Peugeot 306 Advice

[Enjin]

I'm looking at getting a 306 as a cheap runabout, specifically the 1.9D. Is there anything I should look out for in particular? I'm hoping to see a vehicle tomorrow that has done 145,000 miles, I hear these engines are very reliable is this the case?

Many Thanks

[megamaniac]

Rear radius arm bearings are the most expensive to sort.Everything else is reasonably easy/cheap.

[StoatInACoat]

Ours has done 157,000 and the engine is strong. However, last four years it's had:

Wishbones
Track rods
Drop links
Rear calliper seized (Upgraded beam though - supposed to have drums but previous one failed for last owner)
Rust in boot (!!!)
Exhaust has fallen off twice
Aux belt mangled itself due to ovalled pulley and snapped spring in tensioner

My other 306 - a 1.8 petrol I sold at 132kish and in 70k it had the following apart from usual servicing:

Two brake hoses
A driveshaft
Interior fan failed and was replaced with scrapyard item for about 38p.

Nothing disastrous really and they are strong cars generally but they are getting old and high miles are still high miles. Loads and loads of utter sheds about. Ours was bought from a friend who babied it and I have been over anal about fixing stuff but they are easy and intuitive cars to work on for a Frenchy. Avoid anything that's been "tuned" or dropped onto the bumpstops by a retard.

[Enjin]

Thanks for the advice, I ended up with a 1.9 306 with an even higher milage (157,000 also.) It's been well looked after and engine, gearbox and clutch all seem strong. There's a few things which need sorting but for a three hundred pound car it's more then capable for what I need it for.

[steve j]

Non turbo 1.9 diesel engines as fitted to a lot of cars can blow the head gasket at around 160K, that`s the only real weak point, it really is a robust engine. In mid wales at a breakers, I saw a 405 with 550K on it, the engine was still running albeit a bit tired, but it was the gearbox that gave in.