Why the 406?

[Benner]

There have been posts in the past about dislikes and problems with the 406, but to my knowledge none on why we actually own 406's.

Just wondering what is was that originally attracted you to this model of car

Ben

[Blue406]

It looks the biz.
Put it beside its competitors from 1995/1996 and it still looks quite clean cut and in "fashion" so to speak. While the rest are very dated and tired looking, even if in pristine condition.
Heck, it still looks good beside todays family saloons.

The 406 has that certain something that not all cars have got. Ever since I first saw the adverts for them, I knew I would drive one some day. 6 years after they were introduced, that vision came true.

After the bonnet on my Primera flipped up, thus writing the car off, I was in the market for another car. Mother went to check the local dealer while I was at work and phoned me with the options in my budget range. The conversation literally went as follows:

"OK, they have a P reg Ford Escort, A Blue Cavalier and a Peugeot four oh s...." - "GET IT!" I interrupted, not needing to know anymore.
The Cav and the Escort both had half the miles on their clocks and were both a year younger. But I didn't give a rats arse.

I didn't even physically see the thing untill Mother came to my workplace for me to drive it home a few days after I signed the papers.
Ok.. I saw a glimpse of it in the dark as the guy came round to our house with the papers... but it was 8pm on an autumn night... and I only saw him drive off. I heard it though and knew it was a winner.

5 years later, she still makes me smile when I walk out and see her parked up. Theres no angle she doesn't look good at.

[Benner]

I have to agree with you there Blue. I had a baby on the way and needed a larger car than my MK2 Golf. I narrowed in down to a select few but through looks alone I knew I'd go for the 406.

Going back to what you said about it not seeming to age as much as others, one of my friends has recently bought a 10 year old Almera and compared to my 10 year old 406 it looks ancient! The interior inside it looks really dated in comparison and it just generally looks older.

[GeordieBoy]

The 406 quite simply looks sexy as fook, I bought mine after deciding against buying a Mondeo, Primera, Passat as all being dull and boring cars. I did like the Alfa 156 and BMW 3 series, but the Alfa seemed to be unreliable and I aint a big enough prick to drive a BMW.

The 406 still looks sexy as fook compared to todays new cars, ffs I'd easy get a stiffy looking a 406 anyday, and of course I had a big enough exhaust to make love to it.

[STALLED]

Because I couldn't stretch the budget for a 2.0 N5 306

[Welly]

I was looking for an Audi A4 or a Passat but the 406 was CHEAPER and NEWER and after reading that they were pretty reliable despite other Peugeots reputations I decided to get one, and it has since been broken (quite a lot)

[jameslxdt]

well we all know how i eventually got to my 3rd 406, but i like them because they are cheap cars to run, extremely comfortable, handle really well, are so quiet, parts are cheap (for me) , they are quite cheap to buy, mine only cost £700, the boot is mahoosive and they look the buisness

[Pyros6546]

well i was started looking a fiat bravo's couldn't find a decent cheap one
then looked at 306's but with a baby on the way needed a bigger boot
so i looked at 406's really like the shape and the aggressive looking
front and the boot is so big i can get all me tools in ) shopping and
pushchair lol

[mjb]

I was looking for an Audi A4 or a Passat but the 406 was CHEAPER and NEWER and after reading that they were pretty reliable despite other Peugeots reputations I decided to get one, and it has since been broken (quite a lot)

With me it was down to a 406, A4 and Passat too.

The A4 has too hard seats and no armrests (I was looking at the 2.0T mainly)
The Passat of the age I was looking had those stupid damn armrests that prevent access to the handbrake. I couldn't afford a TDI either.
My 406 came on eBay at exactly the right price with great armrests, big fat lazy leather seats and has 150bhp to boot! Perfect!


Given the amount of time I spend behind the wheel, the interior was a HUGE priority for me, and the 406 has a seat and ride quality even nicer than my old Laguna

[Captain Jack]

Love at first sight...

[Ohabu]

The 406 quite simply looks sexy as fook, I bought mine after deciding against buying a Mondeo, Primera, Passat as all being dull and boring cars. I did like the Alfa 156 and BMW 3 series, but the Alfa seemed to be unreliable and I aint a big enough prick to drive a BMW.

The 406 still looks sexy as fook compared to todays new cars, ffs I'd easy get a stiffy looking a 406 anyday, and of course I had a big enough exhaust to make love to it.

That's funny, I was also seriously considering the Alfa 156. A beautiful car on its own, but reliability issues and the fact that I wanted a 406 since my friend let me drive his a year or so back made the pick easy:) Besides, the 406 is a manly, yet beautiful car.

I used to drive a 306, but this crazy women wrecked it. Good deal tho, it was not healthy and the insurance payback was a lot better than the real worth, so I immediately started the search for a black 406 saloon. You'd be surprised how hard those are to find. Up till today I've only seen 3-4 besides mine.

[maglite]

One of my friends bought an Audi A6 2.5 TDi quattro. I had a little drive in it and I wanted one there and then. However, I spent many hours thinking on what I could get instead. I bought a D8 1.9 Exec and a D9 110 HDI exec instead. Both cars together cost me less than the Audi would have and I have a combined 200BHP between the two!

Also my cousin used to work at the Ryton plant so I used his special powers of discount at the stealers many times for parts. Even though he stayed on until the end of the plant closure, the stealers still refuse to give discount to ex-employees.

[hootswah]

I came by my 2nd one after I foolishly swapped my petrol 1.8 for an owners club Probe 24v. To be fair, I'd always wanted a 24v Probe and knew this car was an owners club car, so well looked after. No mad spoilers, nothing garish, just a straight forward, standard 24v'er in black but chipped to 180+BHP.
Went like stink, totally made me smile,(except the fuel!) and in the end, a broken radiator, leading to a cylinder head gasket problem took it to the Ford house in the sky. I needed a diesel as I had moved to Cramlington and so had more miles to cover. I immediately looked at a 406 HDi and found the one I eventually bought. 4 years old, 1 owner, ex fleet car with stamps every 6000 miles. Dark blue, climate control,elec everything and just gleaming.....with a years warranty all for £2999!
Nothing else on the forecourt was that good, that cheap and that nice to look at. I was thinking of a 525d but the one they had was on a Y plate for £6499!
Bugger that....I'm really happy and the comfort and reliability, coupled with the running costs are amazing.
Now once I put Turbolag's ideas in to practice, I should have a much quicker 406 HDi - maybe around the 130bhp area?
Not sure but will try...I still do miss my Ford though...but I keep coming back to 406's...probably why I'm here.

Have a look at what Parker's have to say about it...
(Cut & paste the link)



http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/r ... ?model=660

[ThePrisoner]

As a young lad I remember my dad having several 406's on hire. He was a manager so used to get given hire cars on a regular basis! In fact I can even remember the registration number of the best one! 'P406 RUY'. Now what a dogs bollox reg to have! Wonder where this car is now.

For anyone who might know it is a D8, in silver. But can't remember anymore than that.

Anyway on with the story...ahem.

I loved the looks of the car as a wee nipper, and also loved the amazing sound system that came as standard (when blasting out M People's classic 1995 album 'Bizzare Fruit')

Also I remember being impressed by its load carrying capacity (yes even at that age) and remember seing my dad cram 4 or 5 suitcases in the boot. (cant remember exactly how many, but I know it was quite a few.)

Also my mum liked the car which was a good sign, and I remember my dad taking me and my brother to the 1996 motorshow at he Birmingham NEC in it, and from what I can remember it went like stink (because my dad got 3 points for speeding in it!)

Anyway as time rolled on I got a Rover 214 (yuck) and when it came to renewing my car, I plumbed for the good old 406. I didn't want a D8 though as I could afford a D9 and when I found my stunning low mileage executive with only 59k on the clock for £2,250 I bit the blokes hand off.

Never been happier with any other car then this! And (apart from the electrics which are causing me some grief at the moment) I am sure it will last for many years and see me well past the 100k mark.

(Mileage currently on 61,500 ish k)

Pris.


EDIT: After putting the registration number through the DVLA online car checking system it has given me these details;

The enquiry is complete

The vehicle details for P406 RUY are:

Date of Liability 30 12 2005
Date of First Registration 27 08 1996
Year of Manufacture 1996
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1761CC
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type Petrol
Export Marker Not Applicable
Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour SILVER
Vehicle Type Approval null
The information contained on this page is correct at the time of enquiry.
Vehicle Excise Duty Rate for vehicle
6 Months Rate £99.00
12 Months Rate £180.00


Poor thing had probably been broken for parts or been scrapped by now!

Pris.

[MaDc0w]

My first 406 I got for about 200 Deutsche Marks...

2nd one I got because I liked how the first one looked LOL

I actually wanted a Mitsubishi Galant, Alfa 159, or any car that was a limo and had at least 110 horses. The first 406 had 50000km and was a great buy... 2nd had 30000km and cost me I think 7000 Euro


Hope the 408 doesn't look like the 407 or my next car will probly be an Alfa..