1993 Peugeot 405 GTX Estate review from UK and Ireland

Usual old / high mileage stuff:

Front brake calipers

Glowplugs

Heater matrix

Clutch at 175k (original)

Passenger electric window gone (don't care - never carries passengers)

Dampers all round at 160k - MOT fail on one leakage, but all round set fitted. Made the car feel new again.

The odd bush and bearing.

All pennies to put right with DIY skills.

Used solely as a station car (75 mile round trip) and the family dump car / spare runabout at weekends. It's dog-eared, rattly and battered, but we love it to bits. It's been as dependable as the tides, owes us absolutely nothing, and remains a comfy, relaxed cruiser which you still don't need to nurse along like you would with a Vauxhall or Ford at this mileage.

It has never seen a garage apart from at MOT time since we've had it. I drop the oil three times a year (about every 6-7k ish), use a genuine Peugeot "Purflux" filter and semi synthetic oil, and do other bits as they come up. the underside is still solid, the arches are solid (unlike you'd find on a 15 year old Vauxhall or Ford), and it always amazes me how sound the mechanical bits still look. Filthy, but all working as the makers intended.

The trim and fittings are definitely cheaper and flimsier than a Cavalier or Sierra/Mondeo, but the important bits are far better engineered. Mechanicals and suspension are tough as old boots. After 15 years and 250k it's only on its second clutch, original turbo, mostly original suspension. On a Sierra I once owned, I was changing bushes every 18 months and getting sills welded at 10 years old.

The ancient XUD turbo engine pulls well, and once it warms up, it's still a smooth engine even by today's standards. Runs happily on 50/50 DERV and vegoil mix. Returns about 44 mpg average on my commute to the station and back. Uses about a litre of oil over a 6,000 mile change interval. Has since I bought it, and hasn't got worse. Apart from fluids and filters, the only things on the engine that's have ever been touched since I bought it are the glowplugs and timing belt.

We've deliberated long and hard about what to do with the car. My wife views it a bit like an old smelly pet dog - annoying and embarrassing, but sort of lovable and part of the furniture. We've actually agreed to keep it until it throws a big bill at us, when we'll call time and either scrap it, or give it away for spares/repair. Common wisdom suggests it will be the turbo or head gasket that finally kills it - apparently both are on borrowed time at this mileage. We'll see. I have more faith in this tough old heap than most.

A neighbour is a former taxi driver, and reckons they're the best car Peugeot ever made, and one of the best minicabs ever. Considering what cabbies do to cars, that's praise indeed.