Another cheap car experiment resulting from an itchy eBay trigger finger, this 406 was acquired producing huge amounts of blue smoke, severely skewiff tracking from a knock to the n/s front wheel (which had bent the rim and also worn the tyre tread completely away on the outer 1/3rd), a flat spare tyre, no service history and huge amounts of grime inside and out.  On the plus side, there had only been 2 owners up until six months previously.

I did have ideas of replacing my 405 saloon with this, but the 1.9TD really struggles with the extra weight and emissions equipment in the 406.  The 2.1TD is apparently the best diesel unit in these cars (the later HDIs have fuel-pump and electronic problems!) but can be a bit of a bitch to work on.  The underbonnet layout was certainly better than the 405, e.g. you don't remove skin from your fingers changing the air filter.  A definite plus.  This one was basic L spec, which made it really quite spartan - no revcounter, for instance (a must with a Peugeot diesel).

The smoke was sorted (except for a few puffs now and again) with a good service, although I suspect one of the injectors really needed changing; the tracking sorted by a trip to the local tyre depot (13mm toe-in!) and two secondhand wheels and tyres; and of course the usual cleanup job.  Add in the cost of parts, sourcing of a code for the radio and a new MOT (which it passed needing just one bulb) and I made a round of drinks on it come sale time.

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