Old Dave (my Peugeot 405 GL) (Peugeot 405)

Member Name: unnameable

Product:	Peugeot 405
Date:	14/01/04 (3201 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: price, reliability, comfort

Disadvantages: fuel economy due to age

My review is based entirely on my experiences with my current car (405 1.6 carb model) and a previous 405 (1.9 SRi).

Brief history:

The 405 was launched back in 1988 as a competitor to the Ford Sierra and Vauxhall Cavalier and in my opinion singlehandedly raised the standard of the family saloon.

The mk 1 cars were far better equiped compared to competitors cars, but had a few niggles such as squeaky interior trim (mine suffers this!) and some reliability issues (a lot revolving around the carburettor units). Available engines - 1.6 & 1.9 carb, 1.9i and 1.9 diesel (and turbo diesel).

In late 1992 the mk 2 range was launched, in which a new 1.4i engine was introduced for reasons unknown to me (far too underpowered for the size of car), and most 1.9 litre engines were superceded by a new more reliable 2.0i engine. All engines on the mk 2 cars were injection rather than carburettor, which increased reliability substantially. Also the squeaks were reduced!

Discontinued in 1996 and replaced by the 406, a car with somewhat less 'character', the car still does not look particularly dated to this day.

Reliability:

The engines themselves are pretty hard wearing and can take a lot of abuse. The same cannot be said about the carburettors (as in my car). They are very prone to faults as is the automatic choke (if the car has it fitted). This is the sole reason why Weber have sold so many replacement carbs! I think it was actually a recall issue at some point, I may be wrong though.

Everything else about the car is hardwearing, such as body panels, gearbox, steering system and surprisingly the interior! Also, they are not prone to rust at all. My car itself has not got one spot of rust.

If serviced regularly they can carry on for at least 250,000 miles on one engine, and even if not particularly well looked after they'll still soldier on!

Driving:

This is the most com
fortable car to drive that I have ever owned and I would definitely recommend it as a good old family saloon.

Steering and handling are fantastic (even if you are unlucky enough not to have power steering). It literally stick to the road, which is not very common for a front wheel drive car.

Brakes aren't brilliant, but they definitely do the job. I think to be honest they feel lighter than they actually are.

The engine is very competant and is actually pretty quick as long as you are not scared to push it. It isn't particularly noisy, but you can hear a very reassuring drone as you drive along. Any differences are very easy to pick up on.

Safety-wise the 405 seems to be built like a tank. If I was heading towards a rather fearsome looking tree in one I wouldn't be fearing for my life as I would be in something like a Ford Escort (see my other review!)

An added bonus is the fact that, even at 11 years old, the car still returns a nice even 30 miles per gallon for unleaded!

Features:

Electric windows
Electric sunroof
Peugeot standard spoiler
adequate engine (90BHP)
Central locking (although it is disabled as it is faulty)
Power assisted steering

It is very roomy inside and can easily accomodate me, my wife, and both our kids as well as a boot full of bags. And even with all this it drives as if it is not loaded at all! There's plenty of leg room in the back, and the driving position is very comfortable. All manner of ways of adjusting it too.

Buying a Peugeot 405:

Engine - Be sure to check the oil filler cap for mayonaise like deposits. These indicate engine problems such as head gasket failure, warped cylinder head, or, at best, blocked breather system (as mine had). Minor oil leaks are common in mk 1 models as, through age mainly, rubber seals tend to perish. No major concern, just be sure to check oil levels regularly.

Steering -
Be sure to check the steering rack for leaks or rubber gaitor splits. Repairs aren't too expensive, but they generally aren't for the home mechanic to do.

Body - check under rear of car for any rust patches (or even holes) in the chassic arms. This was the reason my 1.9 SRi bit the dust. Major welding is the only way to repair.

Windows - both the front and rear windscreens are very prone to leaks. So remember to check for signs of dampness inside the car (and in the boot).

Cost:

For £400 you can get hold of a car just like mine (but not mine as it is NOT for sale!), or for nearer £1200 you can pick up a nice 1991 1.9 Mi-16 which is the high powered model (160BHP). One for my wishlist!

As a workhourse you can't go wrong with £1000 for a 1994 TurboDiesel estate car. Will go on and on and on.

My personal experiences:

Having applied for car credit back in May 2003 I was feeling pretty low at being turned bown my every single company going so I was very surprised at what I was offered when going back to the last place I tried to pick up my docs.
The salesman said "are you after a cheap runaround instead then?" so naturally I asked to see what he had.

Out the back of the car yard there was this slightly dirty looking K reg 405 1.6 litre (carb) with a slipping clutch. I ended up buying it for a whopping great £180 (yes you did read correctly!). It still had 2 months MOT and a month of tax so I thought it would be ideal to work on.

The car is a late mark 1 (registered at the beginning of 1993, but built in mid 1992) so does not have all the revisions such as noise reduction and refined interior as other 1993 models have. But personally I prefer the looks of the older 405, as the more recent ones look a tad anaesthetised with their smoothed off boot lid etc.

There were 106000 miles on the clock when I bought it, so I was very suprised to see the engine was in s
uch a good state.

It needed a few minor repairs to get a new MOT (such as exhaust bits and a tyre) which didn't cost any more than £100 and I managed to struggle by without replacing the clutch for 3 months (eventually cost me £200 for a new one)!

I have had no reliability problems with this car, although I must admit it needs a couple of pumps on the accelerator while starting it up. Any work I have done has been suprisingly cheap and easy to do (and that's going some, considering I was a novice when I bought it). This is definitely a car for the home mechanic. All you need is a socket set and a Haynes manual!

Not a speck of rust at all either which is pretty good considering the car is 11 years old now. That is one thing that Peugeot always seem to get right from what I have seen.

Only real gripe I have is that it doesn't ever reach the fuel economy that it should do according to the manual. But hey... I'm willing to live with that.

Parts are extremely easy to get hold of, both new and used. Car Breakers are full of them and they really are easy to take parts off of (which is a bonus).



Marc

Summary: