The 'Family' Car

[OdinEidolon]

406 Coupe is a great all-round car:

- more versatile than you'd think from a Coupe shape (the boot is fairly big and the back seats fold down, unlike some BMWs)
- economical (think 2.2 HDi here)
- reasonably powerful (especially if you remap your HDi, or go for the V6)
- comfortable (Recaro seats with well-padded bolsters and clad in nice leather
- spacious (features two back seats even adults can use)
- timeless good looks; refined elegance, without necessarily being flashy

I am still in love with mine.

- When it's just me in it, it's my "sporty" car which I can drive with gusto; big grin factor.
- When I'm going somewhere with the family, all three of us fit in it and we can take our luggage with us with room to spare, and it's a great long-distance motorway cruiser.
- When I'm at work, it's a lot nicer looking than most other cars in the work car park, and if I'm visiting a customer site then it creates a good impression - nice-looking but without being too show-offy.

Not bad for a 10 year old car I bought for under £3k.

Fair enough, I won't be able to fit my drum kit in it, or a washing machine, or a wardrobe - but if I want to transport any of those things, I'll hire a van or I'll use a Courier service, and it won't cost me the earth.

Well said mate!

[sirwiggum]

My dads old firm, he preferred a van for his equipment but they wanted him in a car as it looked better meeting clients.
So through the 90s til early 200s he had a BX, Xantia then a D9 406.

[Bailes1992]

Personally I don't have much of an image to create.

In my Focus I felt like an upmarket teenager with my little revvy 1.6.
But the 406 suits me down to the ground. It's sensible, it dosen't go anywhere with much urgency, it's fairly discreet. Not at all flashy!

I feel like every other motorist when I'm driving a 406. When I was in my Focus, ecspecially when giving it the beans I felt like an absolute twat. For a standard 1.6 it was a right little screamer... but I felt so chavvy!

I'd be happy if in 10 years I was still driving a 406. Maybe not this one, but a 1.9TD Executive with a D9 exterior running it on cooking oil. Maybe even fit a Modern 16v 2.0 HDi engine with a mechanical pump or something.

Having a 20 year old car does seem odd. But I see the odd 405 driving around with no issues!

[lozz]

Focus is not a chavy car,

but isee your point, its one of the fords ive never owned, itook an instant dislike to it as soon as they where built,
isee them as just a mk7 escort,

Best thing you did that mate, going from focus to 406 much more reliable

[STALLED]

Fiesta = Chavvy

Focus = Chavvy.

/endthread.

[rapport25]

Hi guys, long time no speak. I have been lurking in the background :-). Looking at getting rid of my passat and buying a 7 seater. Not sure what to get. Citroen c4 grand picasso 1.6 hdi seems to fit the bill.

Thoughts ideas?

Thanks Rappy

[lozz]

Hi guys, long time no speak. I have been lurking in the background :-). Looking at getting rid of my passat and buying a 7 seater. Not sure what to get. Citroen c4 grand picasso 1.6 hdi seems to fit the bill.

Thoughts ideas?

Thanks Rappy

hi mate,

1.6 hdi in a pic wouid be awfuly underpowerd, altho the insurance is cheap, and its in the cheap tax bracket

[rapport25]

I have driven one. But I would not say under powered. Also you forgot great mpg!!!

[lozz]

ithought they where slow tbh,
ihired one for a couple of days wasnt overly impressed with them,but there millions times better than the older pics

[waue1978]

I have driven one. But I would not say under powered. Also you forgot great mpg!!!

The modern smaller diesel engines are ok when you're alone & racing about town, but see if you can get a test drive with the whole family on a short motorway blast. I had a 1.5DCi Grand Scenic for a month last year & it was fine for me to race around in on my own, but on a trip to Pontefract with 3 other adults in it the poor thing struggled.

Don't buy into the published economy figures either - when you take one out, reset the computer & see what you get in real life. The Scenic was quoted at 48mpg on the urban cycle, but I only got 45mpg on a 90 minute motorway run & I wasn't thrashing it either. Cruise was set at 70 most of the way.

[rapport25]

Thats a valid point.

5 days of the week it will just be me covering 500 miles. Then w ends kids 2 dogs and w ends away. Main thing is cheap motoring.

I have been reading loads of reviews. I would be looking at the 1.6 hdi exclusive model. Which only comes with the egs gearbox and rear air suspension

Not sure about reliability :-(.

[Doggy]

Hi rappy, nice to hear from you again.

1.6 HDi's seem to have a poor reliability record, turbo failures and the like. Have a gander at the 407 forum.

[Welly]

Hello Rappy,

That's it really, just wanted to say hello

Welly

[rapport25]

Hi Doggy,
Thanks for that. Turbos blowing and egs boxes failing is very common.
Shame as I really fancied one :-(

My passat has been ultra reliable. An the dsg box is a peach. Just need something bigger. Maybe I should keep the sat. A bit longer and lease a new car instead.

Hi Welly:-). what do you think?.

[Welly]

Hi Welly:-). what do you think?.

I stopped 'thinking' about 6 months ago, things are much better now

Erm, what about one of those VW Touran? things they look quite tidy and you'll be used to the mechanics of them.

I've had a tentative sniff around at the newer Golf 2.0TDi's but was put off by oil pump problems? although some say it only affects the Passats/Audi's with balancer shafts? there's been a lot of engines ran with no oil pressure until the owner stops to think what that horrid clattery sound might be

The 1.9TDi is the best as far as I know, and in 130bhp form.