206 vs 306

So basically for my first car I'm stuck between a peugeot 206 or a 306, I just wondered if any of you could give me a bit of guidance over which one to choose ?

Thanks

The 206 is newer but a 306 is miles (well maybe not miles) better. The 206 is just so disconnected it feels unsafe to drive. They share pretty engines pretty much and the 1.9dturbo and 2.0hdi are reliable and good on fuel.

Running costs aren't huge, it entirely depends on the engine but ball joints and drop links seem to be a weak point on 306's.

206 imho. We just got one, a 2 litre turbo diesel eco version (£30 tax a year).

Knocks the socks off a couple of 306's we've had in the family before.


Anyway, that is only group 7a insurence group too, great for a large engine in a small car. But if you are looking at a smaller engine then again go for the 206 as the larger 306 with small engines are just sluggish.

The 206 is without question the worst and most unreliable car Peugeot ever made. It is truly shocking. By contrast the 306 is really quite good.

Afraid I can't agree with threepwood above. The 206 was one of the worst driving experiences of my life and that was when they were still quite new and i didn't have much in the way of experiences with different cars..... yet that horrible little thing stuck with me

It has a horrible driving position, really, really odd and you have no chance of getting comfortable - the pedals are offset, steering is terrible and they are made of chocolate suffering from numerous electrical issues. It is ultimately a much more modern car than a 306 though.

The 306 even in horrible, horrible base 1.4 form is a good thing to chuck around. The diesels are all decent and Xsi/Gti are both great too. They are really getting on though so it's hard to see you not needing to do quite a bit of maintenance. As mentioned in one of the posts above it's generally suspension components that you will be changing.

If it's a £500 car you're talking about it's the 306 all day long for me, or if you're feeling brave a citroen xsara is much the same thing though they bizzarely seem to have many more electrical issues than the pug

Another vote for the 306 over the 206. The xsara is largely the same car and shares the same engines. Where are you located OP?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif.../postcode/ta248au/radius/200/page/1?logcode=p


Bargain

[TW]Fox;24828413 said:

The 206 is without question the worst and most unreliable car Peugeot ever made.

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It was until Peugeot in all their wisdom produced the 307.

Now that thing took unreliability to an all new level. There are online communities dedicated to the hatred of that thing

No wonder you can pick up an 05 plate 307 for like £50.

Back on subject, go for the 306. Some uber bargains out there for essentially a solid car.

I bought a 306 3 months ago because I liked it, I still like it. Like it enough to be splurging on sporty suspension and a remap even! 2.0 HDi estate.

having owned both and currently own a 206, I would pick the 306 every time, just a so much more solid car than the 206

Thanks guys, I think I'll go for the 306 !

We used to have a 1.8 306 estate in the family. Was really quite nice.

Everyone I know that's had a 206 has said they've been shocking. I was a passenger in one for a day and I could tell it had no space in the back and the driving position was very wrong.

I've just got rid of my 306 after 7 years. Even after driving my e46 for a little while, when I popped in the 306 the other day when offered a blat for old times sake, I was still amazed at how sharp it feels and just how connected to the road it is.
Whenever I've had the misfortune of driving a 206 though it has been dire.

Word of warning, though; when you're looking around stand behind the car a way back, get low so you're looking straight at the wheels. They shouldn't be cambered (ie. they should be like |---| not /---\ ), if they are then the beam is knackered and its quite pricey to fix because of labour costs.

act smiley said:

Word of warning, though; when you're looking around stand behind the car a way back, get low so you're looking straight at the wheels. They shouldn't be cambered (ie. they should be like |---| not /---\ ), if they are then the beam is knackered and its quite pricey to fix because of labour costs.

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This is normally quite easily noticed by the amount of knocking that happens. I changed the beam on my sisters 306 which was really easy the hardest part is just the brakes.

Good post from the guy regarding the rear beam! For someone who doesn't know its a very valuable piece of information.

The diesel engines go on forever and a day but are VERY agricultural. I had two 306's with the 1.9 XUDT lump and they were both fantastically reliable. No MAF, no DPF, no anything massively electrical and whilst they are far from luxury motoring today they have a fantastically reliable engine.

Even Foxy had one in his xantia and at the time seemed to quite like it!

My second 306 was sold by me at 195,000 and it is still going. Speaking to the current owner the only thing it has had is tyres, glow plugs and a battery (not bad for 212,000 now!)

A 206 is never an answer for anything, ever. The 306 is a good car but even the newest are pretty old and could need a fair bit of work doing, my mate just scrapped one because the rear beam was knackered and it just wasn't worth replacing on a car that old, couple that with 15 year old french electrics...

306 all day long. I have a slight fondness for them.

306. That and the 406 were the last decent cars peugeot made.

306 all day long. I drive ours every day and it's not a bad car. Very reliable other than a couple of the injectors have needed to be replaced. I used to own a 206 and it was possibly the worst car I've owned (and I owned a Punto at one point!)