1998 Peugeot 306 GTi-6 from UK and Ireland - Comments

Interior rear-view mirror fell off, taking with it the rain sensor and a chunk of windscreen with it.

Positive Battery terminal plastic adapter broke causing battery to disconnect whilst driving and alarm to go off whilst moving!!

Interior door card started coming away from door.

Driver side window dropped into the door and could not be retrieved without removing the door card and repairing.

I owned a scruffy old 1986 Opel Manta for 4 years before deciding to buy a more 'modern' performance car with comfort and speed. I wanted something that was very fast, but with mod-cons. I was getting fed up of ice forming on the INSIDE of the Manta on winter mornings!!

Reviews of the GTi-6 praised the high speed 167BHP engine and chassis, claiming that the car was the leader in the 'hot hatch' market. At the time the other alternative for performance was the Renault Clio Sport (172BHP), the Seat Leon Cupra (180BHP) and the Civic Type-R, all of which were much more than the PUG.

I hated it.

BAD POINTS -

1) The interior was very poor, the cabin was falling apart around me and the material that formed the seats and door cards visibly wore during the 8 months that I owned this car.

2) The exterior body panels are paper-thin, I really mean this. When you wash the car the panels 'pop'. You have to be SOOOOO careful when opening the doors not put a ding in them.

3) When raining outside and driving, if you open the window the roof seems to channel the water directly through the window. NOT a good design.

...and embarrassing when driving with a new girlfriend in the passenger seat!

4) The car, despite having a highly regarded Chassis, has a surprising amount of body roll on corners and the car feels too light and unstable at high speed.

5) The paint is very thin, I picked up many stonechips and scratches all over the body when I owned this car. On a black finish, these really stand out and make the car look very tatty in a short time.

6) Stupidly high insurance compared to other hot hatches.

GOOD POINTS -

1) The engine has excellent performance, a very quick 0-60, quoted at 8.5 seconds, but some road tests say that is is closer to 7.5 seconds. You really can feel the accelaration push you back into your seat when you floor it.

In summary this is a great engine stuck in a very badly built car. I ignored warnings about the build quality of this vehicle because all I cared about was the permormance figures. I had the car for 8 months and lost almost £2k on it. every week I had it, it depreciated and got more tatty.

I am now hoping to buy a Honda Civic 1.8 VTi. Wonderful and reliably built car with the perfomance to match. In the meantime I am back to an old Opel Manta for my kicks. The brush with the PUG nearly knocked my faith in 'modern' cars.

Buy Japanese or German.

I wrote this original review and forgot to say that the Turning circle on this car is outrageous!! You know how you spin into a side road to turn around and come out of the junction to face the opposite way? Well, you can't do that in this car, in an attempt to save the CV joints or something the turning circle means that you need a 5 point turn where a 3 would have done.

You won't believe me from this (you'll think "oh. it can't be that bad. I could live with that"), but once you try one you will see exactly what I mean. It amazing that it could have left the factory like this!!

I have owned my GTi6 for 2 years now and I can only agree with this review on two points.

1. The paint is a little bit thin and can stone chip easily, but the panels are galvanized so it won't rust.

2. The turning circle really is that bad when turning right, if you want to do a you turn best too be turning left and don't attempt them on a mini roundabout.

My GTi has never let me down in the 2 years I have owned it and I can't see myself getting rid of it for another couple of years.

This is quite an accurate article in the sense that the car does have bad interior quality and design.

But for the performance and handling, it has to be said is unbelievable. This is a hot hatch and not some type of contemporary failing such as the VW Gti Mk IV.

Everything you want out of a hot hatch, the pug gti-6 has.

I suppose each to their own, but I'm sure more people will be in agreement with me.

Dude you must have bought a right dog. My 6 has done 90k in its 8 year life span.

All I can say is these cars are awesome! Cracking engine (pulls like a steam train) perfectly balanced handling and loads of fun.

Yes components fail (as they do on all cars) but the engine are rock solid as long as you look after them.

OK point 1. Fair enough the dash is a little dated but people have got in mine an said how the seats are realy comfy, nothing has fallen off.

2. The only panel which pops is the roof. and if the panels where really thick the performance would not be so great.

3. When its raining don't open the window, after all you have got air con with will cool you down and take away the humidity.

4. Body roll or not it still handles like its on rails and feels stable upto 130mph, bearing in mind it is a small car this is very good.

5. as somebody else pointed out the body work is good peugeot's don't rust.

6. The insurance is not high, its the same as a golf gti 16v and is much quicker.

And your going to replace it with a old persons civic lol.

Comparable german cars are boring with the odd exeption.

And yes the turing circle is bad but this is because of the physical size of the six speed box which is fantastic. if you want a good turning circle buy one of those taxis.

One of the best handling and most rewarding front wheel drive cars ever made - I can forgive it everything else. Mind you, mine has been a lot better than yours.