RE: SOTW: Peugeot 406 Coupe
Discussion
405dogvan said:
I'd be surprised if rust wasn't going to rear it's head on these now - 406s of this era will already be failing MOTs due to rust around seatbelt and suspension anchorages - it's repairable but it's there.
Rust isn't much of an issue on the 406, especially the Coupe - the body shells were all fully-galvanized. If you see rust on one, chances are it's had a shunt and been badly-repaired. Rust on the seatbelt areas is a sign of water ingress, which will ruin any car, not just a 406. Neither of my 406s has had this issue with their seatbelts (the first one was more than 12 years old when it was written-off, the current one is now 11 years old).405dogvan said:
It's a shed tho - all this talk of changing belts etc. is pointless, you buy it and drive it and when something breaks which makes it unusuable, you scrap it.
Yes, because cars are like pocket calculators - throw 'em away when they stop working...405dogvan said:
If you're looking for a long-term car and/or a restoration project (or you just like to keep your cars mint) you don't buy the cheap ones, you buy the better and more cared-for ones and you keep that up.
Note: "low-cost" does not mean "badly neglected, ready for the scrapper". Some of the guys on the Coupe Club forums have paid *well* under £1,000 for their Coupes (yes, including V6s) and ended up with well-maintained cars that have lasted them for years. One guy paid £400 from a car dealership; the previous owners part-exed their Coupe for a new car, but there was nothing wrong with the Coupe at all.405dogvan said:
SHED: Car use until it dies - ownership is a form of organised retreat - you just ignore the things which don't work (unless they're effortlessly fixable) until you can't ignore them anymore.
Or, you could consider the car for its merits - it's not an appreciating classic yet, but it's a reasonably exclusive Pininfarina design, a comfortable, practical, spacious 4-seater coupe, and it's more than capable of running 250k miles before the engine wears out. If it costs £1,000 to buy the car, and £600 to replace the cambelt, then you are £400 up if you replace the belt on time (as opposed to spending another £1,000 to buy another shed when the cambelt snaps).405dogvan said:
As the article says - engine goes bang, put in an HDi unit for less than the cost of the beltswap.
Changing a V6 for an HDi isn't a walk in the park, y'know. As well as the engine, you need to replace the engine mounts, the gearbox, the battery, the ECU, the BSI, the instrument cluster, the fuel tank, the fuel pump, the fuel lines (etc, etc). It'd be cheaper & easier to source a replacement V6 engine - but may still end up costing you as much as (if not more than) a new cambelt kit. Do the maintenance, it's well worth it.VolvoT5 said:
And as for the 406 SOTW, well it just does nothing for me, pretty car but seems awfully dull at the same time. I would rather have a C70 preferably with the T5 engine.
That's exactly what I did. I was looking at 406 coupes, C70's and CLK's. I wanted a manual which pretty much ruled out the Merc. The 406 is the better looking car but the C70 looked like a better package.So I got a manual T5 in purple.
Had one as a sort of courtesy car - this was while I was at university, so obviously it was pretty cool.
Most important thing is the sound - most V6s sound good but this one in particular is brilliant.
Handling was good but not quite 306 fun, and at the time was a tiny bit disappointing, but looking back it was actually a good balance of comfort while still cutting down a B road well. In hindsight it had great steering feel and the kind of ride to handling balance that is missing from newer cars. Just a bit too stable and not quite as engaging as a 306 but then, what was?
It was manual which suited the car. It's not a cruiser that suits an auto.
This one had 130k miles and all seemed to be working well, minimal wear etc. Comfy, a bit different, and from before the days that everybody had to drive a German car. Those were the days!
Most important thing is the sound - most V6s sound good but this one in particular is brilliant.
Handling was good but not quite 306 fun, and at the time was a tiny bit disappointing, but looking back it was actually a good balance of comfort while still cutting down a B road well. In hindsight it had great steering feel and the kind of ride to handling balance that is missing from newer cars. Just a bit too stable and not quite as engaging as a 306 but then, what was?
It was manual which suited the car. It's not a cruiser that suits an auto.
This one had 130k miles and all seemed to be working well, minimal wear etc. Comfy, a bit different, and from before the days that everybody had to drive a German car. Those were the days!
t PR ever.Fireblade69 said:
I don't like you.That is the same one as the image on page 2. That picture was enough, you have just made me look at all of them....
Difficult to find a word to describe it, stunning is certainly not it.
Guess I'm talking to myself here (everyone gone now?) but if I was going to buy a cheap coupe it would definately be a Rover 218 VVC Coupe. Nice looking, decent handling,full leather interior, lovely feel to the steering, glass targa roof, good mpg, peppy engine etc etc One of the few cars a miss owning down the line. (Shame bout rusty arches and HGF!)
This SOTW Pug - pretty enough I guesss but IMO you can keep it.
This SOTW Pug - pretty enough I guesss but IMO you can keep it.
I got my '97 V6 with 13,000 mls on the clock, she's now clicked just over 190,000 and barring the audio head unit having a fit, everything is still in fine fettle. I managed to stretch out the cambelt change to 160,000 too. It's relatively expensive to insure and horrendous on juice but I just can't part with her!
I have had three over the last fiften years, over ten years of ownership in total, not one of the mentioned issues were ever an issue!!!
Only issues EVER were, one coil pack went under warranty, radiator got holed by stone (can happen to any car), on/off switch broke on stereo on first one - repaired under warranty............... one issue I did find though - in cold weather and passengers windows frozen shut- dont try and open. The motor is so powerful it literally rips itself off the mountings and you have to get it welded back on- this happened on two of the cars before I learnt my lesson, doesnt seem to affect the drivers side. Aside from that, consumables like tyres/ brakes/ exhaust/ light bulbs - over 200k of trouble free motoring!
They are also alot quicker than suggested and super comfortable, you can easily fit three in the back and I did frequently despite the fact only designed for two.
Only issues EVER were, one coil pack went under warranty, radiator got holed by stone (can happen to any car), on/off switch broke on stereo on first one - repaired under warranty............... one issue I did find though - in cold weather and passengers windows frozen shut- dont try and open. The motor is so powerful it literally rips itself off the mountings and you have to get it welded back on- this happened on two of the cars before I learnt my lesson, doesnt seem to affect the drivers side. Aside from that, consumables like tyres/ brakes/ exhaust/ light bulbs - over 200k of trouble free motoring!
They are also alot quicker than suggested and super comfortable, you can easily fit three in the back and I did frequently despite the fact only designed for two.
Rat_Fink_67 said:
I got my '97 V6 with 13,000 mls on the clock, she's now clicked just over 190,000 and barring the audio head unit having a fit, everything is still in fine fettle. I managed to stretch out the cambelt change to 160,000 too. It's relatively expensive to insure and horrendous on juice but I just can't part with her!
I was paying less than 400 gbp a year from new (bought mine in 98 and owned one right through til three years ago -all V6 Manual SE's). not once did my insurance exceed the above and I was 19 when I bought first one.james280779 said:
They are also alot quicker than suggested and super comfortable, you can easily fit three in the back and I did frequently despite the fact only designed for two.
Except there are only two seatbelts in the back ... your middle passenger, in the event of a crash, would be eating windscreen (or tarmac) in the blink of an eye.fathomfive said:
I've been avoiding this thread so as not to end up missing my old Satelite Grey / Red Leather V6 job.
Dammit!
Ooohh ..... That sounds to me like THE best colour combination. Love red leather interiors.Dammit!
Always used to think that one of these would look fabulous with a set of larger diameter alloys.
I had a 406 saloon new as a company car and its electrical and engine management systems were most charitably described as "characterful" even then, so that would be my only concern. Nice cars though. Beautiful supple ride, and very tidy handling for their size and weight. More substantial feeling than many other Peugeots of the age as well.
I reckon this is about as good a cheap GT as you'll find anywhere. And easily one of the prettiest.
I reckon this is about as good a cheap GT as you'll find anywhere. And easily one of the prettiest.
Limpet said:
I had a 406 saloon new as a company car
Beautiful supple ride, and very tidy handling for their size and weight.
More substantial feeling than many other Peugeots of the age as well.
Me too.Beautiful supple ride, and very tidy handling for their size and weight.
More substantial feeling than many other Peugeots of the age as well.
With a set of Yokohamas on it's cornering speed was very impressive and I'm comparing it to the Integrale and Cosworth I had at the time.
The only issue I had with mine was the ABS was lethal on snow / wet leaves as it simply wouldn't apply the brakes - I pulled the fuse.
406highlander said:
james280779 said:
They are also alot quicker than suggested and super comfortable, you can easily fit three in the back and I did frequently despite the fact only designed for two.
Except there are only two seatbelts in the back ... your middle passenger, in the event of a crash, would be eating windscreen (or tarmac) in the blink of an eye.Regarding the point by another about rust not being an issue due to galvanisation, many cars toting such a treatment corrode. Alfa GTVs, Fiat Coupes and Porsche 944s which have a structure that seems more rust prone than 924s.
I would seem unlikely that all the Fiat Coupes, Alfa GTVs and Porsche 944s that have rusted are due to water ingress or accident damage. If the underside gets hit and the underseal and/or paint gets chipped they corrode regardless of any galvinasation.
Some cars that aren't, look at the car pool Pug 309 GTi piece late last year, have had some elecro static coating process at the factory that seems just as resistant to rust if not more so.
Was the whole of the 406 Coupe structure 'dipped' or it just used some panels that were galvanised?
Looks wise they look great but from some angles around the midriff and the glasshouse and c pillar from certain angles, a bit like when one is doing a U turn in the road in front, of you they look like the CLK from the late 90s and bit......marmite a bit like they're compromised due to their underpinnings or the need to seat four?
I'd definitely consider one, but the looks are a bit variable. I don't think the looks are quite as handsome or well resolved as the Pininfarina penned Puegeot 504 Coupe.
Edited by carinaman on Monday 11th March 14:37
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