Faults:

Sunroof failure under warranty, repaired without any quibble and remains satisfactory.

Timing belt failure at 91k, changed at originally changed at 62k by main dealer. Tensioner changed at the same time as the belt; new one was faulty and failed at 91k. Entire repair covered by main dealer.

OSF wheel bearing at about 116k, cost approx €200.

No other parts replaced other than routine service and maintenance items.

Glow plugs replaced once at 96k, injectors never touched, water pump is replaced when timing belt is replaced, still on original clutch, CV joints, CV boots.

Replaced all suspension bushes and ball joints in 2006 at 104k, at my choice although not called up by main dealer inspection or MOT/NCT. This made the car feel like new.

Interior remains perfect.

General Comments:

While performance is not mind blowing, it is however very well balanced with the chassis, and is a pleasure to drive on long journeys, and is an exceptionally comfortable motorway cruiser, all day at 80mph.

Economical and home maintenance very easy. A full fluid and filter change can be done by DIY, very easily.

Has done many motorway and long distance trips.

The interior is grey and is so much brighter than black, sunroof is an excellent feature. The car came with CD changer, sunroof, front armrest and is very smooth.

Faults:

Only been driving for 1K miles and found:

- Slight clutch judder

- Interior heat not that hot - Luke warm.

- Re-circulation flap going mental

- Fuel gauge didn't work

- Misting up in car

- Brakes squeak (horrid drum brakes)

- Slight play in the steering

General Comments:

I really wanted to hate this car - got it cause I needed long distance car that can cruise at 80 mph without getting a bottom ache, and will return quite good mpg.

It's hard to fault the car - the above niggles are annoying, but forget about them and the car cruises at 80mph on the motorways with ease, nice and smooth and not demanding to drive and not hard work like other cars.

Handles wonderfully. It is quite soft suspension with a bit of body lean, yet it's almost quite chuckable. When things lose grip, it does very predictable understeer, which is easy to correct, so thumbs up in the handling department.

No rust as you'd expect from galvanised bodywork.

Brakes are a bit annoying, I hate rear drums, on every car I've had with drum brakes, they've all squeaked.

Interior is rather spacious feeling. All controls work, electric windows a bit slow, but come on, this is a 15 year old car, as long as it opens! Wish it had the seats from the older 405 (1992 and earlier) as they were flatter and much more 'sofa' like. newer ones are a bit bucket like and not quite so comfy...can't understand why you'd put bucket seats in a diesel?!?!

Also, there's a spoiler on the car... quite a big one too - my car is the saloon and it is the standard one, but why fit it on a car that won't do much more than 100mph total... so very weird.

Think I'm getting quite good mpg at the moment, not as good as I hoped, but well, it's better than most cars at high speeds...

Must add (slightly off topic) on my old 405 I drove to Newquay in it (300 miles each way) and we drove at night and did the whole journey in one hit, didn't stop once. Got out the other end and my bum wasn't numb! Amazing!

This is my second 405, and I'd get another one... and another one (if a good example turned up!)