Buying an estate on a budget

briN_s

Hi all

Im looking at buying a diesel estate (or a 5 door saloon) car but hoping not to pay any more than 2000/2500 euro. I have been looking at one or two peugeot 406 estates, they seem to be good value and a really comfortable car. Just have a few questions for ye:

- I have heard rumours that the HDi's are less reliable than the standard diesel engine, has anyone any experience of this?

- What mileage would be regarded as high on the diesel 406s? ( I currently have a SEAT Toledo with 180k miles and engine is still perfect)

- Any recurring problems with these cars that I should watch out for?

-Anyone have any other suggestions for cars which might fit the bill ... Reliable, Diesel, Estate (or 5 door saloon), value for money ...


Any help would be appreciated
Thanks

racso1975

what year are you looking at in the 406 at that money. Estates really aint that popular here dont know why i think they are great cars but it might be worth while loking up north.

obviously a difference between a 5 door and estate maybe you need to decide if one is essential or not as will have a lot more choices open to you on the 5 door option.

Cant help you with the 406 i have a 407 and mechanically it is sound 2 neighbours have the 406 and they also swear by them

briN_s

Looking at cars about 02 or 03, but not too fussy, mileage and condition would be more important. Would be hoping for under 120k miles. Estate would be a preference unless I saw a very good deal on a 5 door saloon

langdang

Not being smart, but I would have thought the obvious 2nd choice to an estate would be a 5door hatchback rather than a saloon?
eg mondeo comes as saloon,hatchback and estate?
I'm in a similar situation to yourself, always on the look out for good cheap reliable estates in case my own finally finally gives up, but think I may have to settle for a 5 door hatch.

Also, be aware that doing searches by "bodytype" online is a pain because at least 20% of cars are listed incorrectly. eg hatchbacks listed as saloons and vice versa. SUV/estate/MPV is just lucky dip what they list em as...

GTE

Forgive my ignorance,

You say you heard the HDi is less reliable then the standard diesel.
Can anyone say if the standard engine is a non turbo diesel?

If thats the case I have heard the same thing about VAG diesels. The SDI engines (not turbo) are meant to be absolute tanks where the TDI's (with a turbo) are meant to have more problems with electronics etc. but by no means unreliable. Its just that the turbo diesels have more electronic gubbins that could go wrong.

If we are talking about a non turbo engine versus a turbo engine then all that lotis relevant. . . but its probably not what we are talking about haha.


I own a Gold estate that I got for 2500. Year 2000. Great car, not a bother on it and the boot is big enough for my needs, but it is not the biggest out there. Maybe a Passat would interest you also.

--paul--

http://www.gumtree.ie/dublin/10/48252910.html

smash

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1146166 - forget about Diesel

briN_s

langdang wrote: »

Not being smart, but I would have thought the obvious 2nd choice to an estate would be a 5door hatchback rather than a saloon?

Possibly a bad choice of words on my behalf, I assumed a hatchback was the likes of a polo/golf/206 etc and that a 5 door saloon was a saloon body in which the back window lifted with the boot. The most important feature would be that the seats fold down flat so I can put kayaks in the boot.

bbk wrote: »

You say you heard the HDi is less reliable then the standard diesel.
Can anyone say if the standard engine is a non turbo diesel?

I own a Gold estate that I got for 2500. Year 2000. Great car, not a bother on it and the boot is big enough for my needs, but it is not the biggest out there. Maybe a Passat would interest you also.

Im not sure if they come non turbo but I was comparing non-HDi turbos to HDi Turbos. Would like a passat but volkswagens tend to be pretty expensive in comparison to most others

fonecrusher1

What about a vw passat estate? For that money though your looking at a 2000/2001 model.

cadaliac

briN_s wrote: »

Possibly a bad choice of words on my behalf, I assumed a hatchback was the likes of a polo/golf/206 etc and that a 5 door saloon was a saloon body in which the back window lifted with the boot. The most important feature would be that the seats fold down flat so I can put kayaks in the boot.



Im not sure if they come non turbo but I was comparing non-HDi turbos to HDi Turbos. Would like a passat but volkswagens tend to be pretty expensive in comparison to most others

OK, there are Hdi engines (which all have turbos) and there are petrol versions (non turbo)
The Hdi, comes is 2 litre and has 2 power outputs (90 bhp and 110 bhp). All these are around the 00, 01, 02 years. There are other (rare) variants but these are the most comon types.
Who ever told you that Hdi engines are un-reliable probally just hates all things french.
This is common. Very common actually.
This is also falce. They are a great engine. The 406 is an underrated car.
I would expect a well maintained Hdi to do big miles (my father has 225k on his, also a wagon) I had one and put 80k on it myself, sold it with 135k on the clock and the guy who has it now has over 150k (local) with no real issues.
There is an issue with the fuel feeder pump located in the fuel tank under the back seat. They will pack up at about 130k (or less). I can't remember but the part is about €200. Rear suspension bushings can cause an annoying rattle (cheap fix) but there are no big "issues" like on some new diesels.
Good car.

iei044775

I don't know abot 406 estates but I have had 2 saloons HDIs, a 90bhp which I sold with a 160K and never needed anything and a 2004 110bhp which is still in the family going strong.

I believe these are the most under-rated family saloons on the market, very reasonable to buy and more reliable than VAG in my experience - and much more comfortable

langdang

briN_s wrote: »

Possibly a bad choice of words on my behalf, I assumed a hatchback was the likes of a polo/golf/206 etc and that a 5 door saloon was a saloon body in which the back window lifted with the boot. The most important feature would be that the seats fold down flat so I can put kayaks in the boot.

Ya, was being a bit pedantic, I didn't notice the "5door" before the saloon in your original post. 5dr saloon, hatchback, liftback... all are valid I suppose, there seems to be plenty of people on Carzone who make their living from cars haven't the foggiest what the difference is so...
(I just have a particular hatred of people who advertise a car as a 5dr hatch back when it's a 5 door saloon, or advertise 4x4 SUVs as estates)

A 5dr mondeo lift/hatch back has fairly monstrous capacity, dunno how it compares to citroen/peugeot tho. Would a van be considered?
Some cars (my own estate included) will fold the front passenger seat forward on itself to give an almost flat run all the way through one side of the car, approx 13 feet with boot closed I think. With a split folding rear seat you could have a passenger behind you and two kayaks on the other side?

Obviously an estate with roof bars would give a better option for carrying on the roof aswell