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Expat 97 Meridian 1.6 - Printable Version

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Expat 97 Meridian 1.6 - PaulOH - 23-03-2016

Well, Hello! I´ve just bought myself a phase-1 ('97) Meridian 1.6 5-door which is registered in Spain, but is RHD. I imagine it was on a P-plate when it was brought over in 2004. It turns heads...  something to do with the steering wheel on the wrong side and a slightly dramatic idling problem when cold.

It´s a low-miler - 94k having spent much of it´s longish life running around in the Benidorm area. I paid €600 for it as a temporary replacement for the other car in my life - a '99 Octavia 1.6 which is to begin a refurb process having been merrily thrashed for much of its life as a family hack and now it´ll not pass a Spanish MOT. 

So far so good. However, I´m no mechanic but our first 500 miles together told me there was something up with it and my friendly 'taller' here in deepest darkest Catalunya says there´re a few issues - the worst with the emissions control unit (the dodgy idle, racing engine and running hot), plus the brakes. We´ll get that sorted in the coming week as it will be the family car so needs to run properly and pull up in a straight line.

I´m a complete Peugeot novice- normally, I'd go for VAG or Rover as that´s what I know, but this car was chosen on price, type and that it´s RHD yet already registered here. I like the fact that it´s very clean inside, that it has functioning central locking, electric front windows, interior lights, is light to drive and has been starting every time.

I don´t like the badly faded paint on the roof and bonnet, the rusted roof seam running the entire length of the car on both sides and that the original factory fit radio-cassette player seems to be completely dead (refurb anyone?) - what do we expect on a 19-year old car. In 6 years time, it´ll qualify for Spanish 'coche de epoca' classic car status apparently!

The car is completely untarted, which is rather good, and I´m getting a little 'IRL' sticker sent over from home for the bootlid as people here have a look to see where a car with the wheel on the wrong side comes from. I don´t know if the Meridian model was ever sold in the Republic of Ireland but it being dark green, I´m sure it´ll look the part.


RE: Expat 97 Meridian 1.6 - jjwilde69 - 23-03-2016

I love my 2000 meridian. I only bought it to get me by till I got another but decided to keep it. 185k on miles but love it. 😀


Expat 97 Meridian 1.6 - ben10241 - 24-03-2016

I had a 1997 (P plate) meridian 1.6 ph1 (in Diablo red) was my first uk car, and like yours it had a bit of a problem when idling (misfired quite a lot, was fine when revved) and the brakes were absolutely crap too. I never looked at the problems as didn't know much about mechanics nor did I had the place to work on it. It served me well especially as it costed me literally nothing to buy (£200 iirc). It had avout 100k when I bought it. Scrapped it at 120k (for £75) two years later as I bought a gti6 and couldn't have two cars.


RE: Expat 97 Meridian 1.6 - 7057sam - 26-03-2016

Hello and welcome along Smile