should I change to a Peugeot 406?

[philepo]

I love my old merc (w202 2 litre petrol auto) but it is getting quite rusty now.

It's just completed 2000 continental miles with zero fuss and great comfort and returned a decent (for a big petrol auto car) 35 mpg.

but, a 406 diesel will do about 50 mpg, apparently, and save me about 500 a year in fuel costs.

Ive seen 406 executives with all the bells and wistles on for low money.

What you recon? On a tight budget of 2000 quid.

Rgs

 

[tpwuk]

Why not get a W202 C250?? £2000 should get you one. Should be just as economical as the Pug too.

 

[philepo]

I looked up that one but it does similar mpg to the petrol so not much point really?

c220 maybe but that is out of my price range.

thanks

 

[h17n dj]

w202 2 litre petrol auto returned a decent 35 mpg.

Rgs

WOW!!! you got 35 mpg from ur W202 2 litre auto?????? :O id be lucky to be getting 30 mpg on motorway runs.... the max i have ever got from a full tank and motorway driving is 320 miles ..... that was cruising at approx 80 ish

 

[d w124]

WOW!!! you got 35 mpg from ur W202 2 litre auto?????? :O id be lucky to be getting 30 mpg on motorway runs.... the max i have ever got from a full tank and motorway driving is 320 miles ..... that was cruising at approx 80 ish

You`ll need to check as that`s not right.I used to get 400 easy on motorway with my E200,witch has the same engine

 

[h17n dj]

You`ll need to check as that`s not right.I used to get 400 easy on motorway with my E200,witch has the same engine

what could be the reaosn here then??? i thought something didnt seem right.... the car is always serviced and M.O.T'd at the local mercedes-benz dealership who havent mention anything to me..... i thought it maybe becasue i have a peco back box exhaust and the 18" AMG reps making it heavier... plus have a K&N air filter.....

 

[kwakdonut]

The Pug 406 is a nice, comfy car and way better than Mondeo's/Vectra's of the same vintage. I had a T reg 2 litre petrol, which, although not the highest spec, still had digital air con, electric windows and returned 38 mpg average. Very comfy seats and quiet cruising although, of course, it will never be a Merc!!

 

[tpwuk]

WOW!!! you got 35 mpg from ur W202 2 litre auto?????? :O id be lucky to be getting 30 mpg on motorway runs.... the max i have ever got from a full tank and motorway driving is 320 miles ..... that was cruising at approx 80 ish

I can get 30+MPG out of my CLK 430 Convertible!

 

[h17n dj]

I can get 30+MPG out of my CLK 430 Convertible!

wow thtas well good..... thers gta b something up with my car... i dont have a display telling me what consumption i get out of the car.... but from a full tank to till the red light comes on it is roughly 320 miles.... and as mentioned above, is not very good

 

[Satch]

I had a 406 for a short time as a company car. Nice metallic blue, pity the the clearcoat was peeling off.

Had a really great feature that is very rare and showed lateral thinking.

Put the headlights on and heating side of the climate control shut off. Thus no danger of dozing off in a warm cabin on those long winter journeys, only hypothermia.

Things like radio, electric windows, speedo and instruments would simply not work for days and them spring back into life for a random interval before dying again. Dealer had no idea, lease company did not want to know.

Drove OK and actually never died on me but was so infuriating in terms of electrical aggro that when it was rear ended by white van man and clearly a goner I nearly thanked him

 

[lxi]

I

but, a 406 diesel will do about 50 mpg, apparently, and save me about 500 a year in fuel costs.

Ive seen 406 executives with all the bells and wistles on for low money.


Rgs

Totally personal opinion but I would run a country mile from anything made by Peugeot, Renault or Citroen (there's a theme there for the sharp eyed reader)

Often look great, but build quality abysmal, shoddy materials and the very worst attitude from the dealers.

Maybe better the devil ... ?

 

[philepo]

I had a 406 for a short time as a company car. Nice metallic blue, pity the the clearcoat was peeling off.

Had a really great feature that is very rare and showed lateral thinking.

Put the headlights on and heating side of the climate control shut off. Thus no danger of dozing off in a warm cabin on those long winter journeys, only hypothermia.

That the risk I guess. This car is not great on fuel but then again it costed me little in repairs- so far.

To the guy above with low mpg. I have always got 30-36 mpg depending on how much town driving I do. Thats about 420 miles per tank for 35 mpg. I did get low mpg when my tyres had slow punctures and were too soft. Check them. Your air filter and exhaust won't help either.

 

[philepo]

Totally personal opinion but I would run a country mile from anything made by Peugeot, Renault or Citroen (there's a theme there for the sharp eyed reader)

Often look great, but build quality abysmal, shoddy materials and the very worst attitude from the dealers.

Maybe better the devil ... ?

I believe Peugeot is better than the other 2. But I do like my armchair merc!

 

[h17n dj]

That the risk I guess. This car is not great on fuel but then again it costed me little in repairs- so far.

To the guy above with low mpg. I have always got 30-36 mpg depending on how much town driving I do. Thats about 420 miles per tank for 35 mpg. I did get low mpg when my tyres had slow punctures and were too soft. Check them. Your air filter and exhaust won't help either.

thanks mater.... will have a look at tyres... yeah they dont really help i guess but look better !
P.S stick with the merc... u dnt want to go for a French piece of sh!te... you said it your seld... arm chair merc... even if it has cost you a fair bit but so has mine and been worth ever penny so far. would never part with merc and this is my first merc which i was 18 when i bought it 2 and a half yrs ago and never looked back even tho it has killed me running it.... even convinced mum to buy a merc after she drove mine

 

[Rory]

I ran a 1998 2.0L turbo petrol Exec model for 3 yrs 120K miles - one of the nicest cars I've had. I still miss the elec memory seats and the climate control worked perfectly, real "set & forget".

But towards the end of its life it was going into the garage more and more with suspension and brake problems, and I wouldn't get it back for several days. When I took it for its 120K service the garage rang me and said the lease company wouldn't authorise the service as the car was at the end of its life. I have a feeling they weren't far wrong.

 

[philepo]

I ran a 1998 2.0L turbo petrol Exec model for 3 yrs 120K miles - one of the nicest cars I've had. I still miss the elec memory seats and the climate control worked perfectly, real "set & forget".

But towards the end of its life it was going into the garage more and more with suspension and brake problems, and I wouldn't get it back for several days. When I took it for its 120K service the garage rang me and said the lease company wouldn't authorise the service as the car was at the end of its life. I have a feeling they weren't far wrong.

Hmmmm, thanks for that

 

[grober]

Remember someone once remarking that Peugeot electrics generally last about 75,000 miles before they start to give trouble! Peugeot do know about suspension tho.

 

[corned]

I ran a 406 2.1TD Exec estate for a few years when I needed a cheap car which could lug loads of stuff around. It had electric everything, a nice stereo/CD changer, fully auto climate, fully electric memory heated seats, rain sensing wipers, and it did me proud. I bought it with 150k on the clock and sold it with 250k showing. It still went like a train and gave very little trouble in my tenure. No smoke ever, even when gunning it from cold.

In the 3 or 4 years I had it, it went through:

2 front springs;
1 radiator;
2 sets of tyres;
a couple of service kits;
1 exhaust mid section;
That is all.

I don't recall any electrical gremlins. The only gripe I remember having was the weak handbrake, but even this was only an adjustment away from being back to normal. I got 50 to the gallon out of it regularly.

The first person to come round to see it when it went up for sale took it straight off my hands.

So - a from me.

 

[st13phil]

Peugeot and Citroen are part of the same group and their cars are either a pleasure to own or something you want to set fire to. There's (almost) nothing in between the extremes. If you get a good 406 you'll love it. If you get a bad one you'll wish you'd stuck pins in your eyes instead.

If you want a car of that size that's less variable in its build quality then go for a Passat. Most were fleet cars and have a good history. As long as the cambelt & idler is changed when it should be and the oil & filter are changed regularly the VAG Pumpe-Duse engine is a model of longevity - unlike the Pug HDi's. It's a little less refined but very economical and pretty bomb-proof.

 

[harveymoo]

stick with a merc, i had a 406 diesel brought it at 114000 at 3yrs old (ex swan national) traded it at 5yrs with 140,000 and it was imaculate (not even a stone chip)and drove & pulled better than all the newer pug loan cars i was given wilst in for servicing and was only offered £452.00 for it.
so id spend some money on paintwork or buy yourselve a newer merc.