Buying Advice

[Jeff64]

Thanks for the hyperlinks, I really need an estate although they look good as saloons I do need that extra space.

[Pilch]

I think a 406 is a good idea, but I'm biassed

Here are some candidates. Let's see what the more knowledgeable members make of them:

A: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... 3410399542 Don't know what's gone on with the plastic on the centre console. Looks well kept otherwise. This is my first choice.
B: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... 2409948248 Can't tell much about this.
C: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... 8402508921 looks bad to me
D: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... 4411092064 this is crazy (in a very bad way)
E: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... 3410736376 my second choice, though engine cover has gone missing which is suspicious.
F: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... 9403352685 another to avoid.
G: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... 8386399133 poverty trim but looks very clean

Any catch your eye?

BTW: Road tax is £130 for HDis on 51-plate or newer, but £230 for Y-plate and older.

My Y Plate HDI 90 is only £160 for 12 months!

[rwb]

My 02-plate HDi 90 is £130 for 12 months

[Doggy]

My 406 has been one of the most reliable cars I've owned. Ignoring service items, light bulbs etc. and the journey of discovery I embarked upon to rid it of the diesel particulate filter, (which only 2.2's have), the bits I've changed in 3 years / 60k are:
A/c condenser, (which I failed to spot before buying it).
exhaust back box
swirl chamber actuator
2 rear suspension vertical links
a set of injectors

Total parts cost, about £420

It's never failed to start or had any time off the road.

[ally406]

You might consider a mk1 diesel (XUD). The XUD is a simpler engine, and although not as refined or as economical, is well proven in many other cars and is 110% bomb proof. In my experience, not even god himself can stop an XUD. Parts and consumables cost buttons, they are simple to work on yourself having little in the way of electronics, and they run on vegetable oil, or pretty well any other reasonably liquid combustable substance. With £1,000 you would have plenty of change left over as well.

That said, if you have a car that is reliable then there is good reason to stick with it, even if it doesn't return wonderful MPG. MPG is only a part of the running cost of a car, and it is always a risk swapping one old car for another.

[Bailes1992]

XUD! Without a doubt.
The 1.9TD had a semi ecu controlled bosch pump. Basically the whole engine works mechanically by itself with no or little need for the ECU. All the ECU does it watch sensors and check the pump timing.
The 1.9TD will have a Bosch pump and can be run on 100% vegtable oil!
If the engine does go pop, then £150 will get you a new engine. They are cheap as chips
Mine was running 22psi, with advanced fueling, on vegtable oil and I used to abuse the hell out of it! Think I could kill it?

[waue1978]

That said, if you have a car that is reliable then there is good reason to stick with it, even if it doesn't return wonderful MPG. MPG is only a part of the running cost of a car, and it is always a risk swapping one old car for another.

Very valid point. We bought my Dad a 2000 BMW 523i with 100k last year. In the past year all he has paid out to fix on it was £10 for a boot lock (which I fitted in 10mins) & £120 on service & MOT. Meanwhile my 406 has cost:

New centre exhaust - £100
Temperature sender - £25 DIY 30mins
Handbrake switch (to fix the message mentioned earlier) - less than £10 DIY 1hr
1 rear caliper - £200
Air Con Condensor - £300
Cambelt, water pump, aux belt & bottom pulley - £450

+ the £120 service & MOT. When we worked out what it would have cost me in fuel to run the 523i over the year I would have saved £100 overall & had a damn fine Beemer.

Ally is right - MPG isn't everything. Most of the bad news stuff you've read here is common to all modern diesels now though. Petrol engines do seem to be much less problematic these days.

[sirwiggum]

That said, if you have a car that is reliable then there is good reason to stick with it, even if it doesn't return wonderful MPG. MPG is only a part of the running cost of a car, and it is always a risk swapping one old car for another.

Very valid point. We bought my Dad a 2000 BMW 523i with 100k last year. In the past year all he has paid out to fix on it was £10 for a boot lock (which I fitted in 10mins) & £120 on service & MOT. Meanwhile my 406 has cost:

New centre exhaust - £100
Temperature sender - £25 DIY 30mins
Handbrake switch (to fix the message mentioned earlier) - less than £10 DIY 1hr
1 rear caliper - £200
Air Con Condensor - £300
Cambelt, water pump, aux belt & bottom pulley - £450

+ the £120 service & MOT. When we worked out what it would have cost me in fuel to run the 523i over the year I would have saved £100 overall & had a damn fine Beemer.

Agreed.

I bought the Honda and so far it has needed £20 to tighten the handbrake and a £6 indicator lens. (excluding servicing - a gallon of oil and some filters).

It gets 22mpg but it seems to be a fairly lazy engine when you are just cruising about town.

Whereas the 406 cost all that from earlier:

- COM2000 £140
- Side door seal £16
- Fuel Filter housing £50
- Flexi + Cat exhaust section £300
- Handbrake shoes fitted £300
- Upper mount £150

But it got 45mpg, which was ideal for last year's road trip to Silverstone / Milton Keynes / Wigan.

Ally is right - MPG isn't everything. Most of the bad news stuff you've read here is common to all modern diesels now though. Petrol engines do seem to be much less problematic these days.

There do seem to be issues with the Honda diesels, certainly for the Accord the one to go for is the petrol.
My dad has a Nissan Navara which is off the road because the diesel engine blew a conrod

A well sorted HDi with a bit of history does seem to be one of the better diesels.

I miss the old XUDs which went on forever and didn't have electricals and weren't trying to be like petrols.

[Captain Jack]

There do seem to be issues with the Honda diesels, certainly for the Accord the one to go for is the petrol.

Tell me about it I lost a lot of money on an apparently reliable 2005 Japanese Honda Accord with a 2.2 diesel engine. Don't get me wrong, it's a WONDERFUL engine... when it works. So smooth and powerful. The car is quite comfy to sit in and look at as well.

But after a cracked exhaust manifold (warranty), clutch at 90k (warranty), master clutch cylinder (£200 - never fixed) and a blown turbo (£2000!), I decided to write it off in favour of the far more reliable 406 HDI. Never looked back.

I don't know what the current Accords are like reliability wise - I'd like to own one but not live in fear of it costing me a part of my limb in repairs...

[steve_earwig]

you only have one limb?

[Captain Jack]

[Doggy]

you only have one limb?

He seemed to have a full set on Saturday.

[Bailes1992]

you only have one limb?

He seemed to have a full set on Saturday.

Stick on

[sirwiggum]

Sounds like a particularly gruesome part of the book 'The Road', when the cannibals chop limbs off their victims one at a time to keep them fresh

[Jeff64]

Really appreciate all the helpfull advice, it's certainly made me think long and hard over the last couple of days, my conclusion is, I won't now be buying a 406, I've just agreed to buy an old Mercedes W124 diesel, which I think are very sinple and reliable. Once again many thanks, it's really helped form my opinion.