RE: Peugeot 306 Rallye: Spotted

[Derek Chevalier]

PhillipM said:

Derek Chevalier said:

Have you driven a 306 Rallye over and above the limit? Autocar said they were trickier than an old school 911 and I wouldn't disagree

Only if it's on st tyres or has a knackered rear beam.

I had one on P6000s IIRC, and car was only 18 months old. I've also owned/driven at length 205 1.9, 106 Rallye, 106GTI, R26.R, Civic Type R (new one) and none were quite as tricky on the limit.

[PerfectDark]

They are fantastic cars. Being a Rallye it misses out on the GTI6’s half leather half Alcantara seats (which wear anyway) and the air con (which breaks), and loses electric windows (I’m sure the youth of today would froth at the mouth for this!), but on a good road these things are a joy to steer. The only downside is they are getting on a bit now and a lot of parts are no longer available from Peugeot - the parts that are can cost a lot. The values have soared recently and caught up with the rivals from the day (Racing Puma, Integra Type R) - it was only 5 years ago that the GTI6 was a regular SOTW - now they’re commanding much more.

[Derek Chevalier]

slipstream 1985 said:

Derek Chevalier said:

sr.guiri said:

Derek Chevalier said:

If only they had switchable ESP on cars like these back in the day.

WTF!!!!!

It would've saved a fair few from destruction.

Hand your PH card in!

Before I do I must mention that I have a half share in a 182 and my co-owner swapped the Ling-Longs to the rear without telling me. I found out while oversteering (almost full lock) in 4th (ESP off like a real man!) coming onto the pit straight at Bedford - was terrifying at first but after a while learnt that if I kept my foot down, the car pulled itself straight. I felt the 306 was never that benign.

[lyonspride]

Derek Chevalier said:

PhillipM said:

Derek Chevalier said:

Have you driven a 306 Rallye over and above the limit? Autocar said they were trickier than an old school 911 and I wouldn't disagree

Only if it's on st tyres or has a knackered rear beam.

I had one on P6000s IIRC, and car was only 18 months old. I've also owned/driven at length 205 1.9, 106 Rallye, 106GTI, R26.R, Civic Type R (new one) and none were quite as tricky on the limit.

So, st tyres then...... I originally had 6000s on my Westfield, it was like driving a roller skate, admittedly they mean't you could have "fun" at much safer speeds, but the OMG the squealing!!!

[james_gt3rs]

Derek Chevalier said:

Before I do I must mention that I have a half share in a 182 and my co-owner swapped the Ling-Longs to the rear without telling me.

Mean

[greenarrow]

Yep, I was one of those biding my time for one of these. When I had the chance to buy a fun car in 2015 there were none for sale and I went for the MX-5 option. The boat has now sailed it seems, although as recently as a month ago, there was a red one on Ebay for under £2,000.

So, assuming these Rallyes are now moving up in price it means that the CLIO 182 Cup assumes the brilliant hot hatch bargain "Must be a classic soon" mantle IMO. Along with the Civic Type R EP3. Both of these brilliant hatches seem criminally cheap now, especially considering they're both a fair bit nippier than a 306. Only this week I watched an EP3 sell on EBAY for £1758. I just don't have the money at the moment to buy one, annoyingly, I cant imagine they will go this cheap for too much longer.

In the meantime as a huge 306 Rallye fan, I'm so pleased to see these getting long overdue recognition on Pistonheads.

Does anyone else remember Chris Harris choosing one when he was an Autocar writer as his sub £10,000 performance car, because he remembered so well being dropped by one driven by Steve Sutcliffe on Dartmoor when he was driving a 996 Carrera 4? Those were the days!!

[TegTypeR]

Derek Chevalier said:

I had one on P6000s IIRC, and car was only 18 months old. I've also owned/driven at length 205 1.9, 106 Rallye, 106GTI, R26.R, Civic Type R (new one) and none were quite as tricky on the limit.

Having owned three, all shod initially with P6000's, I can safely say these were the worst tyre ever for a 306. They made the car do peculiar things, which whilst fun, was unnerving! The only way to sample a 306 properly (and this goes for XSi, GTi and Rallye) is to put them on their OE Michelin or Toyo T1R tyres.

People often say, how much difference can a tyre make - in this case quite alot!

[PhillipM]

Derek Chevalier said:

I had one on P6000s IIRC

Exactly
They're not called 'ditchfinders' by the Pug community for nothing...

[Derek Chevalier]

PhillipM said:

Derek Chevalier said:

I had one on P6000s IIRC

Exactly
They're not called 'ditchfinders' by the Pug community for nothing...

And all these years I'd been blaming myself for thinking it was a good idea to provoke a tail slide at >100mph at a damp Bruntingthorpe, until now only having the limited steering lock (due to 6 speed gearbox) as an excuse!!

[Ahbefive]

PhillipM said:

Derek Chevalier said:

I had one on P6000s IIRC

Exactly
They're not called 'ditchfinders' by the Pug community for nothing...

These tyres were on my Fiesta Zetec-s which I still think contributed massively to it being written off after I rolled it through someones hedge.

[750turbo]

Any excuse...

This was actually my company car, I ended up buying it - 110,000 miles in my posession.

[Ilovejapcrap]

s m said:

The infamous “Revs’ moment, frame by frame!

What’s the story ?

[gwyn rallye]

Awesome cars. Im on my second (see pic) that Ive owned since 2012. The ride/ handling on them is sublime. I couldn’t live without one. About time they were given recognition

[aaron_2000]

750turbo said:

Any excuse...

This was actually my company car, I ended up buying it - 110,000 miles in my posession.

You had a Rallye as a company car? Did your fleet manager love you so much he decided to give you a Rallye, or did your fleet manager hate you so much he decided to give you a Rallye?

[Ajmoore1983]

Here's my Rallye after a fresh polish. Had it since 2008. Absolutely love this car.

Edited by Ajmoore1983 on Friday 26th October 11:02

[wolfie28]

I owned a black Rallye back in the day and loved it. One of only 2 cars I regret selling. Traded it in for a Alfa 156 T-Spark and regretted it a month later. Ah the memories though....................

[beanie555]

Maldini35 said:

I drove one these at a Silverstone racing course about 20 years ago.
Massive lift off oversteer - especially in the wet.
Wanted one ever since but somehow never got around to it.

One like this Maldini35? I brought my GTI6 in 2004 and it is an ex Silverstone school car (number 1) used it daily until 2016 trouble free, loved it, track days, trip to Nürburgring, kids, excellent at every thing.

Modern cars with esp seem so boring after 12 years of this car...

[750turbo]

aaron_2000 said:

You had a Rallye as a company car? Did your fleet manager love you so much he decided to give you a Rallye, or did your fleet manager hate you so much he decided to give you a Rallye?

This was back in the days when we had a good choice with little restrictions, sayng that we were not allowed:

Alloys
Hatchback
3 Doors

OH! Hang on

The policy was not always strictly adhered to...

[Loyly]

lyonspride said:

So, st tyres then...... I originally had 6000s on my Westfield, it was like driving a roller skate, admittedly they mean't you could have "fun" at much safer speeds, but the OMG the squealing!!!

They are absolutely st tyres. My mk2 MX5 came with them fitted. They were as hard as nails and as greasy as wet soap. Just awful.

On the subject of the Rallye, I used to have an Indigo Blue S2 106 Rallye. It was great fun and had lots of character, and surreal handling.

[Ben_W]

As I think has already been stated, these are fantastic cars.

Whilst still relatively quick in a straight line, even in comparison to modern cars,, their strength lies in their outright point to point ability. An incredible handling machine, able to carry huge speed through the twisty stuff, Ive only driven one car which handles better, and, strangely enough, is it's very close relative, the Citroen Xsara VTS. The combo of the quick rack up front and the slightly uprated rear beam do it for me.

I own both of the cars I talk about. A 1998 S plate Rallye in red, and a 2002, 51 plate Ph2 Xsara VTS with just 57k and two previous owners. The Xsara is as clean as they come and completely standard. The Rallye is getting a full OEM restoration, because, like the 205 before them, originality is the way forward. The only thing that will be changed is the Rallye will get a Ph1 Xsara steering rack fitted (a quick rack with just 2.4 turns lock to lock, as opposed to the std GTi6/Rallye rack of 3.2 turns). I never understood why Peugeot didn't fit this rack to the sporty 306's. It absolutely transforms them....

The last point to note is that in the world of Rallye's, white seems to be the most sought after, black second and red last.....