Another bargain!

[FarmerPug]

But it's front wheel drive albeit if it handles anything like the saloon it's quite ok but back wheel drive just seems to be the better setup for going sideways

[highlander]

Well yeah, front-engine/rear-wheel-drive (FR) is the ideal configuration for drifting, and some would say for motorsports in general.

But the 406 Coupe is not a sports car. It's just not built for it.

That said, the handling is definitely superior to the saloon - the whole car feels tighter, steering feels more direct. The body sits lower to the ground. The lower seating position (closer to the road) gives a better sensation of speed. The Recaro-designed seats keep you firmly in place during fast cornering.

[sirwiggum]

Accord Coupe also feels like a Grand Tourer.

Was set up for the US market so nice soft suspension

[mjb]

This kind of puts the 406 Coupe in the same category as the Aston Martin DB9, Jaguar XK, Maserati GranTurismo, Ferrari 456, Mercedes-Benz CL class, etc.

No. No it doesn't

Big, luxurious, stylish, powerful cars, geared and tuned to be good for long-distance driving - but still a lot of fun when taken to the track.

Big? Not really. Luxurious? No, just comfortable. Stylish? Very. Powerful? Not really even with the V6. Fun on the track? In standard form, only compared to other 'family' cars. I'd rather take a battered old 205 GTI, MX5 or 3 series round a track than my coupé which is WAY too soft in the suspension department, has a low power to weight ratio, is FWD, and has variable PAS disconnecting you from the track

Yes, my Nürburgring laps were the most fun I've ever had in a car, but there were quite a few times even on that circuit (which absolutely is the right track for GTs!) I found myself getting a bit frustrated with the car's handling and lack of power, and I was taking it bloody easy too!

[highlander]

This kind of puts the 406 Coupe in the same category as the Aston Martin DB9, Jaguar XK, Maserati GranTurismo, Ferrari 456, Mercedes-Benz CL class, etc.

No. No it doesn't

Category? Yes
League? Not so much

They're the same class of car - the Coupe just isn't designed to go as fast or handle as well as these cars do. Which goes some way toward explaining the price difference. The rest of the way toward explaining the price difference is simply the badge. When new, a V6 Coupe SE would have been in the £35,000 bracket.

Big, luxurious, stylish, powerful cars, geared and tuned to be good for long-distance driving - but still a lot of fun when taken to the track.

Big? Not really. Luxurious? No, just comfortable. Stylish? Very. Powerful? Not really even with the V6. Fun on the track? In standard form, only compared to other 'family' cars.

Compared to what most people conceive as a "sports car", the 406 is a fairly big animal - albeit not as big as some supercars - the Lamborghini Murcielago I drove last year was pretty big, and the Jaguar XJ220 was something silly like 5 metres long. Compare it to the Lotus Elan/Elise/Exige, TVR Griffith, even certain Porsche 911s, which are all smaller overall.

Fair enough, the 406 Coupe is not exactly luxurious, but it is spacious, and with a lot of toys (digital climate control, motorized/heated seats, satellite navigation, 6 CD autochanger, auto-dimming rear view mirror, rain sensing windscreen wipers, automatic headlights, electric mirrors), AND a huge boot - there's a lot of features there typically only found on much more expensive cars.

Power and handling are the two areas where the 406 Coupe aren't on-par with other cars in the GT class. For a car that cost about £30k when new, it doesn't compare that badly against, say, the Ferrari 456, except on power and handling. Given the Ferrari 456 cost about £150,000 when new, that's fairly impressive.

I'd rather take a battered old 205 GTI, MX5 or 3 series round a track than my coupé which is WAY too soft in the suspension department, has a low power to weight ratio, is FWD, and has variable PAS disconnecting you from the track

True, all those cars would be more fun on the track as standard - as you say, more because of their lighter weight and/or firmer handling. Power-to-weight is the main area the 406 Coupe suffers from. Had Peugeot given it firmer suspension and a more powerful engine, the 406 Coupe would be a far better track car - but again, it's not built to be a track car. The fact that it does reasonably well around the track in standard form is testament to its GT car design. If you'd taken a 406 saloon or estate (with the same engine) around the Nurburgring, you'd have been even more frustrated.

My sole point is the 406 Coupe is a GT car in the same class as the more expensive cars, but in terms of performance, not in the same league. Think of it as a true GT car for the ordinary working-class people.

[highlander]

variable PAS

Mine doesn't have that; possibly a V6 thing?

The steering on mine does feel very direct and precise.

[FarmerPug]

My diesel 406 has very precise steering one reason i like it so much, the smallest input in the wheel can be felt, i describe the steering as alert and always ready.

But really what i want in a car at times is brutal simplicity just you the driver and the car, the suzuki has this but the ideal thing would be a caterham.

[mjb]

They're the same class of car - the Coupe just isn't designed to go as fast or handle as well as these cars do. Which goes some way toward explaining the price difference. The rest of the way toward explaining the price difference is simply the badge. When new, a V6 Coupe SE would have been in the £35,000 bracket.

Same class if you would lump a Ford Orion in the same class as a Jag The V6 coupé when new was horribly overpriced.

Compared to what most people conceive as a "sports car", the 406 is a fairly big animal - albeit not as big as some supercars - the Lamborghini Murcielago I drove last year was pretty big, and the Jaguar XJ220 was something silly like 5 metres long. Compare it to the Lotus Elan/Elise/Exige, TVR Griffith, even certain Porsche 911s, which are all smaller overall.

As you said, the 406 isn't a sports car. In terms of its target market, it's directly comparable to a Mondeo, Laguna, 3-series etc. Compared to any of the supercar tourers you mentioned earlier, it's a fair bit smaller!

Fair enough, the 406 Coupe is not exactly luxurious, but it is spacious, and with a lot of toys (digital climate control, motorized/heated seats, satellite navigation, 6 CD autochanger, auto-dimming rear view mirror, rain sensing windscreen wipers, automatic headlights, electric mirrors), AND a huge boot - there's a lot of features there typically only found on much more expensive cars.

The same could be said for a lot of other cars around the 406's price point (Mondeo, Passat, 3-series, Laguna, etc). Personally I'd take a 406 estate or coupé over any of those (bar an M3), but the differences between them are to be honest pretty minimal with the exception of M3's power and handling, and the 406 coupé's looks

Power and handling are the two areas where the 406 Coupe aren't on-par with other cars in the GT class. For a car that cost about £30k when new, it doesn't compare that badly against, say, the Ferrari 456, except on power and handling. Given the Ferrari 456 cost about £150,000 when new, that's fairly impressive.

But on those criteria, a Golf is even better...

If you'd taken a 406 saloon or estate (with the same engine) around the Nurburgring, you'd have been even more frustrated.

Actually I'd probably have driven an estate very differently and had a lot more fun due to its extra tail-happiness

My sole point is the 406 Coupe is a GT car in the same class as the more expensive cars, but in terms of performance, not in the same league. Think of it as a true GT car for the ordinary working-class people.

I think you're wrong. I think the 406 Coupé is a mid-range executive saloon with a pretty body shell and slightly more taught suspension

variable PAS

Mine doesn't have that; possibly a V6 thing?

Yup Good for normal driving, although too light at low speed, but terrible on the track especially in high speed 4-wheel drifts where it can become seriously unpredictable (100mph heavy one second, parking light the next) as it bases itself on the diff speed sensor (o/s/f wheel) instead of the ABS sensors on all 4 wheels

[FarmerPug]

The 406 coupe is a more stylish version of the 406 then.
I dont think the golf handles as well as the coupe or the saloon, one uncle has a tdi 100, the other has the GTTDI and both like to understeer.

Anyhow for oversteer fans BMW now make the 135i.

[sirwiggum]

A D8 HDi

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-moto ... l/76956749

[FarmerPug]

A bit of a bargain there.
However i didnt know the NHS spending cuts were that bad, antrim hospital has been downsized a lot

but to show how much of a bargain it is:
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-moto ... c/76804563
£1000 for a ruined 405

[lozz]

Nice rimz on that 405

ruined how ?

405s were already ruined when they was built

[sirwiggum]

"How do I find Antrim Area Hospital?"

"Aye just turn round the middle of Coleraine look for a green 406 - hut beside thon yoke theres yer hospital"

Thought that myself about the 405 farmerpug. A 405 ruined by some DTurbo wannabe-er. He ruined the original engine, dropped another engine in, and no doubt is having issues with it so is looking shot of it.

"Have side skirt's and back window spoiler here for her as well only got them made for it would need an extra £200 for them cost me £280... "

Keep em. £280 down the drain.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-moto ... x/76929152

XANTIA 1,9TD CAR IS GREAT 2 DRIVE TAX AN TEST TOE BAR FIRST 2 SEE WILL BUY 420

A "TOE BAR"

[sirwiggum]

ruined how ?

State of it.

The wheels do not match the car in any way, it was never that low, boy racer tints including the obligatory illegal front window tints so you can see absolutely nothing at night. He has already destroyed one engine and is looking shot of it as he is in the process of destroying another.

RUINED.

405s were already ruined when they was built

No they weren't.

[FarmerPug]

The 405 was a nice car, i would have no problems driving one if i had to.

this sounds like a genuine enough car:
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-moto ... i/76207916