Expert answer

Hi Sinead,

To be honest, I'd avoid it. The 307 was never a great car to begin with and it was probably one of the lowest points for Peugeot build quality. They tend to suffer every electrical problem going, the cabins and interiors are very fragile and the suspension is prone to outright failure. 

If you still fancy a Peugeot, see if you can stretch your budget to a 308 - that was a much better built car, has decent reliability and if you get the 1.6 diesel then 65mpg in daily driving is a reality for you.

Expert answer

Hi John,

There are two schools of, quite influential, official thought on this. If you consult reliability expert JD Power, which conducts an annual vehicle reliability and customer satisfaction survey, the 206 is pretty dreadful. JD Power rates its reliability as below average, with poor interior quality, and it regularly finishes in the bottom ten of vehicles surveyed.

Over at Warranty Direct though, which independently insures vehicles against mechanical failure as part of its aftermarket warranty products, the picture is a little rosier. WD rates the 206's reliability as good, and certainly ahead of most of its French rivals. Problems tend to stem from the electrical system, and most of the time they're pretty cheap to fix.

To be honest though, in general, if you're looking at an older French car, you're looking at trouble.

Expert answer

Hi Pat,

Yeah, electric window failures are depressingly common on most Renaults of that vintage. I'd say generally you're looking at a trade-in value of around €3,000 but you can probably knock another €750 or so off that thanks to the knackered windows.

Expert answer

Hi Noel,

Bit of a grey area that one. First off, why does the car not have a passenger airbag? Is it a basic model that just didn't come with one fitted? Or is it actually supposed to have one but it isn't there? Theoretically, if there is a failure in the airbag system that does mean an NCT failure so I would think that if the spec says airbag and there's none in place, that counts as a failure. 

More worryingly though is my original question of why isn't it there? Did it deploy at some stage and not get replaced? If so that raises concerns about (a) what kind of accident was the car previously in and (b) if the airbag wasn't replaced as part of the repair then what else was scrimped on?

Expert answer

Hi Christopher,

Yes, absolutely. Mazdas are renowned for their reliability, and the 3 is no different. In spite of sharing all its mechanical parts with the second generation Ford Focus, the 3 generally does a little better than the Ford in reliability and surveys. Perhaps the Mazda engineers do the bolts up a little tighter... Some early models apparently suffered from turbo failure on the 1.6 diesel engine but that seems to be the only thing, bar the usual history checks and damage inspection, to be worried about.

Expert answer

Hi Catherine,

Not necessarily. The 1.6-litre diesel used in the C-Max is an engine used in a huge variety of cars, from the C-Max to the Focus to the Mondeo to various Citroens, Peugeots, Volvos and even the occasional MINI. This means that, by and large, it's a decent engine with good reliability prospects and millions of miles of use in a massive number of cars to reveal any bugs.

That said, there are a couple of issues to watch for and mostly it's to do with the turbocharger, which can occasionally be a weak point. Usually it's down to a failure of the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, and it can be pretty easily fixed. Watch the parts prices and shop around for quotes if anything does go wrong. Alternators can give trouble too, so be suspicious of any engine or battery warning lights.

Expert answer

Hi John,

Clearly no car is utterly immune to breakdowns or component failures, but the Lexus LS 430 comes closer than probably any other. It is staggeringly reliable. We have heard tales of people buying the (older) LS 400 model from the '90s for under a grand and still finding every single electrical item working perfectly. Try that with a 7 Series or S-Class...

The Lexus is also hugely comfortable and deeply luxurious and actually better to drive than you might think. No hot hatch, obviously, but still more capable than the roly-poly reputation would have you believe.

Downsides? Colossal motor tax costs and it helps if someone else is paying for your fuel...

Expert answer

Hi Valerie,

Nope, they're excellent. Mazda's reputation for reliability is well earned and the 3 is a really nice car to drive. They're a little plain on the inside, but they're certainly hard-wearing so if you're a family motorist that should reassure you. The only problem to report is that some early models suffered from turbo failure, but it seems to have been an isolated problem. You will have to put up with a little more road roar and tyre noise than you might expect, though.

Go drive one for yourself to see what you think and let us know.

Expert answer

Hi Penny,

I'm assuming you mean the second-generation Octavia, introduced that year? If so, they're a pretty solid car but one that needs a few checks. If it's the 1.4 petrol, have the cam belt inspected. They need doing every 60,000 miles anyway, but the 1.4 has a history of belt failures so it's important to make sure that the one on the car is sound. Check the cabin for rattles or loose trim, check the boot floor for damp carpets (the rear screen wash bottle can leak) and if it's a diesel check for any juddering or poor acceleration, which can be a sign that the dual-mass flywheel is giving trouble. Also, check again for damp carpets in the main cabin, which can be a sign that the door seals are leaking.

Expert answer

Hi Emma,

It's not bad, and the 207 represented a major leap in quality over the old Peugeot 206. That said, it's heavier (to the detriment of fuel consumption) and that folding roof mechanism can be worryingly unreliable. Keep an ear out too for any unhappy noises from the suspension - wheel bearing and suspension damper failures are common while a malfunctioning radio LED display in the cabin is an expensive, and all too common fix. 

In terms of a small SUV, that kind of budget will get you in to a Hyundai Tucson (very, very reliable but you'll only get a petrol version for that budget) or a Toyota RAV4 (likewise), both of which are fine purchases. You could think about going up a size to, perhaps, a BMW X3 or Mercedes-Benz ML-Class, but at that money you're into a world of potential unreliability so tread carefully.

Let us know what you go for