2001 Peugeot 206 GTi review from UK and Ireland

Needed new indicator stalk (a common fault on these I'm told)

New exhaust required.

I was a bit nervous when I bought the car given some of the negative comments on this site. However, I found the 206 to be a great little car which never let me down in nearly 3 years. The engine has plenty of torque and the handling was pretty good too. Although things have moved on a bit now in the hot hatch sector, the 138bhp seems adequate for UK roads and it would do around 37mpg on a motorway run. Road and engine noise are not too bad for the age of the design and the ride was good on most roads too on the 15" wheels.

My only gripe with the car is that when my exhaust started blowing near the back box, I naturally assumed that I needed a new central pipe and perhaps a new back-box, but I was told by several garages (including Peugeot) that the whole exhaust from the manifold back has to be replaced - cost - £400-£600. In the end I had a stainless steel one fitted which was £250 and included a lifetime guarantee. It did make the car louder though despite my asking for a 'standard' fitting. It seems really bad engineering to require a whole new exhaust (including the Cat I think) rather than a simple replacement section.

The replacement indicator stalk came in at £70 at Peugeot, it's a common fault so check the operation when looking to buy.

Overall though, I'm pleased with the car think it offers a good blend of frugality and performance with a bit of practicality thrown in too.