Triple Trouble: My 3 Peugeot 406s with Their Peculiar Problems!

Product reviewed (from the video)

The video is not a single product review—it’s the owner’s long-term review of three Peugeot 406 estate/combi (wagon) cars (roughly model year 2001) and the common issues he encountered, plus what worked well across his fleet.

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Key features highlighted (what these cars offer)

• Economy / running cost: The owner repeatedly mentions they’re cheap to maintain and have good economy.
• Comfort: Described as very comfy to drive.
• Executive trim (best-equipped example: “blue” car):
  • 2.0 HDI diesel (110 hp), Executive model
  • Leather interior, including door panels (the owner notes cheaper variants can peel)
  • Heated electric seats with memory
  • Fully electric sunroof
  • Cruise control (mostly on executive versions)
  • Alarm
  • Radio with cassette
  • CD changer (6 CDs mentioned)
  • Monochrome GPS that works but needs the map CD
  • AC initially not working, later repaired
• GLX trim (green car):
  • Still 2.0 HDI (110 hp)
  • Electric seats but not leather; no memory, no heated seats
  • No cruise control, no sunroof
  • Still has CD changer and GPS (not used)
  • All-electric windows (4)
• Least-equipped “black”/LX car:
  • 90 hp, least power
  • Only two electric windows
  • No electric seats (manual)
  • Uses an aftermarket radio
  • More “shed/storage” use due to non-running status

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Pros (unique positive points mentioned)

• Cheap to maintain and economical
• Comfortable driving experience
• Executive-spec cars feel “almost fully loaded” for their age (leather, heated memory seats, cruise control, sunroof, alarm)
• Cambelt inspection / condition can be good (at least on the blue one at purchase)
• Interior door-card issue is repairable (glue-and-hold fix for peeling fabric/trim)

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Cons / problems mentioned (unique negative points)

Common / recurring issues across the cars

• Air conditioning problems (most prominently on the blue and black; green required other brake work instead)
  • Blue: condenser leak → condenser replaced; pipe seized/snapped during removal
  • Black: compressor repeatedly failed (new compressor didn’t work; coil replacement helped, but A/C later failed again—likely a new leak)
• Rust and age-related wear
  • MOT mentions rust warnings (exhaust rust noted)
• Exhaust mounting failure (green car)
  • Rubber exhaust hangers snapped → exhaust dropped; replaced rubber mounts
• Brake servo / hard brake pedal (green car)
  • Non-passing MOT issue; required servo replacement (hard access job; linkage pin removal difficulties)
• Brake caliper seizure / uneven brake wear
  • Green car required refurb/replacement of calipers (fronts or possibly rears)
• Headliner damage (green car)
  • Torn during moving with a mattress → plan to remove, glue back, and consider foam replacement
• Electrical/trim/mechanical nuisance repairs
  • Sensors needing replacement (blue one: alarm sensor cable fell apart; UK availability issues forced sourcing from Europe)
• Black car not driveable
  • Engine failure after driving through heavy puddles (stalling, later severe clunking)
  • The owner opens the engine; subtitles imply possible severe internal damage (exact diagnosis not confirmed)

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User experience / ownership story (how it “feels” in practice)

• The owner buys multiple 406s because one he owned was “really great”, and then he keeps finding them cheap.
• He performs many repairs himself, often dealing with:
  • Parts availability gaps in the UK (pipes and certain sensors often not sold domestically; sourcing from Poland/Slovakia/France)
  • Hard-to-access jobs, especially brake servo replacement
  • Lots of “while I’m in there” maintenance (oil/filter changes, cambelt, water pump, belts, calipers)

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Comparisons made

• Between trims (Executive vs GLX vs LX)
  • Executive (blue): most desirable comfort/tech — leather + heated memory seats, sunroof, cruise control, alarm
  • GLX (green): missing key features — no cruise control, no sunroof, no seat memory/heating, cloth/non-leather seats
  • LX (black): most basic — 90 hp, only two electric windows, manual seats
• Between problems across the three
  • Blue: AC fix + some sensors; otherwise good condition and passed MOT
  • Green: major brake servo + extensive brake/cambelt/water pump work; interior refurb needed
  • Black: serious engine issue + repeated A/C compressor problems

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Ratings / numerical scores

• No formal review ratings (stars/scores) are given.

Numerical specs mentioned

• Blue & Green: 2.0 HDI, 110 hp (2001-ish)
• Black: 90 hp

Purchase prices

• Blue: £1300 (bought from Facebook)
• Green: £650 (bought ~1.5 years earlier)

Part pricing examples

• AC condenser: ~£40–50
• Alarm sensor: ~25 Euros + 30 Euros shipping
• Some coil prices (black A/C): ~20–25 Euros each

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Condensed verdict / recommendation (based on the video)

If you want a cheap-to-maintain, comfortable older estate and you’re willing to do (or pay for) age-related repairs—especially A/C, brakes, exhaust mounts, and interior trim/headliners—the Peugeot 406 estate can be a good buy.

However, the video shows that parts sourcing and recurring mechanical/A/C issues can be time-consuming, and one example ended with a non-running engine. Net: worth considering for DIY-capable owners, less ideal for buyers seeking hassle-free reliability.

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Unique points mentioned (grouped)

• Good economy, comfort, and cheap maintenance
• Executive-spec highlights: heated electric leather seats w/ memory, electric sunroof, cruise control, alarm, leather door panels
• GLX/spec differences: no cruise control, no sunroof, no heated/memory seats, non-leather seats
• LX/basic differences: 90 hp, manual seats, fewer electric windows
• Blue car: AC condenser leak fixed; hard brake none; passed MOT; cambelt checked and good; alarm sensor replaced
• Blue car: parts sourcing challenges (pipe and sensor not easily available in the UK)
• Green car: bought cheap due to hard brake pedal → brake servo replacement; hard access job
• Green car: calipers seized → refurb/replacement; cambelt replaced; water pump replaced; oil/filter/other work
• Green car: headliner ripped; plan to remove/glue and handle foam
• Green car: exhaust dropped due to snapped rubber hangers; replaced them
• Green car: common door-card trim issue; fixed using superglue
• Green car: dirty interior and smoking history on purchase
• Black car: engine damage after driving through puddles; clunking; opened engine; may be repairable or spares
• Black car: A/C compressor issues; attempted replacement, then coil replacement; A/C later fails again likely due to leak
• Owner preference for estates/wagons (storage/sleeping/utility)

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Speaker views

Only one main speaker/owner appears in the subtitles; no other distinct speakers are clearly contributing separate opinions.