Peugeot 307

[AndrewSchofield]

We're looking at buying a '03 plate 2.0 HDi Pegueot 307 estate. Anyone got one, had one or ever driven one and know anything about them? Are they reliable - nice to drive etc...

Never had a Peugeot so its a bit of a step into the unkown for us?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Make sure its had the FAP filter renewed if its done 50,000+ assuming its got one, I think they all do but am not sure tbh. If it has one and you only use it for short journies you'll probably have to take it for a 20min. spin up the motorway once a week to keep the FAP re-charged.

 

[AndrewSchofield]

Hi Freddy - just for my ignorance what is a FAP filter? It has only done 44,000 miles which is pretty good for an '03 plate!! Assuming its genuine - i've heard that some of these had to have the odometer replaced but don't think it was this model? How short would you call a short journey? A spin up the motorway isn't as easy as it sounds - we live at least 45mins from the nearest motorway!!!!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Oh blimey I knew you were gonna ask that! Well I’m no brainbox and tbh I only know about them because when I bought a Megane not so long ago I found that some had a FAP and some did not and a colleague at work had all sorts of problems with a 307 which had 55,000m which turned out was all FAP related. Dealers don’t really know what they are either and will happily sell a FAP equipped car to someone who its unsuitable for. They’re basically a filter in the exhaust or somewhere that some car makers adopt to keep emissions down on diesel cars. As I understand it they’re aimed at reps and people who travel long distances regularly. Unless you do this I’d stay clear. The filters rely on a good blast down the motorway to keep them efficient. When this doesn’t happen regularly you need to force them to regenerate by going for a blast down the MW. They also have a reservoir of special fuel that gets squirted into the fuel system everytime you fill up with fuel which also need to be refilled every 50,000m or so. If you google FAPs or Particulate Filter issues for 307’s there’s loads of stuff on the web and problems for people who don’t travel long distances. I think at Peugeot they’re about £500 to get changed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_particulate_filter
http://www.torquecars.com/tuning/particulate-filter.php

Like I said I’m no Brainbox and I expect some others more in the know will be along to add some more technical advise but what seems apparent to me is that unless you drive long distances regularly then stay clear.

 

[Avocet]

It stands for "Filtre a Particules". It's a particulate filter and is supposed to remove the black soot that diesels puke out under hard acceleration. It lives in the exhaust just behind the cat.. Not all diesels have them and there's a good chance a 307 of that age won't. Looking udner the car, it looks like a silencer but has a couple of small bore steel pipes running to it. They have a tank of additive chemical which I think is called "Oelyss" or something like that. it needs replenishing at the 48,000 mile (or somewhere around there) service and is eye-wateringly expensive. It's also possible that the particulate filter itself could need replacing at about 80,000 miles. I'd steer clear of a car with a particulate filter to be honest. Good for the environment, but plenty to go wrong. The 307, and French cars in general doesn't have a good reputation for reliablility.

 

[AndrewSchofield]

Thanks guy for the heads-up on the FAP. Should the dealer tell us (honestly) whether its got one or not, and could it be that they honestly don't know or will it be in the vehicle documentation?? When its due for replacement can it not just be removed?

The 307, and French cars in general doesn't have a good reputation for reliablility.

Avocet - Is that your way of saying 'don't buy it'????

 

[cjard]

Yes they should answer all questions honestly when asked. I'd pose the question in writing and get the answer in writing. If they do not, then it's grounds for returning the car for a full refund because it is "not as described" and may not be "fit for purpose"

I never had a problem with reliability of Peugeots, but Citroen and Renault were a differe matter. I have never owned a 307, the last pug I owned was a 406

Lastly, don't let miles be any kind of indicator of quality of car. Given the choice between two same cars of the same age, one having done 10,000 miles (little/no service history; not enough miles!) by a little old lady who put it in 3rd and slipped the clutch all the way to the shops/church and back once a week, the other having 100,000 motorway miles as a rep's car, with a full and diligent service history..

..i'd pick the 100K one

 

[AndrewSchofield]

Cjard - yeah agree on the mileage front. Its nice if it hasn't done so many miles but we've got a freelander which was 4years old when we bought it but had done nearly 80K but we were told it was a lot of 'motorway miles' and my father (who is an ex-mechanic) said diesel enginges are as affected by high mileage as a petrol engine is.

The dealer reckons that the one owner of this car bought it from them originally and has had all work/services done by them so they know everything about it - haven't checked the service history but assume this will tell us if this is true? The car looks like its been well looked after and it looks as if no-one has ever sat on the back seats.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Just to add my thoughts, as mentioned try to get the Dealer to confirm whether it has one or not and get it in writing. I don't know whether it tells you on the log book or not on 307’s it may be worth you having a trawl through peugeotcentral.co.uk . I wouldn’t be too put off from the Forums on there, you can find any dedicated car maker forums with loads of problems for their cars! Take a look in Honest Johns Technical matters Forum, it’s littered with Focus and VW issues and people say they’re reliable! If a 307 rocks you’re boat then get it. I’d sooner get a car you enjoy being in, as long as you choose carefully I think you’ll be ok.

 

[cjard]

I wouldn’t be too put off from the Forums

True; people with working cars have nothing to complain about so it stands to reason that all problem-solving forums are going to show cars to be problematic

on there, you can find any dedicated car maker forums with loads of problems for their cars!

What's a volvo S60's major problems? I bought one because it didn't have any (of the magnitude of the "VWAG use plastic cambelt tensioners that drop to bits and wreck the engine" kinds of problem)

Focus and VW issues and people say they’re reliable!

They used to be, before people started trying to get 200bhp out of a 1.9 diesel

as long as you choose carefully I think you’ll be ok.

I bought a MK1 mondeo with 160K on the clock, ran it to 190, gave it way to a friend who ran it to 230. Scrapped it in the end because someone gave him another car (and he regretted it let me tell you!) and it just wasn't being used. Noone else wanted it :/
Most it ever cost me was a wheel bearing, wishbones and a bearing for the alternator tensioner..
Then there was the rover 620 Ti - possibly the most fun I've had out of £500, needed a new water pump than never spent another bean until I gave it away
Replaced it with a 406.. mint save for the smoker smell. Eventually got it out, ran it for a year then turned it round on the motorway and wrecked it. Never spent a penny on it.
Next up was a Honda Accord - had it 18 months before I realised that 6ft5 people don't exist in japan, and their small ergonomics was doing my knees in. Think I replaced a power steering pipe..
Now I run a Volvo S60 and bar the 12,000 mile services I think I've replaced a headlight bulb and two wishbone bushes needed for SVA (it was an import)..
A friend has a 307 estate and has never had any trouble with it (she's a rep tho, lot of miles..)

Upshot, I'd have no hesitations about any modern car; they just don't seem to go wrong like they used to..

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

What's a volvo S60's major problems?

Is this a trick question?

 

[AndrewSchofield]

FMS - yeah always take forum/review comments with a pinch of salt as people rarely make the effort to review/comment on something if they are happy with it and are only too pleased to do so if they have are not happy. Thats why i figured prompting people to give their view on here would maybe give a better range of constructive comments?

 

[cjard]

What's a volvo S60's major problems?

Is this a trick question?

Not at all

 

[masona]

We're looking at buying a '03 plate 2.0 HDi Pegueot 307 estate. Anyone got one, had one or ever driven one and know anything about them? Are they reliable - nice to drive etc...

Don't own one but driven a hire car in France to see my freinds over there last year which was a saloon type 307, lovely car to drive but only driven it a week. My friend was with me over Christmas last year and bought a Peugeot 307 2.0 HDi '53 plate from the UK dealer second hand with 23,000 mileage as it was cheaper from the UK then drove it home to France. A phone a couple of week later saying got a problem with the ABS light flickering or comes on, could I investigate the problem and judging the feeds back from the motor forums there seems to be a common problem which can be expensive or can't be cured, check in google regarding the ABS light problem on the 307 model, don't want to put you off though

 

[Avocet]

Thanks guy for the heads-up on the FAP. Should the dealer tell us (honestly) whether its got one or not, and could it be that they honestly don't know or will it be in the vehicle documentation?? When its due for replacement can it not just be removed?

The 307, and French cars in general doesn't have a good reputation for reliablility.

Avocet - Is that your way of saying 'don't buy it'????

It's my way of saying "go into this with your eyes open"! See if you can root out a JD Power / Top Gear survey. They seem to be the most reliable sources because they're based on pretty decent sample sizes and actual customer experiences. I wouldn't be put off by a car with a poor reputation for reliability if the price was right (I drive an Alfa, damnit)!

As for removing the FAP, no you can't. The engine management system is very sophisticated and needs to go into "regeneration mode" every now an then (while it burns the acumulated soot out of the FAP). IF you were to just bridge it out, the management system would soon twig that it was missing and I don't know what it would do then, but warning lights would, I imagine, be just the start of the fun!