Advice: Thinking of defecting.

[beulah]

I have a 306 Meridian Hdi 2L diesel estate which is coming up to its 17th birthday, having done about 160,000 miles.

Over the last two years it has had a cambelt change, engine mounts, track rod, new back brake callipers, and disks, fuel pump, aux belt and tyres.

It's starting to cost a fair bit to maintain (£3100 last MOT-MOT year all costs inc. fuel), now, as there are annoying niggles such as:

A low RPM rattle that the mechanics cannot locate (why the engine mounts were replaced),

A matching door that I got off the scrap but no key for (manual key access by passenger side LOL)

and a seized rear wiper. 

However, she still returns around 58 mpg, the engine hardly uses any oil and she runs as sweet as a nut.

I'm in current discussion with a dealer who is interested (!!) in trading in my Pug for a car I have my eye on:  a 2006 Renault Megane Dynamique Dci, 1.9 Diesel. 

Can you advise me as to whether I would be making a mistake getting rid of my Pug?

Thank you.

[Orta]

U r making a mistake if u go with a Renault... Why not a 307/8 sw?

[Eeyore]

not sure how youve managed to rack up £3100! If youve fixed everything then i wouldnt bother selling. They go on forever so id stick with the 306.

[Toms306]

Probably won't get the same MPG from the Renault, but would get a few more toys on a Dynamique I think (cruise, climate?), more comfortable and easier to drive with a lighter clutch etc, guess the tax is quite a bit less too. I'm not keen on Meganes personally but I don't think it'd be a terrible swap. Remember they are French still though, and at that age will also have annoying niggles!

Don't go for a 307, that really would be a mistake!

[beulah]

Thanks very much for your replies. I agree; the Renault is a bit more stingy on the MPG and cam belt needs changing every 70k miles  or 5 years - the Pug Meridian is around 90k with no time interval recommendation!


I guess I am looking for something that's a bit more rugged and cheaper to run.

£3100? here's a breakdown:

Between post MOT 2015 - MOT 2016:

MOT:   £390 (obviously a fail, LOL)
Insurance:   £419 (no claims but 1 x rescue call)
Full Service:   £198
MOT:   £121
Cambelt et. al.:  £292
Exhaust sections, Aux Belt, Track Rod End: £362
Tax: £245

And the rest in odds and sods and diesel for my work which is a hilly 50 miles' commute away. New, local employment has been acquired!


I was looking at a 11 y/o Fiat Stilo JTD 1.9 diesel @ 79,000 miles OTC, as well. Is that a bargepole job, too?

[Eeyore]

oh if youre counting fuel, tax and insurance then of course it comes to that much haha

[beulah]

Yep, I don't let any hidden costs pass me by...  

[BiG K]

If you whip off the doorcard, take the lock out (big C clip and a little wire on the end...all very easy to do), drop the lock off at the local locksmiths with a key and they will reprofile it for you around £5-10. Or swap the old lock, again very easy.

Newer cars have more expensive problems, Variable vane turbo's, another camshaft with another 8 valves & rockers, emissions, electrics etc. If your car is still good, just run it for a bit longer, cars are depreciating assets anyway.

One thing is for certain though, you will miss the handling!

[Poodle]

Honestly, you will struggle to find something more rugged and cheaper to maintain, £3100 all in to run a car is impressively cheap for somebody who doesn't do the maintenance bit themselves. It's the main reason i keep so many in the family tbqh. By the sounds of it you will struggle to find something as well maintained either, averaging 58mpg on a hilly commute is impressive and no doubt down to the condition of the car. You might save a bit on tax and insurance, but most newer cars will cost more on fuel, have bigger problems when they do go wrong and suffer much higher depreciation.

Don't get the Fiat! There's good reasons you don't see many around lol.

[beulah]

Thank you again for the advice, it is really appreciated.

Yes, the handling is great, very good on corners, parking and is a comfortable drive.

I wish I knew about the lock solution, as I did keep the old door but dumped it when we moved house. I will take the lock to a locksmith's for reprofiling. Excellent suggestion!

The 58 MPG was one-off on a sensible run with no traffic, it does around 51 if I decide to go for it (within the speed limits).

Thank you for the warning regarding the Fiat. I did some research and came to that conclusion myself... I know the car salesman said he was very interested in the Meridian...

[Danny Wideboy]

Probably because it is so well maintained.
Given the above, I would keep it.

[Eeyore]

You will not find any cheaper motoring than a hdi.

[RetroPug]

3 grand all in for way over 20k miles a year is really cheap...

[BiG K]

When you cut the foam cover to gain access, make sure you seal it properly, it forms a moisture barrier and you don't want a puddle in your footwell!

[beulah]

3 grand all in for way over 20k miles a year is really cheap...

Ah - well, that's because I do teleworking for the rest of the week. (I do more 10K a year commuting alone, 1k farting around the locality)

Think 306s would be the best car in the world if that was the case. Sadly, I don't think such a vehicle exists.

It's funny because I am finding a lot of older diesel car owners (early millennium) are a bit stuck when considering their next, more modern daily...

[Toms306]

Problem is, late 2000s diesels got ruined with all the emissions crap, but the decent petrols (quick AND cheap to run & tax) didn't come out until the 2010s so still currently out of budget...

[insomaniac45]

Don't get the Fiat! There's good reasons you don't see many around lol.

Yeah, they bring them to my namesake to fix again lol

Fix It Again Tony.....