2000 Peugeot 306 Meridian 2.0 HDi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Beautiful car with character

Faults:

Front brake pads and discs worn.

Rear brake pads worn.

All 4 tyres needed replacing.

Exhaust blowing.

Various bulbs blowing constantly.

General Comments:

Performance-wise this car is astonishing for a 90BHP diesel - motorway journeys are a joy due to the car's serious torque. On a twisting road virtually no other car in it's class will be able to keep up. This is all down to the superb engine which is smooth and refined at all times, quick and yet can return 700 miles to the 13 gallon tank on a long journey.

The handling is tremendous - the car sticks to the road and the steering lets you feel everything that is going on. The grip is astonishing and the car is very reluctant to understeer. This combined with the great engine makes it a top-rated driver's car.

The ride is also extremely supple and the seats and driving position are excellent, making this a comfortable car.

The interior is nicely finished with half leather trim, aluminium-effect dash and gearknob, leather-trimmed steering wheel and four head restraints. However, this is somewhat let down by the car's below par build quality. The dash rattles at low engine speeds and every time you go over a bump. However, it's ergonomics and boot space cannot be faulted. The same can be said for it's equipment levels with analogue climate control, electric front windows, rain-sensitive wipers, remote locking/alarm.

Last, but not least is the car's exterior. Mine is in a lovely shade of metallic ice blue and although it's the 5-door version, it looks great with side skirts, alloys and front spots.

Overall a brilliant car with very few faults. Forget the GTI-6 and buy one of these instead. You won't be disappointed!!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 31st March, 2005

11th Oct 2005, 14:37

Update: Car now at 80000 miles. Running like new. Had it performance chipped to 120BHP and now goes like a train. Fantastic car, fantastic handling, fantastic engine. If you don't buy one you're missing out badly!!

2000 Peugeot 306 Meridian Estate 2.0 HDI from UK and Ireland

Summary:

This is the best car I have ever owned despite questionable build quality

Faults:

Rear wiper motor failed at 62,000 miles.

Stop light comes on intermittently in town when car hasn't been used for several days. Dealer states this is due to clutch position, but still hasn't cured it. Fault disappears on the open road.

Heated rear window switch packed up at 58,000 miles. Don't consider that is much of a problem with an estate.

Catalytic converter causing electrolytic reaction with exhaust pipe assembly. Welded by dealer at minimal cost.

Trim on front grille above front bumper has worked loose.

General Comments:

The car is fairly quick for a diesel, but a heavy fierce clutch and all or nothing brakes makes for a choppy ride in town.

Gearbox fairly smooth for a Peugeot.

Care has to be taken exiting roundabouts in the wet not to put your right foot down hard or the car will drift and slide violently.

I cover a high mileage and the car has proved itself as a rugged reliable machine.

There is lack of space in rear seats.

Would definitely buy another Turbo Diesel 306, but not the estate version.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th March, 2005

30th Mar 2005, 04:31

I wrote this review and have noted that I failed to check all of the fields before submission.

The car is a Manual and not an automatic.

We are lucky to live in a small town where the Peugeot dealership has been in existence for many years, and our dealer is a family business offering service which is second to none. They will never replace anything if it can be repaired, and that factor alone ensures that I will be driving Peugeots for many years to come. The dealership score is therefore 9/10, as nobody trusts their dealer implicitly, do they?

Certainly the 306, and Peugeots in general, get a fairly rough time on review sites from owners. These are mass-produced cars which generate mass-produced problems. I have friends who have owned the "better" German makes, and these days it doesn't seem to matter what make you buy, you will not be guaranteed trouble free motoring unless you are very lucky indeed. Modern cars have simply become too complicated to offer years of trouble free motoring, and it appears we have to accept that fact. There will certainly be no return to the old basic "home mechanic friendly" family cars that we all used to spend hours crawling underneath, content that we had saved a tenner despite the cuts and bruises that we had to endure by so doing.

The Peugeot 306 is no worse than its rivals, and to those of us who do not have the means to buy new, then I have found that it is the best of a bad lot. The engines are first rate, as witnessed by the number of high milers still on our roads. The body style is to my mind far superior to some awful looking recent introductions from the far east.

The handling, whilst not superb, is better than you'll find on any similarly priced car, although the estate version requires a bit of care with a lively back end in the wet.

Therefore, find a decent one, enjoy Peugeot 306 motoring, and put some money away to fund the inevitable running costs that are bound to ensue.

The moral would appear to be, if it has no service history then forget the car and spend your money on some lottery tickets, as the outcome will be the same.