What they said when it was new
Peugeot is combining safety with style to hit success with its new 307 series. Six airbags come as standard and operate with ‘active’ head restraints to reduce whiplash as passive safety measures, while active safety features include highly advanced brakes which would normally only be found on a much larger executive car.
The newcomer is a natural successor to the acclaimed 306, but whereas the former was agile, the replacement felt less nimble. A hefty 2.0 litre engine holds the promise of lively performance, but in the 307 it was more restrained and matched to the easy shifting five-speed manual gearbox and was obviously biased towards economy rather than acceleration.
Behind the wheel, the steering felt a little dead and lifeless although the turning circle, lack of vibration and good ratio meant it was easy to manoeuvre and live with even it lacked high speed feedback.
The amount of oddments space was good and the boot generous in size, easy to load and quickly increased in capacity with the seats folded. But in the three door version it was not an easy task to drop the rearmost seats.
What to pay & which one to buy
Our 307 pick is the 2.0 petrol engine. These models are slightly cheaper on the used market than the 2.0 HDi diesel powered cars but average far lower mileage over their first 3 years. By 2006 a diesel will typically have 6,000 miles more on the clock while still being £1,000 more expensive.
2006 year models, once through their M.O.T. are the best value. Big chunks of value fall off them as they approach M.O.T. Private owners trade them, garages offload them through auctions and so if you can find a 2007 or 2006 year car with a long M.O.T. you have found a sensible purchase.
As you will see in the price pages there are no excellent times to buy a 307 as the depreciation is in double digits more often than not. But cars over 3 year old are already cheap enough that losses are manageable. The 307 is probably most appropriate for the buyer planning to hold their car for many years.
What to check
1) Look for the radiator at the front of the engine bay. Inspect the bottom of the radiator for white fur, green marks or any drops of water leaking out. Any of these signs indicate the radiator is leaking (the leak is usually caused by salt from the roads) and needs to be replaced. Negotiate a £150 - £200 discount or have the repair completed.
2) HDI diesel engine Take the car for a lengthy test drive. Ensure that the engine starts easily from both cold and warm and doesn't cut out when driving. If the HDI engine cuts out, or won't start, there can be up to 50 common reasons. Have an expert examine the car. Even they may find it difficult to establish the cause at first attempt.