RE: Peugeot 405 Mi16: Spotted

[ttthilvester]

Section 8 said:

One of those cars that I never really wanted back in the day. It was all about the hatchbacks for me. Shame really as they were a good looking car and capable for what they were.When the time came that I did want a sporting French saloon I opted for the 16v 19 Chamade. Can’t be many of those now either?

16v 19 Chamade was a good car too - very understated looks and an excellent all-round performer.
Never as popular as the hatch. Great engine and generally very reliable apart from flaky electrics.
Had a PH2 in metallic black, and it was one of those cars I regret selling. As rare as rocking horse poo now.
In fact Howmanyleft says only 3, and that was last year.

Edited by ttthilvester on Sunday 5th May 11:59

[CDP]

ringweekends said:

mrtwisty said:

ringweekends said:

stbox

Insightful, do tell us more of your wisdom.

Edit - ok, you got me (just checked your garage).

Ha ha!
Sorry about that.

Lovely cars, I bought my Ph1 off the original owner in 2006. Midway through a ‘bit of a’ restoration currently.

Love it to bits.

Love it. Taking weight saving to a whole new level.

My dad had the 1.8 estate and that had fantastic ride and handling but could have done with much more power; the Mi16 must have been epic.

Great cars the 80's and 90's Peugeots.

[fernando the frog]

sad that so many of these were used for 205gti conversions, i actually prefer these

[anonymous-user]

What happened to Peugeot.... I had a 205 diesel, 205 1.9 GTi , 306 and 406 , all gorgeous looking cars that still look superb today. Then they got to the 206 and it just went downhill from there....did their lead designer quit or die or something?

[LexyLex]

JimSuperSix said:

What happened to Peugeot.... I had a 205GTi , 306 and 406 , all gorgeous looking cars that still look superb today. Then they got to the 206 and it just went downhill from there....did their lead designer quit or die or something?

The new 208 and 308 GTi's are decent cars as is the RCZ. Try one - they're finding their mojo again

[velocemitch]

Loved my Mi16 back in the day, it was a superb everyday car, fast, comfortable, handled brilliantly. Mine was the later iron blocked version. I did try a 4wd phase 1 car, but preferred the feel of the later car. The build quality was much better and the handling felt more pointy.
Mine gave 4 years of good service, I even towed a caravan with it. I remember overtaking a car going UP Garrowby Hill in East Yorkshire with the van on the back!. Fast car in the day.
The steering rack was going when I sold it though. I replaced it with an Alfa 156 2.0 the stats were practically identical but each drove quite differently.

[theholygrail]

Handsome cars. Shame there's so few left. The thing that stands out for me from that piece is that they weighed the same, give or take, as a new Alpine! Incredible, for a fully loaded (for then) family saloon.

[PhillipM]

I have one of the Mi16x4's, and it's the red one too - everyone knows the red ones are faster.

Pity it's under a sheet waiting for some work, really...

[Old Merc]

JimSuperSix said:

What happened to Peugeot.... I had a 205 diesel, 205 1.9 GTi , 306 and 406 , all gorgeous looking cars that still look superb today. Then they got to the 206 and it just went downhill from there....did their lead designer quit or die or something?

Some of the latest Pugs may be nice cars,but I think the 06 range were the last of the real Peugeots.

[downsman]

This might be sacrilege, but I always thought the Citroen BX 16v made better use of that engine. It was lighter, faster and more practical. It was where I put my money back in the day. I wish I still owned it.

[Oldwolf]

I loved mm Mi16 except for the brakes....
The pedal would occasionally go to the floor and I'd have to stop, pop the bonnet and hit the pump until it shuddered back into life!

[TheBALDpuma]

Old Merc said:

JimSuperSix said:

What happened to Peugeot.... I had a 205 diesel, 205 1.9 GTi , 306 and 406 , all gorgeous looking cars that still look superb today. Then they got to the 206 and it just went downhill from there....did their lead designer quit or die or something?

Some of the latest Pugs may be nice cars,but I think the 06 range were the last of the real Peugeots.

The new 508 is a really good looking car, and so is the 308 but the last decade of cars has really tarnished my outlook on through brand.

I actually think the 508 is up the with the best looking saloons on sale at the minute. Bringing back the 80s square lines.

[mnx42]

I saw a new 508 on the A12 last Friday. I did a double-take as I didn’t know what it was. Same colour as the one above... I thought it was a VERY smart looking car.

[PhillipM]

Oldwolf said:

I loved mm Mi16 except for the brakes....
The pedal would occasionally go to the floor and I'd have to stop, pop the bonnet and hit the pump until it shuddered back into life!

That's what failed on mine!
I'll never work out how they managed to get a fails-open ABS pump through regulations....

[oilit]

I had a metallic grey one as a company car - it was a rocket but didn't have ABS (now I know from above it must have failed) - and I remember secretly admiring the legs of my girlfriend sat next to me at the time and missed that the roundabout ahead had a queue going on to it on a wet morning near Lightwater, ended up on the grass verge after it locked up. Quick wheel alignment and all was good - well she wasn't but that's another story....

Once it had done the 60k miles it was sent back and I ended up with a hand me down Fiat Tipo Sediciovalvole which was nowhere as nice - despite being quick it drank tons of oil.

Ironically for the past 10 years Ive been looking casually for the chance to get hold of a clean original example of each of them ...

Edited by oilit on Sunday 5th May 18:36

[SidewaysSi]

theholygrail said:

Handsome cars. Shame there's so few left. The thing that stands out for me from that piece is that they weighed the same, give or take, as a new Alpine! Incredible, for a fully loaded (for then) family saloon.

Nuts isn't it? And I bet the 405 is better to drive on road than any new sub £30k saloon car.

[CDP]

SidewaysSi said:

theholygrail said:

Handsome cars. Shame there's so few left. The thing that stands out for me from that piece is that they weighed the same, give or take, as a new Alpine! Incredible, for a fully loaded (for then) family saloon.

Nuts isn't it? And I bet the 405 is better to drive on road than any new sub £30k saloon car.

I'm not sure, I had to send my Mazda6 to the scrap last week (uneconomical). It drove far better than a diesel family hatchback has any right to. Excellent weighting and surprisingly good feel for gear change, brakes, steering etc. The ride was firmer than the 405 but still comfortable The handling was very good; I always use decent quality tyres, even on a shed.

I haven't tried the newer models but I understand they are also vey good to drive, apparently so are the 2 and 3.

[NickGRhodes]

405 mi16 lacked the close ratios of the 205/309 GTi which would of been a big help in the fun department (at cost of top speed).
I knew someone localish with one (had a touring car body kit on, was little max power looking), sadly it died at Silverstone due to oil surge and throwing a piston through the block.

Wonder if there are any 405 ti16 left ?

[Gribs]

NickGRhodes said:

Wonder if there are any 405 ti16 left ?

There's 3 according to how many left but they're all SORN. 1 was in use last year though.

[forzaminardi]

My dad fancied one of these back in the day. We lived in Germany at the time and he had a test drive and decided when we returned to the UK that the Peugeot would be his choice. Unfortunately this was in the days of 'rip off Britain' and the UK price was significantly higher than the European price, and so he ended up with a nice-but-dull Toyota instead.