THE_Liam's 406 HDI

[THE_Liam]

So, no secret that I hated the 300D. After the frankly brilliant 190E, it was an absolute dog, needed loads of work, can't believe I bought it actually, now I know how Tom feels!

I had a few requirements for the replacement, considering I only want a daily/caravan dragger:

- Simple and reliable
- Economical
- Cheap
- Comfy
- Tow bar (because they are proper expensive!)
- Grunty enough to drag a small caravan

I reckon I've ticked all the boxes with this. I managed to part exchange the 300D for £50 less than I paid for it so didn't lose too much, the dealer didn't drive it before he agreed to take it, but that's his poor judgement as far as I'm concerned.















So, this will be handy:



Tidy inside:



Only issue really is the weird tape deck, can't get any of my tapes to fit:



It isn't perfect, it has a slightly rumbly CV joint on full right lock and a few dents and scratches but otherwise it drives lovely and everything works! Probably paid a bit over the odds but I was just glad to find someone who'd have that shed of a Merc.

So, I've found my way home to French shite with a pussy on the badge     

[Piggy]

Yaay

I have fixed up a older 1.9td one of these for a friend recently and its soooo slow BUT a proper nice comfy thing to drive!

[THE_Liam]

Feels fast after the 300D

[Eeyore]

looks pretty decent! Glad to have you back!

[1616six]

It's so new!

[ozonehostile]

Nice man, for the money a 406 is almost unbeatable on size/level of equipment, real nice place to be and with a suspension refresh they handle pretty well for a big barge 



Only bastard job to do on these I've found so far is getting the balljoints out if they're the originals, proper blowtorch and hammer job. 


Everything else is nice and simple  

[mcglynn]

nice big bus Liam, a stage one map will certainly freshen it up a bit, will shift well enough for what you need i would say!

Good luck with it.

[THE_Liam]

Cheers all

[7057sam]

Nice one mate

Look very clean

[THE_Liam]

My crappy phone camera flatters it

So, thinking about it, here are my modest plans for it:

- Stage 1 map
- Decat
- V6 Coupe 16 inch "starfish" alloys, in a dark grey
- Remove all the chrome bits on the bumpers and the chrome grille badge, and matt black them all
- De badge
- Black leathers from an Executive

No I'm not lowering it!

[Poodle]

Looks tidy dude, you getting the heated leathers?

For your own safety, can i suggest you add a job to that list and actually replace the cv joint this time?

[Uberderv]

Looks good, I should of got the estate. Reet comfortable car though especially after a 306 lol

[THE_Liam]

Looks tidy dude, you getting the heated leathers?

For your own safety, can i suggest you add a job to that list and actually replace the cv joint this time?

Is this a reference to the wheel bearing that Jonny broke?

Yeah I'll get heated leathers if I can, not that easy to find though.

Looks good, I should of got the estate. Reet comfortable car though especially after a 306 lol

Yeah very comfortable with proper independent rear suspension. Just handles like a big heavy 306 really.

[MY95]

Looks good! Cheap tax bracket for the HDI too, unlike most of the 306's. Do these have 266 or 283mm brakes as standard?

[THE_Liam]

266s I think but I'm gonna whip the wheels off at the weekend and have a look. Wheels are badly corroded so I'm after some V6 coupe alloys, but these have Michelins with loads of tread so might kill these first.

[Uberderv]

Think you should have 283mm discs with 57mm pistons.

[Toms306]

Crikey...bet it feels futuristic compared to your usual stuff lol!

Must admit I do like the 406 estates, better rear end than a 306 estate and nicer dash than 306s as well, doesn't look or feel like it fell out of the 80s inside. Personally I'd have gone for the 110 over the 90, but a remap should sort that anyway. Hope it does you well!

[Jonny81191]

Is this a reference to the wheel bearing that Jonny broke?  



Yeah I'll get heated leathers if I can, not that easy to find though. 

I did no such thing, the cv joint seized at 70 odd before I made it to Rotherham. Proper brown trouser moment!  
Although in fairness you did say it was noisy.. 
Looks like a good bus!

[PartyJas]

Crikey...bet it feels futuristic compared to your usual stuff lol!

Must admit I do like the 406 estates, better rear end than a 306 estate and nicer dash than 306s as well, doesn't look or feel like it fell out of the 80s inside.  Personally I'd have gone for the 110 over the 90, but a remap should sort that anyway.  Hope it does you well!

Its a bit of a trade off with the 110. You get the FMIC but you also get the dual mass flywheel. Not sure how well the clutches cope with a remap. I'm looking at a 406 estate as my next hack as i need a tow bus for my track car.

[mr_fish]

As said...Proper Win Barge

When your down the Cornish coast again perhaps that could be a reason for a meet up of the south west lot.

[Pebbles167]

Very nice! Good camping wagon.

Any chance you'll go stage 2?

[procta]

these fuckin great cars! 1st turbo powered car I drove! loved my dads 406 saloon! nearly got that too, if he hadn't have sold that on!

[THE_Liam]

Crikey...bet it feels futuristic compared to your usual stuff lol!

Must admit I do like the 406 estates, better rear end than a 306 estate and nicer dash than 306s as well, doesn't look or feel like it fell out of the 80s inside. Personally I'd have gone for the 110 over the 90, but a remap should sort that anyway. Hope it does you well!

Not really, it's still a mid 90's design, and the 190 and 300 were actually very modern cars for their time, just feels like a big 306 with proper rear suspension! The 110 is a fair bit more expensive and has a DMF which is just a recipe for trouble, which will need changing anyway to go for big power, so you may as well have a 90.

Is this a reference to the wheel bearing that Jonny broke?  



Yeah I'll get heated leathers if I can, not that easy to find though. 

I did no such thing, the cv joint seized at 70 odd before I made it to Rotherham. Proper brown trouser moment!  
Although in fairness you did say it was noisy.. 
Looks like a good bus!

Thanks man.

I know what you mean, I just don't like people making out I sold you a death trap, so thanks for confirming that you knew what you were buying. I honestly thought it was a track rod end.

Its a bit of a trade off with the 110. You get the FMIC but you also get the dual mass flywheel. Not sure how well the clutches cope with a remap. I'm looking at a 406 estate as my next hack as i need a tow bus for my track car.

To be honest, if I was tuning a 110 I'd ditch the tiny intercooler anyway, even an XUD9TE has a bigger cooler than that.

As said...Proper Win Barge

When your down the Cornish coast again perhaps that could be a reason for a meet up of the south west lot.

Could definitely be arranged, I'm in S'nives in June and S'nagnes in September, usually meet Joe and Ruan but all welcome!

Even though I'm one of those fuggin' emmits cloggin' up YOUR roads with bleddy caravans?

Very nice! Good camping wagon.

Any chance you'll go stage 2?

Nah, 205 will be the quick car, this is just a cruiser.

[procta]

Liam, your old merc will be tossed in for either scrap or auction, hence why he didn't bother taking it for a test drive.

[Toms306]

Crikey...bet it feels futuristic compared to your usual stuff lol!

Must admit I do like the 406 estates, better rear end than a 306 estate and nicer dash than 306s as well, doesn't look or feel like it fell out of the 80s inside.  Personally I'd have gone for the 110 over the 90, but a remap should sort that anyway.  Hope it does you well!

Not really, it's still a mid 90's design, and the 190 and 300 were actually very modern cars for their time, just feels like a big 306 with proper rear suspension! The 110 is a fair bit more expensive and has a DMF which is just a recipe for trouble, which will need changing anyway to go for big power, so you may as well have a 90.

I didn't think you were going for big power though?

Was a similar situation with the Focii really, 1.6TDCi came in 90bhp with no DPF, or 110 with a DPF... I couldn't believe how much slower the 90 was compared to the 110 though, 20bhp doesn't sound like much until you actually drive both. I don't really bother avoiding DMF's these days though, I can't think of any modern diesel without one, a lot of petrols do as well, they're not as bad as they used to be fortunately.

Proper rear suspension makes a massive difference doesn't it!

[THE_Liam]

Crikey...bet it feels futuristic compared to your usual stuff lol!

Must admit I do like the 406 estates, better rear end than a 306 estate and nicer dash than 306s as well, doesn't look or feel like it fell out of the 80s inside.  Personally I'd have gone for the 110 over the 90, but a remap should sort that anyway.  Hope it does you well!

Not really, it's still a mid 90's design, and the 190 and 300 were actually very modern cars for their time, just feels like a big 306 with proper rear suspension! The 110 is a fair bit more expensive and has a DMF which is just a recipe for trouble, which will need changing anyway to go for big power, so you may as well have a 90.

I didn't think you were going for big power though?

I'm not mate, hence why I don't need an intercooler, but what I'm saying is people say get a 110 because it has an FMIC for big power, but I'm saying I wouldn't trust the tiny standard one to hold much power anyway. May as have a 90 with no DMF.

[Toms306]

Ah I see, fair enough.

[THE_Liam]

Exhaust just fell off. Thank f*ck for bungee straps

[Piggy]

And so the french ownership has been reborn!

[Poodle]

I didn't say a word about anything you sold, that's your guilty conscience at play, although i wouldn't disagree. I just suggested you repress your northern tendencies and actually fix it before it damages you, quite like you really.