Faults:

Quite a lot, but mostly wear and tear considering how old the car is and the fact it is over 150K miles. I have replaced mostly mechanical items. No major faults, except the fact the ABS sensor light has been on three times in my ownership, mostly just a sensor but never seems to go away sometimes.

Engine has an oil leak now, but not serious, probably rocker cover gasket.

The car's bodywork and interior have been well cared for, this car has been garaged and serviced since new (I knew the previous owner).

General Comments:

The 406 is a seriously good looking car in my opinion. My car is blue with standard GLX wheels, looks the part. Plenty of electric items.

Smooth to drive. Seats are comfy. Interior is quiet. 2.0 petrol is not very fast, and struggles a bit to average 34 mpg, nothing fancy by today's cars. Good to drive.

I think it has improved on most areas over the old 405, but reliability has been patchy, I do not think it was built as well as the older car.

But it is a really good looking car and a rare sight on the road now; I am keeping mine as an interesting second car. Not old enough to be a classic, and modern enough to still use every now and then.

Faults:

2 wheel bearings.

Head gasket at 260000.

Around 5 rear suspension link rods.

Exhaust front pipe renewed at 365000 miles.

What a great car.

Interior like new, considering it's been a taxi since 13000 miles.

General Comments:

This car is virtually bullet proof.

Would buy another 406 if they still made them.

No complaints, that's it.

Faults:

* Car idling too high - between 1,000 and 1,200 rpm.

* Car sometimes goes into limp mode at dangerous times - each time I get the fault codes diagnosed, something else was reporting a fault - £300 and a batch of new sensors later, the fault was not fixed. (Could have a software fault as in the Renault Laguna petrol models?)

* Usual wear and tear.

General Comments:

Beautiful car in special edition three-tone blue, which looks grey in rainy weather and almost green in the sun. The first thing people remarked on was the stunning colour, which made the car look halfway between a sports saloon and an executive motor.

The late model 406 looks like it cost twice what I paid for it, and it's a lot prettier than most other saloons of its era (and those that came afterwards, when they all started to resemble the blocky, unattractive new Vectra of the mid-2000s).

Build quality was a big step-up from the mark 1. Everything felt solid and well put together, with none of the rattles or squeaks familiar from the days I used to own the mark 1 models.

Handling is not quite as good as the mark 1; there is more body roll and less steering feedback, due to the car's noticeably greater weight, so it was less entertaining to drive; unusual for a 406, which has always been one of the more engaging cars in its class. For sheer pleasure, the mark 1 two-litre turbo is a better proposition, although the old turbo model loses out in overall quality and equipment when compared directly to the 2.2 (its replacement).

Acceleration is brisk and satisfying with decent pull right to the redline; in a straight line it feels quicker and more aggressive than the old 2.0 turbo. The 406, if well-driven, can be a match for sportier motors in a straight line.

The engine responds very well to tuning. A Collins Powerchip, a full stainless exhaust and an induction kit transformed the car into a raging maniac, with torque spilling over in all gears, and the ability to accelerate right into the redline. After modification, the car simply launched itself at high revs, with each thousand extra revs bringing a new surge of power, even at 5000rpm and higher.

The sound system is a bit crap, but the size and shape of the 406 saloon offers plenty of room for improvement. A halfway decent sound system is amazing. The amount of soundproofing in the bodywork also prevents irritating boom-boom-booming as you drive past housing estates.

The whole car is an impressive package. I even managed 30+mpg after the car was tuned to 180-190bhp, although this plummets with aggressive driving.

Overall I had few problems with this car, it was just the same one issue again and again. I cannot really see the appeal of a Ford, Vauxhall or Audi over the Peugeot 406, and only the BMW's vaunted rear-wheel drive and sporty driving appeal would make me consider a 3-series over a 406. In the end, I'd probably still go for the 406, as it's a good, solid car.

The motoring press constantly criticised Peugeot for not updating the 406 or replacing it two minutes after its launch; however the 406 continued to sell in massive numbers despite remaining basically the same car throughout its product life. Millions of motorists cannot all be wrong. This is the 406's enduring testament.

It's an unsung hero of the saloon car world.