406 Coupe - Buy YES or NO

[Markthelark]

Want to buy my wife (and me) a economical car , thought about a BMW 320D , good car but there are so many of them you'd never find it in Tesco's carpark ! Would like an Alfa , but too expensive for bits and bad rep.

Looking at a 2.2Hdi 136hp 406 Coupe , can easily be remapped and de-faped too, parts not too expensive and nice ride, unusual too , only about 10,000 imported I think , but I think it looks just right .

Anyone like to comment for reasons to or not to buy one .

 

[foxhole]

Would never buy French.
http://www.peugeotforums.com/forums/406-40/

 

[Astra99]

Sorry to digress (?!?), but I am sure it's worth buying their (French) letters!!
Their cars I would not touch with a barge-pole though.

 

[Markthelark]

The point was really was , do you like the way it looks , not so much about whether a certain part is prone to fail and cost a fortune to replace. Anyone could paste a link of any marque of car with the same problems.

I have owned "french" cars which have done 250,000 plus with no major prob's , I have had the same cars that have resided in the local garage more than on the road ! You get good and bad one's of the same make ,type,year.

I have a Korean vehicle that I have owned for over 15 years and 160,000 , the only parts changed have been a set of disc's a year ago , even has original exhaust. Never not started or broken down , yet Top gear really slated it when it came out !

They say the 2.0Hdi is one of the best diesel's you can get , the 2.2Hdi is just its big brother , I have seen 470,000 on these engines , yet have just rebuilt one with less than 100K on the clock , the owner is a friend and NEVER services his vehicles , when he does , he uses the cheapest and any grade of oil he can , saves a few pounds, but costs a lot more in the end !

Back to the point , aside the mechanics, electrics etc , is it a yes or no on how it looks ?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

No they're ugly, they are invariably owned by people with no taste. I'd sooner drive something from Korea.

 

[Peter.N.]

I always buy French, well Citroen or Peugeot anyway, not impressed with Renault reliability, the only way to get a comfortable ride, having said that the 2.2 in the 406 is not the most economical of engines returning about 40 mpg average opposed to the 2.0L giving in excess of 55 mpg but unfortunately they don't use the 2.0L in the coupe only in the saloon and estate. The 406 is a lovely car to drive.

Peter

 

[Markthelark]

Thanks for your opinion , I don't mind good or bad , just interested , especially if someone has owned one. BTW , I also drive a car from Korea! That was voted the ugliest car ever by Top Gear !! Shows I've got taste or cataracts !
If leaving comment , please tell us your mode of transport , or even the car you'd most like to own , you never know I maybe some eccentric millionaire , who might just buy you what you want . Actually that makes no sense , why would I be asking about a 406 Coupe ? Then again , I did say I was eccentric!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers Pete , just seen your post , also had a saloon and estate in 1.9 and 2.1 , agree the 2.2 not as economical as the 2.0 , but it's the way you drive it , also with a remap of 180bhp , should get better mpg.
I have driven most marques and like the citroen / peugeot ride , german cars too hard for my taste.

 

[Mursal]

If I was going French and oddball, think it wold be a tin top convertible.

But are you seriously going to give 10k sterling for a 2 door French secondhand hatch? It will depreciate like a stone.

 

[chainsaw_masochist]

Go for it. If it is an oil-burner it shoulld be good for a lengthy mileage. To my eyes the coupe is a good looking vehicle, no doubt due to Carozzeria Pinninfarina getting their pencils out for its design.

 

[Peter.N.]

I drive with a glass slipper and the best I have had from my 2.2 C5 is 49.6 mpg, the best from the 2.0 in the 406 estate the average was 67.3 mpg on the entire trip back from Scotland, around 650 miles in May.

The best value for money cars seem to be C5s, you can get a good 2.0Hdi for less than £1000 and there are some advertised with over 300,000 miles on them - that goes a long way with me. (no pun intended)

Peter

 

[Markthelark]

Seen a few 2.2 Hdi Coupe's 01 to 03 from 1300 to 2300 , with less than 100k , Loads of toys too .

Unless someone can come up with an alternative ?

Have seen a few remapped 2.2's getting mid 50's , which would be good for me.

 

[Peter.N.]

My son has a hankering for one of these, reckons they are the best looking coupe, I would rather have the space of the estate, he is running a XM at the moment.

Peter

 

[Markthelark]

Me too , just hope the wife wants one. Showed he one on epay , said she liked it , but need to drive it first. Took a BMW 320D for a test last week , went well , but felt very clostrafobic . Plus, I like something a bit unusual , and agree I personally think it looks great , looks like a real car , not one of the computer generated boxes you see today ! Example , I worked for Audi/VW and the MK1 Golf was brilliant , todays Golf is just a box with wheels. Sorry to anyone who owns one , they are just like the advert , "it does exactly what it says on the can" , comfy , economical, reliable , but its not a MK1 Golf !

 

[Mursal]

Seen a few 2.2 Hdi Coupe's 01 to 03 from 1300 to 2300 , with less than 100k , Loads of toys too .

Absolutely, real value at that sort of money. Sorry I misread your first post

 

[Markthelark]

No worries , this thread is just for fun. Interesting to see what and why some people like or dislike different cars.

But to be honest , I do like the look of them , and if I could afford to have a petrol tanker follow me all the time , I'd get the 3.0 24v !

Prob is , wife needs to commute 50 miles a day , so needs to be diesel really. Not worried about repairs , parts etc , I do all my own , and others.

Plus the 3 donors (sons) rarely come with us , so 4 seats is more than enough !

If I could find a good one , I'd like an Alfasud Sprint 1.5 , had one a long time ago and it put a smile on my face every time I got in it , let alone drive it, those were the days , 10p litre , the police too ****ed to bother stopping you , no speed camera's , great times ! Maybe I'll just go and live in SA !