2000 Peugeot 306 XR 1.6
Summary:
Superb choice as a second car
Faults:
Previous owner did necessary maintenance only, so when I got the car, I had to:
1. Replace master brake cylinder.
2. Replace slave brake cylinders.
3. Resurface drums and get rear brakes.
4. Replace radiator (got a Danish A/T type).
5. Replace suspension arm.
A month or so later the plastic firewall link to the internal radiator broke while driving in the desert in the hottest day of the year; obviously very frustrated, but cost little to fix.
Speedometer stops working occasionally.
Center dash lighting iffy.
Fuel cap annoying to close.
General Comments:
The XR model 4d sedan I got comes with 2PW, CL, fog lights, alarm, steering column radio control, 2 airbags, regular A/C, no ABS, manual mirrors, 2 speakers.
I got it for its low price and have enjoyed it immensely up to now, with nearly 100 miles of daily commute. The car is highly comfortable and has lots of power, despite a notchy shift.
I'm also tall at 185cm, and there's lots of head room and lumbar support, never had any back pain.
One gripe is the engine noise which is excessive but within reasonable limits below 110km/hr.
The trunk is very roomy, back legroom is so-so, and I would have enjoyed an option to move my chair back a little further.
Gas mileage is good at 14km/liter with severely inefficient driving. I have reached speeds of up to 195kph on a closed road, and this car is rock solid.
Will take corners like a dream, and thus allows the driver excellent confidence and resulting handling and driving safety (especially after putting 4 Continental tires). Relatively cheap to keep. Essentially if you don't care spending an extra $250 and 1-2 garage days a year on average, the 306 is a great deal.
However, I would not think of buying a more modern Peugeot, since the new ones are lacking what Peugeot was famous for (the 106, 205, 306 & 406 were the last decent Peugeot's).
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 5th March, 2010
27th Apr 2013, 17:26
Original owner:
Sold the car a few months ago. Upkeep has become a burden with something going wrong every few weeks. Eventually had enough after the gas mileage worsened to 10km/l, with costly repairs that were useless in fixing the issue. Also sensed a slow reduction in power, which could be due to potentially terminal issues. Looking back, I am afraid that while this was a highly comfortable and enjoyable car to drive, it has been less than pleasant to own, and I would not recommend it as a family car.