Thanks for all your postings guys, Please keep them coming in.
Isn't Saxo more expensive and less reliable than Peugeots? I've heard their electrics are worst than Pugs?
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The Saxo and 106 are identical vehicles in all significant details.
In my view, the 1.5 diesel is the best of the bunch by far, giving astonishing economy with very reasonable performance. As has been said, it has a fair amount of "grunt" - good for a town car. Avoid at all costs the aluminium block 1.4 diesel, and any car fitted with the keypad immobiliser (up to about 1997).
Good: 1.5 diesel engine, galvanised outer panels, availability of pattern spares, roadholding & handling, easy sevicing.
Bad: Rust under rear end (remove spare wheel to check), radiators, brakes, pedal layout & driving position, electrical connections including immobiliser transponder aerial coil. There is a multiway connector in the front LH wheelarch - well done PSA.
Probably the best low cost town runabout available.
659.
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We have owned a 1.4 diesel from new.
Great car.
Watch rust under rear: as 659 says. You MUST check VERY carefully: the welded seams go..
Watch hoses and radiator: corrosion is obvious at top: antifreeze stains. Often less visible at bottom. IF the coolant is rusty/muddy walk away.
Power steering is a MUST with diesels.
Auxiiliary belts often wear quickly..
Swivel joints on lower front wishbone arms fail: a new wishbone is quickest and easist solution.
Easy maintenance.
1.1 Petrol nice: older son has done 40k in one from 30k to 70k in 3 years.with no major problems.
Driveshaft gaiters often fail.
Front disks rust. Easy change but depending upon type, calipers can be partially rusted up (slides holding pads in)
Check for immobiliser failure on 1997-9 models.. infrequent starting problem. £15 fix and 30 mins.
Rear wheel cyclinders fail. Rear wheel brake linings can become detached: sympton funny feel to handbrake..
(high miles and neglect).
55mpg from diesles on average - more on long runs.
If you are tall/have big feet then too cramped driving poistion - see 659
Saxo and 106 identical apart from badges/minor trim.
madf
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SWMBO had an L-reg 1.4 XSi for a couple of years. Completely and utterly reliable and great to drive. Too buzzy to be any cop on the motorway, and the engine was very peaky, but it really did fly if you worked it hard.
Unassisted steering was a bit heavy when parking (I suspect the thinner tyred standard models are better in this respect) but there was loads of feel through the wheel at speed, and the gearbox was sweet enough. Interior a bit crappy with those lovely brittle, creaky French plastics everywhere, but it all worked and nothing fell off in the time we had it.
Not a comfortable car for taller people (I'm 6ft 2). The seat could have done with going back a couple more notches and the pedal box is ridiculously cramped and offset just far enough to the left to feel awkward. The throttle pedal is almost in line with the steering column. Tiny pedals too - I could almost press all three of them with one foot at the same time.
Bought with 82,000 on the clock, sold with 94,000. No breakdowns, no major problems, and only a leaking rear quarterlight seal to spoil an otherwise perfect fault record. This is a common fault apparently, but the seals aren't dear from Peugeot (about 15 quid if I recall and about 5 mins to fit). The engine was a bit tappety (clearances checked out fine), but it pulled well and didn't burn oil. I was told it's a characteristic of the TU engine when it's got a few miles on it and not to worry. Certainly it never got worse or caused any other problems.
The front discs were badly lipped when I bought it, but I haggled the guy down and did the job myself for less than I'd knocked off the price which is always a nice thing. Other than that, in the two years we had it, I did two services on it, plus the cambelt and aforementioned window seal. The car cost me not much more than £100 in maintenance and repairs in the 2 years I had it which is impressive by any standards. The remote locking never worked, but it never bothered me enough to be bothered to fix it.
Overall, I liked it a lot, and I'd have another. Proper, simple, fun small car like they just don't make any more.
Cheers
DP
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I think we've covered most things between replies, but a couple of further points:
The rear suspension trailing arm bearings are prone to rusting/breaking up at high mileages (the roller bearings get rain water in them). Look at the car squarely from the rear.
If you see /-----| or |----\ or even /----\ the bearings on the "sloping" side are shot. A further test is to jack up the rear completely and check the arm bearings carefully for any free play.
This problem is just not worth fixing. If you are a lover of grotty jobs, the whole axle assembly can be swapped, but the breakers know what these are worth, and good ones are scarce.
I can't agree about the need for power steering, the 1.5 diesel I use occasionally is fine for a reasonably muscular person. Remember that the electric power steer on the later models is not a paragon of reliability - you're better off without it. Simple is wonderful, as has been said.
659.
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Gremlins in the sloping lines department: |----\ and /----\ were the last two.
659.
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I give up!!! (but you get the drift).
659.
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Guys you've put me off somewhat. Ok I don't want any luxury, a simple 1.1 car without power steering, central locking etc..Sounds like I'll really have to open up my eyes when looking on Pug106 or Citroen Saxo.
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Think if you post a similar message about a £700 you would have a similar response. I would take all the above as positive. I certainly would have another without thinking about it. It just boils down to finding a good one.
Even a £700 quality car is going to have areas to watch.
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I would not be put off by my comments. If you had asked about a Mark 3 Fiesta I would have said very similar things ... especially rust!!
The fact is the 106/Saxo are plentiful/easy to maintain/nice to drive and only really rust - if they do rust - in one place.
For £700 you are NOT going to buy a car without a few faults.
But there are lots around so you can pick and choose.. and a few well maintained low mileage ones as well...
madf
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LoveMazda, I have just sold my 97 Saxo 1.5D for £600 to my B-I-L. I had it for 5 years, took it from 20k to 90k miles, over that 70000 miles I average over 60mpg. Regularly drove it on 80 mile round trips to work.
I would thoroughly recommend the car. It had the keypad immobiliser and I never had a whiff of a problem with it. Latterly, I just took it into National every 6000miles for an oil and filter change. I am totally un-mechanically minded but was able to change the brake pads and discs myself.
Car never once failed to start. Sometimes you might be turning it for a few seconds but never failed to start.
Sister had a 106 and it suffered from the axle problem described above. I had the Saxo SX, it had PAS, E/W, sunroof. That was all the toys I needed.
Oh, and the only bit of rust on it was a bit on the roof where a lorry had thrown up a stone and it chipped it. The rust had stayed the same way for 3 years since it happened.
As a cheap, economical and comfortable car, I would thoroughly recommend it. I was so confident in it that I sold it to my own B-I-L.
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A couple of years ago I got myself a nice 106 1.5 diesel, it was the "Zest 3" model so had electric windows and power steering and suchlike, but it was still a very basic car.
(Incidentally, the power steering pump failed just before I took delivery, which delayed me getting the car for a week, but since it's a £300 cost for replacement, lucky it happened before I got it.)
It did me fantastic service for twelve months (and returned about 65mpg), but then one day it refused to start (it'd sort of chug over, emit an alarming plume of smoke, and then die).
Had to get it towed, and it was discovered that the major fuel injector box of tricks had rotted from the inside, maybe it'd had water through it at some point.
Cost for replacement and labour was an eye-watering £950.
I got the car fixed but I'd lost faith in it by that point, so I sold it for £2000 and got myself a 1996 Mondeo instead. (Which was an infinitely nicer car to drive.)
That said, I'm sure my experience with the 106 is pretty unusual, and if you can put up with the very noisy engine and basic accommodation, they're a decent little car with enough poke around town, and 65mpg (with diesel at about £1 per litre) can't be sniffed at.
Incidentally, my dad's had a diesel 106 for about three or four years now, and he's put an awful lot of miles onto it, and it's never missed a beat, he said it's given him the cheapest, most reliable motoring of his life. (Believe it or not he regularly does a Manchester-Scotland and return trip in it, it sits at 80-85mph quite comfortably, and he finds it plenty comfortable, even on such a long trip.)
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Had to get it towed, and it was discovered that the major fuel injector box of tricks had rotted from the inside, maybe it'd had water through it at some point. Cost for replacement and labour was an eye-watering £950.
On our XSi, the ECU was located under the bonnet directly underneath the shutline between the top of the wing and bonnet. No splash shields on it and not even a plastic cover over the multiplug connector.
I was expecting grief as a result of this, but mine was OK thankfully.
Cheers
DP
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Same on my former 306! Others I have seen have a little bag over the top. Still...what a place to put an ECU.
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>Guys you've put me off somewhat.
Having read this thread I find the comments remarkably positive! Just a couple of sensible warnings. Based on this I might consider one as an addition to the fleet to keep in France.
A £700 car is always gamble, but you can minimise the risks with a sensible choice. First ensure a longish MoT and look for a well maintained single owner version with a reason for selling. Remember a 12 month mot might hide the reasons it is being sold! Check for advisories.
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pmh (was peter)
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Hi Mazman,
I have the same problem, my 1.5 diesel S reg, starts most times. But sometimes It just turns over but does not fire, like the fuel cut off soleniod is stuck.
If you can help me, then I'd be grateful if you could reply to my post in Technical Matters. Thanks.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 25/10/2007 at 20:36
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659FBE advised earlier to avoid 1.4 diesel at any cost. I would like to know are they all really bad? I've seen a 1.4 diesel 106 which is low mileage and its within my budger so I'm quite tempted to go for it but I don't want to buy something that'll be nothing but trouble afterwards. So please advise.
Also I would like to know what you guys think or if have any experience with old Astra 1.7 diesels (the one that comes in M/N reg). Are they reliable and return good MPG? Which one's more economical standard diesel or TD? Thanks guys.
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We had the 1.4 diesel, and apart from the HGF never had any problems with it. Yes it was extremely slow, and useless on steep hills, but apart from that thought it a great little car for a town runabout.
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The 1,4 diesel is slow and without power steering is a real pig to park. We had problems with gear selector linkage but it was head gasket failure which led to it going to a new home. All in all, considering the lack of tlc it received it wasn't that bad.
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The 1.5 litre engine is better in every respect - iron block, no cylinder liner fretting meaning longer head gasket life, and more power. As the economy is just as good and the 1.5 engines are readily available at rock bottom prices, it would not make any sense to buy a 1.4 now.
659.
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>Lovemazda
Wife has had a 1.4 diesel from new and still has. It has an average journey length of 1 mile or so and has NEVER failed us when running in 13 years. Anuual oil and filter changes and check of cooling antifreeze is the key - as it is an aluminium block and head ANY cooling system weakness can be fatal.
It is SLOW. But for town work it just keeps going and in reality is no problem unless laden with 4 adults (large kids) and driven up hills.
Ours has been to Scotland and back.. and averaged 65mph - foot hard down on hills.
About 60 -65mpg on long runs.
As a runaround a wellmaintained one is cheap and comfortable (although we are average height and a six footer might struggle:-)
After 13 years it still looks less than 5 years old and has minimal rust (waxoil).
Basically ok - check for all faults and run away from one which looks as if engine is neglected or ANY signs of coolant leaks. There is one engine hose on auxiliary belts side - with multiple connections running from water pump to radiator. This tends to split at ends and costs around £35.. Inspect ALL VERY carefully.
madf
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Spent a few days earlier this year driving up and down the Alpes Maritimes behind Nice and Monte Carlo with a six-year-old 106 1.4 petrol, carrying four largish adults. It went amazingly well and was much more roomy than I expected.
I mentioned in another thread that the 106 non-turbo diesel I had on road test years ago was probably the most sluggish car I ever drove. It was very new though.
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I've owned an L reg 106 1.4 diesel for the past 2 1/2 years, purchased for £1000
Over that time I've covered 20K, driving it daily and nearly all short, stop start trips and lost of sitting in traffic.
Average of 55mpg, along with lower road tax keeps running costs down
Easy to drive, and though not fast it can keep up with traffic in town & does everything I want of it. Have also taken it on longer trips, obviously doesn't have the comfort or power of a bigger car, but it's not intolerable.
Never found the lack of power steering a problem, alhtough my wife does. I suspect she tries to turn the wheel when the car is not rolling.
I can fit 2.4m lengths of timber inside if necessary, and have fitted a tow bar and have no problems towing my sailing dinghy with it.
Floor around the handbrake splitting is a common fault on older models, & costs a bit to fix as seats and carpets have to come out first.
Ignoring depreciation my total running costs; fuel, fully comp insurance, breakdown recovery, tax, mots, servicing and repairs have been £3,325 or £110/month
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i wouldnt buy the old 1.4 but i do like the 1.5 engines
at the end of the day you stand more chance of buying a bad 1.4 due to age
i used to see loads of these at auction with the usual drained water trick........... get it through the sale fast............
look for a 1.5 and spend a grand...... £700 is not enough for a sorted goodun unless widow twankey died in it and her sons want the spoils of the will splitting quickly
There is nothing wrong with the petrols either by the way if they have been serviced and arent a milion miles behind in mpg figures for your stop start/ type driving thats contemplated
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Guys I've managed to buy a 106 1.5 diesel within my budget. Its done just over 100k and seems to be in good condition. Drove it for 20/30 miles and it seems to be a nice car to drive.
So far the only slightly annoying thing is the battery light (in the dashboard) comes on every now and then and then just disappers. Any idea what it might be? I don't think it'll be battery light because car starts the first time everytime you start it up.
It hasn't got any proper service history so to make sure it stays troublefree I want to service it to start with. I'll do the job myself. What's the best possible oil for this engine? Shall I change the cam belt on it or shall I let it run for a bit before thinking about it? Any other suggestions? Also when turning right car makes a noise and it seems as if the CV joint needs replacing on o/s.
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First check for the battery light problem is the alternator drive belt, which on this car drives nothing else. It's tensioned with an idler which is adjustable from underneath - you need a hex key and a 13 AF spanner. The belt needs to be pretty tight on these cars; it should "ping" when you twang the longest run.
If the alternator drive is OK, check the fuses, then the ignition switch. If there are any voltage drops on the battery side of the warning light, it will glow when the alternator is running.
I would suggest a semi-synth 10W-40 oil for this engine, preferably meeting ACEA spec. B4. Fuchs make a good one. Change every 5k miles if you do short runs.
Cambelts last well on these engines and are not difficult to change. The recommended interval is 72k miles - I change at 50k. The water pump is a weakness, and will wreck the engine if it fails - I replace it every other belt change. Look for signs of leakage from behind the drive wheel.
659
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Hi
Just wondered if you ever managed to resolve the problem with your battery light coming on? I'm having a similar problem with a 1.1 petrol 106, and it has had four alternators and a battery change without any success. It has totally baffled two local garages, but the car still starts and the length of time the battery light is on for varies. After each replacement alternator I've done 600-700 miles with not a flicker, but then the light starts coming on very briefly (at high revs for some reason) and gradually comes on for longer and longer until it is on about 70% of the time. Never had a problem starting the car except for once just after the first change, and that was due to a useless battery which was replaced.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, as it is driving me mad and nobody has been able to tell me what the problem may be!
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