Faults:

Glowplugs at 90k and again at 150k.

Radiator fans failed at around the 110,000 mile mark.

Brake light switch failed at around the 135,000 mile mark.

Power steering rack started leaking at around the 150,000 mile mark.

Never broken down or failed to start.

General Comments:

Very reliable and very cheap runabout that's great to drive and costs pennies to run.

Good performance from the XUTD engine, and still a very smooth unit even by today's standards. Quite noisy though, particularly on tickover. Gearbox a bit clonky, but works well enough.

Handling excellent, even at this mileage. The XT suspension is quite soft, but even so there's balance and steering feel that no equivalent car made today gets close to, even if grip levels are not that high. Rides beautifully.

Interior cheap looking, but comfortable, and surprisingly quiet on the rattle front. Good seats, reasonable driving position, low-ish noise levels. Good spec for the year - car has electric windows, electric mirrors, power steering and an electric sunroof. It all works too.

After a short spell in a mk3 Golf CL TD (90 bhp), I can report the 306 to be better handling, quieter, smoother, better riding, noticeably quicker, more frugal and more reliable (yes, really)

A well looked after 306 turbo diesel will go on forever if looked after. Service it every 6,000 miles, keep on top of the little things as they go, and it will be as dependable as sunrise and sunset. The car has given me one bill over UKP 100 in five years and nearly 80,000 miles of use and that was for the steering rack. It has never failed to start, never let me down.

If you want cheap, functional transport that is still reasonable to drive, this is so much better than an equivalent aged Escort or Astra. Particularly in diesel form.

Faults:

Not much, as I have only had the car a few days, there is a warning light that comes on now and again.

General Comments:

I took the car for a test drive and was very impressed with the performance and handling.

Its feels very torquey and pulls very well in third. It will cruise at 70 in 5th gear fairly quietly and camly and return great fuel consumption.

There is minimum body roll around corners and sticks to the road very well.

The interior is very well laid out and spacious.

The boot is fairly large for the size of the car.

I put ten pounds worth of diesel in the tank and have covered 70 miles and the needle has hardly moved!

Faults:

Rear brakes stuck on; found to be shoes had come apart from friction material.

Radiator went just before I got it.

Ignition barrel collapsed (when I was in 250 miles away from home). Peugeot were very helpful and I managed to change the barrel myself. The barrel cost £100.

General Comments:

I love the engine, noisy when cold, but very lively once the turbos wound up.

It can cruise at 80/90mph with ease and will carry on to do around 115-120mph.

Its excellent on fuel - I got 52.5 to a gallon driving from Ipswich to Bristol - cruising at 85 and driving round the city centre all week.

The seats have worn, although some high mileage examples are starting to wear a bit.

It can beat 1.6 petrol cars and some 1.8's with not too much difficulty, and can embarrass some larger 2.0 cars. It also have the upper hand on most other 1.9 turbo diesels due to being a light car.

I'm 18 and insurance is £1200 with 0 years no claims bonus. Which is reasonable believe it or not!