Are used French cars still something to be afraid of?
Discussion
The common myth is that French cars are pretty unreliable, both new and used. I've heard more than 1 person say to me to avoid a cheap/relatively high mileage French car because they seem to fall off a reliability cliff.
Is this still a thing on relatively modern French cars (say after 2000). I am looking for "A to B runaround, max £1k budget and seen a few Peugoets with around ~80k miles... but with MOT until 2019 and relatively clean MOT history (none classic signs of abuse fails/advisories).
Is the unreliable French car thing a myth, or a real phenomenon?
Is this still a thing on relatively modern French cars (say after 2000). I am looking for "A to B runaround, max £1k budget and seen a few Peugoets with around ~80k miles... but with MOT until 2019 and relatively clean MOT history (none classic signs of abuse fails/advisories).
Is the unreliable French car thing a myth, or a real phenomenon?
The most reliable cars I've owned have been French.
My current car is a 20-year-old 306 GTI-6 and it's been very reliable for the year I've had it, and I use it every day. The only thing I've had to do is give the idle control valve a good clean which cured an excessively fast idle. Sailed through its MOT last week with no advisories and not a spot of rust on it.
It replaced an N-reg 306 D Turbo which I put over 50k on in just shy of three years. That thing used to manage 700 miles on a tank (if you were careful) and never once let me down. No rust on it either, unlike most similar cars of the same era. Ended up selling it for £50 more than I bought it for!
My current car is a 20-year-old 306 GTI-6 and it's been very reliable for the year I've had it, and I use it every day. The only thing I've had to do is give the idle control valve a good clean which cured an excessively fast idle. Sailed through its MOT last week with no advisories and not a spot of rust on it.
It replaced an N-reg 306 D Turbo which I put over 50k on in just shy of three years. That thing used to manage 700 miles on a tank (if you were careful) and never once let me down. No rust on it either, unlike most similar cars of the same era. Ended up selling it for £50 more than I bought it for!
True, but for all sorts of reasons that are nothing to do with reliability.
- Depreciation is slower in France, people hold onto cars longer
- The MOT is more lax, less scrappage
- Far fewer people take finance, no PCP, so people hold on to cars for longer
- Cars are generally less of a status symbol, less incentive to upgrade
- French cars are cheap to maintain in France, cheap to hold onto for longer.
....etc
Anyway, to come back to the question, no reason to be particularly scared of French cars, but there are a few to avoid. I wouldn't buy a mid-2000s Laguna, any kind of 307, early Clio III for example. But then I also wouldn't but one of the original 1.4TSI VWs, a late-2000s Diesel Mazda etc...
It's case by case, do your research on the model you find, look up MOT history etc, you will be fine.
- Depreciation is slower in France, people hold onto cars longer
- The MOT is more lax, less scrappage
- Far fewer people take finance, no PCP, so people hold on to cars for longer
- Cars are generally less of a status symbol, less incentive to upgrade
- French cars are cheap to maintain in France, cheap to hold onto for longer.
....etc
Anyway, to come back to the question, no reason to be particularly scared of French cars, but there are a few to avoid. I wouldn't buy a mid-2000s Laguna, any kind of 307, early Clio III for example. But then I also wouldn't but one of the original 1.4TSI VWs, a late-2000s Diesel Mazda etc...
It's case by case, do your research on the model you find, look up MOT history etc, you will be fine.
Thanks guys, good to know
In fact, I am looking at a 2003 307 with ~80k miles, manual, petrol and 1.6 engine.
landmarker said:
Anyway, to come back to the question, no reason to be particularly scared of French cars, but there are a few to avoid. I wouldn't buy a mid-2000s Laguna, any kind of 307, early Clio III for example. But then I also wouldn't but one of the original 1.4TSI VWs, a late-2000s Diesel Mazda etc...
It's case by case, do your research on the model you find, look up MOT history etc, you will be fine.
Interesting, was there some kind of issue specifically with the 307 that made it bad?It's case by case, do your research on the model you find, look up MOT history etc, you will be fine.
In fact, I am looking at a 2003 307 with ~80k miles, manual, petrol and 1.6 engine.
Clio 172's/182's still seem to be beating that myth, even today. There will be some lemons out there but that's usually a case of them being neglected, abused and generally not looked after properly by their owner(s). Even when stuff does break, they're generally cheap to fix and get parts for anyway.
I had a 206, X reg, brought with 80k on the clock and ran it to 114k until it died.
If you choose anything with the 1.1 engine (believe the same on the 1.4 petrol too) take a good look at the left side of the engine as you lift the bonnet up and see the engine, near the head gasket. if wet with oil walk away o r budget for.............prone to leaking oil here and that is the start of the head gasket on its way out, eventually the gasket will fail here, water and oil mix immediately and it's a pretty catastrophic end.
In every other way thou the car was a solid little thing and was a charming analogue runabout in this digital world of complex cars nowadays.
the trailing arm bearings for the rear axle are a weakpoint on 206's, esp older ones as they will be pretty tired by now. Not a cheap area to fix as some labour is required to change. When you're spending £300 a year to get a £700 car thru the MOT, it gets painful.
My folks had a 306 with the well regarded diesel engine, N Reg circa 1996 ish?
Done 200k with barely a lightbulb replaced. That'd be my pick if I did it all again.
If you choose anything with the 1.1 engine (believe the same on the 1.4 petrol too) take a good look at the left side of the engine as you lift the bonnet up and see the engine, near the head gasket. if wet with oil walk away o r budget for.............prone to leaking oil here and that is the start of the head gasket on its way out, eventually the gasket will fail here, water and oil mix immediately and it's a pretty catastrophic end.
In every other way thou the car was a solid little thing and was a charming analogue runabout in this digital world of complex cars nowadays.
the trailing arm bearings for the rear axle are a weakpoint on 206's, esp older ones as they will be pretty tired by now. Not a cheap area to fix as some labour is required to change. When you're spending £300 a year to get a £700 car thru the MOT, it gets painful.
My folks had a 306 with the well regarded diesel engine, N Reg circa 1996 ish?
Done 200k with barely a lightbulb replaced. That'd be my pick if I did it all again.
This is a 60 plate 1.6hdi which was bought ex lease by us with 135000 on it. This photo was taken a month or two back at 250000, it now has 287000 on it. In all the time we have had it (about three years) it's just had routine servicing and preventative maintenance, save for a new gearbox at 185000 (£800 fitted).
Cost to us £3500, owes us nothing.
French cars are so comfortable, it's not by accident they are a popular taxi choice.
I think where French cars typically fall down is not the reliability but quirks in how they're put together and the plastic trim quality (interior and exterior) can be poor on some of them. But how many rusty french cars have you seen?
We had a first generation C5 with the 2.0 HDi and family took it from 30k to 170k on factory clutch, flywheel etc. No suspension part changes required. Just discs, pads and other routine servicing.
I drive a french car too at the moment (Clio 182) and it's not properly broken yet and left me stranded 26k miles in after one and a half years.
We had a first generation C5 with the 2.0 HDi and family took it from 30k to 170k on factory clutch, flywheel etc. No suspension part changes required. Just discs, pads and other routine servicing.
I drive a french car too at the moment (Clio 182) and it's not properly broken yet and left me stranded 26k miles in after one and a half years.
landmarker said:
If you do a bit of googling you will see the 307 has a poor reputation for reliability, have a look at reliabilityindrx etc.
Perhaps this is less relevant that a good service history and clean MOT record on a 15 year old car, but personally i would choose something else.
Early 307s had some issues - mainly of the electrical variety. To be honest most of them are dead now. The facelifted models which came in about 2005 were quite decent and can be a good banger buy.Perhaps this is less relevant that a good service history and clean MOT record on a 15 year old car, but personally i would choose something else.
To be frank, most of the PSA stuff is very decent on the longevity and reliability front. Obviously they have issues but no more than anything else and a lot less than some.
I'm running my first Frenchie, a DS5. Super comfortable, & nothing has gone wrong/fallen off in the near 2 years I've owned it. The odd occasional squeak from the overhead console (which I'll strip down and sort), but apart from that, it's solid. I've not heard of many issues with them from other owners so tend to sleep easily 
culpz said:
Clio 172's/182's still seem to be beating that myth, even today. There will be some lemons out there but that's usually a case of them being neglected, abused and generally not looked after properly by their owner(s). Even when stuff does break, they're generally cheap to fix and get parts for anyway.
As an owner of a 182 I disagree. Engine and drivetrain wise they are great, but I have easily spent £2500 on mine in the last 4 years I’ve owned it. It’s always small niggles and cheaply made parts that cost, I’m just glad they spent more on the drivetrain!Edit: I should mention that mine is definitely not a lemon either!
podgeorge said:
As an owner of a 182 I disagree. Engine and drivetrain wise they are great, but I have easily spent £2500 on mine in the last 4 years I’ve owned it. It’s always small niggles and cheaply made parts that cost, I’m just glad they spent more on the drivetrain!
Edit: I should mention that mine is definitely not a lemon either!
+1 with a similar outlay in the same time period, on a 68k, 3 owner, FSH 182.Edit: I should mention that mine is definitely not a lemon either!
Parts are certainly not cheap and unless you use a good indie specialist they're not easy to work on for your average garage.
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