407 questions ....

[Chaz]

I realise this is a 406 board but im sure many of you know the 407 well enough.

My wife has a dark grey 406 2.0 petrol and now I have been offered a 2006 407 dark grey diesel sport (will check description later) as a company car.

My current car is a 2008 Skoda Octavia Estate 2.0 Tdi which is pretty nice. The Pug is nicer but I have some quirks and dont want to make the swap for an older car and regret later.

Clutch - takes massively high - similar to my wife's - is this normal? Its almost difficult to drive in town - as soon as you think of touching it, it starts to slip the clutch.

Seating position - all Pugs seem to have the seat too high?

This has has a 6 speed box - seems decent enough - anyone have specs for it - was told its a 2.0 Tdi Sport.

Thanks

[mjb]

The 407 is a great car but is somewhat renowned for eating clutches, so I'd check it out for signs of slipping first

[Chaz]

The 407 is a great car but is somewhat renowned for eating clutches, so I'd check it out for signs of slipping first

Thanks, does seem like its on the verge of slipping. It has around 45000 miles on it. Ill ask that they get that sorted first but that said, would that be 'normal' at this mileage?

[turbolag]

There was no 'sport' model, though there was briefly a Sport XS during 2008. There was a sport pack, in much the same way mine has the Lux pack, and is recorded as an "SE Lux" on the V5.

Clutch shouldn't be high like that. They are not prone to clutch problems (aside from those related to DMF) so be suspicious of this.

The 6 speed ML box is a nice unit and tough, but can suffer synchro failures occasionally, so check for a rough feeling change from 1st to 2nd.

DMFs can fail, just like the 406.

Check front brakes for wear, though your one has the smaller and much cheaper brakes so it's not that costly. 2.2s, 2.7s and 3.0s have 330mm discs and cost a chuffing fortune.

The FAP system takes some expensive maintaining as the car ages to 80+k miles, but this is true of any modern diesel from any manufacturer now.

Check all cabin toys work, as well as the climate.

Check the front bottom ball joints for play - not expensive to put right but they commonly fail and it's rare they last 30k miles.

Tyres are 215/55 17 and are virtually unique to the 407. Even cheap ones are £100 a boot upwards, with premium ones costing around £150 each, so look arefuly at the state of the rubber.

It's a brilliant piece lof machinery if you buy carefully (I'm on my 2nd and love it). Nevertheless, it's a complex car with the potential to cause major headaches if you don't buy wisely so I can not stress enough how important a professiona AA/RAC pre purchase inspection is.

[peugeot406rapier]

hello chaz,

they did do have a sport spec on the 407 but i believe thats only the newer ones but being an 06 it should cover it i believe the sport was the one down from the exec it should have a lot of toys on it, other specs are S, SE, SV, X-line, Zenith or executive and i believe they have just relased a Sport XS as an SW which looks the mutts nuts.

on the seats most pugs do have a height adjustment on the seat im 6'5"ish and i can make the chair go too low sometimes on my 406 so ive never really suffered from that problem

its proper name will be a 407 Sport HDI it came in a 2.0 or 2.2 engine 136 or 170 bhp

yeah it comes with a 6 speed manual which is a fantastic box ive driven a couple of 407s with that box and its really sweet i dont know about the clutch pedal though its much lighter and more sensitive than my 406 but i cant remember it being extra high what mileage has it done?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... iorContent

thats autotraders comprehensive list on what toys and gadgets it got its worth just searching for a few 06 HDi sports on there and looking on the spec sheets and it tells you everything they have just click the blue tabs at the top of the screen on that link and itll tell you all specs for engine, insurance, MPG, kit etc etc

hope this helps im sure theres other people on here which will know more than i do

[turbolag]

The 'Sport' was an pack available on the SE, and the V5 shows "SE Sport". Despite the somewhat ambiguous sales literature, it was not in fact a model in its own standalone right, and was never badged as a sport either. It's an already Hi Spec SE with some even more snazzy bits. My first 407 was one of these, though it sadly went quickly to fund a divorce...sob...

SE sport or Lux upwards are well worth the dosh. Zenith is basically and SE with a few extra toys, but no FAP, so is the pick of the diesels to buy 2nd hand as it'll save £££s in maintenance as the miles rack up.

Mr rapier, that Autotrader link is actually an SE Lux, as evidenced by the half leather (only ever available on the Lux and the 2.2 coupe) and the checquered silver carbon trim (the sport pack came with aluminium inserts).

To really confuse the issue, a lot of the Sport pack items can be had individually a SP accessories, so there are some real spec-mongrels out there.

[Chaz]

Thanks all - this is what was written on the PO when purchased.

Peugeot 407 Sport 136 Saloon 2 litre Diesel

It is a company car - Im not worried about the maintenance costs - just simply whether or not I want to move from a <10 000 mile top spec Skoda (which is not too bad but lacks a bit of oompf and refinement but has a better chassis methinks) to the 45 000 mile 407.

The clutch is a bit tight and takes very high - almost painfully so. Its got most of the toys - leather, climate etc - not found any heated seats yet which my Skoda has which comes in useful.

[Chaz]

hello chaz,

they did do have a sport spec on the 407 but i believe thats only the newer ones but being an 06 it should cover it i believe the sport was the one down from the exec it should have a lot of toys on it, other specs are S, SE, SV, X-line, Zenith or executive and i believe they have just relased a Sport XS as an SW which looks the mutts nuts.

on the seats most pugs do have a height adjustment on the seat im 6'5"ish and i can make the chair go too low sometimes on my 406 so ive never really suffered from that problem

its proper name will be a 407 Sport HDI it came in a 2.0 or 2.2 engine 136 or 170 bhp

yeah it comes with a 6 speed manual which is a fantastic box ive driven a couple of 407s with that box and its really sweet i dont know about the clutch pedal though its much lighter and more sensitive than my 406 but i cant remember it being extra high what mileage has it done?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... iorContent

thats autotraders comprehensive list on what toys and gadgets it got its worth just searching for a few 06 HDi sports on there and looking on the spec sheets and it tells you everything they have just click the blue tabs at the top of the screen on that link and itll tell you all specs for engine, insurance, MPG, kit etc etc

hope this helps im sure theres other people on here which will know more than i do

The car looks similar - same wheels etc - only difference seems to be that this one has full leather but looks similar.

[turbolag]

Heated seats only with full leather. I think they got cruise and programmable speed limiter, same as the Lux, tho not 100% on that.

Be aware also that many folk struggle to exceed 40mpg with these, except on the motorway, which is why a lot of folk went for the 2.2 petrol, which is a fair bit quicker but only 4 or 5 mpg behind. Have a nosey at www.407owners.com for some intersting reading old chap.

[peugeot406rapier]

ahh i see well its so confuzzling with all these different trims and packs why cant it be base, middle, top? like kia its 1,2 or 3 doesnt get much simpler than that! i know on the brand new facelift cars they do a standalone sport, but with 45,000 miles id definatly say thats a good'un mileage is slightly high for the year but they last forever and a day.but im guessing if you have them same bigger wheels and it has a sport pack it's a high spec one!

[Welly]

I would say that the 407 will be a comfier, more homely and stylish place to be than the clinical sea of black plastic that the Skoda dishes up

Peugeots have a fantastic ability to be super comfy yet handle sharply and confidently on the twisties.

If the clutch spews it then the company will pay (around £750.00 I would say).

[Chaz]

Heated seats only with full leather. I think they got cruise and programmable speed limiter, same as the Lux, tho not 100% on that.

Be aware also that many folk struggle to exceed 40mpg with these, except on the motorway, which is why a lot of folk went for the 2.2 petrol, which is a fair bit quicker but only 4 or 5 mpg behind. Have a nosey at http://www.407owners.com for some intersting reading old chap.

Thanks for the link. This one does have cruise control - seen it on the stalk this morning (drove it last night in the dark for the first time). Will use it this weekend and make a call on it then .... might post a few pics over the weekend.

[turbolag]

Aye, you knew where you stood with L, GL, GLS and Ghia, and the whole social strata of the stret was defined by those letters!

As a rough guide avoid the S and SR like the plague, pretty low rent. SE good if the price is right, but SE Lux/Sport and Zenith or higher are the satisfying ones. A lot of bent higher spec cars get robbed pretty swifly for interiors, RT3s, colour screens etc, quite a thriving trade.

good luck - pick a nice one and you'll absolutely love it.

[peugeot406rapier]

haha yep try to pull a girl with a Focus ST or Civic Type R no problems....

what do you drive? well i have a peugeot 407 SE sport lux pack HDI FAP 170 i can imagine they would almost definatly look at you with a very blank expression, believe me the dag'nam girls around here struggle with BMW or MG lol

even rapier isnt a good name on a lads weekend away last weekend camping after will all got wasted sitting around the campfire 2 of my mates were sitting with their backs on the side of my car after noticing the rapier badge on the wing my car is now known as the rapist! i really think these marketing people need to live in the real world!!

[cardaft]

If the clutch is starting to slip when you go near the pedal then its certainly on its very last legs. These have a dual mass flywheels which can be costly to replace, thought its more than likely just its friction plate is very worn.

We have a 2005 2.0HDi 138 HDi C5 estate, which is identical to the engine which is in that 407 since its a 2.0. Its a great engine, very economical and hugely refined, it pulls very strongly in 6th even down to 4mph in 6th gear. Because of its long gearing its virtually silent on the motorways and really east up the miles. OUrs has 47K miles and its clutch is still fine, maybe the 407 your looking at has had a bad driver at the wheel riding the clutch.

It strongly recommend that engine, very good, we have had no problems.

407s are nice cars too, id have one over the Skoda i think, bit more interesting.