307? What were Peugeot thinking?

[dud307]

What should I do?

What on earth were Peugeot thinking when they released the 307? They are absolutely rubbish. I've had a string of 306 Dturbos and they were all fantastic. My 307HDi (90) looks lovely, the styling, space and safety ratings are a vast improvement but that's where it ends. It is also heavy, slow and lumbering. I think it corners well but it's difficult to tell when you get no driver feedback. The clutch bite is 'complicated', the throttle response is non-existent, there is very little turbo lag because there's so little power and the steering wheel is connected to the wheels via intensive wish control rather than any actual mechanical link. Apart from all this, mine has all of the usual faults this model was fitted with.

The odometer over-reads (as if the depreciation wasn't bad enough), it pulls badly to the left, the indicator stalk has a mind of its own, the electrics keep cutting out, it's heavy on fuel and the boot keeps getting stuck shut!!!! O'h and I read in "Auto Magazin" (Germany) that it is also prone to flash under bonnet fires!!

It was registered in Apr 02. It's still under Platinum Peugeot Warranty as I bought it used from Peugeot in March this year...What should I do? I hate it. Is it too late to reject it? What can I do???

[Piston Broke]

I think you've left it a wee bit late to reject it. I take it you took it for a thorough test drive before handing over your money...?

[matthew]

My sister owned 52 plate hdi 90 rapier from new and used it for commuting to heathrow and back 2-3 times a week covered approx 12k in the year she owned it without a single fault she only sold it because she got a local job and didnt need a car.You should realise that when you buy a newish car its going to loose value very quickly indeed,but thats your choice.I would suggest getting these faults looked at under the warranty then if your not happy after that its simple,sell it and buy something else,like a boring honda civic

[dud307]

I'm screwed. I knew it, and now you've confirmed it. I just wanted a newer Car for once in my life.

I was prepared to keep it for several years, to justify the depreciation, but now I guess I'll sell it at a huge loss and buy another 306 to keep the other one company.

Cheers Guys.

[Piston Broke]

dud307 said:

, but now I guess I'll sell it at a huge loss and buy another 306 to keep the other one company.

Or buy another 307 and get and RAC on it check this time.

I virtually dismantled my 406 on the forecourt before I bought it (wheels off all round, engine cover off, undertray off), and did a 40 mile test drive, including a good mix of road conditions. If they'd said 'no' to any of my mad antics i'd have found another one elsewhere - it's not like there's a shortage of used 406s (or 307s in your case). I always sympathise with folk when they get lumbered with a duffer, but don't get so caught up in the new car ownership glow that you don't make some checks first. It's not the cars fault you bought it.

[chugchug]

There doesn't appear to be much sympathy here for poor Dud307.
Mind, if anyone wants a decent new, or nearly new car they'd probably be well advised to steer clear of any of the French car franchises.
They make great sense when they're a few years old cos they're cheap as long as you can stomach the disintegrating interiors, and in the case of Peugeot saloons & estates, aren't afraid of people trying to wave you down for a taxi ride!!
As for a 90 bhp (probably the weaker continental type horses) 1.25 tonne car (or more?) being slow & lumbering - I'd say that was a certainty. It's power to weight ratio is miserable!
Anyhow, at least you'll be saving money using red diesel - I assume that's why people buy diesels as there's nowt else to recommend them.

[Admin]

Yeah. There doesn't seem to be a lot of sympathy going round. I guess getting saddled witha right duff car must be a frustrating nightmare. Sometimes a test drive isn't going to be enough. Any competant dealer will have fixed any showing faults so a drive should be faultless. It's the weeks after that it all falls apart.

Still at least you liked your 306, a car that has a loyal following and will probably head into future classic status like the 504 and 304 before it.

[chugchug]

Competant dealers - there's hope for you!
Unfortunately the average punter spending (or financing) £5K/£10K/£20K incorrectly assumes they're buying loyalty, all they're paying for is the £1/2M showroom.
I've had a few new cars and find the new car/dealership 'experience' depressing. I eventually realised that I'm better off joining the ranks of the pre-owned i.e. cheaper, problems sorted, warranty claims dealt with - the list goes on.
Ever heard the one about the warranty claim fault reported two weeks before the warranty end but the garage couldn't book it in for 3 weeks?
When you pick your car up they tell you it's out of warranty and they've done sweet f.a.!
I know cos I've been there - however the written threat of a county court claim against their repair costs seemed to smarten up the service no-end!
No, I'm afraid you're better off on your own.

[Piston Broke]

My 406 HDi 90 weighs close to 2 metric tonnes, and is hardly slow and lumbering. Obviously, at town speeds it's not the liveliest feeling thing with all that mass, but I don't feel the need to hoon everywhere in a 30 zone. On motorways and A roads it comes into it's own as the tall gearing matches the power delivery a treat and overtaking in the 50-70 range is an easy top gear exercise. There's a bit more to drivability than sheer thrust.

[dud307]

You're all absolutely right NOT to be sympathetic. I'm normally SO careful when buying a Car. (For careful, read suspicious). I'm sick of crawling around cars, asking thousands of 'SS' type questions. I'd had enough of driving-off in my new purchase, almost expecting something to drop-off because I'd not been thorough enough. It was getting rediculous, I couldn't trust anyone.

So, I went to a big, reputable main dealership, paid top dollar (even after haggling) got the best warranty known to man, did a HPi, phoned the previous owner and hoped for the best.

Let's just say I wanted to believe that I could trust someone for once.

It's OK though, they probably will take it back and fix it again but I'll still have bought a slow, un-inspiring, safety-first plodder.

Yes, I should have done the maths (thrust + drag)
Yes, I should have made sure it was fixed last time
Yes, I should have rejected it then (bit difficult when you need your wife to use it whilst you're in Basrah, Iraq)

It's my fault I'm screwed.

Anyone want to buy a 307? I'll give you a rediculously high price.

[Piston Broke]

Having worked the spanners for a 'big reputable main dealer' in the past I can confirm that you're more likely to get shafted by them than anyone, in terms of service, the product and price.

No names, but some generic examples...

A full 136 point check might indeed be done, but they often won't recticy faults that are discovered. The hope is they will ever they will go un-noticed or the warranty company can pick up the tab later on after purchase.

A full service often consisted of nothing more than an oil and filter change.

Spare wheels robbed off of the forecourt cars to get a car through an MOT, then put back where they came from.

The unnoficial motto for this dealer group was 'Rape and Pillage'.

cambelts etc wont get changed, the hope being again that the warranty company will cough if it goes.

An elderly lady brought her car in for a service and said "ooh, don't find too much wrong as I only have £300". She received a bill for £299.

and to cap it all off, they'll probably charge you more for the car and more for the servicing than an independant, whilst recent trading standards research shows the independants are a safer bet and generally better value.

You all saw the expose of Yes Car Credit on BBC1 recently? Well, from my experience spannering in the trade it could have been any main dealer in the UK.

I hope you get shot of it OK mate, but if you are unable to examine the next car thoroughly yourself then pay the AA or the RAC to do it for you. In my experience, the big dealers usually s**t themselves when these lads inspect a car.

[dud307]

They say there's one born every minute but I didn't think I was one of them. I'll go and buy from any old independant and spend the saving on RAC checks.

None of this is new to me, I'm the one who never gets caught out. I always do my homework and I know all the horror stories. I just let my guard down once in the hope of finding human decency - I'm going back to my old suspicious self............Estate Agents...exactly what DO they do for the money!!!!!? Aaa'h that's better.

[Admin]

dud307 said:

Anyone want to buy a 307? I'll give you a rediculously high price.

hmm you make a persuasive case!

[dud307]

I'm just trying to get the last word.

[andy504]

It's no secret that some dealers and some independents have a fairly shocking reputation, this tends to affect the whole trade even those of us with a long and very good reputation. Most of the problems you seem to have with your 307 are well known but also now have diffinative technical solutions, at least some of which will be completely free of charge (mileage reading high). I work as the master technician for a family owned local dealer which has been running for over a hundred years and I can say with some certainty that had you bought the car from us we would've bent over backwards to help you out where ever we could. As for problems arising just out of warranty, Peugeot have now introduced an end of warranty check designed to be carried out alongside the first MOT to try and avoid this sort of problem.I hope some of this helps.

Regards Andy