2000 Peugeot 306 Meridian from UK and Ireland - Comments

Rain-sensor unit for the windscreen wipers has been replaced twice and has gone insane again - the wipers flap about wildly in light drizzle.

Random, untraceable faults with the engine that manifest themselves as very poor performance or high fuel consumption.

Front brake discs warped after 30k

Clutch slipping at 36k.

I hate this car! The most annoying fact is that it is a million miles away from the technical specification for performance and economy.

Most of my miles are on the motorway at a steady rate and yet the fuel economy is always below 40 mpg, I typically get about 500 miles from the 13 gallon tank. I've given up on trying to take advantage of the supposed 'bags of torque' because it simply doesn't exist.

Despite numerous trips back to to the dealer since day 1 they can't find anything wrong, although they agree that it is sluggish.

The biggest problem at the moment is that the clutch has started slipping. I don't take part in the traffic light grand prix (what's the point as it accelerates like a glacier?) and I don't sit riding the clutch at traffic lights and in queues. So for a car with only 36k on the clock (most of which is motorway) it is clearly a manufacturing flaw for the clutch to go so soon. Unfortunately the dealer refuses to acknowledge this, instead claiming that a clutch is not a warranty item and so I end up paying.

PS the car is now for sale on ebay if you want it!

You are obviously very unlucky. Unfortunately every type of car seems to have it's 'dogs' and you've been sold one of them! It wouldn't be fair to assume that all 306's are of this standard, they certainly aren't, having worked on and driven many of them. Yes, there are better cars around, but the 306 is still a strong contender for what is now a ten year-old design.

If the clutch is slipping that explains the poor performance and economy and also why it is dead at 36k.

Well as I av just bought 1 now wit 60 on the clock everything seems 2 be wrong wit this car it drinks fuel like a 5ltre wot a waste of money anyone want it come and av it 4 free.......

I'm very sad to hear the negative comments... I have a 99 306 with the DW8 that has been used on driving lessons all its life and has well over 200.000 miles on it... most people won't believe me when I tell them it is still on the original clutch! The new one has been sat on the bench in the garage for over three years... I'm not going to fit it until the original one fails... This car drives tight and sounds sweet and is "ten times" the 307 110 that I bought to replace it... the 307 sits in the garage as I continue to work in the faithful old 306.