Junkman in French Farina Frenzy - Caution: Peugeot 405 content

[DVee8]

A mate had a 1.9SRi F reg in white as a company car

[Doctormop]

Fine lookng machine, it really.......................................................

Takes my breath away!!

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8GHiY6jmR8

[Junkman]

The non-airbag steering wheel does it for me, but then I get excited by such minor details.

 

Let me know when you want rid...!

 

You can't possibly imagine my joy when I first noticed the complete airbaglessness of the car.

It also has no ABS nor other such newfangled shenanigans.

 

The Junkwoman told me, she will kill me, if I ever sell it.

To put this into perspective, an affair would merely yield two smashed kneecaps.

[Junkman]

You can turn the alarm off under the bonnet, there should be a smaller key supplied with the car, but that will only turn the siren off I believe.

 

That feature is only in conjunction with the keypad, which my car doesn't have.

[dollywobbler]

My XM has no keypad, but does have the siren-silence switch thing. Both of these things please me.

[carlo]

My 405 had an airbag when I bought it.  It doesn't any more:

 

 

It has a rather nice and slightly larger 605 non airbag wheel, with spokes in the right place for holding it.  I've also fitted the longer length 405 Executive centre console to put a front centre armrest on, which I then had covered in the appropriate light grey velour for the maximum squishy comfortness.  I am slightly obsessed with these cars.

[Junkman]

Would you by any chance have a spare pair of rear headrests?

[carlo]

May have some leather ones, not sure about velour.  Will have a look next time I'm down the barn.  Anything else you're missing?

[Junkman]

No, I haven't found anything else missing so far.

There is the fuel gauge issue. Do you know whether the sending unit is accessible from above?

[carlo]

No sorry, not very good with the oily bits

[Noel Tidybeard]

i'm sure my 106 had a big plastic doofer under the seat so you may be in with a chance with a 405

 

*edit just looked on google and there is pitchers of a plastic doofer like wot i said*

[Junkman]

Could you post a link, please?

[Sigmund Fraud]

No, I haven't found anything else missing so far.

There is the fuel gauge issue. Do you know whether the sending unit is accessible from above?

 

Tank should be right under the rear seat, lift the seat base and there should be a plastic cover hiding the pump and sender bits.

 

Knowing French electrics, it's far more likely to be a fault in the wiring or the instrument panel.

[Junkman]

Why did I include the HBOL in the last 405 sale?

[r.welfare]

The non-airbag wheel, nee 205 GTI, is great.  And the higher-spec seats (better side support and base pleating) are pretty much the most comfortable I have driven on, a Saab 9-3 excepted.  The driving position, to say nothing of the driving experience, is just so right in these.  My father rates the GTX auto estate he had new in 1995 as the best car he ever had.

[dollywobbler]

If like a BX, lift the seat base, lift the circular cover and you can unscrew the ring that holds the sender. A soak in penetrating oil and a good shake may awaken it. Or may not.

[Noel Tidybeard]

^^^wot he said

[Junkman]

Well, that's what happens when you buy a 405.

It just gives faithful service, so there is nothing more to report, and the thread just dies.

Since I have the car, I only carried out the 5-minute task of changing the thermostat.

The old one was jammed open, so it never went over 70C and thus the heater only got lukewarm.

New thermostat in, everything fine.

Even the fuel gauge started to sort itself. Ish.

[Junkman]

The car (and I) just returned from a 2,000+ mile round trip to Austria.

It didn't miss a beat. It starts to become slightly boring.

However, of all the 405 2.0 GTX autos I had hitherto, this one is the fastest, and the one that needs the least petrol.

It returned a notch over 34 OMGMPG and I hit 130 OMGMPH occasionally.

[forddeliveryboy]

Let's all have a race** to Vienna and back. More fun and more instructive (and barely more expensive) than any track-day 'experience'.

 

That's what real autoshite should be - as fast and comfortable, reliable and economical as anything from the wrong side of 2001. And which wouldn't upset the view in the prettiest Alpine village.

 

**Where style as well as speed counts

[Craig the Princess]

An exotic Autoshite rally would be awesome.

[carlo]

The car (and I) just returned from a 2,000+ mile round trip to Austria.

It didn't miss a beat. It starts to become slightly boring.

However, of all the 405 2.0 GTX autos I had hitherto, this one is the fastest, and the one that needs the least petrol.

It returned a notch over 34 OMGMPG and I hit 130 OMGMPH occasionally.

 

Best economy I've obtained out of all my 405 autos was in the current one, 39mpg on the motorway cruising at just under 70 to London and back (about 500 miles).

 

Would you believe something went wrong with it last week, cruise control packed up!  I had to go to the barn, see if I had a spare master switch from all the spares I've accumulated over the years, discover I had and swapped it so now of course it's working again.  

[Melchior]

Ugggg stop this, you are making me search for these!

 

And the first result... a US Spec 405!

 

http://www.marktplaats.nl/a/auto-s/peugeot/m888642846-peugeot-405-1-9-dli-aut-usa-uitvoering-uniek-nieuwe-apk.html?c=efb2ef4dc323389c4f92ed10afa33e3a&previousPage=lr

 

WTF.

[RobT]

An exotic Autoshite rally would be awesome.

 

How about an economy run from Jaywick to Stondon?  The person with the best mpg gets a free cup of tea and an Eccles cake in the museum café.  I'd be up for that!

 

OT, there's a 1.8 auto 405 near me that still hasn't sold.  MoT is short and has a problem with the alarm or something, but for £375 I'm tempted to break my Peugeot cherry.

[barrett]

Do saloons ride any better than estates? Gary's one is admittedly knackered, but I can't stand the crashy ride and wandering rear end. I assume things aren't as bad on a saloon, and if its an auto there might even be room to put my feet in the foot well. I would like to try a nice, well cared for 405 saloon at some point if anyone wants to let me have a go in theirs, but I really don't think I'll be converted from BXs

[forddeliveryboy]

Saloons have softer rear springs and damping, I'd think. I love 405s - they're as intended whereas the BX was built around the same chassis but with a good few compromises. A good 405 one is a joy to use as well as gaze at and I think feels the real deal - BXs to me feel like the best parts-bin car ever made, bloody good, better than most, just not as complete. <Waits for the PSA-Citreon lovers to descend>

 

 

An exotic Autoshite rally would be awesome.

 

An t-Eilean Sgitheanach would be perfect, but no-one ever seems to think so. No passports needed, subsidised fuel once there, scenery which really does take your breath awaaaay. Can't think of anywhere better in May.

[Jim Bell]

As Ive said many times, to almost everyone I know, a good 405 is on my list.

 

It would have to be from Barcelona and accept vegetables, but I have maximum respect for all the other versions.

 

Possibly the pinnacle of french motoring of the day?

[Jack D]

Love the 405,  I always thought it was a very sharp suited stylish car.  The alloys and steering wheel are perfect.  I would have one in a heartbeat.