Thinking of buying 306 D-turbo

Thinking of buying 306 D-turbo

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Discussion

Saabstudent

Original Poster:

519 posts

221 months

Thursday 13th December 2007
quotequote all
Hi,
I'm in need of a second car to keep the miles down on my classic saab and for something that the Missus can use. I learnt to drive in a 306td (and promptly wrote it off!) and think they are great cars.

However i'm after some sort of buyers guide - what goes wrong and when etc.
Also, not being adverse to a bit of light tuning i'm wondering what can and should be done to them in the engine, suspension and braking departments.

Any advice greatfully recieved.

Thanks,
Graeme

sniff petrol

13,112 posts

219 months

Thursday 13th December 2007
quotequote all
Are we talking 1.9 XUD engined stuff or the newer 2.0 HDi? What's your budget?

Matthew_Eames

1,052 posts

211 months

Thursday 13th December 2007
quotequote all
get over to www.pug306.net

goldmine of info, on the 1.9DT's there isnt much to look for, electric problems are sometimes there, but wont be major, early cars can suffer HG failures, later ones (post 95) will not

HDI's can suffer with the Crankshaft pulley (mine has used 3 in 45k...now on the 3rd modified part so hopefully it wont go again) and also the lift pumps can break up

other than that, they are pretty much solid cars

Steve_D

13,796 posts

265 months

Thursday 13th December 2007
quotequote all
I have a 97 with 121K on the clock as my daily driver.
I do naff all to it just stick diesel in it and go.
Goes like a train and is a hoot.
Considering my plaything is an Ultima GTR you can take it that I'm impressed with the Pug.

Steve

dhutch

15,285 posts

204 months

Thursday 13th December 2007
quotequote all
I would deffonatly get over to pug306net if you are going to get one.
- I learnt in, and am currently driving a 1.6l petrol 306, and they are very good cars.
- The d-turbos are good to, go on for miles. Mines petrol and its judt done 147k this week.



Daniel

Saabstudent

Original Poster:

519 posts

221 months

Friday 14th December 2007
quotequote all
Thanks folks - checking out pug306net now.

As i said i learnt to drive in a 306td and still use my parents one on the odd occassion when i'm home. Its a 96N with a paltry 65k on the clock. Nothing exctiting - white 5dr XRDT (the one i write off was an XTDT!!! lol).

When do you need to change the belts on these (they are belt rather than chain right?).

As for budget well it'll be under £2k. Prob closer to £1500 but i'd be prepared to spend a little bit more for the right car.

In my ideal world i'd like a phase 2 or 3? 3dr in Moonstone blue with 5 spoke alloys and half leather interior. Basically a Gti-6 lookalike. I doub't that'll happen for my budget but i assume it can't be that difficult to source a half leather interior on the cheap for them? Not that worried about the alloys either as i have a perverse notion to fit it with some uber cool black steelies... LMAO. Likewise i'm not that worried about the colur. Not a big fan of white, blaze yellow, that mid blue a lot seemed to come in or bright red.

So its a question of whether the HDi model is worth the extra over the older unit? I assume the later model is easier to tune - in fact just what can you do the earlier engine to extract more power cheaply. I know about tuning petrol turbos but not sure if the same theories apply to Diesel turbos?

Your thoughts,
as always,
appreciated.

G

RedCabbage

3,606 posts

239 months

Friday 14th December 2007
quotequote all
Saabstudent said:
Thanks folks - checking out pug306net now.

As i said i learnt to drive in a 306td and still use my parents one on the odd occassion when i'm home. Its a 96N with a paltry 65k on the clock. Nothing exctiting - white 5dr XRDT (the one i write off was an XTDT!!! lol).

When do you need to change the belts on these (they are belt rather than chain right?).

As for budget well it'll be under £2k. Prob closer to £1500 but i'd be prepared to spend a little bit more for the right car.

In my ideal world i'd like a phase 2 or 3? 3dr in Moonstone blue with 5 spoke alloys and half leather interior. Basically a Gti-6 lookalike. I doub't that'll happen for my budget but i assume it can't be that difficult to source a half leather interior on the cheap for them? Not that worried about the alloys either as i have a perverse notion to fit it with some uber cool black steelies... LMAO. Likewise i'm not that worried about the colur. Not a big fan of white, blaze yellow, that mid blue a lot seemed to come in or bright red.

So its a question of whether the HDi model is worth the extra over the older unit? I assume the later model is easier to tune - in fact just what can you do the earlier engine to extract more power cheaply. I know about tuning petrol turbos but not sure if the same theories apply to Diesel turbos?

Your thoughts,
as always,
appreciated.

G
You may well know that I am a big fan of the Pug oil burners.
Your wish list of a phase 2 moonstone HDI with 5 spoke alloys is a popular choice (and mine too!) so you are unlikely to get one for your budget.

There's nothing wrong with a pre HDI engined car though, they still go like stink and are marginly easier to service yourself, certainly the cambelt is easier to set up on DT. IIRC DT are required about 70-80k and HDI's every 92k.

Great cars - but buy a good one.


busta

4,504 posts

240 months

Saturday 15th December 2007
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Tuning wise, some DTs had a KKK turbo and some had a different sort (garret?), but the KKK turbos are easy to up the boost on by fettling the waste gate. Should be plenty about that on the net.

Also I think the fuel pump can opened up a bit- there's a nut with a screwdriver-headed bolt going through it on the fuel pump somewhere, should have a wire anti-tamper seal thing through it. Bin the wire seal, slacken the nut a bit and turn the screw clockwise about 1/4 turn.

Did the DTurbo have a cat? If so you can probably bin that too.

ZeeTacoe

5,444 posts

229 months

Monday 17th December 2007
quotequote all
Saabstudent said:
In my ideal world i'd like a phase 2 or 3? 3dr in Moonstone blue with 5 spoke alloys and half leather interior. Basically a Gti-6 lookalike. I doub't that'll happen for my budget but i assume it can't be that difficult to source a half leather interior on the cheap for them? Not that worried about the alloys either as i have a perverse notion to fit it with some uber cool black steelies... LMAO. Likewise i'm not that worried about the colur. Not a big fan of white, blaze yellow, that mid blue a lot seemed to come in or bright red.
what you mean like this?

I bought that last november for £1800 with 80k on the clock. everything bar the german CD player works on it.just put oil,sorry diesel, in the back and oil every 5k in the front. passed its mot first time. and i've done a trackday in it , bloody good laugh too,not fast just fun.

dhutch

15,285 posts

204 months

Monday 17th December 2007
quotequote all
You proberbly will be looking at around £2000 unless you get a really good deal.
- Ive got a 1.6l petrol w-reg meridian, which in good condition on average millage i recon is around £1600-1800ish.
- However there are loads that will go for less than that, depending on condition trim colour etc.
- Mine has a few resprayed body pannels, including a drivers door that was bent back in a breakin attempt and then strightend and resprayed, and at 147k shes just over double the average millage. Bring the price down to i recon a very affordable £850-950, and she still runs very well.


Daniel

drfrank

785 posts

209 months

Wednesday 26th December 2007
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I have a 2.0l HDi (GLX) on a V-plate.

I bought it at 50k and it now has 102k on it, it is a superb car and I really cannot justify replacing it. Whilst I was thinking about an M3, the hospital I will be working in is in such a sh*t area I know it will be keyed.

The 306 however is cheap to run and insure. It has never failed to start and is generally a superb car. I don't mind where I park it and no one wants to nick it.

The electrics are a bit temperamental, the fan packs in intermittently as does the aircon, oh and the radio has packed it (I don't have the orginal code) after I jump started the wife's car.

But other than that I cannot rate them highly enough.

megamaniac

1,060 posts

223 months

Thursday 27th December 2007
quotequote all
drfrank said:
I have a 2.0l HDi (GLX) on a V-plate.

oh and the radio has packed it (I don't have the orginal code) after I jump started the wife's car.

.
If you know who the dealer was that originally supplied the car, they should be able to give you the code F.O.C. If you contact any other dealer they will charge you for this service.

dhutch

15,285 posts

204 months

Thursday 27th December 2007
quotequote all
Ive just written off my w-reg 1.6l petrol 306 last saterday, and am looking to replace it directly with another 1.6l or a diesal.
- It had 147k on the clock, and drove beutifully and reliably.
- Had her in the family since she was 6months old, never any problem


Daniel

MiguelMI16

542 posts

203 months

Thursday 27th December 2007
quotequote all
Hay,
Ive got a phase 2 D Turbo S for sale if your interested?
its met. red with half leather. 3 door, electric windows and mirrors. aircon with climate control though it needs a re-gas. has a MP3-CD player and a 6 disc changer thats not hooked up though.
140,000 miles and recently serviced with 2 new tyres (about 2k) front disc's and pads (3k on them) Cam belt done about 8k ago. has tax and MOT till march but has been sat on my drive since the begining of dec due to the purchace of a 405 MI16. all in good condition bar a scrape on the front bumper.
New back box.

Would you be interested?