Peugeot have really upped their game!

glenimp617 · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:29

Peugeots haven't always been great cars have they? I mean growing up, and even looking at cars from a few years ago they were bland, boring and just something nobody really thought about.

Yesterday I booked the day off work to go hunting for a new car for the Mrs. She'd looked online and was dead set on a Clio. Fair enough, but I did ask her to look at three or four other models just for comparison. If she still wanted the Clio, at least she'd knew it was the right car for her.

The models we decided to view were the usual suspects. Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 208, Toyota Yaris blah blah blah

Up until yesterday, I'd never visited a Peugeot dealership. In fact, I don't think I'd ever sat in one.

We saw the Clio first and then went to the local Peugeot dealer. There was a new 208 in the showroom we both though was fantastic. I really liked it. Everything about it to be honest. Don't think unless I was being silly picky could I find much wrong.

Then something strange happened. I started seeing what the other cars were like. The new 508 in top spec (gloss black) looked leathal. What a car!! Then I jumped into the next car sat next to it which was an SUV 3008. WOW. I've owned German cars for the last four? years (two BMWs and an Audi) and I was simply stunned. Not sure if anyone on here has sat in the new Peugeots but they definately aren't like they used to be. They must have brought a new design team in or something.

Anyways, back to the 3008. It has all the bells and whistles (almost across the entire range). Parking sensors front and rear, cameras, virtual cockpit.....I joking asked for the price and my jaw hit the floor! Surely that's a mistake? This looked like a 50k machine, but the new retail price without discounts for the top spec was under £30k. You get a pre-reg or a year old one and it's down to the low 20s!

Hang on, what's the catch? gas guzzler? something I'm not piecing together? Nope, great economy for it's class (much, MUCH better than mine).

So I started looking online and found a 2008 GTLine model, automatic which I wanted for £20.5k.

Phoned the dealer and after 10mins haggling he offered me another 1k off the price, low APR rate and gave me a good price for the Audi. Turns out, I can be in a much newer (arguably better) car for less money a month taking into account the fuel savings. Damn I'm tempted. It's a very different car, but I really liked it! The reviews also seem very favourable.

any Peugeot fans? Never thought I'd ever say something like that

p.s. Yeah, I'm getting old.
p.p.s My Audi has economy of a sports car, performance of a tractor (19mpg around town)

Long/Short Version: took mrs out looking for a clio, I nearly bought a Peugeot

Yaayuh! · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:33

glenimp617 · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:35

hahahahaha, brilliant

THAT'S the Peugeot I remember!

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:37

They tend to have horrible depreciation, and fall to bits
They have always been a good drive (relatively) and have a fair few iconic models over the years

Example, take this CAR, P11D value £27k, expected value in 3 years £7750
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/car-sta...-eu6-gt-eat-2018/4010221/?Years=3&Miles=60000

A random Audi similar price, £27k, expected value in 3 years £10800
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/car-sta...rt-s-tronic-2019/4061461/?Years=3&Miles=60000

There is a reason they depreciate so quickly

Mark1989 · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:37

We used to have a 2008 was good had the spec etc, Mrs loved it.

There 208 though jesus wept it's horrible ride, plastic and over all crap.

We had one couple times due to courtesy car being needed even had a 208 gt line there supposed better one and it was equally as terrible as there base 208

glenimp617 · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:38

You see I know that's what they used to be like, but the ones we sat in yesterday were anything but cheap plastic.

glenimp617 · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:40

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
They tend to have horrible depreciation, and fall to bits

so a newish used one, with a lot of depreciation already on it under warranty 'could' be a good buy? I did think they seemed cheap?

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:43

TheOracle said:
so a newish used one, with a lot of depreciation already on it under warranty 'could' be a good buy? I did think they seemed cheap?

Yeah quite possibly.
I was looking at the 308GTi something something something 300bph something about 18 months ago. Its a hell of a car but expected residuals were just scary. If they fall like that they will be absolute bargains in 2-3 years.

vanpeebles · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:43

Run away as fast as possible.

Tek81 · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:45

I've only ever owned one Peugeot; a 207 GTi. It was the most unreliable, hateful, nasty, cheap, evil, horrific.....car that I've ever owned. Never again. Not worth the risk.

glenimp617 · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:47

tek81 said:
I've only ever owned one Peugeot; a 207 GTi. It was the most unreliable, hateful, nasty, cheap, evil, horrific.....car that I've ever owned. Never again. Not worth the risk.

I'd have never have bought that....but these new ones do look really good? Unless it's like posh paint on a rotten shed?

glenimp617 · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:48

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Yeah quite possibly.
I was looking at the 308GTi something something something 300bph something about 18 months ago. Its a hell of a car but expected residuals were just scary. If they fall like that they will be absolute bargains in 2-3 years.

I'd never buy a brand new car, always looked at year old ones. You get a good chunk knocked off and the remaining two year warranty.

Firestar_3x · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:50

TheOracle said:
Peugeots haven't always been great cars have they? I mean growing up, and even looking at cars from a few years ago they were bland, boring and just something nobody really thought about.

Some very very epic Peugeots of old, 205, 106, 405 Mi16, always had a soft spot for the 309 gti, these are the cars i remember, then it all went pear-shaped and largely still is.

Rroff · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:50

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
I was looking at the 308GTi something something something 300bph something about 18 months ago. Its a hell of a car but expected residuals were just scary. If they fall like that they will be absolute bargains in 2-3 years.

TBH true of a lot of vehicles these days - been looking at a few options lately including pickups and in so many cases a 12-18 month old low mileage (not abused to ****) one is almost if half the price of new (I've been mostly comparing the top trim levels - not sure if that applies range wide).

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:52

TheOracle said:
I'd never buy a brand new car, always looked at year old ones. You get a good chunk knocked off and the remaining two year warranty.

You should always check before doing this, the best deals are on new cars and its quite possible to get large amounts off.
Try carwow quickly would be my recommendation. I think I was offered about £5k off the 308, and the dealer was willing to haggle more.
The list price is often no where near what people actually pay

glenimp617 · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:52

Firestar_3x said:
Some very very epic Peugeots of old, 205, 106, 405 Mi16, always had a soft spot for the 309 gti, these are the cars i remember, then it all went pear-shaped and largely still is.

Yes! That's a good point. The old, old Peugeots were a bit of a cult classic. Ahhhhh, those were the days

You're right though. They went through a bit of a blancmange stage.

glenimp617 · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:54

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
You should always check before doing this, the best deals are on new cars and its quite possible to get large amounts off.
Try carwow quickly would be my recommendation. I think I was offered about £5k off the 308, and the dealer was willing to haggle more.
The list price is often no where near what people actually pay

Yeah, already did carwow, drivethedeal, orangewheels

Tek81 · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:54

TheOracle said:
I'd have never have bought that....but these new ones do look really good? Unless it's like posh paint on a rotten shed?

They look good, as did the 207 back in 2010. All it takes is one bad experience to sour an opinion of a manufacturer; as is the case with me. As others have said, the depreciation is horrific, so buying new wouldn't be the way to go imo. I think I'd need some cast iron guarantee that the engine wasn't going to explode either.

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:54

Rroff said:
TBH true of a lot of vehicles these days - been looking at a few options lately including pickups and in so many cases a 12-18 month old low mileage (not abused to ****) one is almost if half the price of new (I've been mostly comparing the top trim levels - not sure if that applies range wide).

A hell of a lot of cars you can get 20% or so off the list price for a new one. The merc I looked at 18 months ago, I had offers of a 1/3rd off. I got over 20% off the TT, so its all relative.

Rroff · 7 Feb 2019 at 08:55

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
You should always check before doing this, the best deals are on new cars and its quite possible to get large amounts off.
Try carwow quickly would be my recommendation. I think I was offered about £5k off the 308, and the dealer was willing to haggle more.
The list price is often no where near what people actually pay

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
A hell of a lot of cars you can get 20% or so off the list price for a new one. The merc I looked at 18 months ago, I had offers of a 1/3rd off. I got over 20% off the TT, so its all relative.

True - I had zero luck getting any kind of movement on price on nearly new used/ex-demo, mostly places stuck to their guns even though they don't seem to be moving stock very fast, but there was more room to manoeuvre on new and/or get extras thrown in - one place would have pretty much stuck all the optional extra on for the list price if I'd put the money down there and then.