Can you give me advice on buying a Peugeot 308?

Hi,

Can you give me advice on buying a 2008 to 2010 Peugeot 308? We do about 15,000 miles a year. Which would suit us better - diesel or petrol?

Thank you

Ruairi Mc Carthy (Mullagh Co Cavan)

May 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

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Expert answer

Hi Ruairi,

With that kind of mileage you would probably be fractionally better off with a petrol, but the thing is that you're unlikely to find one - petrol sales collapsed in the wake of the 2008 change in the car tax regime, so it's very likely that all you'll find out there are diesels. 

Which is no harm - the 308 was always nicer to drive with the 1.6 diesel than with a petrol (unless you can track down a vanishingly rare 150hp 1.6-litre petrol turbo). You just need to watch for a few key items. Make sure the diesel particulate filter has been kept clean, and make sure you give the car at least one good long drive at motorway speeds every week to keep it that way. Check that the cooling system is working properly and that the (plastic) water pump is in good nick. Check the gearbox too - the five-speed manual can sometimes get jammed in neutral.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe