Manufactured: 1999 'V' Purchased: Oct 2002 Mileage when bought: 36000 Current mileage: 50000
Performance 0 to 60mph & top speed are pretty irrelevant in these times of congestion & camera catchers, all the talk should be torque. This 90 bhp HDi engine has 167 lbft of torque which is more than a lot of ‘hot hatches’, & has different gear ratios in this model to the LX. This basically means that it accelerates hard between 2200 & 3500 revs in 3rd, especially 4th, & 5th for overtaking tractors, Sunday drivers etc. It also makes for a much more relaxed drive when you're not in a rush, & helps petrol consumption, as you can leave it in a higher gear than normal. My mpg has never dropped below 45 & have seen as high as 58 on a long run.
Handling The DTurbo version of the 306 has running gear (with some mods to allow for the heavier diesel engine) carried over from the top of the range (at the time) GTi 6 so you can imagine handling is top notch stuff. Grip is good & when you are really pushing you can feel some passive rear wheel steering kick in, which can be a bit of a shock if you're not expecting it, but is actually helping you round the corner. At the limit there is lift off oversteer but I've only come across that a couple of times & I was provoking it, in the wet, purely for investigative purposes you understand!
Ride & Comfort For saying that the car is setup for entertaining handling the ride is very good. The 306 was class leader in this area until the Ford Focus came along but the Dturbo has, in my eyes, excellent balance between comfort & fun. Long journeys are a doddle, seats are very comfortable & there's the usual array of equipment including air con & cd player. Inside is roomy up front but the car is not one of the current high roof designs so entry into the back on my 3 door is a little restricted. Boot space is ok although a little shallow but the rear seats can be removed altogether for a much more usable space. This model has driver, passenger & side airbags for extra safety & immobiliser as standard
Ease of ownership
I’ve had no real problems with the car since purchase although the passenger window came off it’s runners the night before Christmas Eve, which meant it wasn’t used all over Xmas. My local garage fixed it (common problem apparently). The part cost £2 but labour was £60!! On the subject of parts I’ve found services & wear & tear items very reasonable – tyres are £60 each for known brands £35 for budget, & the 48000 service cost me £125. Insurance is only group 5/6 & is costing me £300 with breakdown cover (36 year old + wife, fully comp & protected, £100 xs) which is excellent for the performance you get. There are a few niggles – squeaky facia & parcel shelf annoying the missus more than me & heater controls not lighting up after dark (although now I write that I wonder if it’s just my car that does that, seems a fairly fundamental omission during design!?)
In conclusion, this is the best car I have ever had but it is also the most I’ve spent on a car so I guess you’d expect, & hope, it to be the best. When the time comes to replace it I am not sure what I will buy. I do know that it will be Turbo Diesel because you just can’t beat the performance/economy combination.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
I'm looking to get one of these next, as the performance and handling look good. The review is very comprehensive, and has given me a good direction to look in terms of what to look for
Feb 6th, 2004
very helpful by (100%):
