RE: Peugeot 306 GTI-6 | Cars under the hammer
Discussion
Turbobanana said:
I have never disputed, nor will ever dispute that point.
My problem is that people seem to believe that old cars are not safe. We now rely so much on driver aids and convenience that we don't take enough responsibility for our own actions.
Yesterday I commuted to work, in the rain, in a 53 year old Triumph GT6. I never felt like I was about to die.
But I respect your view. I originally raised the point to ask what Jack felt was unsuitable about daily driving a car that was designed for daily driving. I await his view on the subject.
I don't think it's a case of them being unsafe per se, but a case of them being relatively unsafe when compared to modern cars. My problem is that people seem to believe that old cars are not safe. We now rely so much on driver aids and convenience that we don't take enough responsibility for our own actions.
Yesterday I commuted to work, in the rain, in a 53 year old Triumph GT6. I never felt like I was about to die.
But I respect your view. I originally raised the point to ask what Jack felt was unsuitable about daily driving a car that was designed for daily driving. I await his view on the subject.
I would happily drive an older car, especially as a weekend/fun toy. However, when driving to work and back every day, especially if it was in heavy traffic or on busy roads, I'd choose something modern. Safety would be part of that, but it's also about convenience. Modern cars are just nicer to sit in when you're doing the daily grind. They have better heaters (or air conditioning), better stereos, Bluetooth and a whole host of other convenience features. Not to mention lighter clutches and better brakes. It all just makes life easier and, when I'm driving to or from work, that can make a big difference. I don't always need the last word in steering feel when I'm sitting on the M25 in a traffic jam, but I probably do want to listen to the radio or call my missus and tell her I'm going to be late.
Of course, you can use an older car every day, but there are a myriad of very valid reasons why most people don't.
Mike_Wood said:
Sorry, anyone who criticises a 205 GTI. 309 GTi or a 306 GTi for being too mobile at the rear, really doesn't know how to drive a fwd car properly
With all due respect, that's codswollop. Everyone has preferences, even F1 drivers. Edited by Jon_S_Rally on Thursday 28th March 08:49
I remember going to a trackday at Castle Combe a few years back, got chatting to a guy with a 306 GTi-6, whose son was doing his first trackday. As II'm a trackday veteran, he asked me to sit in with the lad. Couldn't believe how quick the car was and immediately wanted one!
Unfortunately I bought a 206 GTi instead and instantly regretted it. Part exchanged it barely 6 months later for a 318 Ti and never looked back.
Unfortunately I bought a 206 GTi instead and instantly regretted it. Part exchanged it barely 6 months later for a 318 Ti and never looked back.
Mike_Wood said:
Sorry, anyone who criticises a 205 GTI. 309 GTi or a 306 GTi for being too mobile at the rear, really doesn't know how to drive a fwd car properly
With all due respect, that's codswollop. Everyone has preferences, even F1 drivers. Edited by Jon_S_Rally on Thursday 28th March 08:49
I was young when I learned this characterstic the hard way but have owned much more powerful, front, rear and four wheel drive cars since, with their engines in the front, middle and rear. Every configuration needs to be learned to get the best out of it and everyone has something they feel more confident with.
Edited by TheMilkyBarKid on Friday 29th March 17:25
I’m in Brisbane, Australia and own a GTI-6 with 70,000km, so about 43,000 miles and it is one of the best cars I’ve driven. Phenomenal relationship between the chassis and suspension that provides an eerily good balance and sensational damping control, especially if the roads are a bit choppy. I’ve been fortunate enough to drive a Megane RS 265 and a Golf GTI MK7 and find the 306 is simply a better balanced car. The steering response is slower, but is more linear and has more feel, which makes the steering feel so much more adjustable with a bit of speed up.
Whilst it isn’t anywhere near as track capable as a modern hot hatch, I find on the road with its lack of weight and suspension control it is still a fantastically capable car, and on a mountain blast I have never once thought “I wish I had something with a bit more adhesion” for example; the 195 size tyres still provide excellent levels of grip, and I don’t often find myself even able to approach its limits. Lots more feel than a modern hot hatch, but yet still capable and grippy enough to be a phenomenal little ground coverer on the right bit if road. It’s not a car that is just fun, it’s also still so capable.
Going back to its great suspension control, I read from a fellow PH’er once that the 306 GTI-6 dampers “have internal
droop springs and hydraulic bumpstops along with a
floating divider piston as standard.” I haven’t been able to ever verify this nor understand what the droop springs/divider pistons actually means. Would someone who knows care to elaborate?
Whilst it isn’t anywhere near as track capable as a modern hot hatch, I find on the road with its lack of weight and suspension control it is still a fantastically capable car, and on a mountain blast I have never once thought “I wish I had something with a bit more adhesion” for example; the 195 size tyres still provide excellent levels of grip, and I don’t often find myself even able to approach its limits. Lots more feel than a modern hot hatch, but yet still capable and grippy enough to be a phenomenal little ground coverer on the right bit if road. It’s not a car that is just fun, it’s also still so capable.
Going back to its great suspension control, I read from a fellow PH’er once that the 306 GTI-6 dampers “have internal
droop springs and hydraulic bumpstops along with a
floating divider piston as standard.” I haven’t been able to ever verify this nor understand what the droop springs/divider pistons actually means. Would someone who knows care to elaborate?
Daelin306gti6 said:
I’m in Brisbane, Australia and own a GTI-6 with 70,000km, so about 43,000 miles and it is one of the best cars I’ve driven. Phenomenal relationship between the chassis and suspension that provides an eerily good balance and sensational damping control, especially if the roads are a bit choppy. I’ve been fortunate enough to drive a Megane RS 265 and a Golf GTI MK7 and find the 306 is simply a better balanced car. The steering response is slower, but is more linear and has more feel, which makes the steering feel so much more adjustable with a bit of speed up.
Whilst it isn’t anywhere near as track capable as a modern hot hatch, I find on the road with its lack of weight and suspension control it is still a fantastically capable car, and on a mountain blast I have never once thought “I wish I had something with a bit more adhesion” for example; the 195 size tyres still provide excellent levels of grip, and I don’t often find myself even able to approach its limits. Lots more feel than a modern hot hatch, but yet still capable and grippy enough to be a phenomenal little ground coverer on the right bit if road. It’s not a car that is just fun, it’s also still so capable.
Going back to its great suspension control, I read from a fellow PH’er once that the 306 GTI-6 dampers “have internal
droop springs and hydraulic bumpstops along with a
floating divider piston as standard.” I haven’t been able to ever verify this nor understand what the droop springs/divider pistons actually means. Would someone who knows care to elaborate?
The floating divider piston is found in monotube dampers to separate the oil chamber from the gas chamber: Whilst it isn’t anywhere near as track capable as a modern hot hatch, I find on the road with its lack of weight and suspension control it is still a fantastically capable car, and on a mountain blast I have never once thought “I wish I had something with a bit more adhesion” for example; the 195 size tyres still provide excellent levels of grip, and I don’t often find myself even able to approach its limits. Lots more feel than a modern hot hatch, but yet still capable and grippy enough to be a phenomenal little ground coverer on the right bit if road. It’s not a car that is just fun, it’s also still so capable.
Going back to its great suspension control, I read from a fellow PH’er once that the 306 GTI-6 dampers “have internal
droop springs and hydraulic bumpstops along with a
floating divider piston as standard.” I haven’t been able to ever verify this nor understand what the droop springs/divider pistons actually means. Would someone who knows care to elaborate?
This must have been only in the rear as front struts are always bitube afaik.
The hydraulic bumstop increases the hydraulic force once the damper piston rod reaches a certain stroke limiting the oil bypass through some holes/windows:
For instance in the dampers used by Citroën in the C4/C5X there are both rebound (as pictured above) and compression bumpstops.
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