Is the Peugeot 406 HDi any good?

I've done a search on this forum, and the threads I found suggested steering clear of them.

For the same money I can get a W reg 406 HDi Estate or a VW Passat TDi Estate R reg. Am I best to stick with VAG?

I'm currently looking for VAG TDi's - is there anything else I should be considering? Are the Vectra TD's any good?

Looking up to £3.5k.

PS. Would love a Mitsu Galant Estate with LPG! (Need to do 40mpg+ or equivalent!)

 

pugs are 'average'
the vw's go better and return better mpg

 

The Pugs have a bigger fuel tank so have a considerably larger range. For that budget I would probably go with a lower mileage / newer pug than the VW.

 

i've been informed to steer clear of HDi engine by a few mechanics, nowhere near as good as the old 1.9, stick to VAG, or VX DTi engines, they seem more reliable.
Best value would be a Vectra DTi (98hp), ran 1 for 3yrs, no probs at all, and no cambelt to change....for 3.5k you'll get an Y reg with around 100k at Auction....better than 6-6.5 for a Y Passatt with same mls.

 

...and there was me thinkin that particular french unit was the most sophisticated of its day-compared with similar...

 

I'm not a mechanic by trade, so don't know all the facts, but it possibly is too sophisticated, thats why its got some probs?? then again you could run 1 for 100k and be ok?, its the talk in the Trade that I listen to, and its not very good for the HDi.........its not ALL good news for the VAG 130 motors either, personally I would say from what I've heard is that all this 120/130+bhp is great, but I don't think they've 100% got them reliable like the lesser pressure fed motors.

 

i had a pug 307 turdo diesel as a company car last year, and quite frankly the engine was pretty crap, needed a lot of booting to get the thing to move and returned 34-38mpg. that was the 2.0 hdi 90 btw. the 110 wernt much better

 

I will have a look at both, though I'm veering more towards the VAG's.

 

We've had a few 406 HDi 110s at work. General opinion seems to be that the engine is OK, but the electrical system is seriously suspect. The other criticism is that when the engine was introduced Peugeot were promoting how economical it was (talking of 55mpg being available). Nobody has seen anything like that mileage with 45-47mpg being more normal.

I had one of the early 406s (March '96) and that was replaced by another 406 2 years and 80K miles later. The second 406 was replaced a further 2 years and 87K miles on. Both were great cars; really solid and reliable. These were both the 1.9TD.

 

I had a 306 HDI (which is obvisouly smaller) and couldn't fault the HDi engine.

had NO problems whats so ever...well, until a tree fell on it.

Great mpg and plenty of power especially between 50-80 in 4th/5th gear. Wish I still ahd one as my second car.

 

Are the engines in these the same as in Citroen C5s?