Peugeot 406 ESTATE (1999 - 2004)
MODELS COVERED: 5dr Estate 1.8, 2.0, 2.0 turbo, 3.
0 V6, 2.1 turbo diesel, 2.0 HDi turbo diesel 90bhp, 110bhp, 136bhp [L, S, LX, GLX, GTX, SRi, SE, Executive, Family, Rapier]
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
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Is there ever a best time to buy an estate car. Right now there is. The launch of the
Peugeot 407SW has depressed used values of the estate version of Peugeots venerable 406 and a quick spin in one will remind you why the car was such a sales success. With a range of quality engines and no-nonsense practicality built in as standard, the 406 Estate still has a lot to be said for it.
If youre looking for glamour, its not exactly the top dog but it offers the sort of handling that Peugeot are renowned for and very attractive value for money. With no shortage of stock available to choose from, you can afford to be picky and dont be afraid to bargain hard.
The 406 cabin was revamped as part of the second generation changes successfully as it turns out, giving it more of an upmarket feel. This has been achieved by a whole series of small but significant measures: resculpting the controls, improving the dials, using better quality materials and adding classy touches like the chrome trim now used on the handbrake and air vent buttons. The seats are better too, with more adjustment, higher backs and improved support. The driver also now benefits from an armrest and steering wheel stereo controls. Where the 406 didn't need changing was in the chassis department. The original model was the most engaging family estate you could buy and this one's little different. Even now few rivals can touch the liveliness of the 406 Estates feel. Detail adjustments have improved the low speed ride and added extra feel to the standard power steering. Youll appreciate the little touches, like the special ventilation slats running down the side of the boot which are aimed at preventing the inevitable wet dog/ steamy window problem.
On the basis that what looks right is right, the 406 estate has a great deal going for it. It's one of the longest cars in its class and there's quite a substantial amount of room inside, compared to some competitors.
The facelifted 406 estate range dates back to May 1999 and theres no shortage of 99T and V-plate examples about. Prices start at under £4,300 for an air-conditioned 1.8LX. A 2.
0-litre HDi in LX trim with 90bhp on tap starts at £5,300 for a 99T plated car rising to £8,350 for an 02 plated example. Opt for a 110bhp model and the respective prices will be £5,500 and £8,700 respectively. The sportiest of all the estate options is probably the 2.2-litre SRi model which opens at £6,100 on a 2000 W plate.
If outright power is more your thing, the 3.0-litre V6 model will appeal. In Executive trim on a 02 plate youll need around £8,500.
The level of build quality is excellent but there have been some stories of problems with the four-cylinder petrol engines. Stalling, especially in the 2.0-litre versions, is by no means uncommon, so try to ensure you start the engine from cold on your test drive. Theres also the known weakness of this engine family of engines the timing belt.
Make sure its been changed every 30,000 miles or it may snap without warning, seizing the engine you have been warned. It costs about £100 to replace much cheaper than a new engine.
(Based on a 1999 406 2.0) A new exhaust will set you back about £400, while a replacement headlamp should be around £155. A new clutch is about £145. As for front brake pads, expect to pay about £33 front and £33 rear.
A radiator will cost you around £250, an alternator around £322, and a starter motor around £279.
The old models benign face gave way to more aggressive frontal aspect when the facelifted car was launched in 1999. The same could be said for some of the engines. In the case of the 2.0-litre petrol versions, that aggression comes courtesy of the 16-valve 137bhp powerplant borrowed from the potent 206 GTi shopping rocket.
If thats not enough, you might want to try the 160bhp 2.2-litre petrol unit fitted to the sporting SRi model. To be honest, however, unless you really do rate your progress against the stop watch, you'll probably be just as happy at the wheel of the 110bhp 2.0-litre turbo diesel. This hi-tech common rail HDi engine is little more than a second slower to sixty on the way to 119mph, yet is capable of recording consumption figures of over 50mpg during effortless long distance cruising. The second generation 406 range also offers a 90bhp version of this excellent 2.
0-litre diesel engine. Don't expect it to be any ball of fire (sixty takes a leisurely 14 seconds on the way to 112mph) but for family buyers, it will probably be just right. Theres also a powerful 136bhp 2.2-litre HDi engine which uses much of the new technology pioneered in the 607. Able to sprint to 60mph in just 10 seconds yet still able to return 58mpg, its an impressive installation.
For petrol people, theres an interesting 2.0-litre HPi engine that utilises high-pressure direct injection technology to spring benefits in terms of performance, economy and emissions. The figures would certainly seem to back up Peugeots claims. The peak power output of 143bhp is up 6bhp on Peugeots standard 2.
0-litre petrol unit. Similarly the sprint to 60mph is dispatched in 10.3 seconds, a clear half-second quicker and the top speed increases by a reasonably academic 1mph to 130mph. Otherwise, the engine line-up hasnt changed very much, with an entry-level 1.
8-litre petrol unit at one end of the range and a 210bhp 3.0-litre V6 at the other. The estate is over 4.7 metres long which makes it quite a size.
It's also one of the heaviest, one reason why this bodystyle lacks a little of the saloon's instant chassis reflexes. Even so, driving the estate makes you realise just how good a chassis the 406 saloon has - minimal roll, maximum grip, yet a beautifully soft ride as well. Peugeot's engineers have given the estate longer rear springs and altered the damping to accommodate the extra wheel travel. What they haven't done, however, is provide the car with automatic self-levelling, something they claim it doesn't need. Unladen, the 406 estate feels quite different to the saloon - there's a degree of body-roll that reminds you of the days when French cars were built with old cobbled roads in mind.
Estate buyers are often perceived to be a more practical bunch than saloon buyers and as a result less swayed by the vagaries of automotive fashion. This would seem to weigh in the 406 Estates favour but the market has changed. These days many manufacturers will highlight the fact that estate buyers are younger and trendier than saloon buyers. Scanning the used valuations for the 406 Estate shows that not all estates are created equal.
Sports estates command serious premiums while proper estates a category into which the Peugeot resolutely falls can be neglected. If you need a solid, no-nonsense estate that promises a lively drive, the 406 Estate makes a great contender. Its time to make the whims of fashion start working in your favour.
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