Do I Regret Not Buying A Peugeot 306 GTI-6?
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- Today, courtesy of Jack @Number27 I am driving one of the greatest hot hatches of all time - the Peugeot 306 GTI-6. Once upon a time, these were dirt cheap - but now they're a recognised classic. Did I miss the boat, should I have bought one, and would I buy one now?
#Peugeot #306 #GTI6
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I remember the ad campaign by Peugeot, the "slowest car in its class", comparing it to other 6 speeds that were mostly supercars.
Huge nostalgia trip watching this. Back in the day they were new, I worked for a car leasing company and we had about 10 of these on demo from Peugeot to “Enjoy”.
My best mate and I borrowed one for the weekend to drive from south’s wales to Silverstone for the British F1 GP, taking the long way around via country roads and not using one motorway as I recall.
After a few hours if enthusiastic driving we had arrived with huge grins and were really only interested in the return journey! Driving home in the dark was another experience and getting airborne on some of the quiet lumpy roads was definitely squeaky bum territory. Happy days.
As I recall there was a fair bit of attrition on these cars in the time they were on test, and they started giving drivers a warning over its performance!
I regret not buying a 306 of any stripe. Years ago I drove both a 3-dr hatch and (a year or three later) a 4-dr saloon. Neither were GTi; both were bloody entertaining.
Had a 306xsi , 2 litre over 20 years ago in artic white, 3 door, loved the car, great road holding/handling, however we needed more space with a growing family, so traded it in for a Mondeo - know which one I remember the most! - wish we’d kept it
I had a couple of Xsara VTS which are basically the same car, just with a 5 speed gearbox. Loved those cars, really wish I still had it. I sold the first one and it went on to cover 200k before being dismantled to keep another alive.
I had a Xsara 2.0 VTS Brill car(don't think there is any left, or very rare now), front Seats fell to bits, fitted some GTi 6 seats just had a back box sounded fantastic, one of those bench mark cars that you hark back to.
Never had a GTi-6 but had a 2.0 HDI and it was brilliant. Very eco and fun to drive!
I had a GTi-6 and then a 2.0 Hdi straight after it - the diesel was just as quick!
It's the same beautiful suspension design in every model.
Always wanted one 110bhp version as a first car. Seemed quick for a diesel at the time
Bought my 2.0 Turbo HDI from new and it's the one car i regret ever selling.
Great car and engine !
I love my GTi6, it’s a fantastic little car, the quirks are a delight (mine regularly tells me it has no oil in it), mines 90% standard, few uprated parts as some parts are a little tough to get hold off 👍🏼
hi Jay, great video, excellent channel.
My first car was a hand-me-down bright yellow X reg 306 convertible (or Décapotable as the French would say; which does add some medieval charm).
Looking back, this car perfectly toe'd the line between an absolute banger, and character filled belter. Yes, it was worth about £300 quid, the electric roof refused to go back up, the electric windows were away on holiday somewhere, the fuel gauge worked part time, the heater (which while it was operation, was one of the best i've ever encountered) had taken early retirement, the door sounded like it was going to fall off every time it was opened, the boot required a hammer and spanner and several swear words before it could be persuaded to open, and the speedo's favourite number was zero - which did force me to learn the limits of each gear ratio±.
However, despite all that the 2.0 engine was a peach, and never once failed to start. There was something incredible about planting your right foot and listening to the machine start fizzing into life, like a French protester stubbing out their half finished cigarette, lighting a brand new one, then shouting loudly at anyone who will listen. It was a joy to take to the red line, then change gear and do it all over again - all without reaching silly speeds. You could feel every lick of tarmac through the steering wheel, and the gear level shook like your granny off her meds, but this all added to the experience - and I'm glad I experienced a car with this much character.
This car is no longer with me (though its still on the road), and I have managed to climb out of the £300 price range for cars, but it does me me wonder, what can I get with this much character and hilarity? What is there less than 10 years old and under £15k that not fail its MOT and also not fail to paint a smile on your face every time you turn the key?
Keep up the great content :)
I had a very similar sister model a 1996 ZX 2dr 16v, suffered from rattles from the doors and rear seat..all they need is some grease on the latches and issues solved. The handling and comfort was superb with really perfect steering feel. Probably one the best handling cars of the 90s, too bad Peugeots don't make em like they used too.
I had one...about 2 years...absolutely brilliant cars...peugeot make the best hatchbacks without a doubt..theres just something about them you cant put into words. I used one as a daily being a community social worker...Needless to say i was never late for any appointments or meetings 👌
my first car was a rot box 1 litre corsa B, my next 3 cars were 306's (two 1.9 dturbo's and one 2.0 HDI) as a 19-21 year old they were more than enough poke.
I still miss the HDI, was a lovely shade of china blue that came up incredibly well after a nice wash, paired with anthracite gti6 alloys (cyclones i think they were called) it was a great car to look at.
A car from the hot hatch golden years where all you needed was about 150 BHP.... I remember this car actually being beaten in a Performance Car magazine group test against a few other by the MK6 Escort RS2000... One of those very under rated hot hatches that's actually a blast to drive if you ever get the opportunity.
When this came out, I wanted one but could not afford it. Instead I bought a Citroen ZX Volcane 2.0i. That was great with its trick passive rear steering.
I loved my 306 I had. Was a 1.4 petrol and it took an absolute battering. Was so much better than the MK1 focus and mk4 golf (worst car I've ever had) I had in period. The focus drove better but the 306 was just better some how. Was tempted by a 306 GTi a few times but went for the newer car each time.
+1 for a mk4 golf being the worst car i’ve owned. Was a 1.8t GTi and a truly boring car and not the most reliable either.
For my mind it really was the 306 diesel turbo (sport) that kicked off the whole quick hatch turbo diesel revolution, these were a massive thing in the day as the were sporty looking quick(for the era) and very frugal without these being popular you wouldn’t have seen the golf gtd like we know it now
The GTi-6 had a great double-page glossy mag and billboard ad campaign, if I recall.
A wide, dynamic photo of 4 uber-desirable, sports cars + the elegant, Pininfarina-penned, much lauded design-wise GTi-6, all driving towards the camera, side-by-side on a wide section of race track.
The order being, from the left, 3 pretty sports cars, then the GTi-6, with another pretty sports car on the far right. And the GTi-6 was ever-so slightly trailing the other cars.
Across the top of the spread read the headline, _"Slowest car in its class"._
T'was a very striking and memorable campaign! Being a graphic designer I was of the opinion back then that the GTi-6's design was almost timeless, and would always look great, such was its simple elegance. And it's still a great looking car today, 25 years on, in my opinion. 👍
Thanks again for the memories. Had a Gti6 as a company car in 1999 to late 2000 and remember being very sad to let it go when I changed jobs. Very fond memories of a trip to Le Mans in 2000. Carried a very large tent and associated camping gear and the car held its own against some of my mate's far more expensive wheels. Keep up the good work J.
The turning circle was never a problem with these cars while driving around town because most drivers of these frequently used the handbrake. 😉
The asbo fraternity
I used to have the poor man's version the 2.0 litre XSI. A nice car, fun to drive and also compared to a lot of modern hot hatches, it was a pretty car as well.
I had the same. Great little car.
GTi6 with 20 bhp less and none of the buyers premium 👍
Good choice the XSI and still cheap
Exactly I have a ph3 with a 1.8 16v which is still a very fun engine (the 2.0 has a bit more poke but both are very similair in terms of character, midrange grunt) and both the 1.8 or 2.0 xs /xsi are like 70-80% of a gti but only 10-20% of the price nowadays!
Snap. Loved my White xsi.
Thanks a lot, J. Thanks so much. The 306 has been my favourite car since I was a teenager. I loved the look of it. The smell of it. The idea of having one. Oh man. I remember drooling over it every time I saw one in person. Ah, the nostalgia. Haven't seen one in a while now. Never had one either. One day maybe. Who knows! But it was, and still is, one of my favourite car of all time.
As a fan of hot hatches living in Canada, Peugeots of this era have always intrigued. A fantastic design enveloping a terrific chassis and of course the general allure of unobtainium. Despite being arguably outshone by the Japanese and German alternatives, these had such great character.
I love the 306. Even in standard form. My Grandparents had a few as mobility cars. One low spec phase 2 and then a Meridian 2.0 HDI very late 2001 model. Had something special about it and even smelt lovely with the half leather interior. Even now I still love the way they look and lust after one occasionally. 🙂👍
I stuck a built 306 GTI6 Engine, Xsara VTS box and plate diff in my 1.6 205 GTI, was amazing and sounded sooooo good.
If you can find an example sans electrical issues,main fault being the wiring in the A pillar passing through to the doors( over time the wires stretch & break ),they're a cracking usable car.Change the cam belt before it's officially due,and have a spare clutch cable on hand,being converted from LHD to RHD means the cable is routed right beside the exhaust manifold,which dries out any lubricant over a period of time.The rear beam was rubber mounted and designed to flex which aided steering.I too wished I'd got one way back,but working in a Peugeot dealer on low wages meant I only saw the bad side of ownership so wasn't brave enough,engine being a descendant of the 405 Mi16 was tough as old boots if maintenance wasn't shirked! Fair play to anyone who had/has one,I experienced a lot of hate towards French cars in my 27 years in the trade,but in truth only a few models really deserved it in my honest opinion.....
I still remember the day at college in 1997 when the eccentric music teacher turned up in a brand new GTI-6 in that ‘blaze yellow’ colour. Went well with the bronze Rolls Royce Silver Shadow that he also used to turn up in! 😃 The Pug looked like it was from the future back then.
One of the *best* sounding n.a four cylider engines ever.
Great video again! You should try its predecessor, the Peugeot 309 GTi-16. An extremely dull-looking car, but considered the best hot hatch of the '80s. And less than 1000 kg.
I owned a 309 SRi (1.6) and damn I wish I'd kept it, sweet motor it went well and handling was sublime.
I loved the GTi-6, great car. I had the D-Turbo 1.9 diesel which was also a great car, especially at 19! Lots of fun
Ditto, mine was a 98 in that light metallic blue
I love these cars. I have the "lukewarm hatch" version, a mint one-owner 16v XSi 5 door which I was lucky to pick up for pennies before all used car prices went up because of COVID. It's my first French car and it's been a joy to drive and hasn't given me any headaches reliability wise. I love the steering feel and the playful handling.
Gosh this has brought back memories and emotions, one of my most favourite cars I've owned. All original, except for adding a k&n intake, and uprated sound. She was in glorious blaze yellow or gold as some would say, definately a head turner, especially in summer evenings when golden sunlight hit just right. She made a fruity sound and went fast for what she was, and as in the video she really was setup and balanced well for a stock car and with a good set of rubbers she was a true pleasure to have fun in.
Her design was most definately french, suave and slick and imo still looks gorgeous and one of the big reasons for getting one. Yeah, she had electrical gremlins but that tension melted away on country lanes and crispy exhaust. Onny my mk2 golf gti could beat her, but that was setup different.
Mental, but my MUM had one of these! Her favourite car ever.
Previously she'd totalled a Saab 900 turbo on Cleethorpes seafront. I was in the front seat, she was looking to see if the tide jad come in, and bang! We hit a? Peugeot 306. The 306 was almost unharmed, needed a new bootlid. The Saab? The indestructible Saab? Destroyed. The bonnet was about a foot long... Damn crumple zones...
Her next car? 306.
She absolutely loved it.
RIP mum. One day I'll buy a... Saab 900! 😘
Loved mine from new. I think A/C was an option. Still the best thing down a B-Road. If only the cam belt hadn't let go I would probably have kept it
I bought a 406 for £450 a year ago and it hasn’t let me down once. Just needed some wiper blades, fuel cap, and a washer pump for the MoT and other than that it’s been perfect. Great generation of Peugeots these were.
It hasn't let you down in a year? A whole year?! Wow!!
@@markfox1545 best cheap banger I’ve ever had.
406s are nukeproof. Very comfortable too
I remember being in a 306 GTi6 facing the wrong way on a roundabout due to 'lift off oversteer' 🤣
My brother had a 306 GTI-6 and they were just the business back then. Fun, relatively quick (140mph+) and now appreciating in value... you could have gotten a 306 GTI-6 about 5 years ago for £1,500, now a decent one is £5000. Same with the 106 GTI.
I think the 106 is much more reminiscent of the 205 gti for simple, fun and fast. The 306 is obviously faster but also easier to live with.
I loved my GTi6. Ragged the nuts out of it at every opportunity. Sweet French goodness. Didn’t do right hand turns, forget about mini roundabouts as it just wouldn’t get round in one go. I think it’s the last great car that Peugeot made. I’d have one over a 205 any day.
Oh I LOVED my GTI-6, the smell of the leather the exhaust note. The handling on these was amazing. It was just so unreliable! But I did forgive it.
I love the styling still of the 306, the headlights are fantastic..
Love this era of Peugeot's!
It was the Chassis design that handled the corners so well 🎯
Put a blue rotating halogen beacon light on a Pug 306 with two tone sirens in place, and you'll get a basic and common police detective car commonly seen in 90s Europe lol
Their original 205 GTi 1.6 and 1.9 and the 106 GTi were incredibly awesome cars!!!! I owned the 106 GTi and it’s probably one of the best cars I’ve owned as a fun drive! I never liked the look of the 206 and 306.
As a previous 306 rallye owner, having only just started watching the video i can't wait to see you attempt the turning circle...
11:40 - The 306 does not use a torsion beam suspension. It uses an independent torsion BAR suspension, similar to the system used in current F1 cars. It's completely different to a torsion beam and has passive rear wheel steer!
My bad. I'm forever mixing the two
Na, its a torsion beam
@@Jack-lo1uc Ah really!? I must go return the torsion BARS I bought for it then....
Oh memories of the dTurbo with the famous screw mod, no smoke no poke etc! So much lag then it would catapult you down the road for a second till running out of puff. Change gear and repeat.
Ah, yes...the BX. I'm on it!
The gti6 is one of my car regrets. I've owned most of the great hot hatches but at the time I could afford the car and insurance the renault 172 Cup was more modern so I went that route. I did get to drive an xsi once which gave me a taste of that great chassis.
I had a 1.8 Meridian as I couldn’t afford the insurance on a GTI 6.
As many have said, huge nostalgia. I had a 306 lx 1.6 5 door as my first car. My mate had the gti 6 and boy I aspired for one. About 6k then and that was quite abit of money. Crazy to think a man of the same age now would likely finance a car with 350bhp and 20+k
I had one of these in silver on a 1997 plate fantastic lil silver bullet... 6 speed box was really handy on long runs yet downside was the turning circle on these were dreadful...Been great looking at this review brings back lots a good memories !!!
Would love to see a mk4 golf r32 review
Love these 306s, bought a PH shed of the week rallye a long time ago, what a hoot.
Turning circle is excellent, rev out first gear, handy-B, hey presto 180!
Had one same colour unfortunately it was a diesel... still I was so proud of it..back in the old days.. 10 months of no problems motoring..
My greatest regret is a FC RX7. Great video 👏🏼👏🏼
such a snappy looking hatchback ......worth saving for sure
One of the last gasps of pretty Peugeots. Until recently. The new 508 looks pretty damn good. No more hideous, Cheshire Cat grins of the 07 series.
The 03 hyundai accent looks similar 😆 loved that little car.
Two memories of this car, both as a passenger. On the outward journey I was in the back seat and got hit square between the eyes by a stone coming I through the open sunroof. On the return journey the car got t-boned on a roundabout due to poor lane discipline by the other driver and got written off. Other than that it was very capable and a fine car...!
I had one of these in this colour, car was booked in for a service on Monday the cambelt failed driving to work on the Friday at 44,000mls still one of the best cars I've owned.
Very nice fun little car.
I was really impressed by the flawless french pronunciation for " 16 soupapes ". Having owned this car some 18 years ago, it's one I regret having sold.
Really enjoyed this one as I subscribe to number 27 too. Didn't know you had bought the tomato. I love a BX 16 valve!! Quite jealous in fact. As for the GTI-6 I'm with you. I always wanted one but now the ship has sailed I feel. for £5-£8k, there are more appealing all rounders I think. Currently I am scanning AutoTrader for the 916 series Alfa GTV. Those I feel are criminally undervalued at the moment, especially the 3 litre v6.
I own both the GTV V6 and GTi6. I can tell you, in driving terms the GTV can't hold a candle to the little Peugeot. Apart from the looks and sound, the GTV isn't really all that enjoyable to drive. The 306 on the other is an absolute joy on any road. Not that much slower even in a straight line, throw in some corners and the GTV will struggle to keep up.
I’ve driven the 306 rallye and owned the 205 GTI 1.9 so a pug fan myself and whilst I understand where you’re coming from it’s apples and pears. Of course the pug is quicker in the corners. You buy the Alfa for the engine and drama and for £5-£6k currently I think they represent good value for money
My first car was a 1.4 XR.... Rather slow but loved it. Had an immobiliser controlled by putting a pin number in a keypad next to the gearstick.... actually not a daft idea, meant replacement key was cheap....
The gti-6 was the grail! (I never got one tho...)
I had a mere 5 door 306 with a 1.8 8valve. First car I bought myself. Fantastic. Amazingly comfy, lovely gear change, enough power for a 19 year old, brilliantly low insurance group due to Peugeots genius addition of a stock immobiliser as standard. Could accommodate 4 big adult men comfortably. Very reliable. Had 70000 miles on it from new, cost 900 quid. Put 100k on that car with only oil changes.
One time I tore my ACL and needed my left foot to brake because I couldn't move my right leg from gas to brake. So my Dad swapped cars with me for a month. Bmw 325. My Dad loved the pug so much he didn't want to give it back. They also look really handsome.
I regret selling my 306Gti6 for literally nothing about 10 years ago now. Loved it, it was my 2nd ever car always did so well.
Nice video. I have a Phase 2 306 XSi 16-V from 1998, with modifications (GTi-6 inlet manifold, Piper stainless exhaust system, Bilstein dampers, uprated suspension bushes, Quaife ATB diff'.) I've owned it since 2008 and it used to be my daily driver cum trackday toy. Now it's pampered and lives under a cover and only comes out when it's dry for fast road use. It's RHD but I live in France and it's made for the twisties around here. It's a keeper and I intend to install some subtle updates (retro style Bluetooth head unit, better headlight bulbs etc.) It's still a great looking car that provides a great driving experience - a proper old school hot hatch.
Hate it when you post up the cool reasonable cheap cars on your channel, especially ones I'm interested in buying. Makes me think the prices will shoot up a bit :p Think the GTi-6 is still a great buy to be honest. Would love one next to my Clio 172 and 106 Rallye!
I worked for Peugeot for many years, and at the time, I had a GTI-6 as a company car. Mine was very unusual - why it was available to me, to be honest - it had no A/C or sunroof. This was before the Rallye was launched, for info. It did have electric windows, though.
And what a car it was. New, no rattles or anything, it was pretty solid. The half turn less right lock WAS a problem, particularly trying to turn onto my drive - often easier to go a different way and turn left.
Going to work one morning early on on a country road, got behind a 306 XSi in the same red colour. There's one stretch on that road where you can overtake, and it's not that long. The XSi driver floored the throttle at that point, and I sailed past looking at the surprise on his face as I did it. That car could really shift. As much fun as a 205 GTi? Maybe not quite, but a much, much more liveable package overall, much easier to drive, and still enormous fun. Seldom has 167 HP been put to better use.
Would I buy one now if I had the spare case? You bet.
I had this same issue in my Peugeot Partner and persevered for more than twn years. One day I decided to change both tie ros ends and the problem got sorted after taking fir alignment. 😂😂😂
clio 2 sport , 306 s16, fiesta st, saxo vts, bravo hgt ....there was a time when there was a poopload of them for sale ....never bought one.
I had a 306 gti6 for a couple of years when new. Brilliant in the corners and the engine was better than anything in the class other than an Integra Type R.
It's suspension was brilliant on crap Australian road. And the lift off overseer was fun.
China Blue was the colour to get.
Agree - mine was W reg and had auto windscreen and good fuel economy
I live in Australia now and I own a 306 gti 6 its a great car and probable the most budget track cars that I could ask for being a broke university student. This car is super rare in Australia and felt like peugeot in general is not known to many people in Sydney and they are definitely not popular. When people talk about hot hatches, almost all of them recommended my to buy s honda civic ek I'm a chinese and in china just not many people know about peugeot. Looking youtube I realise that a lot of people that drives a 306 gti6 is from regional area in the UK
Had one. Black with all refreshed suspension. The handling was incredible and it was so capable but it never connected me like the 205 1.9. 306 was probably the better car but the 205 was just so analogue.
Nice. Can't wait to export mine to the states
You can still get one. Its not too late Jay.
The XSI also came with the 2.016v.
When you switch the ignition on and you say the oil is boiling.. that gauge is an engine oil level before the car is started... I own one of these
I had a '98 R-reg 306 1.9 D Turbo, which was a great car, only got rid of it as I moved abroad
I drive an 306 Cabrio 1.8 16V from the same era, it’s not that fast, but the handling is great even for a convertible.
One of the very best hot hatch’s ever made, I’ve had a few and the xsi’s and regret selling everyone of them!
This is a rather special car for me… my best friend when I was learning to drive had one of these… it was a magical car at that time in my life 🥹
I can get a decent condition one for 3000 pounds, its seen a couple of track days but has a solid history. Sooo tempting!
Always loved the 306...beautiful car.
Top tip, get a 206 GTI 137 for £1000 or the faster 175hp version for £3000. Theyre actually really good, especially for the money.
I owned one in 2004. It was okay, not as good as a civic type r, or Mk5 rs2000 I had before it. Mine was a 2000 year in light blue/silver. I remember having to do 3 point turns on small roundabouts.
Friend of mine had a slow 4 door 1.6 as his first car. It had the grey cloth interior, and goddamn these seats were soft. Bloody nice car that was.
Nice video. @Number27 is great channel.
It's not too late, you just have to keep looking. I bought a low mileage pre-facelift xsara vts last summer for 1900€. Now I have about 2700€ put into it. It still needs a some work done and ofcourse mods :) It's still bone stock even down to the airbox and the exhaust.
Loved my phase 3 1.4i LX it was completely reliable and great fun to drive! Wouldn't touch a BMW with six foot barge pole.
Ah Mr Kitchen! I remember when his BX featured in Used Car Heaven with Jason Dawe.
I thoroughly recommend a Griffiths Engineering Quick shift kit if you can get one. Also a scorpion exhaust is a game changer.
terrible gear change with the ge fitted. Skip browns is much better
Nice clean shape. Aged well.
Thanks J, just the right car for a sunny drive! I think the '27' part of Jacks name is the number of faults each car has when he buys them?! 🙏🙏
Supercars are cool but this is what I love to see
My first proper car at 18 was one of these in this colour with those seats
Please do a 206 GTI(136hp) or RC(176hp). Those always interested me.
After doing School work experience at The local Peugeot dealer when the 306 came out, i always liked the gti-6, but they weren't all that revered - especially due to the Japanese tuning scene exploding at the time, hence they got forgotten about until quite recently.
When you watch the ''Camber & Combustion' 'Channel, and their Track day videos, you then realise how capable and thrashable they actually are. Was probably the best hot hatch Peugeot ever did until, they stopped caring and settled into making ropey old crap for Radio 2 listeners "Maniac""
In 2006 I really looked into buying one, they were generally in the 2-3k ballpark. The Rallye version really appealed and were not much more. But purchased an 8 year old Primera GT instead for £1100. Car was great, still considered a worthless old shed though.
I have a feeling that the Primera GT is probably gonna go up soon. I don't think there's actually many for sale for a start.
Have respect for these cars but always preferred the 106 GTI, had 2 of them!
Been subscribed to no27 for years
I have a 99 306 GTI-6, it lives in a barn in the south of France. Unfortunately Peugeot no longer produce a certificate of conformity for it in the new style, so can't get it onto French plates... in the barn it remains :(
The 306 XSi was the most unreliable car I ever owned........but it was the most fun car I owned while living in the UK! I highly recommend owning one.
I had a 1997 phase 1 many moons ago. Great car.