2000 Peugeot 306 GTi-6 review from UK and Ireland

Engine failure at 19,000 miles due to faulty piston shells.

Rear wiper motor failure.

Great perfomance!

To the uninformed, getting into a Gti-6 and driving it like a normal car it will appear just like that - Normal.

start to push It a little and you can feel it is willing to play, push it further, up around the 4000rpm right up to the 7200rpm limit and you have a different car altogether!

The torque is unbelievable, but in a controlled manner ( Not like any performance ford! ).

handling is typical peugeot,very precise and goes where you point it. On B-Roads this model comes into its own. Push it as hard as you dare and It keeps coming back for more! When you get it on the limit it is very predictable as to what it is going to do, very progressive for example in an understeer situation, which is easily corrected by the driver.

The gearbox is a joy to use. Its more of another "Gear in the middle" than a sixth gear as you may imagine. When your driving the car hard the revs only drop roughly 700rpm between gears, making it so smooth to drive hard with no sudden surges of power (Its just there all the time!!).

As detailed, Engine failure occured at around 19000 Miles. This was down to piston shells failing and allowing the con rod to move on the crank, with some light scoring of the valves.

Top marks for my main Dealer ( Abercromby Peugoet, Dunfermline ) who had no hesitation on supplying a complete new Engine under warranty ( And gace me a nice 206cc to run about in whilst mine was being fixed! ).

Fuel Economy is as you might expect with a Gti, Drive it "Normally" and you will easily get 40 - 42 to the gallon, drive it really hard and you might be lucky with 20!

As for service costs, I have found my main dealer excellent for cost and customer service.

Sounds like all Plus points so far eh? Heres the one major problems---Tyres!!

It Eats them!!!

195 x 55 x 15 Pirelli P6000 fitted as standard and they are so soft. Front ones last approx. 8 to 10 Thousand miles and no more!

I Have recently fitted a full set of 195 x 50 x 15 Toyo Proxes (Fitted standard on all new TVR / Porsche etc ) whihc so far are just the business! the roadholding is excellent, dry, wet and even in the snow. This may be helped by the fact that I have went down a size in tyre wall (Profile) but so far, so good!

My next problem is what to get next! With a car that looks so good, handles brilliantly, performs like cars with loads more power struggle to keep up with, what do you replace it with???

307 Gti-6 with 230bhp as standard springs to mind.........