For those searching for a cheap, diesel run around. Please do look elsewhere, or buy a bus pass. The Peugeot 106 diesel has not one single redeeming feature for itself.
Firstly, it looks about as cool as your grandad trying to rap, and about as sexy as the Queen Mother in a thong. The interior space is little short of terrible. Passengers can't fit inside, drivers are left with a seat which is too narrow for an anorexic, too short for a midget, as restricting as a social phobic salesman, and about as safe as using a tesco bag as a condom. The boot is just about large enough to contain oxygen and it comes as well equipped as a drop-out to an exam.
The engine is little short of terrible. I have used asthmatic vacuum cleaners which have more grunt than this, and they're more likely to get to 60 quicker too. In fact, this would max out at 80, and that was when I pushed it off of the White Cliffs of Dover, in the hope that it would return to France and never return. In all seriousness, I would receive a whole night's sleep and be having breakfast in the time it took to reach motorway speeds. This car cornered like a planet too. All I can say is, thank god I had health insurance!
For all of this handicapped performance, you would expect decent fuel economy. Well, it wasn't terrible. However my Golf out-performs it on the MPG field.
The build quality was about as strong as the Greek economy. Often I would attempt to start it at midday, but it would insist on having a four hour break for lunch. Parts would fall off, including the engine itself.
All in all, it was a great car. And I'm also an impulsive liar when it comes to conclusions. In all seriousness, a terrible car, and the designer/maker should be shot.
I miss the speed, but not looking like a boy racer!
This car is small, compact and fun to drive! It would make an ideal first car as they are cheap to buy tax and insure. I bought my 106 back in 2005 and had it for 4 years and put 50,000 miles on the clock. Being quite short I found the 106 comfortable, however my tall husband would disagree. It’s a tight squeeze to fit 3 in the back and if they are tall I wouldn’t be able to see through the back window. My husband also complained that the pedals were too close together and he would catch the wrong pedal but as I only have size 5 feet I never had this problem. Fortunately as I bought the Quicksilver model I got a lot more than most of the other models available, power steering, electric windows, remote central locking and a CD player, so I would recommend looking out for this model.
I spent most of the time driving this car in the city and tried to avoid motorways as it didn’t seem to like them. The 106 would be really quick at getting up to 30mph but after that it seemed to take forever to go any faster. Once up to 60mph the ride and noise was just about bearable, any faster and the car just didn’t feel secure. In its favour once the car was in the city it was a great ride. The handling always impressed me it grips the corners really well; the suspension soaks up all the bumps and pot holes.
In the 4 years I had the car I did on average 300 miles a week and in that time I had to replace a fallen off exhaust and a new clutch the car was over 7 years old when this happened though. All other repairs were what you would expect, new tyres, spark plugs, bulbs and brake pads. Fuel consumption is another positive for this car, I used to get around 40-50mpg. In the end the car just wasn’t big enough for me and my expanding family and that’s the only reason I sold it.
I suppose if you're going to do something, then do it right. So if you're trying to save money what better car to turn to than the 106 1.5D. 58 wild horses of this non-turbo French tat will get you up to 70mpg.
I had this car for about 5 months through winter 2010. I tend to do a lot of motorway driving and it first it wasn't so bad. However, French build quality in the 1990s wasn't something to be shared with the world, let alone paid for. It really was poor. I had quite a tidy example so I don't know what a ropey one would be like. I'm not sure on the NCAP rating but there was no airbags, and I imagine if I hit a pedestrian I'd come off worse.
Very loud and uncomfortable, especially if you have over size 8 feet or wide shoes as your feet with foul the other pedals or the offside wheel arch. Typically poor handling as you'd expect and 'performance'. However this isn't to be confused with the other 106 models, such as the S1 Rallye or S2 GTi, which are genuinely quick and well handling cars.
This car ended up being sold for scrap after it collapsed from a blocwn headgasket and returned no compression. This is a very common problem on the 1.5D and sadly they'll all be slowly dying over the next few years. Which is a shame, they really are very good on fuel, but because there is no weight and no power.
There is the appeal of it being cheap, but it'll kick you in the face when it loses all value as it stands on your drive and become just a very expensive way to keep it dry. If there is a any kind of collision you will be instantly killed, either from the impact or embarrassment as the firemen have to cut you out.
NB: picture is of a Rallye. No one takes pictures of 1.5Ds because they are so awful.