french cars, that bad?

ash_scotland88 · 4 Jan 2015 at 16:09

My brother is needing a car asap, cheap runabout that lasts a couple of years.

One that has popped up is a '04 307 1.4. Are french cars honestly that bad?
Number wise it fits his bill, Ive been trying to look for focus's but theyve all been a bit naff.

-westy- · 4 Jan 2015 at 16:20

307s are notoriously crap. What's his budget?

If you need one asap, then whatever you can get with longest tax and test.

Mr-White · 4 Jan 2015 at 16:20

Check the service history. I had a 52 reg 307 1.6 in 2005 for 2 years which never had a major problem. It did have temperamental bulbs that from time to time needed a wiggle and the horn stopped working until I gave it a few punches.

MW

rodenal · 4 Jan 2015 at 16:21

No, they aren't all terrible at all.

The 307 kinda is though, in saying that if it's practically free then anything can be worth a punt

ash_scotland88 · 4 Jan 2015 at 16:25

-westy- said:
307s are notoriously crap. What's his budget?

If you need one asap, then whatever you can get with longest tax and test.

Cant buy with tax these days.
This one was 750, his budget is 800 although he was showing me ones at 1200.

OpenToSuggestions · 4 Jan 2015 at 16:32

The 307 was a POS when it was first released and it still is today.
Pretty much anything else on the market has better reliability stats. There were no end of recalls when it was released too.

A 99hp 1.6 MK1 Focus Zetec is the car to get. There are thousands of them about too making finding a good one easier.

ash_scotland88 · 4 Jan 2015 at 16:38

OpenToSuggestions said:
The 307 was a POS when it was first released and it still is today.
Pretty much anything else on the market has better reliability stats. There were no end of recalls when it was released too.

A 99hp 1.6 MK1 Focus Zetec is the car to get. There are thousands of them about too making finding a good one easier.

Thats what I am after, but currwntly the only ones available are high milagers or overpriced from small sellers.

Howard · 4 Jan 2015 at 16:43

I'd rather have a high mileage Focus than a factory-fresh 307. They're dreadful, as are most things Peugeot produced after the 306 (IMHO).

sigma · 4 Jan 2015 at 16:43

Normally I would have said yes (previously owned two old French cars) but I've sat in a 508SW a few times and have been quite impressed by it. For such a big vehicle it handles really well, minimal roll and just feels like everything works well together. Build quality/interior materials are pretty decent too, relatively speaking.

OpenToSuggestions · 4 Jan 2015 at 16:56

Howard said:
I'd rather have a high mileage Focus than a factory-fresh 307. They're dreadful, as are most things Peugeot produced after the 306 (IMHO).

Can the OP find a late 1.9TD 306? They run forever.

K.C. Leblanc · 4 Jan 2015 at 17:23

OpenToSuggestions said:
Can the OP find a late 1.9TD 306? They run forever.

Or a Citroen Xsara.

An Octavia might also come in on budget.

rodenal · 4 Jan 2015 at 17:30

Xsara's have horrible electrics, but they are very very cheap.

I can't see why mileage is even a consideration on an £800 car tbh

K.C. Leblanc · 4 Jan 2015 at 17:33

rodenal said:
Xsara's have horrible electrics, but they are very very cheap.

I can't see why mileage is even a consideration on an £800 car tbh

The electrics will be no worse then on the 306.

Ricochet J · 4 Jan 2015 at 17:49

We have a 2009 Peugeot 207 and it's dreadful.

The only redeeming factor for me is I bought it from my brother for a pint and a cheap meal.

rodenal · 4 Jan 2015 at 17:54

K.C. Leblanc said:
The electrics will be no worse then on the 306.

You say that, and I'd tend to agree but we used to see absolutely load sof them with the strangest electrical faults whilst hardly any of the pugs had similar problems. Not something I can explain, unless the cooking models differ to the pug

Its pretty irrelevant anyway tbh, all you're doing for a few hundred quid is taking a gamble

Uther · 4 Jan 2015 at 18:49

I have had French cars for the last 15 years or so, they have all been new Xsara's or Scenics though.
Never had a problem, but not sure I would buy a S/H hand, unless as a cheap runabout.

zegna · 4 Jan 2015 at 19:51

Uther said:
I have had French cars for the last 15 years or so, they have all been new Xsara's or Scenics though.
Never had a problem, but not sure I would buy a S/H hand, unless as a cheap runabout.

I don't understand why anyone would do this.

What are the redeeming feature of French cars?
They are all unreliable and badly built

mike gunnz · 4 Jan 2015 at 20:18

OpenToSuggestions said:
A 99hp 1.6 MK1 Focus Zetec is the car to get. There are thousands of them about too making finding a good one easier.

None better than this fine example IMHO. First to see will surely buy.

geekman · 4 Jan 2015 at 20:19

zegna said:
I don't understand why anyone would do this.

What are the redeeming feature of French cars?
They are all unreliable and badly built

If they were all unreliable and badly built there wouldn't be millions of them on the road. I'm no fan of most French cars, but if I had a low budget and was looking for a basic car, I'd just pick the car in the best condition with the best history - can't say I'd give much thought as to whether it was French, British or Japanese.

ote1 · 4 Jan 2015 at 20:42

In general, French cars are little different from their German counterparts in real terms when it comes to reliability. It's just they had some blips a few decades ago which people still cling on to. Also, VW and co. have done a good job of upping their perceived quality when in truth VW has some of the worst mechanical reliability of modern manufacturers. I've worked in a VW franchise - they're not as bulletproof as people would have you think (in before people come in chiming they've never had a problem with their VW despite representing about 0.00001% of VW owners in the UK).

As for the 307, I will give you that it's unreliable by modern standards. It's the one car I would encourage people to steer away from. There are some good suggestions above. Clios are peanuts to run. If the mileage your brother does warrants a diesel then the 1.5dci might suit him. It costs peanuts to run, it's sturdy and genuinely good on fuel - look up cliodci.net, people getting 60+ mpg easily on the Mk1 and Mk2s. I currently have the Mk3 1.5dCi (106bhp), 9y/o and 100k on the clock. I'd expect £1.5k on a good day for it so the lower spec ones with 65 or 86bhp might fall into your price range. Surprisingly spacious for a 'small' car.