The 306 may have its little foibles, but who cares, it's a 306, one of the best looking cars of its generation. It still looks good even after all this time. How many cars can combine an extremely comfortable ride with sharp handling?
Lack of cup holders drives me nuts, other main thing I relate to, is the the steering wheel being so far forward, you just can't get a good body to leg position, making me so tempted to put a deep dish wheel in mine purely for the comfort.
I agree 100%, except for the AC. We had our 306 for 19 years now, I literally grew up in the thing and had literally every problem you've mentioned, except for the AC. Had a leak once, fixed it, regassed regularly, still works like a charm, and it starts cooling ib hot weather faster than the AC in my 407. All in all I love my little green, soon to be silver '98 306 1.9D with more than 300 000 miles, and I'll never let it go ❤️.
Nice! Well done! You did the ONE thing that most don't ..fix the issue immediately... When they get left broken, moisture gets in and ruins so much more... Then not worth repairing! Thanks for watching and commenting 😃👍🐷💪
Turning the fan on after hitting the a/c button also helps... 😅 I had a 1994 1.9 xtdt for 10 years, got rid of it last year with around 500000km, a/c was never charged and always worked fine...
Thanks for being pretty much the only channel out there to show the 306 some real love! I've just agreed to purchase a 99 Xsi in Moondust with 51k and I am beyond excited to get my hands on it and looking around for things to look out for has led me here. Hoping not much will be needed, as it has been garage kept and pampered it's whole life, only ever failed one MOT for a perished tyre!
For a cup holder i use the square hole above the ashtray for the back passengers in the center console. Take out the plastic trim so its just a square hole and it holds a large drink or can easy. Ah yours has electric window switches there.
As for the cup holder, phases 1 with no passenger airbag have that small upper glove box instead, quite useful for small bottles or cans, you can even install a home made one. Speaking about the 306 problems , at least for phases 1 like mine, i had to replace my leaking radiator probably pierced because of rust, my cracked rubber fuel tank duct started to leak also, my rev counter clock doesn't work very well when it's cold and electric windows attachment system is notoriously weak on phases 1, plastic clips tend to break . Other than that it's a fantastic car, generally reliable and cheap to maintain, used parts being easy to find.
Aye that top glovebox is handy. No good for actual cups though, or for getting at safely while in the drivers seat for a quick swig at the lights 🤣 fuel filler neck elbow is quite common. Bits like plastic clips though will be the same for any 30yr old car tbh. Glad you still enjoying the 306 life 😃👍🐷💪
I have a 97 1.6, bought it for 500€ and was genuinely surprised how good of a condition its in. Only rust problem is the drivers side floor but jack point are all perfect. Other than few earthing problems and little bibs and bobs it's really great.
I've had a 306 HDi for 10 years in April (had an xud b4 that, which has been in the shed since I started running the HDi) she runs perfectly for 257k miles. Only issue I had was the pump the tank failed but luckily I had a replacement and an hour later she was driving again. Ive found putting drinks bottles in the door handle helpful lol. 270 pounds in tax is worth every penny. Always love watching your videos mate
Nice list. On the LHD versions I couldn't find any issue with the driving position. The glovebox was huge as well. Some other annoyances I had with mine are: - Bootlock is really tempramental. It wouldn't open or take the key about 75% of the times. (106 also had this issue) - Exhaust system was a constant worry. These cracked very fast. Had to replace parts of the exhaust every single year. - Quality on some trim parts is a bit questionable. Interior light trim snapped and fell out, the trim panel covering the fuse box also snapped - The sunroof leaked quite badly, but I think that's quite common on all cars of that age with sunroofs installed. But next to all that, they are good cars and nearly 30 years on still a great design. (Would love to own one again)
Glovebox is bigger on non a/c and earlier models. Yeah bootlocks get sticky, need to be lubricated properly with each service I've not had the issue with the exhausts... I recently replaced my original exhaust on the Diabslo... 20yrs old. I thought that was good going to be honest! Trim I think is ok for the age of vehicles personally but some are rattly where people having removed them to do some work and not replacing the broken clips etc Sunroofs often leak due to blocked drains... But it's common you're right with many older vehicles Hope you're still driving a 306 😉
@@PiggyPower My 306 was a Quartz Grey Phase 2 (Midnight special edition) LHD without AC . The glovebox was huge in that car. At the time I checked with my local mechanic and apparently the the exhaust issue is quite common on the 1.4 TU engine on the 106 / 206 / 306. Unfortunately I don't have a 306 anymore. Would love to have another one though. Recently bought a different Peugeot (A 1990 205 1.1) for weekend motoring.
@@PiggyPower I wouldnt really say my 205 is that cool. Haha. Especially as It's a beige base spec model with a carburetted 1.1TU. For me it is super nostalgic though. (Recently posted a very short video on youtube of it idling after 6 month in storage.)
My main reason for not buying a 306 is in the UK we get robbed on road tax on older cars 😠. Even my very economical 106 is taxed at £165 per year 😵. Post 2001 diesel cars with similar fuel economy pay £30 per year. Road tax used to stop after 25 years, but now it's 40 years. Hence running a 306 for the next 10 years will cost more than £2k in tax compared to £300 for a post 2001 diesel 206 or A2. 😞
yeah they have started to wind up the tax prices now when i 1st bought mine, Y plater HDI, it was 110 per year, now its 165, as they have just increased it. Its gone up nearly 40 quid in the last 3 to 4 years.
Yeah that's a good point. But then, you have to buy a more expensive and complicated vehicles to save £100-150 a year on tax... If you've gotta then replace a DMF or have the dpf system sorted or injectors and pumps... £1000s to save £150... ! Thanks for commenting and watching ☺️👍🐷💪
By the time the bearings are worn, the shafts need replacing too... If you replace the bearings... You'd need to do the seals at the same time... It's a tricky catch 21 really. If the seals are good and you open it up to inspect and regrease you could introduce moisture. . . If you leave it...the seals could have gone and already got moisture inside
I've got two 306s Xreg and 02 estate Both with working air-conditioning 😇👍 had to replace condenser and had the alloy pipe that runs behind rad repaired but worth it in the summer 😇
Great video, you pointed out most of the important stuff. I bought a phase 1 Xsara vts 2.0 with 115t km in 2022 I've had to do a lot of maintenange and repair like replacing handbrake cables, tierod ends, map sensor, brake pads (should do rotors too tbh), i did the timing belt (which was a pain because it's tough to find parts), some rust repair, crankshaft pulley.... Next up I'm gonna rebuild front brake calipers because they're locking up and I'm gonna have to rebuild the rear beam (it has wrong springs too *facepalm*)
They are a brilliant unsung hero of a hothatch those Xsara VTS. Especially the ph1. Better rear beam than the 306gti6 too! Have fun! Awesome future classic that
My gripes would be the back seats not being level with the boot when you drop them forward and the spare wheel being underneath being awkward to reach where it gets mucky and rusty rather than putting it in a well. Most like you say is due to age, definitely a mechanics car.
Hi there! Thanks for watching and commenting! Not sure what you mean with the back seats not being level? All mine have been perfectly level ? Many pop a mattress in the estate to sleep in them. Have you tried lifting the lower seat up and out the way? Yeah the spare wheel does get mucky and rusty it's true BUT if you've got a boot full and get a puncture... You don't have to empty your boot contents on the side of the road to get to the spare! I don't think it's a mechanics car mind ... Compare repairs and servicing a 306 to a modern car where you need the latest diagnostic software to just help bleed the brakes or reset the service intervals!! Non of that with these! ..🐷
@@PiggyPower glad you responded, didn't think to lift the seat! Also have to remove the headrest, then need somewhere to put the headrest along with my drink 😂 but granted, I'll take that back. That's a fair point, although I find it easier to just slide out a floor mat with my junk on top than be playing about with the cage and screw (meaning you still have to move stuff to access the head) when stranded, I suppose one has to pick their demon; pros and cons either way. Agreed, I mean it's a mechanics car as in you need to have a toolbox, garage and the desire to get your hands mucky to keep a 20+ year old car going, especially if not the first owner. But like you say, compared to the overcomplicated rubbish coming off production lines today, I'd rather put my labour into a cheap, temperamental motor than give my hard earned money to silicone valley.
Headrests slide under the front seats. Then lift the lower seats. Level. Done. If you're boot was FULL of stuff it would take a while? Also, easy access for the top of the bolt, it's right against the edge of the boot but I take ya point. I would think it was easier to make the boot floor the way it is, likely it creates a stiffer/better rear chassis too when being flat with a support across it. Don't need any special tools for the 306 to repair anything on it tbh. Most modern cars need a computer and specialist tools to just change the brake pads. I'd bet I could strip an entire 306 down with ANY hobby mechanics tool kit. And I find the 306 engine range to be faaarrrrr more reliable than 95% of modern engines
Mine was the same colour as yours Piggy. Twas an X reg (Y2K?? ish). Only had it a few months as a back up while my 406 D9 was being rebuilt. A fun car! I'd certainly have another. Well worth a punt for what they are going for (in 2021).
I have a 2001 206 which I picked up from a dealer in Wales 4 years ago with low mileage, and I've loved owning her since!!! OK. so I might spend a couple of hundred quid each year in servicing and repairs, but she's done me proud!!!
@@PiggyPower I will mate and he does. Been through a fair bit already and still a fair way to go. Got me a meridian too so it still feels like it's got enough of the mod cons
Saw a abandoned 306,in my city,planned to get info on that car,to maybe get some work to it and use it as my first car,I hope it isn't so rusted tho,saw the taillights were stolen and the mirror broken,also windows spray-painted,but it's a beautiful car
@@PiggyPower that's a good thing,I can't really see the rust on google maps,but I'm worried about the rust under the car,it's a tall grass,can't see the wheels properly,I need to be there in person to take a look at it first,still has licence plate,so if it's good,it's a good thing to ask the owner about it.I love the 306,and you helped me make maybe a decision to save one and use it as my first car.The problem to the abandoned 306 it's gonna be the rust for sure I think..good that I got a google maps,and the car been here for 2 years abandoned
I pigged 😋 a 306 from a 85yo Neighbour. With it's 46200km and 27Years, the car was only driving to the supermarket and to the TüV Inspection (germany). I think, i had a good luck for only 2750 €. The Car came to me, not my to the Car. 🙂 Thanks for your nice Videos! 🙂Hopefully more with tales of repairing the 306 in the Future. Blessing! ❤🩹
Wowza. Best get onto FB owners groups for the 306, there's LOADS of them here in the UK. Lots will help you out...shipping will be the expensive bit though
Cup holder thing not an issue for me, because I just bring a bottle of water with a sports cap and place on the seatbelt thing between the seats, so easy to grab when stationary for a quick intake of fluids.
Mercedes also has offset steering wheels. I always feel weird to sit in other cars and really like the offset position. Pedals are kind of different I think. Also I'm not from the UK so that also makes the pedals more different than the steering wheel. I have been wanting to get one of the faster versions of the 306 for years but here in Estonia they are basically completely extinct. Not just the faster ones but 306 in general is just gone. Past two years I've only seen 2 on the street I think. My reason for wanting one is that they are light and fun to drive. Mercedes is nice too and I really like it but my current w204 already weighs about 1500kg and it's their smallest one that still looks decent. Again their older lighter cars are much more fun.
Great to have a viewer from Estonia! Interesting comments... They are getting rarer here too but not quite as bad as your country. I think the laws here will make them too expensive to run eventually sadly. 🥺😣
cup Holders is my only probleem with the 306 in my mind.🤣 driving position i think is just a right hand drive probleem in de left hand version i don't have any probleem. In my mind it is a great car, love mind yes i might do a lot maintains on my car but that comes with a old car but i also drive lot around i most say. if you can find one in good/ok condition buy it, spendt som time with the car and then see if you like if. I frist had a 106 but it was just a bit to small for me, but the 306 is the prefect car for me and I don't want to loss it! It handels good even beter then some newer cars, looks really good to this date. and it just has a kind of a soul to it just sucs a great car!
Agreed!! I'd love to drive a LHD one... I don't mind my LHD 204, bit weird but feels normal. Send us some pics on Instagram and I'll share! Love my daily 306
When it comes to foot pedals... For those of us who have bigger feet it's genuinely a bit tricky at times to not accidently hit the brake and another pedal at the same time...
I also have large feet (size 14) and constantly hit the break pedal when I am ment to be hitting the clutch . Still love it though xD 1997 1.8 glx sedan :p
I bought a 2001 306 1.6 meridian and its got no rust its got mot and it runs sweet as anything and I have people who always ask questions about it, shows that if you find the right car it will be good for you
Out of three 306 cars I have owned, only one has working air con and that is my Ph2 that I have now. However it has worn off since the last regassing four years ago, so hopefully it will be ok to regass again soon. When I had it done in Feb' 2017 it was icy cold, and boy it worked a charm one afternoon after the car had been in direct blazing sun for hours. It was so hot it made your head want to crack open, but after the air con kicked in it was nice an' chill, and I did not want to get out and go inside the house as that was too hot.
Niiiiice! Best to have them regassed before they go bad... Gas should never escape the system, it's sealed and doesn't wear off. Seals can also go dry once empty and cause leaks later... Get it done sooner than later 👍🐷💪
@@PiggyPower Yeah me previous Ph3 air con was working a tiny bit when I bought it, so I had it regassed but then they took the gas back out again, saying pipes were leaking. They said if I wanted it fixing, it would involve encasing the existing pipework with larger pipework, and therefore about £300 or something. The same garage regassed my existing car.
@@PiggyPower I forget exactly what they said (was back in 2011 / 12, but I think it was maybe the whole pipe system was corroded. Also the power steering pipes on it are leaking a lot, causing a loud noise when turning. At the time they filled up the system with fluid, so I could get home ok. I still have this Ph3 car which has stood undriven since 2016. I use my Ph2 as my daily driver since Nov' 2016.
Well I have a 1996 Golf and a 1996 306, the golf is slightly more premium but completely rotten while the 306 has some rust but nothing major. I also have a Golf MK4 which is brilliant after coming from a 307 HDi which was an absolute bag of nails but it did me well for 4 years
My 2001 3 door hdi has working ac. This summer for a second time I've made a round trip from Poland to Croatia (ca 2000 miles). 30 to 35 degrees outside, it's not ice cold but good enough. I love my 306 ♥ ☺
@@PiggyPower Yeah, thanks Piggy. I’ve been watching you for a while, great videos! I'm trying to keep this car in good shape. I bought it three years ago, it was generally ok, a few things did not work, such as rear window heating, rear wiper, broken door handle, airbag lights blinking, etc. I have serviced ac twice since then, including replacement of the dryer. I can say that now every single bit in this car is working. Plan for next summer is fmic and map from hdi tuning guys. I just hope that it will fit because I want to keep the ac.
Amazing! You'll need to trim bumper maybe and fit slim fans... Just get inventive with the boost pipe routing and maybe notch out some space on the right to go round the AC. Kudos! Keep at it 👌🐷💪
Just commented on you 10 Reasons Why to buy a 306, Anyway Ive done the Drivers door wiring and ive welded the Rear quarter in the boot but Labours FREE and the cost of welding wire and gas is about £10-£15so id still say buy a 306. Also ive bought a £3 cup holder from Ebay that sits in my drivers air vent so thats no longer a problem. Im just weighting for the torsion bar to go but its all part of the 306 journey i guess.
I bought 6 months ago a 306 1.9D break at 800 euros. It was perfect, excepting broke rear axle, some rear door wires were severed, fizzling air condition, and of course no place to hold a cup. So that was pretty close to your list. Continental driver seat is probably better than UK's I had a Xsara before and I prefer this one.
Bought mine for 2'700€ with 75'000km on it as a first car. Could not be happier! I get the interior stuff, no cupholder noise etc, but honestly my biggest problem is the terrible stock sound system. I yet have to figure out how to replace it. But other than that, fantastic first car.
Thats odd because the stock system was actually very good, especially for its time... The issue often is that speakers blow or get damaged. Glad your happy with your 306 😃👍
Yeah, just keep in mind the depth... They are the 6.25" speakers but due to the enclosures on the rear shelf and the window glass in the front, you can't get very deep speakers. 👍
I have the AC Button but it doesn't even work 🤣 iconic on the 306. Over all its my favorite car to drive its so fun, and u don't even see that much 306 on the road, at least on my country. No cap mine is not on bad shape the thing that annoys me it's the rust on some parts of the car, fixable but annoying and the car is too low the front bumper is ruined 🤣
Yes no cup holders 🤨 And i love my coffee 😅 So just bought a universele cupholder, hope it will work. I will make a vid for u when i got it, test it 😀😄
Well about the stering wheel not perfectly in front of the chair, i'm surprised because I don't have this. Or I never noted this ^^ I can add about the rear of a 306, if you have the large trunk like me, you're going to see water inside, because of the gutters with a high volume of water can pass between the joints. And there is no isolation on the top of the trunk so by condensation you're gonna have a bad day with rust in the trunk if you don't remove the excess of water...
@@PiggyPower In fact the trunk is virtually isolated with the backseat. Due to the rigidity of this chassis when you detach the backseat to gain space in the trunk, there is still a large porthole so when closed, the humidity cannot evacuate. It stay in the trunk. Unless you let the trunk dry open. Compared to the doors where you have holes on the bottom to evacuate water, the trunk door is perfectly at 90 degrees. And it's just the metal from the exterior. Beside this, there is no evacuation holes. The water stay like a cavern on his ceiling. (The last weeks I had ice peaks)
Idle rate adjustment won't change your fuel consumption unless all you do is sit there and idle the engine all day. Idle is set by the ECU. Service the engine. Service your brakes. Ensure wheel alignment and tyres are all as per the handbook... And the biggest difference... How you drive 👍🐷
@@stephengould9180 that's awesome, I'm in the Cotswolds...but if I'm ever visiting my best mate (lives near you) I'd love to come see it/take it for a drive/ask you about it!
@@PiggyPower Ok mate. The car has had a very long standing issue from day one. This happens purely at random. The speedo drops to zero and there is a noticeable power loss. It can last from 5 sec to 5 min and be every day or once in 3 months. Maybe the speed sensor going to the ECU?? Also I cannot get the headlight surround trim clips to go in on both sides. They are new ones from Peugeot.
@@stephengould9180 hi there. You could remove the speed sensor from the gearbox and the ECU wouldn't care.. so while the speed input doesn't affect power...there must be a connection... Excuse the pun. Because it's probably a connection issue. I'd be checking earth's from battery to gearbox/chassis. And checking the plugs on the chassis leg, front left, near the battery/gearbox. These get crusty after time. Twist and pull to split apart and take a look inside. The earth by the throttle pedal is another easy one to check.
Still have my 306 hdi after 7byears and paying 200 quid off an old bloke who had her from new. Not cost me a lot but just had a few problems a lately which is expected. Can't seem to sort a strong vibration at idle and when accelerating. Changed numerous parts but still not found it. Keeping her going though
@@PiggyPower seems ok can't see any damage, as for misfire no lights on plugged scanner in no codes but do notice sometimes on idle revs will blip tiny bit but its intermittent, also on light throttle you can feel her surging if that any clues
Have you removed the top engine mount to just quickly check underneath?? Surging is usually fpr. They get gunked up with dirt or just worn out. I'd watch live data for fuel pressure at the rail and injectors too, see if one is overcompensating
So my last hdi hatchback was written off unfortunately, so I've bought myself an estate hdi (2001) because I loved the 306 that much I wanted another one, problem is the arch liner was missing from the N/S/R arch and u know the rest 😂 I can't seem to find one anywhere, any idea if the hatchback liner is the same or if they actually came with them on the estate? Doesn't seem to be holes anywhere in there to mount one.
@@PiggyPower thanks for the reply, I suppose that's better than nothing, I suppose if I can find one for a hatchback and get it in I can always use a random piece of plastic and join the two together, part of the fun with an old car i guess.
Yup. Parts are getting harder to find. There are rumours that the 306 never came with that arch liner...but I've yet to find evidence to prove that. And found lots with them from the factory. Either way, here we are. Thanks for watching and commenting! Please consider subscribing 🐷💪
@@PiggyPower I could believe that even though it makes no sense, I've looked in that arch and can't find the holes where a liner would have been popped in, my dad worked on the production line for peugeot from 90s to mid 00s but every question I ask him I get "i can't remember" 😂 Already subscribed 👍 watched a fair few of your videos and always come back to certain ones if there's something I'm not sure about.
Great video Piggy 🐷 Any chance you can do a video on how to inspect the arches/rear for rust for those of us looking for something that's not going to end up needing a lot of work?
I love them would love to own one again but god knows as you said they're hard find these days 🤣 106 206 306 and 406 my favorite from the peugeots bug that's all the older ones there not a fan on the newer ones but something nice about the 3door 207s
I got someone that would sell me one with the 75hp 1.4 90k km and repaired head gasket for 800€ but i dont really know If the 1.4 would be rellyable could someone Help me if i should buy it ? 😂 ( And sorry for me English i am German )
Like if you were ever PINCHED in the arm by your 306!!! To my knowledge all generations and models assaulted their drivers and passengers in this manner, and unlike other known issues they never even tried to fix it. Peugeot's middle finger to all buyers.
@@PiggyPower yes, rest your elbow out the window. If the back of your arm touches the lock pin you are in danger! Don't let the passenger lock their door!
I do love old Peugeots and Citroens for all these reasons they don't make them fun any more and I like a old cars for less safety when driving😅 might be the reason why I now own 2 of the same car 106 and a Saxo 🤦♂️🤣any one else like this?😏
When they've done 100k... They do get stiff...new cable or new pivot bushes and clutch usually transforms them! But get into a modern car after, and the modern car is super super light.
@@PiggyPower definitely wining mate 😎🥇and cuz it's a 2 door with no extra weight, aside from electric windows, its pretty light too!!! 1070kg withalmost half a tank of gas and all fluids inside
Rebuild time. If you have a weekend and buy decent parts. ... It's not much effort for a FULL rear suspension rebuild. Try that on a ford focus of the same age. All you'll be left with is scrap metal and a pile of orange dust!
