Probably being a whinge but...

[PugLover1984]

...I've had my 306 HDi for only 4 months and feel I've had tons of issues.

These have included:
Rear wiper wiring
Central Locking Motor
Air bag light on
ABS Ring
Fuel Pressure Issues
Recurring issue with STOP light
Frequently won't start first time
Rumbling noise when clutch depressed

Is it just me or is this quite a lot of issues to basically occur at the same time? It's a 1 owner car with 120k. Is this normal for a 306??

[adamm306]

Is this normal for a 306??

very

[PugLover1984]

Oh well...

[adamm306]

its french what did you expect

[PugLover1984]

its french what did you expect

This is my 3rd 306, this is the best looked after but also the worst!

[Toms306]

I've come to learn that all cars have problems....but 306s do seem to have them more frequently lol.

[Dum-Dum]

Im on my 12th 306 so i kinda understand


These have included:
Rear wiper wiring - Never had an issue
Central Locking Motor - Never had an issue
Air bag light on - Standard on all 306s (except my current one, previous owner removed the bulb)
ABS Ring - these go on all cars, they are cheaper to fix on a 306 though.
Fuel Pressure Issues - I have this issue currently, think its the lift pump.
Recurring issue with STOP light - Again think previous owner removed the bulb
Frequently won't start first time - what engine is it, any other symptoms?
Rumbling noise when clutch depressed - 120k is about time for a clutch release bearing to go but on the up side a new hyundai will kill a clutch in 10k so i wouldnt worry about 120k on a pug.

[kentiiboii]

its french what did you expect

This is my 3rd 306, this is the best looked after but also the worst!

I know that feeling! This is my 4th. Imo my last hdi was the best without any problems till clutch went.
Yet this one is the better one with much less miles more looked after. But had squeeks and knocks.

[PugLover1984]

its french what did you expect

This is my 3rd 306, this is the best looked after but also the worst!

I know that feeling! This is my 4th. Imo my last hdi was the best without any problems till clutch went.
Yet this one is the better one with much less miles more looked after. But had squeeks and knocks.

I've been offered a really nice 205 and at this precise moment I'm bloody tempted lol.

[Toms306]

A 205??

If you think a HDi is bad getting something ~20 years old will likely have more problems lol.

[PugLover1984]

A 205??

If you think a HDi is bad getting something ~20 years old will likely have more problems lol.

Simple, nowt much to go wrong with a 205.

---

Except the rear beam lol

[Toms306]

Hmm, hope you like rust then.

Tbh, theres loads to go wrong still - beam, clutch, headgasket, brakes (especially drums), the small amount of electrics it has for lights/wipers etc, bushes and ball joints......... Just because theres no modern shit to break, doesn't mean theres nothing to break lol.

[Poodle]

Just sounds like you bought a shitter tbh. I did the same thing, bought a 160k one with no recent history and she was great, then bought low-miler with full pug service history and had nothing but problems. It happens.

EDIT: And as a recent buyer of a tidy 205 i'll tell you now it's a different league to look after, and not in a good way.

[PugLover1984]

Just sounds like you bought a shitter tbh. I did the same thing, bought a 160k one with no recent history and she was great, then bought low-miler with full pug service history and had nothing but problems. It happens.

EDIT: And as a recent buyer of a tidy 205 i'll tell you now it's a different league to look after, and not in a good way.

I had a 205 as my first car and I never had a moment's bother with it. I think the moral is you face the luck of the draw with ANY car, not just a Pug.

The 205 shares most of it's mechanicals with the 306 doesn't it?

[bigtone0777]

As puglover said you can get issues with any car. You could have 2 identical models with the same miles etc and one could never be a days bother and the other could be a right shitter! Before I converted I had loads of vauxhalls ,most of which were actually reliable then bought a 3 year old astra with 23k and it was the worst car I've ever owned!

[sam]

Its when it doesnt have prblems you have to worrie! French cars keep you on your toes buddy

[kentiiboii]

As puglover said you can get issues with any car. You could have 2 identical models with the same miles etc and one could never be a days bother and the other could be a right shitter! Before I converted I had loads of vauxhalls ,most of which were actually reliable then bought a 3 year old astra with 23k and it was the worst car I've ever owned!

Ill always rate vauxhall petrol engines. Ive had a few now. Not a single one let me down. No matter how much hammer they got. Keep thinking about going for a mk4 gsi or betone coupe.

[Poodle]

I had a 205 as my first car and I never had a moment's bother with it. I think the moral is you face the luck of the draw with ANY car, not just a Pug.

The 205 shares most of it's mechanicals with the 306 doesn't it?

Absolutely, ask Tom about the reality of Vags old rep.

Um, in what sense? Fairly sure the 306 is different on most counts, sure you're not thinking of the citroen zx?

[PugLover1984]

I had a 205 as my first car and I never had a moment's bother with it. I think the moral is you face the luck of the draw with ANY car, not just a Pug.

The 205 shares most of it's mechanicals with the 306 doesn't it?

Absolutely, ask Tom about the reality of Vags old rep.

Um, in what sense? Fairly sure the 306 is different on most counts, sure you're not thinking of the citroen zx?

Shares many suspension components and the engines in the "cooking" models are similar (though I know the fuelling system is different).

I know the Citroen ZX is virtually the same car.

---

I had a 205 as my first car and I never had a moment's bother with it. I think the moral is you face the luck of the draw with ANY car, not just a Pug.

The 205 shares most of it's mechanicals with the 306 doesn't it?

Absolutely, ask Tom about the reality of Vags old rep.

Um, in what sense? Fairly sure the 306 is different on most counts, sure you're not thinking of the citroen zx?

Shares many suspension components and the engines in the "cooking" models are similar (though I know the fuelling system is different).

I know the Citroen ZX is virtually the same car.

Haha I probably don't know what I'm on about. I know the rear suspension is a similar design.

[Piggy]

all the early pugs/citroens had similar designed rear beams...
but the 306/ZX had many new generation engines and shared almost everything mechanical

[Toms306]

Just sounds like you bought a shitter tbh. I did the same thing, bought a 160k one with no recent history and she was great, then bought low-miler with full pug service history and had nothing but problems. It happens.

EDIT: And as a recent buyer of a tidy 205 i'll tell you now it's a different league to look after, and not in a good way.

I had a 205 as my first car and I never had a moment's bother with it. I think the moral is you face the luck of the draw with ANY car, not just a Pug.

The 205 shares most of it's mechanicals with the 306 doesn't it?

Judging by the DOB in your name, I'll guess that was a while ago! I had a 306 as a first car, and have seen the majority go downhill in under 4 years....

I had a 205 as my first car and I never had a moment's bother with it. I think the moral is you face the luck of the draw with ANY car, not just a Pug.

The 205 shares most of it's mechanicals with the 306 doesn't it?

Absolutely, ask Tom about the reality of Vags old rep.

Um, in what sense? Fairly sure the 306 is different on most counts, sure you're not thinking of the citroen zx?

VAGs are fine....as long as you don't buy an 8 owner, longlife serviced Golf from a dodgy looking guy in the worse end of town and mod it on a tight budget.

But seriously, I had two mk4s with the same engine - first one had a broken intercooler which isn't unusual for any IC with plastic end tanks. That was the ONLY issue with it in the 9 months I owned it. (9 months of a 306 and I'd changed enough parts to build another lol)

Then got a newer Mk4 with full service history on lower milage and had 3 problems with it with it in 6 months! Two of which were my fault for modding though (turbo and clutch) and the third was fatal for the car (cams and lifters). VAGs don't have all the 'niggles' that 306s do, but when they do break they make sure you know about it haha!