Peugeot 306?

[tigerstyle]

I'm needing a new car soon, and for a budget of upto around £1000 a Peugeot 306 seems to tick a lot of boxes, wondering what the OcUK masses thing of them in a snog/marry/avoid type fashion.

I'd specifically be looking at HDi Meridian Estates, for the engine characteristics and the high(ish) spec levels the car has inside, electric things, aircon, half leather seats etc.

Any things to look out for on them?
What else would you buy for the cash?

 

[tigerstyle]

Have heard the rear beams can be trouble, and that swapping the whole thing isn't too hard to diy. Happy to get into that. Or refreshing the bearings can be done.
Heater matrix, happy to diy also.

No dodgy rust traps, or other hiding horrors?

 

[tigerstyle]

Thanks all, the advice given exactly covered the points I needed to look at more closely on them. Got one with a bent rear beam for cheap, had the whole beam swapped out for a refurb unit with all new discs/pads/hubs/bushes I supplied myself. So should be set to go for a while now! The brakes were £25, could've spent £50 but really didn't need to, save that money for the fronts, and no load compensator on the later models so no hassles there.

Wired in my Pioneer headunit today, and can keep using the steering stalk controls which is cool, and have a few small mods to do over the next weeks, EGR blank, 15" wheels to put on with new tyres replacing the 14" ones and ditchfinders on it now.
Then once it proves to be reliableish stage1 tune with remap+cat removal and swap the backbox over to an open flow type one, mostly in the hope of improving mpg and giving it a bit more grunt, but for now she's fine!

Just found out yesterday it's got a faulty MAF on it, unplugged it for now but going to try cleaning it tomorrow. Missed out on getting a Y for the cheaper tax, over a few years of use it won't add up to much though.











comes complete with ultra rare rear load cover, and the even rarer under engine tray too (not shown in pics)

 

[tigerstyle]

I bought some 15'' laser Peugeot alloys for it already! Don't really like the cyclones they suit the sportier hatches better IMHO. And have heard the same about the tyres too. The guy who sold me the alloys passes on lots of tips.

 

[tigerstyle]

£750 with 5 months T&T
+axle repair costs and discsk/pads etc. So £1100? Not bargain tastic, and I could've bought much cheaper, but hopefully in the long run it'll pay off!

 

[tigerstyle]

Check all Electrics over thoroughly before buying.

Everything works for now

 

[tigerstyle]

Are those photos after the new rear beam? I'd expect it to look that low and with that level of camber with luggage and passengers in the back, not un-loaded.

It failed it's MOT for handbreak inefficiency today (11% so not too bad but still a fail, 16% is required)

Googled how to fix it and these pictures came up in the image search!

For the record the photos in this thread are with the knackered bent beam on, it's much better now but even the refurbed beam has a bit of camber on.

 

[tigerstyle]

Car has done me mega proud for 4 years and it is time to sell, managed to take the new photos for the advert in the same position as the old ones.
Really enjoyed owning it, minimal fuss, and electrics still work, and aircon!