Sunday 5th May 2019

Peugeot 405 Mi16: Spotted

Yes, there really are still Mi16s left in existence - and this one is only £5k

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It's easy to forget, in the illustrious back catalogue of fabulous fast Peugeots, about the 405 Mi16. After all, thought immediately goes to the hatchbacks, where you're spoilt for choice: 205 in GTI, Rallye and XS form, GTI-6, Rallye, S16 and XSI 306s, the 106s in all its performance iterations. Heck, those wanting something a bit more left-field could opt for a 309. So it's usually a little while before the Mi16 is even mentioned in a Peugeot discussion, leave alone a fan is discovered.

Its case is made worse by its depressing rarity. Typically that's attributed to the recent scrappage schemes, but fact is Mi16s were on the decline a long time before then. Affordable, quick saloons have never been as covetable in the UK as hot hatches; with the 205 denied the racier, 16v XU9 J4 found in the 405, many Mi16s were sacrificed when cheap enough to donate their engine as a replacement for the 205 GTI's eight-valve XU9 JA. Way back then nobody cared much for conservation or originality, only seeking to make a faster and more exciting 205 because the parts were there and affordable. Nowadays, with factory specification seemingly in more demand than ever, that harvesting of the 405's vital organ seems like more of a shame than at any point before.

Because the Mi16 was good - really, really good. It was heavier than the hatchbacks but still light at a little over 1,100kg, and boasted that uncanny (and once uniquely Peugeot) blend of supple ride and agile handling that beguiled all who experienced it. There was seemingly no compromise for this dynamic utopia, an achievement that built Peugeot's reputation amongst enthusiasts for a long time. That this chassis witchcraft was combined with an explosive powerplant, and resided in such a handsome saloon, meant the 405 very swiftly became a cult hero. Then, as mentioned, a brilliant donor car almost just as quickly.

Want to guess how many Mi16s still live in Britain? Chances are your guess is wrong. Across three models - the 1.9-litre original, the facelifted 2.0-litre car and the 4x4 - there were 10 registered in the UK last year. 10. One 1.9, six 2.0-litres and three 4x4s - seriously. A decade before the number was 77 - still rare, sure, but a significant amount more.

Thank goodness, then, that at least one of those survivors is still being well looked after. Better even that, it's a cared for Mi16 that's available for the next enthusiast to buy. Given the stats above it won't surprise anyone to learn this is one of the iron-blocked 2.0-litres; the reputation was built on the ally-blocked 1.9, but this XU10 was also used in the 306 S16, and in tweaked form as the GTI-6's powerplant. And nobody whinges about that now, do they?While the pictures don't tell us a great deal, there's much to be encouraged by in this Mi16 advert: a mileage that's yet to tick over into six figures, recent remedial work including a cambelt, waterpump, cat and clutch, a nicely preserved interior and lustrous paintwork (what can be see of it). And it's five grand!

There are UK-spec 205 Rallyes for sale at £15,000, and CTIs at similar money. For a car of such famed status, this money for a 405 Mi16 looks eminently sensible. Like the current owner, it could be one saved and used sparingly on nice days - perhaps not the conventional weekend car, but those who get it will understand exactly the thought process. In a similar vain, as and when sale time comes around to sell, the right buyer - once they've been found - must only be tremendously keen. There's not going to be many to choose from, after all. The Mi16 is a piece of Peugeot history that deserves more than any other to be preserved - PistonHeads, over to you...

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SPECIFICATION - PEUGEOT 405 MI16

Engine: 1,998cc, 4-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 155@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 135@3,500rpm
MPG: 30 (est.)
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1993
Recorded mileage: 97,000
Price new: £14,300 (1987)
Yours for: £4,995

See the original advert here.

[mrclav]

Nice.

I wonder how easy it would be to maintain these now?

[GTIMAN2]

Had one back in the day,you can go on about its chassis and all that but mine had numerous interior rattles,squeaky steering and warning lights on virtually every week.Swapped it for a battleship build E34 535i which was easily one of the best cars of that era,hampered only by the ludicrous servicing costs that BMW wanted.And that car STILL lives,looked after by a good specialist.

[MDMA .]

Car now sold. Didn't take long.

[Section 8]

One of those cars that I never really wanted back in the day. It was all about the hatchbacks for me. Shame really as they were a good looking car and capable for what they were.When the time came that I did want a sporting French saloon I opted for the 16v 19 Chamade. Can’t be many of those now either?

[ringweekends]

stbox

[mrtwisty]

ringweekends said:

stbox

Insightful, do tell us more of your wisdom.

Edit - ok, you got me (just checked your garage).

[2172cc]

That's really sad that there are only a handful left of this great car. I have to hold my hand up and confess that I was one of those that sacrificed a 405 for the engine to put into my 205 but it was the cheapest and easiest way to more power at the time.
Christ that engine was a peach and went really well in the 205 , something the factory should have done all along.
Here is the aforementioned engine in my 205.

[A205GTI]

Ran a 405 MI16 4x4 for a few months loved the car, but sadly after doing the cambelt the piston went and had to sell to someone who no doubt stripped the engine for his 205, would have loved to keep it, but no space and had the 205 on the drive, could not justify keeping 2 of them.

Shem as was comfy and fairly quick.

[Mi16liam]

I own the 1989 1.9 one mentioned above.
It's a car I wanted since being a child and now it's fully restored back to factory it's wonderful and people have a lot of things nice to say about it

It's been in modern classics mag
Autocar
Practical classics
Peugeot use it too.

Regarding parts they are very hard to keep on the road. Wheel bearing's are the most difficult part to source.
Hoses second
And then there's the Bendix braking system. That was the real killer of the very early mi16s.


I do love the car.

Edited by Mi16liam on Sunday 5th May 09:30

Edited by Mi16liam on Sunday 5th May 09:31

[Mi16liam]

mrclav said:

Nice.

I wonder how easy it would be to maintain these now?

I own one.

There very hard to find parts for

But you just find a way to get around that issue somehow

[rossub]

Reminds me of one of the best car ads ever (yes I know it’s not an Mi16)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H8GHiY6jmR8

[ringweekends]

mrtwisty said:

ringweekends said:

stbox

Insightful, do tell us more of your wisdom.

Edit - ok, you got me (just checked your garage).

Ha ha!
Sorry about that.

Lovely cars, I bought my Ph1 off the original owner in 2006. Midway through a ‘bit of a’ restoration currently.

Love it to bits.

[Mi16liam]

Will it be at motofest mate?

[ringweekends]

Mi16liam said:

Will it be at motofest mate?

Hey Liam - no, I won’t have time to get it finished by then. MOTOFEST taking all my efforts!
Hoping for the Peugeot Festival at Prescott end of June but I’m not going to rush it - so we’ll see.

Are you bringing yours to Coventry Motofest again? I’d love to see it now it’s finished!

[Mi16liam]

Theres a good chance I will depends on where we will be parking with the club
You'd be able to offer me more information than the club will so far lol.

If only one day we do rather than two.
I can't really walk far these days after a back injury 😭😭😭😭.
Best thing too do is not to rush the car. I rushed mine through meaning now it needs the paint looking at but it's all small things. Also I now run it on waterless coolent. What a difference that is.

I'll message you with my mobile number

[Sandpit Steve]

Friend of mine had one of these back in the day. Lasted a week before getting rolled through a hedge.

And he had third party insurance because that was all he could afford at 18.

And a big five-year loan he’d taken out to buy it.

Glad to see there’s still a few of them left, good job to those above who have kept them running.

[Cambs_Stuart]

I remember looking at one of these about 20 years ago. Loved it, despite the knackered paintwork, lack of service history, smell of buring oil, and on the test drive the owner showing in how fast it is by doing an indicated 70mph on Cherry Hinton road.
Sadly, it was just over budget so I bought a volve 480 turbo instead.

[Old Merc]

There has been a number of PH threads recently reminiscing about 405`s,the MI16 was the best of them all. That pre cat 16V XU was a cracking engine,one of the best Peugeot ever made.
In the early 90`s I had a 405 MI16x4 ,probably the most underrated car of its time. 4x4,LSD front and rear,active ride rear suspension,ABS, 16V,etc etc.
I had the ECU and the induction altered,it was a brilliant car. In those days I often drove to Germany, 150 mph and would stick to the road like glue.

[ZX10R NIN]

That was a sensible price for a modern classic no wonder it sold quickly.

[ringweekends]

ZX10R NIN said:

That was a sensible price for a modern classic no wonder it sold quickly.

I believe it's actually on it's way to Hong Kong.