Purchasing a 306

[FarmerPug]

Petrol power is now a possible choice again so this is one suggestion that has popped up:
http://belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/32/69098432.html
a slightly drab but reliable nissan almera.
but then a facelifted one a bit cheaper
http://belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/27/69035227.html

So this is another car were looking at nissans seem to depreciate like a lead baloon, my dad got his 2008 primera in 2009 for 7k with 14000 miles, as if that wasnt a bargain enough its depreciated enough to be the same value as my car.

[waue1978]

Almeras are ok, but it may be worthwhile letting you know about a friend who bought one & subsequently got rid after a couple of months because he discovered that it had something wrong with the front suspension which was hideously complicated & equally expensive to fix. He px'd it back to the dealer he bought it from & (hopefully) they got caught to fix it before they resold it again.

Can't remember what it was on the front suspension that needed fixing, but apparently it was a Nissan quirk as Primeras were vulnerable to it aswell.

[Welly]

We had an X-reg (2000?) Primera at work and its party piece was to blow the heater matrix pipe off and soak the cars ECU (just underneath )....oh and it did it twice - dash out job

You know, you can do a *lot* worse than to buy a Honda Civic petrol.


Great cars, never go wrong and will do 30+ mpg all day long even on short journeys - they normally have low miles too (thanks to the old duffers that buy them and spend a fortune on full-dealer servicing )

[FarmerPug]

I know the civic is a good car but its even more bland and out of date than the almera which at least is fully loaded with nissans take on the i drive, my dad has had 2 primeras the mk1 and now the big ugly one and neither have gave trouble, we also bought a 95 primera to sell on again no trouble, and my mum had micras which were nothing but a pain in the arse constant trouble, the almeras big thats the main attraction to it, and very safe. But overall the cars not getting bought for its looks or driving dynamics which a 306 delevers much better its just for my aunt who lives a right distance away from us now and needs something dependable.

[FarmerPug]

Its got bleeding sat nav for £1100 with the full map and all, and a big tv screen in the middle of the dash. Did nissan really think the I drive wasnt distracting enough.

[sirwiggum]

The problem with those shape Civics are every bloody boy racer has bought them and badly modified them, because in their head, they think they are the lead in the "fast and the furious" films.

But they're not.

They're some spide doing handbrake turns around Carrick car park in a Japanese hatchback that they have devalued with their Halfrauds tat.

[highlander]

Over here, the Vauxhall Nova and Corsa are the most closely associated with the yob culture ("Neds" in Scotland, "Chavs" in England)

I've seen people who have spent more money on body kits and blingy lights and shiny bits and window tinting and sound systems (etc) for their Nova or Corsa than the car was ever worth in the first place.

Net result? They look like crap, sound like crap, are worth sod-all in re-sale value (except to other Neds) and are generally a pain in the ass all round.

My advice to them: if you want a cool-looking fast car, buy a cool-looking fast car. Don't buy a crap slow car and spent thousands of pounds "pimping" it, because it looks stupid.

Their advice to me: hurrrrr... feck off, wankurrrrr lol

[Welly]

My advice to them: if you want a cool-looking fast car, buy a cool-looking fast car. Don't buy a crap slow car and spent thousands of pounds "pimping" it, because it looks stupid.

You iz jus jelus innit cus u carnt aford teh rimz and teh ice and teh neonz.......

[FarmerPug]

What them boy racers dont understand is torque their noisy petrols have none of it. And come on a citroen saxo or honda civic with a straight through exhaust (or whatever is done to the exhaust) it sounds absolute shite just a loud drone like a wasp driving around. But there is a certain smugness you can have in your 406 that it can actually overtake the rubbish they drive. I recall in my clio 1.2 16v it was what the boy racers defined as 'lit' it was anything but lit. And the suggestions of what i should have done to that car would have absolutely ruined it. The Message to them is Diesel has caught up.

[highlander]

You iz jus jelus innit cus u carnt aford teh rimz and teh ice and teh neonz.......

What I can't afford is to drive a car that makes me look like a nob

Don't think I could live with myself if I was to drive a shed.

My new ride:

[FarmerPug]

dammit youve gone and put a picture up of the thing, in the world of opposites thats a very ugly car.
But seriously that is a real nice car, red suits it and a nice side profile.

[Archangel]

Unfortunately, I think you'll struggle to find a bosch-equiped 1.9TD 306, unless it's ancient. If you're not bothered about running it on veg oil, get an HDi, or better still, a 206 HDi (1.4 = 70mpg, 2.0 = 58mpg + huge grin).

My 306 DTurbo runs on Bio with a Lucas pump ,disconnected EGR valve and has done so for last 3.5 years (got a spare pump(Bosch)) for it ; so it doesnt always have to die if its a Lucas but Bosch pumps can be bought and fitted for more peace of mind lol .Havent done mine yet as I`m concentrating on the 406 atm doing the fiddly bits like : the bonnet (rust at front end)
: heater blower (needs replacing cos it`s screaming like a banshee on full when demisting )
: lighter socket ( not working even with new fuse and newer socket

[FarmerPug]

you said 206 hdi what sort of car are they reliability wise.

[Bailes1992]

Unfortunately, I think you'll struggle to find a bosch-equiped 1.9TD 306, unless it's ancient. If you're not bothered about running it on veg oil, get an HDi, or better still, a 206 HDi (1.4 = 70mpg, 2.0 = 58mpg + huge grin).

My 306 DTurbo runs on Bio with a Lucas pump ,disconnected EGR valve and has done so for last 3.5 years (got a spare pump(Bosch)) for it ; so it doesnt always have to die if its a Lucas but Bosch pumps can be bought and fitted for more peace of mind lol .Havent done mine yet as I`m concentrating on the 406 atm doing the fiddly bits like : the bonnet (rust at front end)
: heater blower (needs replacing cos it`s screaming like a banshee on full when demisting )
: lighter socket ( not working even with new fuse and newer socket

Is your heater sounding like this...

If it is... or even if it isnt have a look at this thread and have a go!
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12954
Just take it apart, give everythign a good clean, give the chip board a clean and some electrical spray, spin the fan and see if there any movement in it etc. Also spin it up while it's out of the blower unit!


It's not the type of fuel that kills the lucas it's the thickness!
When veg is cold its very thick and it snapps the shaft that connects the pully to the pump.
I know StevieBoyTD off here has a 306 TD that his wife drives and that does or atleast did have a lucas pump. He would every night put a few litres of diesel in the car so when it started first thing in the morning it was starting on diesel, then when it was started he would put just enough veg oil in to last the day and then at the end of the day put a few litres of diesel in. So it was always starting on diesel. Once the engine was started the heat exchanger in the fuel filter would be on full swing and thin out the diesel enough for the lucas pump to cope with!

Atleast thats my understanding anyway!