2002 Peugeot 406 ST 2.0 HDI

Summary:

Good looking, fairly reliable car, well designed (interior and exterior) and decently engineered

Faults:

Radiator started leaking after one year, luckily it was under warranty. The dealer replaced it with a copper one, at their own cost.

The windscreen wash pump does not work, I suspect it's a contact problem rather than the pump itself.

The board computer displays an obviously erroneous message at random ('engine coolant temperature too high'), but not very often, I did not feel the need to take the car to the dealer to fix this.

General Comments:

I bought this car new, I was impressed with its looks, I thought it had a convenient price and also had positive comments from friends who have previously owned Peugeot 406. I had no problems with 406 being an old model about to be discontinued by Peugeot, on the contrary I believe new models always bring problems and factory recalls, whereas older models have had the time to 'settle'.

My 406 holds to the road very well (stable and strong) and the 2.0HDI 110bhp engine gives good torque, most notable when overtaking. At motorway cruising speed around 160 km/h the engine is surprisingly quiet and feels at ease.

I believe the classic sedan looks of this car will still be attractive for a long time to come, as fashion comes and goes. Taking for example the design of the replacing model 407 (particularly the front air intake), I am quite happy I bought the 406 shortly before they discontinued the production.

I don't have any major technical problems with the car. That's lucky I guess, because I'm none too impressed with the local dealer (which provides a fairly good level of service, but at expensive hourly rates and obviously lacks a viable appointments system).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th March, 2005