OWNERS SAYAfter Cheryle Fry told her husband she wanted a convertible for her next car, but that she also wanted a hard top, he went looking for something suitable. When she saw a photo of the 206CC she knew that was the one she wanted. Her husband agreed with great trepidation as being a bit of a car buff he had doubts about Peugeot reliability and build quality. After more than a year of ownership and numerous roof-down days on winery trips and joy rides she says the car has not given a moment of trouble. As the car does not carry a spare wheel her husband put Tyre Shield in the tyres many thousands of kilometres ago and she has never had a flat tyre. On a recent trip to Bathurst on mostly corrugated dirt roads with jagged rocks the car and tyres performed superbly. This car is everything I expected it to be and more!LOOK FOR• cute styling• smooth roof operation• comfort and convenience of folding steel roof• quite robust mechanicals• good level of crash protection• limited rear seat accommodationTHE BOTTOM LINEGood looking fun convertible with the convenience and security of a coupe.RATING70/100