I am getting so fed up with my 406 estate, its a generally a good economical & reliable car, however the trim/seals/mouldings keep dropping off, the last drivers door seal has been on for 3 weeks and is now coming adrift. Ive owned loads of cars, mainly VW & Rovers which have been sturdy solid reliable cars, and I've never known such poor quality. This is becoming unbearable, the dealer always does his best to replace the parts which have broken, but the car is only a year old, what will it be like in 5 years time ? Should I get rid of it now and buy a Passat ?
How do they get away with it ?
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I've had '98 a 406 SRi. (the one with the LP turbo.)
Got 100k miles worth of abuse in two years and went back looking like new.
Apart from the Passat Estate I had in '88 it was the best car I've ever had.
You've just been unlucky.
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Typical French build quality! They do tend to be a little plasticy and fragile.
Say no more
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David Lacey wrote:
>
> Typical French build quality! They do tend to be a little
> plasticy and fragile.
> Say no more
Mr Lacey.
I've never thought I'd have cause to say this but you're talking rubbish!
My Mother has two 106's. Both owned from new. One on a 'k' plate with 100k on it. Both are excellent. The older one is quite plasticy. Neither have seen the inside of a main dealer, neither has needed work other than service items. (pads, tyres, oil filter)
The newer 106 and the 406 both come complete with VW like quality. Less plasticy that the new 1.0 Polo I drove about a year ago, or mates 97 Golf GTi, or the BMW compact I test drove in '97.
I reshelled an 'F' plate 205 GTi with a friend. All the components seemed really solid to me - as an example of attention to detail it even had a screw adjustment on the alternator for the belt tension. Don't get that on you VW or Rovers!
The 406 GTi and 205 GTi were every bit as fast as you could need. Both would eat a G*lf GTi up spit it out and do donuts round the carcass.
To sum up:
a) I've owned three VW's - they're expensive old fashioned cr*p. You get a single cam 8 valve engine that would look old fashioned on a 1925 Bugatti. (Except the '00 & '88 Passats which are good ;-) )
b) French cars are no longer plasticy.
c) Pugs are fast and handle well.
d) Ok the water sleves in the cylinders cause problems.
e) 55 horse power from a 1.3 please!
f) 60 hp form the 1.4? Even the diesel makes 60hp.
h) What happened to g?
g) Ah, there it is.
Hasn't the 414 got the sweet gearbox from the Pug 406/205 in it?
Do you tell your customers you recomend a gearbox change when they buy a 414 from you? ;-)
Right, enough ranting!
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You were going well in support of French cars but two big errors sunk your arguments.
VWs aren't cr-p, very few mainstream cars are these days.
David Lacey talking b-ll-cks, I doubt it ...he's one of the fairest guys on the forum.
I see the Xantia has had a positive mention already so no more work for me here!
David
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David Woollard wrote:
>
> You were going well in support of French cars but two big
> errors sunk your arguments.
>
> VWs aren't cr-p, very few mainstream cars are these days.
Volvo V40 LPT. Utter rubbish.
Utter, Utter, Utter rubbish.
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Ah but still better than walking on a rainy day.
You've a real downer on cars that don't suit you...why?
David
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David Woollard wrote:
>
> Ah but still better than walking on a rainy day.
;-)
> You've a real downer on cars that don't suit you...why?
Most of what I say is tongue in cheek. I guess irony doesn't work in text.
To be honest IMHO nobody makes a *bad* car these days.
The thing I hate about the V40 is the big thick window pillars on the front presumably to make it 'safer' if you roll it over.
Unfortunately it also creates a massive blind spot on sharp right turns which I think is er... dangerous...
Oh - it seems small inside too.
On the plus side it revs like a bike. Low pressure turbo my backside!
Anyway please don't take anything I say too seriously!
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I've come to this game too late, too old. Can't be doing with those funny little symbols, either typing them or understanding them.
E-mails (and therefore posts) are a real problem in some respects. Comments as in conversations........ but you can't see the whites of their eyes!
Think I understand your position.
David
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Just in case you see any really weird ones (emoticons, that is) heres a fairly comprehensive list I ripped off from somewhere but haven't kept the URL
:-) smiling; agreeing
:-D laughing
|-) hee hee
|-D ho ho
:-> hey hey
;-) so happy, I'm crying
:'-) crying with joy
\~/ full glass; my glass is full
;-) winking; just kidding
'-) winking; just kidding
;-> devilish wink
:*) clowning
:-T keeping a straight face
~~:-[ Net Flame
:-$ Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
:-P Sticking Out Tongue
:-@ Screaming/Swearing/Very Angry/About To Be Sick
:*) Drunk/Clown
>;-> Wicked Grin
:-# Been Smacked In The Mouth/Wears A Brace/Kiss
R-) Broken Glasses
(:-) Bald
:-))) Is Very Fat
:-{} Wears Lipstick
=:-) A Dickhead
@:-) Wears A Turban
>:-> Leering
$-) Yuppie/Just Won A Large Sum Of Money
:,( Crying
:=) Two Noses
8:] Gorilla
8-) Wears Glasses
B:-) Wears Sun Glasses On Head
:-T Keeping A Straight Face/Tight Lipped
:-y Said With A Smile
:-| Disgusted/Grim/No Expression
:~-( Crying/Shed A Tear
:'-( Crying
:~(~~ Crying
:-Q A Smoker
:-! A Smoker
%-\ Has A Hangover
|-o Bored
:-X A Kiss/Lips Are Sealed
(:-D Has A Big Mouth
(:+) Has A Big Nose
:-{) Has A Moustache
:-* Just Ate Something Sour/Bitter Taste/Kiss
[:-) Is Wearing A Walkman
Grin
:^D "Great! I like it
!" 8-] "Wow, maaan
" :-o "Wow
!" ^5 high five
^ thumbs up
:] Gleep, a friendly midget who wants to befriend you
(::()::) bandaid; offering help or support
:-( frowning; boo hoo
:( sad
:-< really sad
:-c really unhappy
:-C really bummed
&-| tearful
:' crying
:'-( crying and really sad
:-| grim
:[ really down
:-[ pouting
\_/ "my glass is empty"
>:-< angry
:-|| angry
:-@ screaming
:-V shouting
:-r sticking tongue out
>:-< absolutely livid
!! :-, smirk
:-P nyahhhh
! :-> bitingly sarcastic
:-& tonguetied
:-S incoherent
:-\ undecided
:- I "hmmm
..." :-, "hmmm
" :-# "My lips are sealed
" :-X "My lips are sealed
" :-Y a quiet aside
:-" pursing lips
:-W speaking with forked tongue
:( ) can't stop talking
:~/ mixed up
%-) braindead
(:I egghead
<:-I dunce
=:-) hosehead
:-] smiling blockhead
:-[ un-smiling blockhead
|-O yawning
|-I asleep
:-6 exhausted
; wipeout
:> What
? :@ What
? :Q What
? :-o "uhh oh
!" surprise
;-) sardonic incredulity
:O shocked
8-| eyes wide with surprise
:-/ skeptical
8-O "Omigod
!!" :-C just totally unbelieving
|-{ "Good Grief
!" (Charlie Brown)
: * kisses
:-X a big wet kiss
! :-x kiss kiss
:-{} blowing a kiss
[] hugs
(( )):** hugs and kisses
((((name)))) hug
:-* Oops
! :-I indifferent
\-o bored
:-P tongue hanging out in anticipation
O :-) angelic; being an angel (at heart, at least)
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Don't tell me I have to learn another language...........
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David Woollard wrote:
> David Lacey talking b-ll-cks, I doubt it ...he's one of the
> fairest guys on the forum.
Pushing against an open door DW.
The man's a god. Along with HJ the voice of reason round here.
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VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW! VW!
I rest my case.
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I agree !
My Dad's got a VW Passat which is F reg, it's done 160 000 miles and *Never* gone wrong, he can't be bothered to change it for a new one because it's been so good.
The best car I've ever had was a MK 1 Scirocco Storm - beat that !
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Bobby wrote:
>
> The best car I've ever had was a MK 1 Scirocco Storm - beat
> that !
I take take it you're a woman Bob!
Bob? Funny name for a girl.
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WRT the Scirocco It was a great little car and its still going now !
This Peugeot 406 may have a decent engine ( HDI ) but the gearbox is slow and ponderous and the build quality is absolute Sh*te I had a look at a 607 last time mine went back to the garage - for the umpteenth time - and concluded that it was absolutely hideous, cheap and tacky they'll never tempt people out of Audis and BMWs with rubbish like this.
So I won't be having another. Ive nothing against the french I even like the Citroen Xantia......
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Is this a private party, or can anyone join in ?
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Think yourself lucky Bobby - I bought a Landrover Discovery........
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Dave
In reply:- The French did indeed bring us the 205 which cornered as if on rails. It put any other hot hatch into it's place. I remember driving a 205 1.9GTi back in 1992? and thought it was the best car I had driven!
Citroen (Wait, David W!!) bought us the excellent BX & Xantia. They ride beautifully and are effortless to drive - just takes a little time to get used to the brake pedal.
Yes, Rover do use a derivative of the Peugeot gearbox - to my relief it is a good piece of kit and is fairly easy to work on. Only bad bit about it is that it can be a little obstructive to engage reverse gear.
Perhaps I was being a little unkind to French cars in general - I had a BX TD for 4 yrs and wouldn't have a bad word said about it - but some of the trim and switchgear felt a little plasticy and fragile.
The only thing which worries me with French cars is the wiring. With my BX TD, the majority of the wiring was coloured white, green and black with little other variation.
I'm sure that French cars have come a long way today.
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A few years ago i was provided with a courtesy car when someone ran into the back of my Nova. I was given a 'P' reg Clio 'versaille' ( unsure of the spelling there), and it had the 1.2 8v engine in it. Ok, i had a Nova, but the build quality on the Clio was pants to say the least. Instead of a proper sliding blind under the sunroof it had to flimsy nets that i didn't dare touch in case i broke them. The inner trim panel on the boot was sliding around in the boot and the general impression i got was ' don't touch it, it may break'. It went okay with a bit of lead in the right foot, but i was glad to get my Nova back.
Regards,
Ash.
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Ashley wrote:
>
> It went okay with a bit of lead in the right foot, but i was
> glad to get my Nova back.
Never driven a Nova.
Corsa's Ok though. Nice interior but sloppy steering.
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Hi Dave,
If you didn't know : I'm not sure about the new model, but the old model Corsa was still using the Nova floorpan. I owned two Corsa's after my Nova, but i enjoyed driving the Nova more. It was only a 1.2 Merit h/b, but i loved it all the same. I was sorry to see it go. Still, from a 1990 1.2 Nova to a 1996 1.5TD Corsa was a bit of a step up !
Regards,
Ash.Dave wrote:
>
> Ashley wrote:
> >
> > It went okay with a bit of lead in the right foot, but i was
> > glad to get my Nova back.
>
> Never driven a Nova.
>
> Corsa's Ok though. Nice interior but sloppy steering.
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David Lacey wrote:
> In reply:- The French did indeed bring us the 205 which
> cornered as if on rails. It put any other hot hatch into it's
> place. I remember driving a 205 1.9GTi back in 1992? and
> thought it was the best car I had driven!
Cunning torsion bar sytem on the independant rear suspension too.
> Yes, Rover do use a derivative of the Peugeot gearbox - to my
> relief it is a good piece of kit and is fairly easy to work
> on. Only bad bit about it is that it can be a little
> obstructive to engage reverse gear.
Ha! How smug do I feel now!
> Perhaps I was being a little unkind to French cars in general
> - I had a BX TD for 4 yrs and wouldn't have a bad word said
> about it - but some of the trim and switchgear felt a little
> plasticy and fragile.
Yeah. A mate had one. Lasted forever but *was* a bit plasticky inside! The suspension killed it in the end.
> I'm sure that French cars have come a long way today.
IIRC Bugattis were one of the first cars to have 16v twin cam engines in the mid 20's.
Ok DL. I accept your full and frank appology. ;-)
The frogs have made some crap interiors. But then British Leyland have made some crap. And the 316 compact interior makes the BX interior look classy!
And I still maintain that VW's are crap. My 1.3 Golf c mode 55bhp. My SKoda Estelle 1175 made 58bhp *and* had a fifth gear. Progress?
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Micky,
Remember my Yellow Astra , now shiny and for sale a wicked bargain. (My hand rests on a copy of Glass')
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I feel sick.
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Guy said .....I feel sick........
Been on one of those anal day benders again Guy?
And while you were I expect David L has been cutting the grass for all the local pensioners followed by tea and sandwiches with the vicar.
David
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What, more anal day benders? Just what sort of people contribute to this site? I think we should be told. Standards are slipping, soon we shall all be driving lemons (sorry, Xantias)
Hur,hur
M
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Guy Lacey wrote:
>
> I feel sick.
Hey. I'm driving a privately owned 10 yr old Rrover ATM.
I'm keep your Brother/Father/Grandad/Son on side!
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I've got one too - its an utter pile of sh*t - only 5 months old and feels about as well made as a 1977 Morris Marina
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