1991 Peugeot 405 Mi16 from UK and Ireland - Comments

Leaking radiator (replaced).

Leaking coolant pipe (replaced) - engine gets v.hot.

Rear caliper seized (replaced).

Sunroof stuck shut (not bothered to fix).

Air conditioning temperamental.

Central locking stopped working (new solenoid).

Engine misfiring (coil replaced).

Lots of faults to non-important (generally electrical) items. Only fault to affect the engine was the broken ignition coil. Reliability not bad considering the engine is taken to 7000rpm on a daily basis - oil and water consumption very low. Recommend that fully synthetic oil 5/40 is used and engine is not thrashed until it is warm!

Performance excellent - very very very very very fast if prepared to drive at 4000 to 7000 rpm all of the time.

Handling beats most other cars on the road. More traction than any other car I've experienced.

Petrol consumption 30mpg.

Avoid 4x4 or catalyst (post 92 models) because they're much slower.

Not particularly cheap to run (but do you really care if you are reading this?)

I have a strange fault with my MI-16 in that it has a tendancy to hesitate for a split second every now and then, could this be the coil too?

Overall the MI-16 is a reasonable car and is certainly fast if driven at the higher rev range. However very poor build quality and sluggish acceleration below 3-4000rpm prevent it from being anything more.

Hi

Engine cutting out and stuttering. I had the same problem with my 2.0L Mi16.

On each of the spark plugs you have a coil. I purchased a new coil and replaced the faulty one (no easy way to figure out the faulty one apart from trial and error, replacing each one at a time, if fault persists put the old coil back in and replace the next). When I found the faulty one it worked fine. I did find out however, when one goes, the rest shortly follow. My Mi16 has 125K on the clock so I expect it will be the same with all Mi16s.

Great cars.

Hope this helps.

Al.

To Al (and other Mi16 owners):

I have a 1992 Mi16 (xu9j4) and I'm getting terrible misfiring and cutting out - Shall I try a new coil too?

You describe the 2 litre as having a coil for each spark plug? But I know of only one coil on my 1.9 litre engine.

I think the Mi16's are a bit under-rated. I know they're a tad slow at low revs compared to other 16 valve engines, but with 160 bhp not many cars keep up at high revs.

Anyone who thinks they make have a solution to the above please contact me at MTTHWSK@aol.com

Thanks

Having owned many so called high performance cars I believe the 405 Mi 16 is one hell of a car. Mine has done 170.000 mls and is run on fully synthetic oil. Niggling faults like sunroof cables seized due to water penetration, not bothered to fix have not detterred me. Only 1 breakdown caused by small water hose split. Many miles of great motoring and when those 160 horses start kicking a real tarmac scorcher. Slowish pickup, but once on song its a blast. Highly underestimated by many and foolishly mistaken as an easy challenge by some,only to suffer the dissapointment of a fast dissapearing rear end. Top speeds range from 130 upwards. Would love to take this baby on an autobahn and open all the taps. Have read reports of genuine 150 achieved? possible?I think so.

The Mi16 has a reputation for not being fast, but it is fast for a 1.9 litre car.

I raced and beat a 1.9 205 GTi. He had a massive head-start, but I caught up with him and overtook at 125mph!!

I've just bought a bright-red 405 miles,on pure impulse, at an auction, without a test-drive here in New Zealand for NZ$2900 (aboutUK900 pounds) It is great to drive and is scary when taken to the limits. But build quality of the trim is terrible--rattles and bangs, sticking antenna, failed horn,wild bangs sometimes when changing into 4th gear. I know the 405 has a heavy clutch, but can something be done about it? the car has done 133000 miles so is there a cam-belt that I should be replacing about now. Please advise of any servicing tips or things to watch out for. I think I may take the car to a local classic car race meeting. how do tese cars compare with Alpha romeo gtv's etc? I think I quite like this car- it's certainly a lot different from the succession of Toyota Coronas that I have previously owned,and the ponderously slow Ford Mondeo glx wagon that I presently drive to work.

I've owned my '89 MI16 for 3 weeks now. Everything was going fine until 2 days ago when I turned the key only to have nothing happen at all. The day before it was hesitating on hard acceleration, could this have been linked to the inability to start the next day? Anybody have any ideas?

What with it being the xmas holidays I've not been able to get it looked at, but friends say it could be the starter motor.

Avoid the 4*4 version because they are slower? Do you happen to live in a land with no corners and no rain/snow?

The 2wd may be faster in a straight line - and only then after 60mph due to the fourbies superior traction, but the 4*4 eats most cars on the corners and if its wet don't even bother trying to keep up.

Please do not slate cars you obviously have not driven or thought about properly - it lowers peoples impression of your personality - otherwise, the review was fairly well written.

Always wanted an Mi16 but thought they looked a little dated, My previous car was a Vauxhal Cavalier GSi 2000, this would have given you guys a serious run for your money!

Now I'm the owner of a Nissan Primera 2.0e GT which is also 150bhp and just as fast except this car handles so well, and a lot more reliable being a nissan.

I'll be keeping my eyes open for a Mi16 if one becomes available however not many around here they seem rare.

Jason From Kent.