Peugeot Partner aka M59 Citroen Berlingo, Escapade model
Discussion
I randomly did a search for M59 Berlingo's on here and didn't find much recent stuff so I thought I'd do a reader's cars on mine.
For reference I run it alongside my 955 Cayenne, 958 Cayenne and £500 XC90 all of which have their own readers car pages (have a rummage through my profile).
My Berlingo is the Peugeot Partner version (same difference), it's the Escapade model with the 90hp 2.0Hdi engine. The Escapade has 30+ mm suspension increase over a normal Berlingo, big steel sump & fuel line bash plates, headlamp brush guards, wheelarch mouldings, and 15" wheels.
I bought it during Covid for doggo, hiking and mountain bike duties, it replaced a rotted out MK7 Transit.
It had 85k miles and it's now on 122k, it's a 2004 model
Out of these two cars in this picture one cost 5x times more than the other one did.......

I'm fastidious about car maintenance and when I buy car it is baselined up to my level. It came with a large file of paperwork and bills which included the big ticket items on these namely a replacement rear axle and the clutch. It had a full set of new Continentals.
I then brought it into my tinkering space and replaced the following;
Lower control arms
TRE's
Springs
Upper strut bearings
Brake discs, calipers, pads, rear drums, cylinders, handbrake mechanism.
MAF
Timing belt, idlers and waterpump
De-stickered it
It was fully cleaned underneath and all cavities and sills were sprayed with Dinitrol.


In the time since it's had 2x wheel bearings, a CV joint, alternator and I upgraded the starter motor to the more powerful version for quicker winter starting. I found a cheap used engine ECU with a stage1 130hp map (standard is 90hp). Serviced every 5k since.
In all honesty it's the best car I've ever owned! It's super useful, nippy, has lovely soft squishy pot hole absorbing suspension, and is the most economical car I have and will ever own. It does +50mpg and quality OEM parts are dirt cheap! It's basic and really easy to work on.
There isn't much else to say - it just keeps plodding on! Anyway, a few pictures.
Berlingo - the car nobody wants but the car everybody needs!










For reference I run it alongside my 955 Cayenne, 958 Cayenne and £500 XC90 all of which have their own readers car pages (have a rummage through my profile).
My Berlingo is the Peugeot Partner version (same difference), it's the Escapade model with the 90hp 2.0Hdi engine. The Escapade has 30+ mm suspension increase over a normal Berlingo, big steel sump & fuel line bash plates, headlamp brush guards, wheelarch mouldings, and 15" wheels.
I bought it during Covid for doggo, hiking and mountain bike duties, it replaced a rotted out MK7 Transit.
It had 85k miles and it's now on 122k, it's a 2004 model
Out of these two cars in this picture one cost 5x times more than the other one did.......

I'm fastidious about car maintenance and when I buy car it is baselined up to my level. It came with a large file of paperwork and bills which included the big ticket items on these namely a replacement rear axle and the clutch. It had a full set of new Continentals.
I then brought it into my tinkering space and replaced the following;
Lower control arms
TRE's
Springs
Upper strut bearings
Brake discs, calipers, pads, rear drums, cylinders, handbrake mechanism.
MAF
Timing belt, idlers and waterpump
De-stickered it
It was fully cleaned underneath and all cavities and sills were sprayed with Dinitrol.


In the time since it's had 2x wheel bearings, a CV joint, alternator and I upgraded the starter motor to the more powerful version for quicker winter starting. I found a cheap used engine ECU with a stage1 130hp map (standard is 90hp). Serviced every 5k since.
In all honesty it's the best car I've ever owned! It's super useful, nippy, has lovely soft squishy pot hole absorbing suspension, and is the most economical car I have and will ever own. It does +50mpg and quality OEM parts are dirt cheap! It's basic and really easy to work on.
There isn't much else to say - it just keeps plodding on! Anyway, a few pictures.
Berlingo - the car nobody wants but the car everybody needs!










Edited by RustyNissanPrairie on Tuesday 14th October 06:59
.........It does however have a downside!
I've run out of fuel in it 5 times!!!!!! (I can't remember ever doing it in any other car)
I'm a clever bloke (and an engineer), and I can afford the fuel for it - I'm no longer a skint 18year old.........but there is just something about the fuel gauge (it works fine, I've tested it), the red area of the gauge and the needle stop that in combination with its frugal nature have me thinking "I'll fill it up tomorrow".
It then gives a single cough and dies instantly. One occasion it coughed and died on a major roundabout but I had enough momentum to roll into the fuel station. Thankfully it has a fuel priming bulb so is easy to restart.
The worst time was the dual carriageway out of my town when taking the dog for a walk. It coughed and I just managed to coast to a small grassed area. I then did the walk of shame home for my familiar fuel can. I'd like to think I've learnt my lesson.........but 5x times? It's clearly the car/Peugeot's fault!!!!!


I've run out of fuel in it 5 times!!!!!! (I can't remember ever doing it in any other car)
I'm a clever bloke (and an engineer), and I can afford the fuel for it - I'm no longer a skint 18year old.........but there is just something about the fuel gauge (it works fine, I've tested it), the red area of the gauge and the needle stop that in combination with its frugal nature have me thinking "I'll fill it up tomorrow".
It then gives a single cough and dies instantly. One occasion it coughed and died on a major roundabout but I had enough momentum to roll into the fuel station. Thankfully it has a fuel priming bulb so is easy to restart.
The worst time was the dual carriageway out of my town when taking the dog for a walk. It coughed and I just managed to coast to a small grassed area. I then did the walk of shame home for my familiar fuel can. I'd like to think I've learnt my lesson.........but 5x times? It's clearly the car/Peugeot's fault!!!!!


Edited by RustyNissanPrairie on Tuesday 14th October 06:47
macron said:
Love these, proper tardis of utility from back in the day when doors were an inch thick at most. Great to see you looking after it too!
Yeah - I wouldn't like to crash it!It doesn't have ABS - that was a £700 optional extra and came bundled with Aircon. It was called the 'Comfort Pack'.
As in not dying in a French sardine tin because you locked the over assisted brakes and slid into the back of someone was a comfort thing!
RustyNissanPrairie said:
.........It does however have a downside!
I've run out of fuel in it 5 times!!!!!! (I can't remember ever doing it in any other car)
I'm a clever bloke (and an engineer), and I can afford the fuel for it - I'm no longer a skint 18year old.........but there is just something about the fuel gauge (it works fine, I've tested it), the red area of the gauge and the needle stop that in combination with its frugal nature have me thinking "I'll fill it up tomorrow".
It then gives a single cough and dies instantly. One occasion it coughed and died on a major roundabout but I had enough momentum to roll into the fuel station. Thankfully it has a fuel priming bulb so is easy to restart.
The worst time was the dual carriageway out of my town when taking the dog for a walk. It coughed and I just managed to coast to a small grassed area. I then did the walk of shame home for my familiar fuel can. I'd like to think I've learnt my lesson.........but 5x times? It's clearly the car/Peugeot's fault!!!!!


I had one that did similar.I've run out of fuel in it 5 times!!!!!! (I can't remember ever doing it in any other car)
I'm a clever bloke (and an engineer), and I can afford the fuel for it - I'm no longer a skint 18year old.........but there is just something about the fuel gauge (it works fine, I've tested it), the red area of the gauge and the needle stop that in combination with its frugal nature have me thinking "I'll fill it up tomorrow".
It then gives a single cough and dies instantly. One occasion it coughed and died on a major roundabout but I had enough momentum to roll into the fuel station. Thankfully it has a fuel priming bulb so is easy to restart.
The worst time was the dual carriageway out of my town when taking the dog for a walk. It coughed and I just managed to coast to a small grassed area. I then did the walk of shame home for my familiar fuel can. I'd like to think I've learnt my lesson.........but 5x times? It's clearly the car/Peugeot's fault!!!!!


Edited by RustyNissanPrairie on Tuesday 14th October 06:47
Something in the fuel tank needed replacing from memory, lets air into the fuel line when fuel down to a certain level.
Wasn't too expensive to fix.
These are great cars. My Dad had a beige one for 14 or so years and it was brilliant for doing non glamourous car duties like taking 5 adults with luggage on holiday, moving us to and from university, clearing out elderly relative's homes etc. He changed to a Skoda Roomster so he clearly loves deeply uncool utilitarian cars 

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