RE: Shed of the Week | Peugeot 306 XSi
Discussion
MC Bodge said:
I thought that they were pretty good too. I still do.
Looks a bit 'afterthought' to me. Never been a fan. Wasn't a fan of the saloon either actually. But the hatch is really nicely proportioned (prefer the gen 1 but it does look much older). Thought the cabrio was a really handsome car too. I used to have one of these. They definitely did 0-60 much faster than 10 seconds, 8-9 is more realistic (the GTI-6 is much faster too). Common problems were rattling sunroofs, sticking rear calipers and the wiring loom in the door wearing through causing all sorts of electrical issues. My car didn't get the super cool and convenient keypad immobiliser.
They were amazing. I had six (yes,6!) as company cars from 1995 (gen1) to 1998 (gen2). Changed them every 8000 miles. Five survived. One was destroyed on greasy roads. I’m not very good with fishtailing cars. It had a snappy read end. 32-35 mpg. Usually 32!
I’d have one again in a shot.
I’d have one again in a shot.
Lester H said:
Drove D turbo recently. At 90k it went and handled really well. Soft squashy seats and sitting on the floor driving position though.
I knew a bloke who one in the 90s. It always seemed to go quite well at the time. It would be interesting to drive a selection of well preserved late 90s/early 00s cars again to see how good they were with hindsight.Mk1 Focus
Mk1+2 Mondeo
306
406
3 series etc.
My only current retro drive is our 56 plate Fiesta that handles and rides really well, despite having very simple suspension.
This SOTW has forced me to stop lurking and post. I owned a 306 XSI for over 12 years; it had 14,000 miles on the clock when purchased and about 195,000 when it just stopped one day and I decided to dispose of it. Rarely in that time did I consider changing it for another daily driver. Whilst it wasn't perfectly reliable, it was thrashed and abused and incredibly tough. The only major work in that time was one clutch and a rear suspension rebuild, which is quite common on these when the trailing arm bearings collapse. The plastic drop links though were pretty much a service item.
As many have posted, it wasn't that quick in a straight line - a modern turbo diesel would often embarrass me away from the lights. The XSI shared garage space with a Chimaera 450 - both have their strong points but there would be only one choice on a bumpy, bendy, road. I don't think that much would stay in touch with the XSI (apart from a GTI-6) and (once you got used to it) you'd be utterly enjoying the liveliness of it's handling.
It is worth investing in some decent tyres - not the standard P6000s. I also found the standard brakes pretty weak and it very soon got fitted with Green Stuff grooved disks and associated pads on the front, which were much more effective. Don't fit Green Stuff pads to the rear, they turn the handbrake from poor to useless, not helped by the rear callipers, which need frequent attention to stop them seizing.
S824 BDK - you're still missed.
As many have posted, it wasn't that quick in a straight line - a modern turbo diesel would often embarrass me away from the lights. The XSI shared garage space with a Chimaera 450 - both have their strong points but there would be only one choice on a bumpy, bendy, road. I don't think that much would stay in touch with the XSI (apart from a GTI-6) and (once you got used to it) you'd be utterly enjoying the liveliness of it's handling.
It is worth investing in some decent tyres - not the standard P6000s. I also found the standard brakes pretty weak and it very soon got fitted with Green Stuff grooved disks and associated pads on the front, which were much more effective. Don't fit Green Stuff pads to the rear, they turn the handbrake from poor to useless, not helped by the rear callipers, which need frequent attention to stop them seizing.
S824 BDK - you're still missed.
s m said:
court said:
Sunroof rather than AC. Noice.
Plus opening rear quarter vents tooNice to have all 3 features on board as sunroof and 1/4 windows on tilt/vent make for a nice throughput of fresh air without the noise of an open door window
We were down Dorset way on that really hot patch before the summer rain and didn't miss Aircon, driving round the countryside with the fresh air was great.
One of my older relatives had a 306 non-sporty model for a few years.
He was a keen/furious driver and I always wondered why he had such "slow" cars, having had sports cars in the 70s. Looking back, in the 90s, he had a late Metro, the 306, then a Mk1 Focus 1.6 (which is still going in the family somewhere). I suspect he had realised that good handling and wringing out the limited power was where the enjoyment lay.
He was a keen/furious driver and I always wondered why he had such "slow" cars, having had sports cars in the 70s. Looking back, in the 90s, he had a late Metro, the 306, then a Mk1 Focus 1.6 (which is still going in the family somewhere). I suspect he had realised that good handling and wringing out the limited power was where the enjoyment lay.
wildoliver said:
s m said:
court said:
Sunroof rather than AC. Noice.
Plus opening rear quarter vents tooNice to have all 3 features on board as sunroof and 1/4 windows on tilt/vent make for a nice throughput of fresh air without the noise of an open door window
We were down Dorset way on that really hot patch before the summer rain and didn't miss Aircon, driving round the countryside with the fresh air was great.
My 309Gti had both ( plus the ‘ejector seat’ levers between the seats )
And my current rwd sporty hatch has them too ....with electric power no less!
I've had and driven many cars , but a 306xsi was one of my faveourites
On paper it didn't seem great but felt much faster , it felt like a practical hooligan that loved to be thrashed . Wet roundabouts were ace fun .
I bought quite a knakered example and had a few issues but it was great fun
I guess overall it wasn't to quick but the way you enjoyed how it drove more than made up for it
On paper it didn't seem great but felt much faster , it felt like a practical hooligan that loved to be thrashed . Wet roundabouts were ace fun .
I bought quite a knakered example and had a few issues but it was great fun
I guess overall it wasn't to quick but the way you enjoyed how it drove more than made up for it
These cars were much faster than advertised. My Dad had one as a company nail (an anomaly on the fleet listings, let's assume) and, as I was around 18 at the time AND INSURED ON IT, it was my preferred weekend steer instead of the more mundane 1.3CL Golf driven by mother dearest.
I can confirm, these things do indeed take a beating and have a top speed in excess of the advertised 125 mph - I received a DD40 from Preston's finest after roaring back down the M55 from Blackpool at 1:30 am trying to reach VMax with a rather well-built friend in shotgun. 127 was the quoted speed in front of the magistrate - a year's ban and a retest for my troubles.
I loved that car. I learned how to hustle down a fast B-road in it and, dare I say it, squired a few birds in the back ;-)
Glorious halcyon days of my youth brought flooding back by this week's shed. Good times.
M319 GNH - Gone but not forgotten.
I can confirm, these things do indeed take a beating and have a top speed in excess of the advertised 125 mph - I received a DD40 from Preston's finest after roaring back down the M55 from Blackpool at 1:30 am trying to reach VMax with a rather well-built friend in shotgun. 127 was the quoted speed in front of the magistrate - a year's ban and a retest for my troubles.
I loved that car. I learned how to hustle down a fast B-road in it and, dare I say it, squired a few birds in the back ;-)
Glorious halcyon days of my youth brought flooding back by this week's shed. Good times.
M319 GNH - Gone but not forgotten.
Edited by DLR_1977 on Saturday 21st September 17:59
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