1998 Peugeot 106 GTi 1.6 16v from UK and Ireland

Summary:

The very best £5000 car you could ever own

Faults:

The brake disc's warped (front and rear). Due to previous owners lack of care.

The Cat gave up. This was replaced with a De-cat pipe.

Slight second gear crunch.

New clutch only lasted 10k.

General Comments:

This car is very fast and a hell of a lot of fun. Within 20 minutes of owning it I had spun it on a roundabout (famous liftoff over-steer).

For £5000 what-more could you ask for. It would do 0-60 in 6.8 seconds and would cruise all day at 125 mph+. You get half leather interior, alloys, looks to die for, and best of all, rear wheel lift on hard cornering.

This car was so much fun it got me banned for speeding, so be careful.

I will own a 106 GTI again, no matter what the insurance.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th August, 2003

1998 Peugeot 106 Zest 3 1.5 diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Cheap to run and adequate... until it goes wrong

Faults:

Car was a ex- Northern Irish mobility car. It should have arrived in A1 condition, but instead it had a dent on nearly every panel. I refused to accept it until it had been to the body shop.

The car was supposed to have been valeted, however the car was delivered dirty and had thick greasey marks all over the headrests.

The car should have arrived with a CD player, but instead it had a cassette player. This was replaced at the dealers expense, but was wired in wrong and needed the code to be plugged in everytime the engine was switched off. Another CD player later and after a further two visits the wiring was sorted!

Suspension creaked and groaned after a couple of months. Dealer not interested at even looking at vehicle unless I handed over money, despite still having Peugeot Platinum Warranty.

Drivers mirror replaced after 45000 due to mindless vandalism. Part should have cost £60 from Peugeot. Managed to get a pattern part for £30 including delivery.

Front section of exhaust replaced at 38000 miles.

Rear section of exhaust replaced at 54000 miles.

Battery died at 3am at Stansted Airport after car was left parked for 5 days. Battery replaced 53000.

Airbag warning light started flashing at 54000. Dealer unable to establish fault despite using diagnostic computer and lots of reassurance before handing over keys. When asked for a quote I was told up to £400. That's when I sold the car and vowed to never visit a Peugeot Dealer again.

General Comments:

The 106 Diesel is very economical. The infrequent visiting to my local filling station always brought a smile to my face.

The electrics are dire, and the dealers are inept charlatans.

The driving position is terrible. Those tiny offset pedals do nothing for your posture. I had to invest in lumbar support.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 31st July, 2003

1998 Peugeot 106 Zest 2 1.1 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Would suit learner or driver that lacks confidence

Faults:

Sun roof leaked.

Breaks stopped working properly.

Windscreen broke too many times and leaked.

It's only a couple of years old yet sometimes the engine doesn't start.

General Comments:

This car is great if you are learning to drive or recently passed your test, as it's really easy to drive and manage.

It's a surprisingly nippy little car even though it only has a small 1.1 engine. It can handle up to about 90 miles per hour without getting too shaky.

It's an uncomfortable car if you're taller than 6ft as it's so compact with a low roof and limited leg room.

The 106 can look stunning from the front, but from the side it can be ugly as it appears as if the back end is a lot higher than the front. This seems to be the case on many of the 106's not just mine.

Many of the 106's have great seat designs; blue, red or white large patterns. This can give a rather sporty appearance even the outside of it is more the opposite.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th July, 2003

28th Oct 2004, 17:47

Is this something to do with all zests or do all Peugot 106's leak? I got my zest 2 two months ago and for the past two weeks the back seats have been soaked through and now it's spreading to the front. Amazingly it's not the sunroof: my front and back windscreen are completely gone. Don't think I'll buy a Peugot again as I am now driving around with a constant smell of cabbage from my car seats...

1st Mar 2007, 08:47

Me too! The front screen leaked at the top, and my car was filled with water. It's fixed now, but I too was left with the cabbage smell. It's the insulation - if you take up the carpet, the insulation is soaked. Garages have offered to put my car under their heaters overnight - I think you need to consider this too! Don't buy a 106 zest2 - it's almost guaranteed that it will leak, not start, etc. etc. Shame really because they're lovely cars!