RE: Peugeot 405 Mi16: Spotted
Discussion
Ah yes, had one of these back in the mid/late 90s. In some ways a great car; the only car I've lapped Nürburgring in (4 laps - I bottled after that due to deconstructing tyres and fear of death), and the first car I'd ever driven at 140mph (of the Autobahn, officer). Great handling in the dry, but even the slightest reduction in throttle would see the tail out on a bend in the wet. Fun on a roundabout; less so on an Alpine mountain pass.
But the car had its issues. When I bought it it had a sticking rev counter, so I took the instrument binnacle to bits to find that half the warning lights had been removed. Once replaced, it was like Christmas on Oxford Street. The brakes were the issue - a first gen ABS system running on pressurised hydraulics (bit like Citroen system, but running from an electric pump). In the end I had to replace all sensors and the brake pump over a period of 2 years, costing me over £2k. Ouch.
The engine was great (1.9l, 160hp) when it was on cam, pulling strongly from 4k to just over 7 with a great noise to boot, but under 4k it barely moved. The 1.9l turbodiesels of the day would leave you for dead at the lights unless you revved it to 5k and slipped the clutch!
Agree with the earlier comment about deconstructing interior trim. Was a rattle machine. But had lovely leather and was very well appointed.
Gen 2 cars had the 2l engine which traded 5bhp for much better low rev torque; also gained a single piece dashboard which was made of stiffer cardboard!
But the car had its issues. When I bought it it had a sticking rev counter, so I took the instrument binnacle to bits to find that half the warning lights had been removed. Once replaced, it was like Christmas on Oxford Street. The brakes were the issue - a first gen ABS system running on pressurised hydraulics (bit like Citroen system, but running from an electric pump). In the end I had to replace all sensors and the brake pump over a period of 2 years, costing me over £2k. Ouch.
The engine was great (1.9l, 160hp) when it was on cam, pulling strongly from 4k to just over 7 with a great noise to boot, but under 4k it barely moved. The 1.9l turbodiesels of the day would leave you for dead at the lights unless you revved it to 5k and slipped the clutch!
Agree with the earlier comment about deconstructing interior trim. Was a rattle machine. But had lovely leather and was very well appointed.
Gen 2 cars had the 2l engine which traded 5bhp for much better low rev torque; also gained a single piece dashboard which was made of stiffer cardboard!
TheBALDpuma said:
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.I actually think the 508 is up the with the best looking saloons on sale at the minute. Bringing back the 80s square lines.
Mi16liam said:
I own the 1989 1.9 one mentioned above.
It's a car I wanted since being a child and now it's fully restored back to factory it's wonderful and people have a lot of things nice to say about it
It's been in modern classics mag
Autocar
Practical classics
Peugeot use it too.
Regarding parts they are very hard to keep on the road. Wheel bearing's are the most difficult part to source.
Hoses second
And then there's the Bendix braking system. That was the real killer of the very early mi16s.
I do love the car.
Love this, just oozes French leftfield'ism, one thing I noticed is how small the wheels are. It's a car I wanted since being a child and now it's fully restored back to factory it's wonderful and people have a lot of things nice to say about it
It's been in modern classics mag
Autocar
Practical classics
Peugeot use it too.
Regarding parts they are very hard to keep on the road. Wheel bearing's are the most difficult part to source.
Hoses second
And then there's the Bendix braking system. That was the real killer of the very early mi16s.
I do love the car.
Edited by Mi16liam on Sunday 5th May 09:30
Edited by Mi16liam on Sunday 5th May 09:31
But, they look so much more purposeful than the massive, modern "chav" equivalents you see nowadays, always had a soft spot for the 405 in general.
Even the standard diesel 405 estate my grandad had back in '90 was a great wagon!
TheBALDpuma said:
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.I actually think the 508 is up the with the best looking saloons on sale at the minute. Bringing back the 80s square lines.
Had a white one just like in the photo, H reg. went well but, just like my R5 turbo ‘Raider’ was typically french build quality. Bested easily by the 309 going I had which was agin built on a Friday afternoon but a beautifully balanced car to drive quickly. All serve to remind us how much better fast hatches and saloons are today. Makes me feel old!
oilit said:
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)
Oh no, you'd know if it had failed - you didn't get no ABS, the entire valve block failed open and you got no brakes at all. Rather a hairy stop on the handbrake that one....thank god for the 4wd....
PhillipM said:
Oh no, you'd know if it had failed - you didn't get no ABS, the entire valve block failed open and you got no brakes at all.
Rather a hairy stop on the handbrake that one....thank god for the 4wd....
Ah that is interesting - lord only knows then - I think it was a J or K reg - long time ago and my brain only remembers teh legs and the long skid..Rather a hairy stop on the handbrake that one....thank god for the 4wd....
My brother in law had one of these in white. Switched a Nissan Cherry for it, which was my favourite odd px (until I swapped my SAAB 9-5 estate for a TVR Chimaera).
His was awesome. Looked like a shark. Went like one too.
My dad had an E30 325i, and I remember as a 10 year old feeling so lucky to have these two wonderful machines in the family.
His was awesome. Looked like a shark. Went like one too.
My dad had an E30 325i, and I remember as a 10 year old feeling so lucky to have these two wonderful machines in the family.
Had one back in the day (91 on a J plate) in '95 and paid the same as this one £5k !!
Always wanted one but was disappointed with the performance - the 2.0 16v Mazda 626 GT coupe I had before it was way quicker.
Sold it after 6 months for a Renault 21 turbo and wow now that was quick ………………….until I found Mitsubishi Evos 4 years later :-)
Always wanted one but was disappointed with the performance - the 2.0 16v Mazda 626 GT coupe I had before it was way quicker.
Sold it after 6 months for a Renault 21 turbo and wow now that was quick ………………….until I found Mitsubishi Evos 4 years later :-)
Mi16liam said:
I own the 1989 1.9 one mentioned above.
It's a car I wanted since being a child and now it's fully restored back to factory it's wonderful and people have a lot of things nice to say about it
It's been in modern classics mag
Autocar
Practical classics
Peugeot use it too.
Regarding parts they are very hard to keep on the road. Wheel bearing's are the most difficult part to source.
Hoses second
And then there's the Bendix braking system. That was the real killer of the very early mi16s.
I do love the car.
Cool! I thought it might be lurking on here somewhere. Car looks fantastic, top work! It's a car I wanted since being a child and now it's fully restored back to factory it's wonderful and people have a lot of things nice to say about it
It's been in modern classics mag
Autocar
Practical classics
Peugeot use it too.
Regarding parts they are very hard to keep on the road. Wheel bearing's are the most difficult part to source.
Hoses second
And then there's the Bendix braking system. That was the real killer of the very early mi16s.
I do love the car.
Edited by Mi16liam on Sunday 5th May 09:30
Edited by Mi16liam on Sunday 5th May 09:31
Loooovely. Always liked those.
I had a 405 1.9 DTurbo back in 1998. Lovely handling thing that was. Always lusted after an Mi16! In the end i got fed up of being mistaken for a taxi driver and traded it for a 205 1.6 GTI.
I've not lost touch completely with Peugeot though. Got a low mileage 306 GTI-6 gathering dust. Just getting together some enthusiasm to get it MOT'd and/or on ebay. I've had it for 4 years and after an initial flurry of spending on it (clutch, throttle cable, gear linkages, brakes, tyres) it has just sat there. Poor thing
I had a 405 1.9 DTurbo back in 1998. Lovely handling thing that was. Always lusted after an Mi16! In the end i got fed up of being mistaken for a taxi driver and traded it for a 205 1.6 GTI.
I've not lost touch completely with Peugeot though. Got a low mileage 306 GTI-6 gathering dust. Just getting together some enthusiasm to get it MOT'd and/or on ebay. I've had it for 4 years and after an initial flurry of spending on it (clutch, throttle cable, gear linkages, brakes, tyres) it has just sat there. Poor thing
I had two from brand new - an 89 F-plate early car on 14in wheels in grey just like the one in the photos, then a 1990 G-plate 4x4 in white. Fantastic cars, had no problems, no build quality issues at all - every bit as good as anything of that era. Highlight was the amazingly revvy 16v engine - and the endless grip of the 4x4.
These followed 104 ZS (2), a Samba Rallye, 205 GTI, 205 CTI (2 of those), but I never bought another new Peugeot. A 406 V6 Coupe was tempting but by then I had a company Astra (1993 and the worst car I've ever had by a mile). After that I got into Italian stuff - Lancia, Fiat Barchetta, Alfa 147s and Giuliettas, Ferraris...
But Peugeot does seem to be finding its way again after dreadful stuff like the abysmal 307. The RCZ R is a future classic and I wouldn't mind that new 508 as my next company car if the lease rates are good.
Vive la France, encore?
These followed 104 ZS (2), a Samba Rallye, 205 GTI, 205 CTI (2 of those), but I never bought another new Peugeot. A 406 V6 Coupe was tempting but by then I had a company Astra (1993 and the worst car I've ever had by a mile). After that I got into Italian stuff - Lancia, Fiat Barchetta, Alfa 147s and Giuliettas, Ferraris...
But Peugeot does seem to be finding its way again after dreadful stuff like the abysmal 307. The RCZ R is a future classic and I wouldn't mind that new 508 as my next company car if the lease rates are good.
Vive la France, encore?
I’ve always had a soft spot for the 405 ever since owning a fairly late 1.9 D Turbo, really nice enjoyable car to drive and had leather and A/C which was pretty unheard of on cheap 90s saloons!.
They also did a 405 T16 which was a 2 litre turbo awd with 225 BHP IIRC, left hand drive only and don’t think any made it to the UK, wonder if there are many left knocking about on the continent.
They also did a 405 T16 which was a 2 litre turbo awd with 225 BHP IIRC, left hand drive only and don’t think any made it to the UK, wonder if there are many left knocking about on the continent.
I had one of these as a company car in 1989 or 1990, G reg I think. It followed 2 Renault 5 Turbos and a 205 1.9. Changed the Mi16 for a Renault 19 16v saloon so I had a real fast French car love-in for about 8 or 9 years - partly because my company car allowance would not get me past a 318i.
Had to change from hatchbacks due to family requirements. ‘My’ Mi16 was a great car for what it was - comfortable as a family wagon but still really enjoyable to hustle along when driving alone.
Don’t remember any issues with it which was unusual for any late 80s car - scary to think that was 30 years ago.
Had to change from hatchbacks due to family requirements. ‘My’ Mi16 was a great car for what it was - comfortable as a family wagon but still really enjoyable to hustle along when driving alone.
Don’t remember any issues with it which was unusual for any late 80s car - scary to think that was 30 years ago.
Edited by pjv997 on Tuesday 7th May 19:52
Another interesting fact about Peugeot’s of that era was the insurance.
When I bought my first 405 ( an SRi) I really wanted a Cavalier SRi, but the insurance was a killer, especially as I had just had my Nova GSi stolen!.
The 405 SRi was way cheaper and the Mi16 not much more when I moved up two years later.
The Mi got knicked too mind, but I got that back.
When I bought my first 405 ( an SRi) I really wanted a Cavalier SRi, but the insurance was a killer, especially as I had just had my Nova GSi stolen!.
The 405 SRi was way cheaper and the Mi16 not much more when I moved up two years later.
The Mi got knicked too mind, but I got that back.
CDP said:
TheBALDpuma said:
Old Merc said:
JimSuperSix said:
That is a really good looking car. I hope they sell in decent numbers.And dynamically they just seem desperate to make miserable UVs (dropped the S as there is nothing "Sporting" about cr*p like that).
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