I'm thinking of buying a Peugeot 206 (my first car) and was wondering if anyone has any advice on what I should ask for etc... any pitfalls out there or anything I should demand...that sort of info. Also, anyone any idea on insurance after the first free year? Cheers, Jeff.
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As it's your first car, no p/x, make sure you get the best possible price. Phone round. Go to brokers. Make sure you get the year's free insurance.
Insurance isn't bad and free insurance schemes are often very generous if you have a year's ncb. Ford (they're running it on the Fiesta Finesse I believe) actually give you maximum ncd after a claim free year. Very handy if you're 21.
Online, try www.drivethedeal.com and www.autobytel.co.uk. Autobytel is cheapest at £8038 for a 1.1 Look, other models may vary. Dealers advertise on www.carpricecheck.com too. Before buying from any of them, go to your local dealer and negotiate hard. Don't throw away what you've negotiated on the finance. Go to uk.finance.yahoo.com for the best loan rate too, and then get the dealer to beat it.
Don't worry about metallic or solid - go for what you like and what's available. Make sure it's a good colour for resale; avoid white and solid dark blue. A colour that's easy to sell on will be worth hundreds when it's time to change.
Don't buy too high spec or too slow/basic. Best bet would be a 1.4 Look or LX, possibly a 1.6 if you want a warm hatch. 1.1s are underpowered, GTi is okay but better value used or imported.
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Be sure that you can cope with the driving position.
Compare the driving comfort you can achieve with something good and multi-adjustable, like a Focus (although that doesn't have a clutch foot rest)
The 206 has pedals cramped too close together and offset from the straight-ahead. The steering wheel is also (IIRC) offset to one side of centre (of where you sit, not the car!!). Again IIRC, the steering only adjusts up-down, not for reach.
The seat back adjuster is in steps, so not ideal.
It might work for you, but try lots of other cars before you commit. I spent weeks off work with back pain after driving one for 1000 miles.
I think it's a thoroughly nasty car, but the last paragraph explains why. Looks good from the outside though, and handles well enough, if you like lift-off oversteer.
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I had a 206XS (2000 W) for 3 months before demanding that the dealer swapped it. It gave me a bad back and was generally uncomfortable. Pedals too close etc.. I swapped it for a 306 which is a much better machine and real fun to drive.
Think about it before you buy!
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On this and other forums, I have read a lot about the 206 suffering problems. I know my dad's 206 was useless and cost Pug more in warranty work than it cost new.
My personal guess is that the price of used 206 will drop like a stone when there are more faulty examples for sale, plus with being one of the nations best selling cars, there will be horrendous oversupply on the used market soon.
I too agree about the driving dynamics of the 206, it is worse than a 106 or Saxo in my opinion. I too don't like the 307's driving position. I won't say about the Xsara as I am a little biased about my baby.
Ben
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307 is just a great big waste of space - like a tardis in reverse. Pointless.
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True, my advice is to save yourself some cash. Everyone agrees that the 306 was (one of) the best Pugs made. Get a Xsara, nearly identical to the 306, and a lot cheaper than the 307.
307 seem to be very unreliable from what I can see, the average 307 may be even worse than the poor Citroen C5's!
Ben
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Jeff mate, don't do it.
I have just had the most horrendous experience with Peugeot over a gearbox dieing after 22,000 miles.
Replacement costs were new, nearly £2000, recon £1600 and overhaul nearly £1000 although overhaul comes with a fairly large disclaimer vis a vis what they find when they get inside.
Peugeot UK offerred 30% of replacement cost. I argued for an increase on the basis of the life expectancy of a gearbox (Peugeots offer puts it at around 31k) at a conservative 100,000 but to no avail. They kept wingeing about us being the second owner and that the car was nearly 4 years old. Also the attitude of my local dealer was pathetic even though they had just serviced the thing less than 6 weeks ago.
So I've bought a 2nd hand one with good provenance for £225 and it's being fitted as we speak for £150. Fingers crossed it will do at least another 5000 miles before needing replacement!!!!
According to the scrappy were I bought the gearbox the 206 does suffer with diff problems although of course Peugeot won't admit to any.
There are various Pug sites out there so take a look but whatever you do don't buy one.
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Hi Guys,
Didn't Top Gear or whatever its called now rave about this car last week? If all of the comments here are true then I'd like to know what the hell is going on. And I need a car for the Daughter v.v. soon and I don't know what to go for despite massive help from you all a few months ago.
Regards, Martin.
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I add my vote to the "dreadful driving position" group.
AND they do not rate very high in the reliability surveys.
(quote from this year's J D Power survey:-
"Clearly, the 206's stylists are the ones to take credit for it's sales success.
An 'excellent' rating for its exterior is evidence that buyers love the way it looks.
However, Peugeot needs to devote more time to other aspects of ownership.
Just like the 106 owners, 206 owners contributing to this survey were unhappy with the quality of the service in particular.
Likewise, the car's overall quality is not the best, as evidenced by ratings of below average and poor for mechanical and interior problems.")
BUT the young girls like the look of them.
(the J D Power clear winners in the Supermini category - by a country MILE - were the Toyota Yaris and the Skoda Fabia)
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Family frined has one, had an absoloute nightmare with the first one and ended up taking pictures of it in a dismembered state in the dealers so that he could use them to back up his case to reject the car.
They got another and so far there doesn't seem to have been many problems, but it doesn't do anything for my chances of buying one.
Get a Ford, more reliable and much cheaper to fix! :)
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Oh, and I forgot, a Ford would have better seating position and handling. :)
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