Peugeot 305 GTX, finally

[carlo]

Don’t know if anyone saw this shunted around ebay for a few months, but you may know it’s one of my favourite cars so I decided to take the plunge.

 

I think the reason I bought it eventually was because the very sensible guy I bought it from gave a real warts and all description of it highlighting the rust problems, whereas the original listing before his gave it a glowing description which was obviously just bollocks. The fact that my vendor was prepared to drive it 200 miles to me helped as well, he must have been desperate, eh?

 

The car’s an enigma. It drives beautifully, has had thousands spent on it mechanically and the interior’s immaculate. Unfortunately it’s as rotten as a pear. Doors, wings, you name it it’s corroded. The worst bit is the roof, you can actually feel the metal crumbling above the headlining inside!

 

It also happens to have the most comfortable seats ever fitted to any car, ever, so I may end up taking them out, putting them in the lounge and throwing the car away.

 

Anyone got any 305 panels lying around the place you don’t want?

 

405 Executive Auto also found this week on ebay being collected tomorrow, let’s hope this one’s a bit better.

 

 

 

 

 

[Milford Cubicle]

I didn't think 305s were particularly rust-prone, is this one just a wrong 'un?It did look lovely in the original adverts. What's the plan for it carlo - enjoy it until the MOT's up?

[reallyloud]

Congratulations! Handsome looking car! Personally I would look out for a Series 1 305 and install all the oily and plush bits in it! Neat plate though. I can't believe that a GTX would be finished off with hub caps!

[carlo]

Ther're not usually this bad MC, just think this one's been unlucky. Strange to spend so much money on a car and ignore the bodywork. The roof really kills this as a restoration project, just don't know how you could rebuild it. Usual problem of leaking sunroof and blocked channels.MOT up today, as a matter of fact, and it might just pass another one as the rot doesn't appear too structural. Probably a very long term project!

[carlo]

Those are alloys by the way, not hubcaps

[r.welfare]

Well done Carlo, I assume that was the Milton Keynes car being sold by eBay member "loftusroad".It does look crusty, but we forget that this car is now heading for it's 22nd birthday! I got a similar shock when discovering (very small) rust holes in the nearside "chassis leg" (where it kicks up around the front strut) in my 405 saloon back in November...and then the same in my estate a couple of weeks back! Until I remembered that both cars are 15 years old, and have nearly 200,000 miles on them apiece. I must crack out the Waxoyl this summer...I know what you mean about Peugeot seats - I'm an average height (5'10"), average weight (12 stone) kinda guy with shortish legs and a long torso, yet I fit them perfectly (although the 405 saloon's sunroof does impinge very slightly on my headroom, even with the seat at it's lowest height setting). I rate the seats even more comfy than the 2007 Saab 9-3 I used to drive.I'd poke around the front inner wheelarches on your 405 Exec when you get it. Wonderful cars though, hopefully the automatic box has held up well over the years. My dad had a GTX auto estate new back in early 1995, he still maintains it was one of his favourite cars.You could try e-mailing eBay seller "peugeot-midlands", they appear to have large stocks of obsolete Pug bits.

[outlaw118]

I nagged my dad in 1987 to get a 305GTX estate; he bought a Montego.One mans shite.... etc.

[carlo]

rw, yes the 305 was from loftusroad ebayer. Described as a "gr8 car in very good order and will serve its new owners well." in the original listing.Will certainly check the 405 I'm picking up tomorrow where you describe. Can't see much rust on my current Exec!

[Ratdat]

I can see me owning a 305 at some point. Such a good looking car.

[MrRegieRitmo]

I'm a big fan of the pre facelift 305s. On saloons there's less difference, basically very slightly different front & rear lights but on the pre facelift estate the rear number plate along with the recess was in a completely different position further down the tailgate! Interesting fact for today fact fans!

[r.welfare]

305 wagons used to be quite popular back in the 80s and 90s. Peugeot developed a rear suspension system that gave a totally flat rear floor. And the vans were popular with small businesses too. I nearly had one as my first car in 1996 - ex-plumbing co (which my dad worked for), it was completely knackered!I can only assume that rust has finished most of them off. Rust is beginning to finish off 405s, finally, too, around the front and rear suspension mounts. Everything turns ferrous eventually! But compared to a Sierra or Montego a 405 is exceptionally rust-resistant. Critically (and this is a trait shared with Renaults and Citroens as well) the bits you can see (outer panels) don't tend to rust at all. Compare that to a Cavalier, Mondeo or Golf/Passat where you get crusty wheelarches and sills after 10+ years.Carlo, you might also want to check that the flat part of the front inner wings behind the headlights are solid on your 405, and that the metal clips that hold the brake warning light wires haven't snapped off the inner front wheelarch. I also recommend jacking up the back to check the rear subframe bushes - if the rear beam tries to break free, they need replacing. You might find some superficial rust on the upper inner edge of the doors where they meet the rubber seal on the A-pillar, but this isn't major. Check also the boot floor at the metal lip under the rear light panel on the inside, and the roof seams under the wind seals.My saloon doesn't have any rust around the roof near the sunroof, so I can only conclude that the drain design is pretty good.I can scan and e-mail you a Car Mechanics "Stop The Rot" article to tell you where to Waxoyl the 405, if it helps.

[carlo]

Wouldn't mind that guide when you get a minute, rw.

[r.welfare]

PM me your e-mail address and I'll scan it in, sir.

[carlo]

Picked up the 405 Exec Auto this week. After a bloody good clean it's come up well. 49,000 from new, drives like it too. If I could just sort out the cruise I'd be a happy man, as it's very useful with my gammy leg.

 

Prefer the earlier 405 alloys than these, not sure they suit the car so well.

 

 

 

[pogweasel]

hoo-hoo that does look nice

[Milford Cubicle]

I am jealous, especially as I'm riding around in a mega-boggo spec 405 right now!

Do you mean these alloys?

[carlo]

Yup, they're more delicate which suits the car, in my humble opinion.

 

As shown on my two Execs!

 

 

[mk2_craig]

 

Very nice and infinitely preferable to a 407 of any description.

 

Going by the reg, is that likely to be an ex Pug UK press car?

[carlo]

Very definately an ex Peugeot car, Craig. Lots of 405s of 95-96 vintage sport Peugeot Coventry plates, both mine do! At least I suppose it means they were thoroughly sorted during their first miles.

[Spottedlaurel]

Does it not just mean they were pre-registered as ‘management’ cars in a bid to move stocks on and/or keep sales figures up? Think there was a lot of it going on back then, certainly the case with my Camry.

[r.welfare]

Hey Carlo, that looks ace! Interesting to see that Execs came from the factory with leather seats but cloth doorcards

 

Did you get my scans OK by the way - apologies they were bloody huge, but I didn't want to reduce the resolution.

 

Saw your post on FCF on the cruise control...looks like (according to my Parker's Guide) that it was only ever fitted to automatic petrol Executive models unfortunately.

 

I am constantly amazed at the number of ex-Peugeot UK 406s still on the roads, with an xWK or particularly xVC number plate setup, usually seen on the M40 around Coventry but there's quite a few round here (my dad's mate has had one for years!). SL - I suspect that it is down to the usual "employee's discount", if you work for a motor manufacturer it is not unusual to get 20-25% discount off a new motor. Ford (usually on a xHK plate, like a 2-litre Probe I saw on the M1 yesterday) restrict this to 4 cars per employee per year, not sure about other manufacturers. So, after 12 months/10k miles, you should be able to p/x it for pretty much what you paid...

 

Recently I have been getting the horn for early 406 2.0 coupes, but I dare not tell Mrs W or she will give me a vasectomy sans anasthetic.

 

I'm feeling the Peugeot love myself as I spent the long weekend spraying the bonnet of the estate (just needs to harden, cut back and polish and then refit), gave the saloon a full service and have repatriated the 406 back to Chez Welfare now I am in possession of the V5. I've given it a good cleanup and got the seats looking like new, now all I've got to do is solve the "James Bond" smokescreen and get the idle evened out...reckon it's a duff injector. Pictures next weekend, possibly

 

Oh, and I vote for the alloys it's on. Those earlier types shed centre caps like no-one's business (your old Exec is a most unusual colour, BTW).

[carlo]

Cheers rw, unfortunately didn't get the scans, but don't worry about it!

 

I was tempted by a 406 automatic, being the logical progression from a 405, but having seen the number on ebay with knackered auto boxes I decided to keep with the trusty 405 and its non computerised ZF box. Plus the added appeal of driving an autoshite minor classic, of course. Naturally the 406s have 16 valve engines with bugger all torque as well, making the petrol autos even more gutless than the manuals. Suppose a V6 auto would have been fun, but not with 18mpg and Gordon Browns price of fuel. Plus the 405 engine is particularly well suited to an auto as it's very torquey, with peak torque at 2800 rpm which must be one of the lowest figures for a petrol engine.

 

The colour of the other Exec is Fairway Green, I remember getting bollocked at the franchise I worked at at the time for ordering a 405 in this colour as it was considered unsaleable, me, I like it!

 

Perhaps the next project might be putting these wonderful 305 GTX seats in one of them, to match those door cards!

 

[MrRegieRitmo]

I guess you can finally change your signature sentence now! But what to?? You've ticked the 305 off the wants list, now the 405 too.....what's next?

[r.welfare]

Cheers rw, unfortunately didn't get the scans, but don't worry about it!

 

Just re-sent at a more sensible size (both images around 450kb) - might be that your e-mail provider blocked the previous e-mail as it was 11MB! Hopefully you'll get this one and they will print out OK, they are still readable.

 

Make sure no-one nicks your headlamp washers, they seem like gold-dust now!

 

Hopefully you don't mind me hijacking the thread temporarily to post a coupla pics of my new 406.

 

 

The little badge on the back near the n/s rear light is one of those "ENGLAND" jobs, which may indicate uncaring previous Chav owners - bizarrely a previous owner had also stuck plastic chrome strips round the lights and rear number plate, which came off easily, thank God...having said that, under the bonnet is a genuine Peugeot oil filter, suppose it could have been on since new though...the air filter bolts are rusted, which is another potential sign of zero recent maintenance, but at least it looks easier to remove than the 405 one, which always - ALWAYS - removes skin from my hand

 

Bizarrely, this one has more upper body rust than either 405 (which have none) - a 50p sized bleb on the o/s rear door below the trim, and a couple of flaky bits where the roof skin folds down into the sunroof aperture on each side. Time for a cheap touch-up stick of Regency Red and some time with the wet-n-dry methinks.

 

 

The interior is in cracking order for a car with 231k on the clock...at least it is now, after I spent a morning with some upholstery cleaner (the driver's seat was nearly black!). Loving the plastic wood, a revcounter (in place of the clock) would be nice though. Note how the car is left in gear

 

Plans are to sort the misfire/smoking (full service/Italian tuneup + injector cleaner/Stop Smoke, perhaps a new injector or two), get the door cards off and investigate why the central locking only unlocks the o/s rear door (it doesn't lock it, or unlock/lock either n/s door), whip out the radio to get the serial number and obtain a code, change the 'box oil in a vain hope to sort the 2nd/3rd gear crunching, bung on a couple of tyres and then sell the bugger!

[MrRegieRitmo]

Cheers rw, unfortunately didn't get the scans, but don't worry about it!

Just re-sent at a more sensible size (both images around 450kb) - might be that your e-mail provider blocked the previous e-mail as it was 11MB! Hopefully you'll get this one and they will print out OK, they are still readable.

Thinking about it, I never did get that scan of a road test on the R14 (I think) you were gonna send me last summer. Maybe that didn't reach me for the same reason!

[r.welfare]

No Reg, it was because I forgot all about it. And the mag isn't to hand any more, so it's probably buried somewhere in the loft. Sorry.

[carlo]

Much as I love 405s I still reckon 406s are a brilliant car, seemed to improve most things over the 405 except, funnily enough, the seats which weren't quite as supportive. What model is that one rw?Got quite a collection of 405 bits BTW if you need anything.

[r.welfare]

It is the base model 'L', with the 90bhp 1.9TD - losing 2bhp to the 'dirty' 405s due to a cat + EGR. Not totally povo spec as it has dual airbags, electric roof and front windows.My impressions so far are that the engine is overwhelmed by the extra weight, but that may not be entirely fair as it's evidently not running properly - the cold idle is very uneven, and it doesn't fully sort itself when warmed, sounding like it's only running on 3 cylinders. Maybe a change of glowplugs will also help. The handling is also not as good, but it seems quieter (engine currently excepted!) and more refined. Driving position not quite as good either, but I haven't fully played with the 'wheel and seat adjustment yet.I'm with you on the seats, too - but it is a handsome car, even Mrs W commented (unprompted!) on this! She also said the engine sounded awful, but didn't seem to like my analogy that it sounded like a bunch of skeletons committing onanism in a biscuit tin...I've just scored a box of useful 405 bits from eBay, but if you had any n/s foglamps (for the "standard" front bumper, so different to yours) or an aux belt for a PAS & AC equipped 1.9TD I'd be interested.

[carlo]

Signature duly amended Regie. Not much else I can wish for now.

[r.welfare]

Haze Blue really suits a 405 - shame my GLDT estate was only 75% that colour...