Drove my 406 for the first time today

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:20 am

I'd forgotten just how damn good it is to drive.

I drove the mrs 04 Corsa last night and found it has unresponsive slightly dead steering feel but very light.
Good gearbox and brakes on the Corsa C though.
Nasty uncomfortable bench seats and non adjustable steering wheel made my shoulder ache like a bastard last night.

After the same journey this morning in my car I felt like I was stepping out of bed ;)
Such nice soft but hugging seats, nicely weighted steering with a slight dead zone and then getting heavier the more pressure is applied.
Suspension soaks up bumps nicely but does allow a tiny bit too much body roll but still a great ride.
Nice and quiet cockpit with the nicely curved dash and car layout feeling slightly dated but a little bit refined still.

All in all a damn nice place to be for a journey and surprisingly better than a Corsa ;)
Not that I'd dis the wife's car as she loves it and it is great for what it does.

Did make me feel the 406 is a little bit special though

Even the flashing airbag warning light since the seat has been moved made me feel at home

Post by **Welly** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:02 pm

....reads like an article from What Car? 1999

Tis funny though, the 406 is strangely familiar and comforting to us 6'ers. Even after the most shitty day as soon as you flop into the 406 things start to improve instantly.

I still maintain, even after all the heartache, that my 406 will be EXTREMELY hard to replace with anything else

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:07 pm

Welton wrote:....reads like an article from What Car? 1999

Tis funny though, the 406 is strangely familiar and comforting to us 6'ers. Even after the most shitty day as soon as you flop into the 406 things start to improve instantly.

I still maintain, even after all the heartache, that my 406 will be EXTREMELY hard to replace with anything else

Yup everytime I get out of the 406 I feel more relaxed than when I got in it.

Could do with about twice as much power though, but I guess that wouldn't help make it more relaxing to drive ;)

Post by **DaiRees** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:42 pm

Welton wrote:I still maintain, even after all the heartache, that my 406 will be EXTREMELY hard to replace with anything else

Yup, really struggling to think of something I'd rather have for my next car. I was leaning towards a 407 SW GT, but since the recent talk on here ref the disappointingly small boot I don't see it happening.

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:47 pm

DaiRees wrote:
Welton wrote:I still maintain, even after all the heartache, that my 406 will be EXTREMELY hard to replace with anything else
Yup, really struggling to think of something I'd rather have for my next car. I was leaning towards a 407 SW GT, but since the recent talk on here ref the disappointingly small boot I don't see it happening.

406 Coupe HDi?

Harshan · Post by **Harshan** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:48 pm

well... agree with all the comments and in Sri Lanka I get one more factor out of 406 ride apart from the comfort, that is recognition and status.. here we have lot of Japanese cars and other stuff but European cars are bit scares and expensive. so whenever you ride in European car u easily earn an additional reputation. and on the comfort both riding and traveling ... i love to drive it and i find an excuse to drive it ;)) I feel a bit sad or sort of "fun is over" feeling when i park it in the driveway after a journey.

Post by **Welly** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:56 pm

Eric-the shoulder wrote:Could do with about twice as much power though, but I guess that wouldn't help make it more relaxing to drive ;)

Or stop!

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:04 pm

Welton wrote:
Eric-the shoulder wrote:Could do with about twice as much power though, but I guess that wouldn't help make it more relaxing to drive ;)
Or stop!

lol

Very true.
Would have to have uprated brakes as well.

Erm... maybe upgraded suspension would help too.

So it would really negate the point of having a 406 HDi wouldn't it ;)

I'll get me coat.

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:05 pm

Harshan wrote:well... agree with all the comments and in Sri Lanka I get one more factor out of 406 ride apart from the comfort, that is recognition and status.. here we have lot of Japanese cars and other stuff but European cars are bit scares and expensive. so whenever you ride in European car u easily earn an additional reputation. and on the comfort both riding and traveling ... i love to drive it and i find an excuse to drive it ;)) I feel a bit sad or sort of "fun is over" feeling when i park it in the driveway after a journey.

I wish Euro (I mean French) cars got more respect over here

Everyone seems to think they explode at 100k and it's not true.

Can make it hard to sell high mileage cars even if you know they are reliable and just all round brilliant.

Post by **DaiRees** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:31 pm

Eric wrote:406 Coupe HDi?

Maybe in about 20 years when the tea pot lids leave home

Post by **steve_earwig** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:52 pm

DaiRees wrote:Yup, really struggling to think of something I'd rather have for my next car. I was leaning towards a 407 SW GT, but since the recent talk on here ref the disappointingly small boot I don't see it happening.

Oh no, what have I done? Peugeot'll be sending the boys round. To make matters worse, according to Wot Kar? even the 207SW has a bigger boot. I was looking at a dipstick dropper in the dealers' yesterday, there seems to be almost as much car in front of the driver as there is behind!

Then again, you could always get a 6'x4' tralier to carry the bodies.. I mean, rough stuff around in.