Hi,
Hope you can help.
I have a 1994 306 1.9 XLD with 192k on the clock, MOT is due in May. The car has had three matrixes and head gaskets (the last at 135k)due to a blocked radiator (found out by a French garage mechanic (@136k) whilst on holiday just after the last re-build).
The car is on the original clutch, shockers and glow plugs. The exhaust is beginning to blow, the bodywork is tatty, the passenger door lock was removed after a break-in and there is a bolt in its place. The interior is begging to show signs of extreme wear. Tracking needs doing as I've kerbed one of the front wheels. Brakes, cam belt, coolant was done last year. Oil is changed 3 times a year.
I have done 164k miles in it in just over six years and am doing about 16-20k miles per year at the moment.
This year I'll probably do the same including a 3k mile round trip to France, 18 miles per day commute and numerous 200-600 mile trips to the coast and the mountains.
Do you think the 306 has had it given that I will have pay for fixing problems that I know (shocks, glow plugs, bodywork)and possibly then having to shell out for problems yet to arise?
So the question is do I patch it up and hope for another year of motoring or let her slip gently away and buy either:
1-3k Primera 80-100k miles,
2-3k Almera 50-80k miles or
2.5-3k Mondeo (new shape) 50-80k miles?
I'm after low running costs and reliabilty first and foremost with good handling and reasonable ride. Looking for 3-5 years life. Also not eye wateringly expensive to fix. I'm not interested in residuals since I run 'em into the ground.
If I change I'll probably look just after the March registration when there'll be a few more s/h's around.
Do you think trader, private or auction would be best for any or all of the above replacements?
Also (sorry for being a pain) does anybody have any experience in using professional auction buyers like mentioned in HJ's directory?
Ta
Brian
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Brian - to my mind you must like this car a lot to even consider spending (lots) more on maintenance, now that its value must be small. You are considering replacing it with something not that much more valuable, presumably a diesel?
You also mention 3 ? head gaskets - maybe if you had paid as much attention to coolant as you clearly do to the oil, you might have got away with one? Also have you avoided replacing wishbone bushes?
Personally I would not invest further in the car you describe; but in bangernomics, perhaps better the car you know and like than changing to something different.
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Sounds to me like the 306 has had it's day, maybe time to move on again to something newer, it's not like the 306 owes you anything! Plus the cars that you mention should be good for at least 300,000 miles if looked after correctly....
Blue
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Yep the 306 has done well to get you as far as it has, assuming money is not hugely tight you may aswell upgrade to one of the other options you listed, for as start you will get a huge performance improvement in any of these over an old non-turbo diesel! I assume insurance cost isn't absolutely crucial to you(grp 4 for 306 up to grp 8+ for the others i suspect)
Go for the change, but i wouldn't buy from a dealer at that price range, their normal mark-up will be a greater % of the cars value than with a 10k car. Auction could be a great idea but be verrrrrrry careful in choosing!
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Thanks for all your comments, its probably time to move on I guess.
Andrew - as regards the coolant, I always kept an eye on the levels and had the car serviced by garages at book intervals and was puzzled with the pressure build up each time. It went to Apples Car Clinic, Lex and one supposed Peugeot Specialist. None of them ever thought (including myself I hasten to add)to check the radiator. I bought the car with 28k from Dixon motors but it was the first decent car I ever had and I didn't understand Service History then. The car had none up until that point, but I was swayed with the immaculate body condition and steam cleaned engine compartment! A few years ago I examined the sheet that Dixon gave me detailing the condition of the car as they received it, it mentioned that the coolant was solely good old h20, the pinhead who owned it before had economised (or the garage he used-in case I'm being unfair) and didn't want to pay twenty quid for antifreeze.
I am now forewarned and hopefully forearmed when I pick another one.
Thanks Again
Brian
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H2O without antifreeze, Brian? You've been luckier than I thought. If you follow this forum regularly, you will know that even antifreeze only lasts a few years before the corrosion inhibitors begin to break down and threaten the head gasket.
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Hi Andrew,
To cut a long story short I\'ve just spent 1/2 hr composing a reply but the pc\'s crashed.
I wasn\'t so lucky, I\'ve had numerous callouts from green flag for blown pipes and the like.
My car sounds like an old tranny (on the inside) since various bodgers decided not to replace the soundproofing after replacing the matrix (think of a common green fruit opposite to an orange for the culprits).
BTW are the wishbone bushes important safety or handling wise? (or both).
Thanks anyway for all your comments and feedback.
Brian
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Brian, I'd look at an Almera or Primera, just be careful at that price.
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Hi Brian - sorry your PC kept you up so late (early) in the morning! Wishbone bushes - normally just begin to hear growing gentle knocking from the front on rough surfaces, but perhaps you can't hear it? Many 306s develop it quite young, so I thought yours would have by now. Safety - I doubt it, but MoT should find it in good time.
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