Faults:

Air-bag light is either flashing or stays on.

Rear brake cylinder developed a leak.

General Comments:

This car offers a great mix of performance and economy. The 92bhp 1.9 turbo diesel unit is superb. It may only do 110mph flat out, but the 144lb/ft of torque means that overtaking is impressive. Ordinarily in diesel cars you rev the engine and it sounds like a tractor, but the 306 D-turbo makes a cool whistling noise.

The handling is excellent. After buying the car I changed the standard 14" D-turbo wheels for 15" GTI-6 alloys with 195-55-R15 Pirelli's. The car now corners at impressive speeds, but watch out for that lift off over-steer. It is also very good on jumps. It is very entertaining to drive on back-roads.

My biggest complaint about this car is that the brakes are absolutley rubbish.

The styling hasn't dated and in my opinion it is a far better looking car than the 307.

Faults:

General wear and tear items. Front brakes (pads and disks) £90.

One of the rear brake cylinders has a very slight leak, but has at least 6 months left in it.

Air Con hasn't worked for 5 years. There is a leak in the system somewhere that can't be found.

General Comments:

This car is absolutely superb.

Starts on the first turn.

Engine can be a little noisy when cold, but it has done 140k.

Seats are very comfy and sporty looking, drivers seat has however just started to wear thin on one side.

Fuel economy is excellent. Can fill it up (

Faults:

Squeaky brake and clutch pedal.

Radio cassette player display has started to deteriorate, but is still readable (just).

Very slight slip on clutch.

Many rattles from interior.

Not much else.

General Comments:

Half-decent performance from the 1400cc engine, but struggles on the motorway.

Noisy engine around town and lots of wind/road noise above 50mph.

Comfortable seats and excellent driving position for a six-footer like myself. Excellent ergonomics and a wonderful gearchange. Spacious and comfortable, but lack of central locking is an absolute pain.

Steering gives great feedback and is very precise, but does tend to understeer rather a lot on tight corners. This is more than likely due to the poor quality tyres current fitted to the car (these cars need the BEST tyres available).

An excellent little car which is respectable over long distances.

Faults:

Stereo fuse blew when I replaced the standard Clarion PU with a Blaupunkt Daytona. Internals in the fuel pump shut and the car wouldn't start, clocks stuck upright in the dashboard. Couldn't even hand prime it.

Needed a complete new exhaust for MOT (still had its original exhaust at 95,000 miles, though with 7 holes in it...loud.

Track rod ends and bushes wore out quickly.

Nearside CV boot split, ridiculously hard to track down a replacement.

A\C compressor doesn't work.

Heater works intermittently.

Rev counter cuts out.

Airbag triggers went twice, because (according to the dealership) people were 'getting in the car wrong'.

Clutch cable replaced at 78 000 miles, still bloody heavy.

Master cylinder completely failed on me (90,000 m) on a downhill gradient in Lancaster. Scary.

General Comments:

Quick in the mid ranges (especially in third, I can annoy 318 drivers) but garbage from a standing start, perhaps it is my launch technique, but I got pasted by a Maestro last week.

Handles really well for a car of its size, although anyone who reckons the slower 306s don't possess lift off oversteer traits are lying.

Seats are comfortable (although upholstered in a foul looking (and feeling) velour... would replace with a full meridian interior if I could find one at a reasonable price) but back ache sets in on very long journeys.

Very economical on the motorways even if you cane it. Got from Altrincham to Norwich on just under half a tank. Not so parsimonious in town mind.

Boot nice and big. Will take a full drum kit if you fold the the rear split down.

Standard speakers OK (although standard head unit is poo).

Interior plastics scratch very easily.

Split gloveboxes a bit pointless because you can't fit much in them.

Horrid upholstery wearing well.

Engine really loud in the morning. Also smells a bit.