Anyone remember these fine old workhorses? Saw one on the way to work, a K reg which must make it about 1972 and one of the first registered in the UK I should think. It was parked in a layby and the driver changing one of the front tyres. What surprised me more than anything was that although it looked very tidy in its white paintwork, it was not immaculate which meant it was probably still in everyday use and not been restored.
There's a 504 family estate I see around the Bath area on occasion but it's not so clean although much newer.
We used to have these 504's as a family when they were new. They were tough as old boots. Couldn't break them.
Many ended up getting shipped to Africa in the late 1980's where they no doubt did many more harsh miles.
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Take a visit to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Nearly every taxi is a Pug 504 Estate, or a Fiat (128?). All models are totally wrecked and have a distinct smell of fuel!
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The Fiats are probably 124's the 128 was smaller.
Re 504's make me think that Peugeot's reputation has diminished somewhat since the 70's.
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Still for sale as new vehicles on Pug's African websites. The estate was a quantum leap in estate cars and diesels in cars.
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tinyurl.com/4zr2g
In case you thought I was dreaming. BR project - go buy one in Nigeria (with or without a Banker's draft !)and drive it back !
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tinyurl.com/4zr2g
Pug, that link doesn't work.
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Just paste the URL that link gives you. That works but seeing as I'm such a nice guy,
tinyurl.com/4kqtk
--
Adam
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tinyurl.com/4kqtk
This should
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I'm surprised that the 504 is only 14% cheaper than a 406 though: i was expecting it to be significantly cheaper.
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Well, you can certainly buy one -- either sedan or estate - and probably drive it back too. As is pointed out elsewhere, it is not cheap and what you are going to do with a non-catalytic converter 2005 car in Europe is more of a puzzle. Somehow I don't think the registration authorities will welcome you with open arms.
As I live next door to Nigeria these days, I see probably a couple of dozen 504s every morning on my way to work. For some strange reason, every fifth or sixth car here in Cotonou is a 4WD Toyota Tercel estate from the 80s doing business mostly as a taxi. How many of those do you see every day in the UK?
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Worked in Libya in the early 90s. 1,000s of 504s, all petrol, very few diesel anything in Libya. A lot were painted 2 tone and were peoples taxi and you hailed one at the side of the road. Fare was 1/4 Libyan Dinar for each road, so down one road 1/2 LD, turn once (left or right) another 1/4LD etc. Crammed in one of these with 6 other unwashed was not pleasant! All were 7 seaters. The 505 had just come in over their and they didn't like it certainly not able to cope with the roads and the dubious levels of maintenance.
Their were a few Golfs, lots of 504 trucks etc. Few 205s brought in by Air France before they got kicked out.
PS on Black market £ 1= 3LD a good 3 course meal in a hotel for 2 was 38LD!
Jim
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Yes, my father had two in succession.
One in South Africa and another back in the UK. After that we had a 505 estate which was just as good.
According to my stats there are only 296 left on the road in the UK. They were sold in the UK from April 69 until 1981ish.
The current 206 'Sport' TV ad has a 504 in it where the kid does a bank raid.
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You can still buy a 405 in Iran!
www.ikco.com/products/405.asp
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You can still buy a 405 in Iran!
Step up from Hillman Hunters, but keeping the connection:
Hillman rebranded as Chrysler = sold to PSA who own ... Peugeot!
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very interesting, were do you get your stats from Charles?
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I can remember our music teacher at school had 1 (c reg) & filled it up wiv 8 ov us inside to go to the swan theatre in town, very cramped but i mean it was practical for her i suppose!
The last i remember seeing was in Bournmouth 2003, it had a taxi licence plate believe it or not!!!!!!!!!!
--
Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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Just caught the ad......Brilliant
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Dad got a 504 Family Estate as a company car after a long succession of Cortina Estates. It was an X Reg.
First car we had had with a radio cassette. There were 7 of us, 5 kids and mum and dad so car was ideal. Prior to that we always travelled with 2 in the boot!
I always remember the middle row was 3 individual seats (an MPV ahead of its time) and after years of always having at least 1 child being car sick, no one was ever sick in the 504!
An absolutely brilliant car and when time came to change, he then got a 505 saloon, which again, was brilliant. Much better than the Cortinas and early Sierras of the time.
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In the 1970s Peugeot Tax Free sales offered them to British Forces at huge discounts. In Germany they were really popular - particularly the Family Estate - and many were imported from there to UK.
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Must admit to being a little scared in a 504 taxi over in Gambia during a holiday. Not sure what worried me most:- the steering wheel held on by parcel tape, or the lack of upholstery on the chair (ie down to springs)!
Still, what an event, with something like 750K on the clock I didn't dare ask how many times it had been round....
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I nearly cried when my dad bought a 1977 seven-seater estate 504 in the early eighties, he had told us we were getting a new Granada. I learnt to drive in it, he used to take me to Bredbury industrial estate near Stockport where he made me spend hours on a Sunday just reversing, reversing reversing. When we came to sell it years later with a billion miles on the clock, so many people came to see it we could have had an auction in the garden. On the strength of that car I?ve had Peugeots ever since, I?m on my third 605.
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The 505 was even better since it was better protected against rust. Don't see many of those around now, shame because the GTi family estate was a fine machine.
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Yeah, we upgraded to the 505 estate and my first car was a 505 SR saloon while I was still living at home. It was champagne gold with electric front windows and sunroof. I was only 18 and I was so proud of it. The old man had me pouring engine oil into the door sills and cavities to protect it, not sure how wise that was. He once said to me the only problem with having such a lovely car, so young, was that your next car always had to better than the last. I wish he?d never said that because it nags at me when I think about changing cars.
I heard that many 505s were being stolen to order for the African market and I often wonder where mine is now.
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Yes, there was apparently a roaring trade in the late 80's early 90's for 504s and 505s getting pinched for export. Sometimes just the parts were stripped before export, sometimes the whole car.
Maybe that's where ours have ended up... Better book a holiday and bring them back!
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