Bramz ever changing fleet merry go round.

[rantingYoof]

On 10/29/2019 at 8:07 PM, bramz7 said:

It has around 103hp, top quoted speed is 116 or so. I've not had a K series of any shape or form so I've no clue how that compares. It really comes alive above 3k revs, but doesn't seem overly thirsty. 

 

My 214 SEi with exactly 1hp more than that was pretty much exactly the same.

[bramz7]

Whoops. To be fair, it is nice. 

[loserone]

2.1.  nice 

Dibs please!

[Ohdearme]

On 10/26/2019 at 10:15 AM, bramz7 said:

Major ticking of box taking place. It's not mint,by a long shot, but £350...

Bravo, Sir!

[DVee8]

Your Alfa is in the lazy spotters thread..

[bramz7]

Back home now after meandering through some seriously heavy rain (and fog right at the top of that mega hill near Dover) all the way from Deal. 

 

Some background here, this 406 appeared on eBay in September and ended before I could enquire. It then reappeared on Facebook for the same money. When I was told it was still available, I went to get it. 

£450, long ticket, cambelt not due, all tyres good, brakes good, clutch good, performance as expected, no weird noises....a 160 mile journey is a good shakedown right? 

Somehow I've now had 406s for the last three November's. That wasn't intentional. This is the best one yet. 

[Wingz123]

What engine do you reckon was in that 406 in Ronin? Sure as hell didnt sound like the v6....so guessing 1.8....

[bramz7]

10 minutes ago, Wingz123 said:

What engine do you reckon was in that 406 in Ronin? Sure as hell didnt sound like the v6....so guessing 1.8....

I just watched it through to listen....there's some turbo chatter audible in two scenes so it could be an SRI Turbo, but it doesn't sound anything like the same engine in a Xantia. It's pretty gruff sounding towards the end of the chase!

[bramz7]

Hmmm, not so good today. Definitely stuttering when cold started, glow plugs need replacing. 

Also had a slight hunt develop when slowing down, although it's gone now. 

I love old cars...?

 

[Wingz123]

Italian tune up required to solve hunting ??

[loserone]

Nice 306 there too

[bramz7]

Yes it's a phase one DTurbo...not sure who owns it but it parks sporadically at work. Maybe worth a note. Maybe not. It's not as tidy as it looks.

[bramz7]

Put some more diesel in it and it seems better. I know some older cars seem to really hate being run low due to the age of the pumps....

The throttle body and cable is also VERY coked up so I wonder if that's related. 

Hunted even worse earlier, like it was running away. Brill.

[barrett]

Just simple troubleshooting stuff, no biggie. A set of proper glow plugs cured the cold starting on the green one instantly so I'd reccomend going with proper Bosch or whatever. How does the rear end feel, nice and tight or a bit spongy? I wish I'd sorted the green one and kept it, it really was a beast. Interested when you decide to flog this one...

[bramz7]

Yeah I'll get the plugs sorted, although the hunting is either grime on the throttle cable/body or an air leak. 

Rear end feels fine, no weird noises from underneath at full lock either.

[uk_senator]

On 11/1/2019 at 7:12 PM, Ohdearme said:

Bravo, Sir!

No, the Bravo`s made by Fiat, this is an Alfa.. [sorry, I had to ?]

[Ohdearme]

12 minutes ago, uk_senator said:

No, the Bravo`s made by Fiat, this is an Alfa.. [sorry, I had to ?]

You saw what I did there

[bramz7]

Hmmm. Not sure what to make of the 406. As far as a car for going to and from work goes, it's pretty good. I know the 2.1 isn't lightening fast but this one feels quicker than the previous ones I've had for reasons not exactly clear. There is certainly a big surge of torque between 2 and 3k revs, but it seems to be very good at maintaining speed through the gears as well. Also it's not breathless if thrashed. Hmmmm. 

Chugging seems to be some sort of cold start hangover. It's a bit unsettling as it causes the car to move very unevenly at crawling pace. Once it's up to temperature it idles fine. Not even a hint of a suggestion of any lumpy running.

Somewhat disappointingly, the seats are actually hurting my lower back. Not sure if my adjustment is out or something but the 32 miles to work aren't that comfortable at the moment. 

 

I suppose it's prime WBOD fodder as I don't give a monkey as to what happens to it. Quite looking forward to seeing it go manky with road salt. 

 

 

[beko1987]

I had backache in the 406 I had, which was a big shame and one of the reasons I never fully gelled with it. That and it jsut felt completely wooden. Which in itself wasn't a bad thing but compared to the Xantia estate (which is based on the same platform) it was just meh. Competent, but meh

[bramz7]

2 hours ago, beko1987 said:

I had backache in the 406 I had, which was a big shame and one of the reasons I never fully gelled with it. That and it jsut felt completely wooden. Which in itself wasn't a bad thing but compared to the Xantia estate (which is based on the same platform) it was just meh. Competent, but meh

 

Well I am a midget compared to you, the issue with this one seems to be a a slightly too aggressive lumbar support. The facelift 406 seats are worse than the earlier ones in my opinion.

 

They aren't as planted as Xantias, but nothing really is. They are still chuckable though, in that exciting 90s French way. 

[carlo]

Agree, not sure what happened to Peugeot's seat design on the 406 when previous efforts had been so comfortable.  It was one of the worst things about the car I thought when it came out.  That big semi-circular ridge under the thighs didn't help either.

405s are better, 305/505s even better still.

[loserone]

As someone with a 206/305/306/405, and has had two 205s and another 405 this year, who is looking for a 406, this is worrying.

[Mrcento]

On 11/1/2019 at 9:27 PM, bramz7 said:

£450, long ticket, cambelt not due, all tyres good, brakes good, clutch good, performance as expected, no weird noises....

 

Every time i see what you can get elsewhere at that money v what you can get here, i cry a little inside, 406's here still go for double to triple that.

Quite a lot of the 90's peugeot seats were troublesome for some folk. Seems you either fit or you don't. My aunt's had several and always had back problems, was always telling her it was the peugeot seats making it worse but she kept buying them. even as a passenger, I always found certain models just perched your body at a weird angle. Especially around the lower back.

[bramz7]

I had an early LX 406 beforehand with beige seats more or less identical to the ones in the GLX, however they were without lumbar adjustment and were so much better.

 

On the flip side, I absolutely smoked a Xsara Picasso from the lights today in this. And it very seldom leaves any clag behind.

[Mrcento]

the 406 i'm trying to convince the guy to sell to me is a late model GLX with leather bum friers.

I've heard mixed reviews.....

[406V6]

Very happy with the seat comfort in mine

[The Moog]

I really loved my 2.1 xud - I reckon it was a great engine - right up to the injection pump shitting itself and that was the end of that. They are a weird electro mechanical beast that people wouldn't touch.  Would have another in a heart beat 

[wuvvum]

Yep, my 2.1 went the same way - think the previous owner had been running it on veg though.

[SRi05]

I find myself constantly adjusting the seats in my 406 coupe, one of those cars I just can't find a comfy driving position in, always end up fidgeting after driving a while. A pity, cos its a very well looked after car and drives nicely. It'll annoy me enough to sell it eventually though ?

[The Moog]

Yep, my 2.1 went the same way - think the previous owner had been running it on veg though.

Yeah I might have been doing that as well