Peugeot/Citroen 1.9 Diesels - Any Experiences?

[Negative Creep]

Right, it's 4 months until I leave the country and I need to save money by going down to one miser-spec car. Not sure if it's a good thing or not, but I'm thinking one of these, preferably in estate form, would be a good idea. So that would be a 306/Xsara/ZX in turbo form and under a grand. I'm thinking the 306 as it's the nicest looking and supposed to be rather good to drive.So any experiences? Biggest concern is reliability, I know the engine will go on forever but what about the rest of it? Do you get decent mpg around town and can you really tweak the fuel pressure to get another 20bhp? Finally, can you safely run them on half veg oil? Cheers!

[r.welfare]

If you've only got 4 months to go I'd sell the 120Y and Golf and just run the Almera. It's the least-hassle solution as, potentially, you could buy a real bag of bolts in the form of a 306 or ZX.But - on the XUD9TE (turbo 1905cc diesel lump) you need to watch for any cooling issues - proof of coolant changes every 2 years would be GR8; radiators tend to give up every 10 years or 100k; check the heater output (the matrix can leak); watch the temperature gauge for any odd behaviour.On the other questions - I get 46mpg out of my 405TD estate on a very mixed cycle, so I'd say 35-40 around town; you can do various simple things to up the fuelling and boost, whether you'd get 20bhp I doubt, and why bother if it ups the risk of mechanical problem; you can run them safely on a 50/50 veg split in summer, for sure, but only if it has a Bosch fuel pump (not a definite on the 306TD) and even then I'm not sure if you could do it "forever" - but for 4 months you'd probably be OK.I'd still stick with the Almera if I was in your shoes really.

[Milford Cubicle]

All post-96 ZXs, 306s and Xsaras of course have Lucas fuel pumps - no good for vegetable oil unless properly converted.The engines go on and on as long as they're properly cared for, with fresh oil every 6k or less and fresh coolant every couple of years. Trim is pretty flimsy on ZXs and 306s, ZXs especially, but everything else is simple and rugged. The rear beams can fail though - watch out for funny camber on the rear wheels. They don't rust much, but ZXs can rust quite badly on the inner wings visible from the engine bay.Unfortunately loads of them are neglected, you just need to weed out the bad ones.

[Cavcraft]

In my experience the n/a are better than the TD as they have always been far more reliable.TDs have a sort of minor achilles heel in the headgasket department, but told with regular coolant changes they should be ok.Lucas/Cav pump won't like any vege oil, Bosch will love it. I ran my BX estate on vege oil for 11 months, it ran better, faster and cleaner on it and it'd happily run on 100% vege oil for a fair bit of the time.Xsaras seem stupildy cheap to me and quite unloved so potential bargain material I'd imagine. ZXs are perefectly reasonable cars (find a Volcane TD, ace fun) but rear arms things can go.Not had many dealings with 306s because I've found Peugeots so hit and miss that I couldn't live with one long term for fear of it being unreliable.

[Milford Cubicle]

Aye, I only have a turbocharged 405 because of the whopping distances I do (18k in the last 8 months). I had a Primera 2.0D for a while and it was quite hard work to keep momentum going.

I'd much rather have the simplicity of a non-turbo lump. I was eyeing up this 405 1.9D saloon last night, I bet they aren't as miserable to drive as that Primera was.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1994-PEUGEOT-405- ... 0333465973

[dollywobbler]

The mechanicals are stupidly robust if looked after (see previous comments about cooling).It's the cars themselves that are the let down. My 306 DTurbo was lovely, but developed random central locking issues (wouldn't stay locked!). Citroens seem to suffer from heater matrix issues, with them getting clogged up.Have to agree with only four months to go, just drive the Almera gently. Better the devil you know?

[Captain Slow]

SHITE link - the Talbot Horizon diseasal used the same engine.I have been motoring about in a 306 1.8 auto for about 3 months and it's a superb little car - I'd prefer something bigger but it's comfy, rides well for it's size, handles like a go-kart, roomy, and (if, like mine, it has a beige interior) they're very airy inside. Can't fault it.

[blimp]

For true cheap shiteyness, you want to find a 309 TD like mine.With a careful right foot I've upped my average from 44mpg from before the fuel prices went silly to 55mpg easy (Depending on when and where I drive I seem to average between 54 and 59 to the gallon)Though with only 78bhp from its 1.8 lump when it left the factory 19 years ago, its never going to set any speed records!

[VWPowered]

i had a 306 non turbo, tbh was pants

[Negative Creep]

Thanks guys, some good advice there. Basically, I do deliveries most evenings which results in about 800-1000 miles a month, almost all around town. This involves cutting down narrow alleys, up kerbs and constant stop start. So all in all, NOT GR8 4 MAINTAYNING GUD CAR CONDISHON. MPG makes a big difference as you get a petrol allowance cash in hand every night.Problem with the Almera is that it just doesn't interest me at all. I can either sell it as it is, or fix the (minor) faults and give it a damn good service. If I buy something truly miserable I can stand it for about a week before I'm bored and need a change. Don't think I could stand the non turbo diesel at that would be rather grim and very slow indeed. There is the small car option: Micra, Starlet, 106/Saxo/AX Diesel or Swift. Although I prefer bigger cars this might be a good idea as most of them aren't that tragic to drive

[Father Ted]

ZX - front inner wings and chassis legs get crispy - they also eat rear arm bearings at miages over 100K and because these often get missed they chew into the rear beam meaning your only option is a whole new rear beam. Oddly despite being esentially the same car the 306 doesnt seem to suffer in this way the same.

[VWPowered]

its like driving around in a fagbox but most 1.1 AX's are very economical

[Mr Lobster]

If you can get a decent one, the 1.5D AX is a surprisingly decent car. I had one a few years back and it was superb, mega reliable, 45mpg in all driving states, not the fastest or most exciting thing you could ever own but very dependable.After I had done with it, it became Sista Lobsters car and she got a few more years out of it. Was still going strong - albeit a bit battered - at 150k when it got traded in for a Mini

[kelvin2008]

I used to do fast food deliveries in the evenings in a rover 218sld turbo drizzle. Good for getting in and out with a coolbox/pizza warmer unlike a 306 and very reliable with its peugeot XUD engine, used to run it on cherry from the boatyard so got to keep most of my petrol allowance plus tips made it profitable.