406 Owners - how old are you?

[sockpuppet]

My friend at uni said to me today that im lame for owning a 406, because its a grandads car. This offended me greatly because, whilst its reliable, cheap, economical and spacious, its also a hell of a lot of fun if youre young. Its fast, has a turbo (which is just a cool thing to say at my age if im perfectly honest) big enough to fit a whopping sound system and my useless car-hating housemates, and good for the long journey down the M1 to visit my parents.

So this is a Peugeot Survey - a Peurvey, if you will - to see just how old the various 406 owners here are!

I'm 20! (Potentially the youngest here?)

[robb]

52 and counting

[mjb]

Most people take the pee... until they get to ride in the leather-clad luxury of a 406

I'm 30 and have been driving 406s for just over 4 years

[Welly]

My collegue glanced over at my 406 the day I bought it a said "Grandads Car" that pissed me right off because I bought it to try and save money and it was the best I could manage at the time.

Don't worry about it, it's a great car. I wouldn't fancy the run to your parents in a Fiat Punto would you?

The other benefits are that the Police leave you alone, and you don't stick out like a sore thumb. Leave it standard, keep it clean and you'll get a decent price come sale time too.

I was 35 when I bought mine, 38 now (and driving a Volvo) how Grandad is that?

[highlander]

Am turning 30 this year.

My brother (who drives a Fiat Punto 1.2) says the interior looks like a gentlemen's club, with all the walnut on the dash.

Fair enough, the interior on the LX is a bit granddad-ish, but it's comfortable and practical. The car itself feels quite sporty to me, even though it's a non-turbo 1.8 petrol.

Adding Peugeot's boot lid spoiler and a set of shiny alloy wheels makes a hell of a difference to the exterior. The chrome trim on the bumpers and along the doors goes really nicely with the China Blue colour. Adding the aluminium sill guards adds to the appearance when getting in and out, too. It'd be nice to have those big red Brembo calipers on all four wheels, but I hear the handbrake isn't up to much, and it's too much work to install to be worth it.

I still plan to put a stainless steel exhaust on mine, unless I can get a really great deal on a used 607 HDi this year. I like the growl of the 1.8 engine as it is, but the sound is missing something that I think a stainless steel exhaust can provide.

Everyone I give a lift to in this car says it's a really nice car, and that's praise enough for me for now.

Edit: mine is at least as sporty-looking on the outside now as any of those horrible brick-on-wheels Imprezas, and my exhaust (which isn't 6ft in diameter) doesn't sound like a baboon farting through a tuba. So that makes me happier.

[steve_earwig]

Old enough not to give a to$$ what other people think of my car

I'll be 45 soon. By Christ, I'm almost 50 Do I have to grown up yet?

[jasper5]

I'm 56 and my wife is 52, she was the one that bought the 406, she agrees that it does look a bit grandad-ish, but it was such a good car who the heck cares
You can't beat having comfort and style, when these people get older they will be wanting their BMWs and such-like.

I hate it when people hang labels on things or people and I also hate these Americanisms, such as "lame".

BTW, I have 5 grandchildren.

[Captain Jack]

Turning 29 this year - been driving 406's since 2003 (with a 9 month gap).

[turbolag]

41, old enough for a 407 instead now.

[TooT]

I was 27 when i got hold of mine, it was a V6 so thats got to be worth a few cool points?

32 now with a diesel Megane

[hammerman]

35 this april for me.Was 31 when i got my 406.I was 26 when i got my Xantia VSX TD est.And 24 when i got my 1st caravan.
I was always a boy racer at heart.Having mostly Vauxhall SRi`s & Capri V6`s.Then i got a brand new Rover 200 Vi hot hatch.Then a another new 200 is td.Been diesel ever since that.

[teamster1975]

I'm 34, bought our first 406 when our second son was due to be born 3 1/2 years ago.
Broke my heart to sell the Saab but the 406 very quickly won me over!

[turbolag]

Broke my heart to sell the Saab...

That's what GM said!

[HimBigChief]

Was 29 when I got the 406 (now turned 30), and was driving a Legacy Outback for 4 years prior to that. Also a boy-racer at heart (hence what I've done to the 406) and had 2 Mi16's and a multitude of 309GTi's since I was 18.

[Doggy]

I'm 54 and a life-long car nut - think this is no. 35. Jaguar mk2, S-type,(the first time), TR6, Europa Special, 200SX, 24V Carlton were the hilights. The 406 is my 2nd diesel. Chose it for long distance comfort, having my 3 essential ingredients - armrests, cruise control & enough poke to make it effortless. It's the best mile-eater I've driven in a personal total of over 750k miles.