reality check

[steven123]

as our family is rapidly expanding with 2 pets with heavy heart im starting to realize that we will need an estate and soon . Trying to get an idea what would i get for my heavily but i would say tastefully modified 406 2.2hdi saloon, i know that all cars are worth as much as anyone is willing to pay for it, but maybe this one is meant to be with 406 enthusiast only.
This is not the ad just seeking advice what you guys think it could fetch to the right person. I will list what its been done to it and all i would say is that car is a 100 % sound!
so here it is details with my expenditure (within the last 10k miles) :
2004 January reg.53 2.2hdi SE saloon in white with 94k miles and full service history,
2 keys(master and flip), 11 months mot and tax.
Exterior
1. few panels and bumpers been resprayed to get rid of small dings / scratches, considering age and mileage paintwork i would say 8 out of 10
2. brand new colour coded GMP 17” alloys with correct offset so no spacers required, brand new Uniroyal Rainsport3 tyres
3. debadged including boot with electric button inside to open it
4. HID kit and leds all round
5. Original roof bars
Interior
1. Half leather interior in very good condition, very clean, just drivers seat only showing normal wear
2. Upgraded trimmed steering wheel and gear knob
3. Upgraded CD unit with bluetooth
4. Headliner in black and roof fitted DVD player with 2 wireless headphones
5. Professionally fitted oil pressure and boost gauges in white to match existing.
6. all led lights
7. all electrics spot on including aircon.
Mechanical
1. engine and running gear is excellent, fap removed with canister in place(mot pass), egr with piping removed, all other unneeded vacuum things removed with Nico pipe kit installed, reconditioned turbo at 70k miles, high pressure and map sensors upgraded with custom remap done by HDI master Srdan at ecuedit, car dyno’ed 181bhp with 435nm at 2200 rpm, usual 2.2 hdi flat spot removed turbo spools from 1500 rpm and has no smoke at all on any load, stainless exhaust system, K&N air filter, full oil service, timing belt with tensioners including bottom pulley and water pump, aux belt with tensioner.
2. upgraged 6 speed gearbox from similar car mileage (406 was at 83k, gearbox came from 88k car), new oil and all seals
3. new Valeo SMF/clutch kit with required bearings (no vibrations)
4. bottom engine mount
5. new driveshafts
6. new Bilstein B4 shockers x4, new original spec. springs
7. new sport drilled and painted brake disks x4 with pads, new hand brake shoes
8. new braided brake hoses x4
9. new rear bearing/abs ring hubs x2
10. rest suspension is spot on

i feel insane now even considering to write this , jeez how much i spent it is a keeper and the looker...
we did 2 separate road trips from Edinburgh one to Sicily, another to Cote D’azur – not a single glitch!

so what you guys think, 3.5k achievable? i spent so much more than that.....

[Gary406]

you will struggle a lot to get 3.5k is my opinion. nobody is going to pay that sort of money for a 406. very nice motor tho

[highlander]

Problem is, you'll find a modified car is harder to sell than an unmodified car - this is because there's a much smaller pool of people who see modified cars as being desirable over original unmodified cars - so the value is likely to be lower for a modified car.

Personally, I'd make the car look as stock as possible, without incurring much expense. Put the Peugeot lion back on the front, and re-badge the boot lid. I know your boot lid debadge features a remote popper - maybe just stick a lion badge from some other Peugeot that doesn't have the boot release as part of the Lion badge (i.e. the 407/607). Should get one of those from a scrappy for pennies.

Leaving the wheels white is fine; I'm talking a couple of quid for badges, really. The K&N filter might need to come out (if it's a cone filter, rather than a panel filter housed in the original airbox) - you really want the engine bay to look like it's stock to the untrained eye - your 6-speed box can stay, and if anyone asks, it's for more fuel-efficient cruising at motorway speeds.

Remember that when you're selling the car, you're selling it to someone whose tastes vary from yours; putting the badges back on may make it less appealing to you, but more appealing to them.

[steven123]

Thanks, will keep in mind if i decide to sell it

[Welly]

You're going to hate me but it has to be said that I think you'll be lucky to see a bag of sand for the car

Don't get me wrong it's obviously worth much more but it's an 11 year old modified car with limited audience. You will only ever see what other similar 406's are worth and sadly all the mods will simply be overlooked or even devalue the car. I'd probably remove most of the goodies if you can and fit them to your next car.

You might get lucky if you advertise it somewhere like Piston Heads as it might just appeal to someone who appreciates whats gone into it.

[Captain Jack]

That's a very nice car with obvious attention to detail gone into it. Er....you probably will get around a grand for it, possibly more but it depends on who sees the advert. Relatively low mileage also helps on a car that's becoming increasingly rare in good, looked-after condition.

I personally appreciate the work gone into the mechanical side of things (remap, defap, Nico pipes, 6 speed 'box) but on the other hand, I prefer the stock look as well... So, plus and minuses there.

[Doggy]

Unfortunately, there is a very limited market for something like this, no matter how well executed it is. The only interest you're likely to get would be from someone intent on having the same mods.

A 'standard' low mileage 2.2 should sell, the 6-speed box and new clutch should add to the appeal, but sadly won't add anything like what they cost you to the perceived, 'value'.

[gumby6371]

A quick browse of auto trader and I found this;

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p

Admittedly a few more miles than yours but 170 BHP from standard and all the toys and a very clean example for 3k on a 57 plate.
It may well be worth £3,500 to you but that puts it in the price bracket of newer more appealing cars.

I bought my 53 plate 2.2 from a forum member already modified, body work wasn't the best but took a punt at £800 knowing the A1 sat nav display, Nico pipes, Brembo's, half leather and stainless exhaust would get back most of that if it was a nail. If it was as clean as yours I may have gone a few hundred higher but that's all.

If I were you I'd return it to as standard as possible, lose the boost gauges etc as they scream 'I've been thrashed' to a potential buyer, then sell it as engine modified for economy and you'll get more interest.

I'm not saying you are a boy racer or that the car has been abused but that will be the general opinion of potential buyers when they see the word 'modified' IMOH.

[Welly]

The other potential off-putter actually is the 6-speeder, it's another 'modification' from standard which may load the insurance but it's also a potential OMGGEARBOXFAILURE in the eyes of normal buyers (i.e. the ones without a clue).

We're not helping much I know but at least we're open and honest which should help the OP make decisions.

[PeterN]

The easiest way to test the market is to put it on ebay with a high reserve and see how high the bidding gets, that will be a 'real world' price. If you decide to accept the highest bid I think you can do that, if not at least you will know how much to put it up for next time. You could also put it in for a 'buy it now price' and include the 'offers' option, in either case you are not obliged to sell it.

The estate is an excellent car, I have one, if you want something even bigger go for a C5, same running gear as the 406 but can be had very cheaply, £600 should get you a half decent one I bought mine for £550 and the facelift ones, 05 on, are going for under £1000 now.

I hope you are successful.

Peter

[steven123]

Thanks chaps, decision has been made, keeping it! Couldn't convince myself for give away and all + becoming - , no way ebay in my opinion worst place only real enthusiast (forum) looking to do whats already been done can appreciate. Cheers

[PeterN]

I always buy and sell my cars on ebay - but then they are 'normal'

Peter

[steven123]

I always buy and sell my cars on ebay - but then they are 'normal'

Peter

I use alot too and I know its ok place to buy and sell but maybe not this one

[Captain Jack]

You do get some real jokers on eBay, especially when it comes to cars. Glad you're keeping it though - it's a nice motor and will serve you for many years to come.