Welcome to the 406 Owners Club (406oc.co.uk and pug406.co.uk). If you havn't registered, you can post in here, and find out what the site is all about!
I registered about 18 months ago when I was thinking about selling my XUD 306 and getting a 406hdi but the 306 passed the mot without cost so drove her on, so I've spent my time back on 306OC.
The fuel pump and injectors died last week so sold the 306 for breaking and I seem to be looking at 406's again
What should I be looking out for on a 406 barge as I don't wanna buy a lemon !
406's come in 1.8, 2.0, 2.0 turbo, 2.2 & 3.0 petrol flavours, plus diesels 1.9 / 2.1 XUD or 2.0 HDi 90 or 110 / 2.2 HDi 136
Body styles - saloon, estate or coupe
So lots to choose from, there's no real lemons among them, but which is best depends who you ask.
Maybe narrow down your area of interest a bit and we can hopefully point you in the right direction.
2002 HDi 2.2 Exec Estate, (2008-12) (wonderful)
2003 HDi 2.2 6-speed Exec Estate (2012-19) (also a gem)
2009 Citroen C5 2.0 HDi VTR+ Estate (godawful heap)
2008 BMW E91 330i touring (great fun - murdered by a reversing SUV)
2007 BMW E91 325i touring (slower smoother quieter)
My only suggestion would be that if you had the 1.9td 306 then the 406 flavour 1.9 is very similar so there wont be a great deal to learn as far as spanner twirling is concerned.
Decide on which body style you want and then shop around for one that's been well looked after mechanically and has the spec you want (assuming the toys actually work).
Engines are solid which ever fuel you go for but the diesels are much less thirsty, HDI's fitted with Bosch fuel pumps are easily mapped for more poke and/or economy.
1996 1.9 TD LX (Gone but not forgotten)
2003 2.2 HDI SE
My personal opinion is that the 406 is the best value for money car on the market, the design is relatively simple and parts are cheap and they are ultra reliable unless you buy a real shed. The best one to my mind is the 2.0.Hdi, they seem to last forever and will do 60 mpg driven carefully. Mine has done over 220k miles and until recently when I got some water in the electrics has given no trouble in over 3 years and about 35k miles, they are also very cheap, a good one can be obtained for well under £1000.
I also have a C5 with the same engine which gives a more comfortable ride but doesn't handle nearly as sharply, the C5 is nicer to ride in but the 406 nicer to drive, the GLX has very comfortable seats.
I am drawn again to looking at 406 hdi saloons as I know they are comfortable as an ex had a 110 hdi.
I may or may not get one, As I have about 1.5k to spend. I have seen a few around but I'd like to know what are the common and hdi specific problems to look out for?
I have one child and no dog for info
Sounds like a tractorrrr and smokes like a bus....
The most expensive things are the cylinder head gasket, but they rarely go on these, much more likely on and XUD engine one. The other thing is the clutch and DMF, it the clutch is near the top of its travel it's worn, having said that both of mine were right at the top when I bought them but are still fine unless you can get the clutch to slip they could last many thousands of miles as mine have. If you can get one that's had a new clutch/DMF for a reasonable price it should be a bargain - all other things being equal.
In that case, I suggest a late model executive or SE for all the toys. 2.0 HDi 110 for economy, or 2.2 for more grunt.
Mine is currently returning 48 mpg and has ludicrous amounts of torque.
2002 HDi 2.2 Exec Estate, (2008-12) (wonderful)
2003 HDi 2.2 6-speed Exec Estate (2012-19) (also a gem)
2009 Citroen C5 2.0 HDi VTR+ Estate (godawful heap)
2008 BMW E91 330i touring (great fun - murdered by a reversing SUV)
2007 BMW E91 325i touring (slower smoother quieter)
Sounds like Mr Doggy is quite pleased with his recent tinkering
48 MPG is very impressive for the 2.2, mine is giving me 40/41 but I do 90% of my miles in town. Not as good as 48MPG I'll grant you but better than my old 1.9 which proved the 2.2 isn't overly expensive to run.
1996 1.9 TD LX (Gone but not forgotten)
2003 2.2 HDI SE
Yes I am impressed with that 2.2 mpg too. I had one in a C5 and the consumption was abysmal, an average of about 40mpg and I drive very gently, I sold it and bought the 2.0. litre version which gives me nearly 60mpg. Most people I have spoken to have had a similar experience.
What can you do to a 2.2 to make give it a reasonable consumption? The general rule is the bigger the engine the better is the potential mpg, assuming you don't use the extra power but driving mine with a glass slipper never produced above about 50 mpg, I got 67.8mpg over 650 miles from my 2.0. 406 estate returning from Scotland the year before last, and that was confirmed by the fact that I got over 1000 miles from a tankful.
To put it in context, I do roughly 400 miles a week, 300 of them to work and back, which means about 150 miles at 70 mph on the A14 and 150 miles at 63/64 on single carriageway main roads, so it's easier to get reasonable mpg. I also have no dpf, egr or air dosers, and a 6-speed gearbox.
It's difficult to tell how much each of those changes contributes to improved economy, but I think anyone contemplating the same process should do it in the order listed. The first 3 items can be done for < £100.
Filled it up last night - brim to brim 727 miles, 69.09 litres = 47.77 mpg, (trip computer reckoned 47.9).
2002 HDi 2.2 Exec Estate, (2008-12) (wonderful)
2003 HDi 2.2 6-speed Exec Estate (2012-19) (also a gem)
2009 Citroen C5 2.0 HDi VTR+ Estate (godawful heap)
2008 BMW E91 330i touring (great fun - murdered by a reversing SUV)
2007 BMW E91 325i touring (slower smoother quieter)
Ah right. I'm sure all those mods must help and certainly the 6 speed box. The strange thing is that the later 2.0. 16 valve which is the same power and has a DPF and EGR manages 50-60 mpg - most odd.
