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).

Faults:

Absolutely nothing. Perhaps this is because we have driven it relatively very little. My mother alternates between this 406 and her old 405.

It was built in Thailand, and the build quality is, dare I say, much better than those earlier ones imported from France.

General Comments:

In Thailand, this car is the best value for the money, used or new. We got it new for 1.2 million baht ($30,000 at 2002 rate) and compared to other makes, it was definitely the best car we could have gotten.

Performance was very good for a car that size with a 2.0 liter. Fuel consumption was not great, but reasonable.

Interior, OEM sound system, and other accessories/gimmicks work wonderfully. Interior space is a little cramp, though. Seats 4 comfortably, 5 not so. Leather seats are nice and comfortable.

Best of all is handling. You can drive it up to 180 km/h and still feels as if you were doing 120 km/h. Suspension and steering systems are comparable to, if not better than, cars three times its price, such as BMW 5-series.

Faults:

Two factory recalls, one on boot lock, one on side impact air bag.

Front brake disks warping.

Drivers heated mirror not working.

Cd player jumping.

Faulty oil level indicator x 2.

Oil leak from new oil sensor.

Indicators not operating properly x 3.

Horn defective.

Rain sensor slow to operate.

Passenger window rattles.

Central locking either nothing locks or everything unlocks by itself x 2.

New alternator fitted.

General Comments:

If you ignore all of the faults that the car has had, then the car itself is quite economical, comfy and good to drive. The main problem arises when you need to get the repairs done. I would not buy another Peugeot, not just because of the fault's, as if they are not enough, but also because of the poor back up you get from the dealer/Peugeot.