I want a Peugeot. Am I insane?

July 7, 2006 2:13 PM

I'm looking for a diesel that I can cram my kids, dog, girlfriend and friends into. (I posted previously about this.)For some reason I'm now obessed with getting a used Peugeot. I live near San Francisco. How would I go about finding a Peugeot? (They aren't sold new in the US.) I called a local European car repair shop and asked who sells them used and he said "no one". Not promising. Any ideas?
posted by serazin to Shopping (27 answers total)

The newest U.S. Market Peugeot you'll find was built in 1991.
So I imagine parts would be problematic.
posted by Floydd at 2:19 PM on July 7, 2006

Citroen Xsara Picasso
posted by elpapacito at 2:23 PM on July 7, 2006

For some reason I'm now obessed with getting a used Peugeot.

Aesthetics? Many of the newer Toyotas and Saabs have the same "eggish" organic look of the Peugeots.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:24 PM on July 7, 2006

Also, importing cars is basically impossible. Importing diesels is a little worse.
posted by smackfu at 2:25 PM on July 7, 2006

There's lot's of diesels out there, why buy one thats going to require lots of repairs and, for which, parts will be problematic at best to obtain. If you're really looking masochistic car experiences, bite the bullet and go buy a Fiat.

A used diesel Mercedes would be a much nicer car and probably cheaper to run, in the end (and parts are easy to find).
posted by doctor_negative at 2:27 PM on July 7, 2006

I found one on craigslist sf, but even autotrader.com turns up zilch. I was looking for these earlier this year (or Renaults and Opels) and had big trouble finding any and my wife was like no freaking way you idiot. That said, I used to see some higher priced models in the back pages of the Robb Report. You might pick up a copy of that or some other auto magazine.
posted by mattbucher at 2:27 PM on July 7, 2006

We have an '82 diesel Suburban. Might be an easier alternative to find - we see them occasionally on Craigs List and in local auto shopper mags. We got ours before we moved to CA. Fits most everything, and you can get a third row seat so that you can fit nine passengers, but still have some room for gear.


wife of 445supermag
posted by 445supermag at 2:27 PM on July 7, 2006

Also, there is a US Puegeot mailing list and Club, with some discussion archives.
posted by mattbucher at 2:35 PM on July 7, 2006

Best answer: I urge you to never, ever buy anything French that has more moving parts than a bottle of Bordeaux. This is serious advice.
posted by mojohand at 2:36 PM on July 7, 2006 [3 favorites]

Peugeots aren't all that. The diesels are good, and they'll run forever, but fit and finish isn't the best (by European standards: it'll more than match Detroit). Parts, however, will be a disaster.

A Mercedes will give you similar run-forever, and if you get one of the older ones you get the stereotypical bullet-proofing. Modern models don't really offer that.
posted by bonaldi at 2:37 PM on July 7, 2006

Also Dacia Logan According to many there isn't a car that look that worse and may not still be avaiable in US. It's dirt cheap in price and has very large room for baggage and people. It feels like Fiats 20 years ago (now fiats are a lot better, decent cars) but by all means it should be the least expensive car before chinese clones.
posted by elpapacito at 2:41 PM on July 7, 2006

The old Mercedes diesels are great and run forever. There are lots of 240Ds still around and they are very good, basic cars. I am privileged to own a '66 200D and would rather trade the wife and kids than part with the Finmobile. It gets 35-48 MPG, depending on MPH and every single part on the car is rebuildable.

One word of caution: diesel parts and repairs are very expensive so find a good diesel mechanic to check out the car thoroughly before you buy. They also require more maintence, so knowing how to perform basic maintence and change oil/filters yourself can save you quite a bit of change. You definitely don't cut corners when it comes to diesel maintenance.
posted by buggzzee23 at 2:49 PM on July 7, 2006

Something else to consider: European cars generally run on a different variant of diesel than the antiquated stuff we use in North America. This may or may not impact performance; I've heard both.

I have a feeling importing, fixing up and maintaining an old Peugeot will be far, far more hassle than it's worth.
posted by chrominance at 2:54 PM on July 7, 2006

I grew up with a Peugeot enthusiast father. My childhood is measured in long stretches of time waiting for a new water pump to arrive from France. I ask you, beg you, plead with you: do not buy a Peugeot.
posted by j-dawg at 3:04 PM on July 7, 2006

Response by poster: Oh my god. Like, maybe I'll traumatize my own children as you were traumatized? I suppose if I get a Peugeot I could start a corresponding therapy fund: for every thousand dollars spent on obscure french auto parts I can contribute a percentage to the kids rehabilitation?
posted by serazin at 3:22 PM on July 7, 2006

I'm just suggesting that you may want your kids to remember "the time we went to Disneyworld," "the time we went to Seattle," and "the time we went to Canada," rather than "the time we broke down 20 miles outside of Lafayette, Indiana," "the time we broke down in the toll lane," and "the time we broke down on the railroad tracks."

But if you do pursue this insane course, at least get one that was built in the morning.
posted by j-dawg at 3:45 PM on July 7, 2006

We owned a Peugeot when I was a kid. It was a terrible car. One of the worst we ever had.
posted by Malor at 3:51 PM on July 7, 2006

Fly to France, Buy Car, Ship Car home, Fly Home, Spend next 2 years figuring out rules and regulations for importing a car, pay a lot in taxes, duties and fees. Pickup car. Drive home. Repeat.
posted by blue_beetle at 3:53 PM on July 7, 2006

If you really want a Peugeot, they are still sold in Mexico. But buying one down there and getting it up to US code would be a nightmare [Then again, in my part of Texas you could totally get away with keeping Mexican plates on it for a long time... but probably be pulled over by the Border Patrol anywhere within 100 miles of the border so you'd want to keep your passport on you]. But I did see a lot of them in the DF - there was a dealer near my hotel. There were also a lot of them in other states. It would be quite an adventure if you were successful. It would also be an adventure any time it broke down.

Get a used Mercedes.
posted by birdherder at 3:56 PM on July 7, 2006

My cousin drove a Peugeot forever. When it needed this certain part, it was actually cheaper for the mechanic to weld a new one than to send for it. The car was solid, and ran for a long time, if crankily, but the parts situation was diabolical.
posted by evil holiday magic at 6:10 PM on July 7, 2006

My first car was my grandmother's 1973 Peugeot 504. I got it in 1993. It was beautiful. And it was a nightmare. Points kept breaking off or corroding in the distributor. Eventually I simply could not turn it off. I'd take the key out, and it'd keep running. I had to stomp on the brake, pull out the choke, rev it hard, and slam the choke it to make it stop. Every mechanic I called simply laughed at me when I told them what I had.

I almost died driving it the winter. It slid all over the road, it had dinky old wipers, and the heat was inadequate. Finally the salty roads ate giant holes in it and I abandoned it to a junkyard.

I loved that car. It hated me. Unless you can import a new one, which I don't expect is feasible, don't get one. Get a Mercedes.
posted by schoolgirl report at 7:00 PM on July 7, 2006

My father had a Diesel Peugeot 504. It was the slowest motor vehicle I have ever driven. Army deuce-and-a-halfs left it in the dust. The only time it would break the 55-mph limit was going downhill. He also had the waiting-for-parts hassles. Eventually the dealer (who sold it to him new) refused to work on it any more. He traded it in on something he didn't really like, just to get rid of it.

I doubt that you want an actual Peugeot, and am sure you don't want a diesel one.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:31 PM on July 7, 2006

Never drive a French car unless you live in France.

I suggest a Volkwagen Passat TDI wagon. Fairly afforable, (compared to importing a car, or buying a Mercedes sedan/wagon) and it's a great family car: lots of cargo room a real back seat. Germany is kind of like France, except their cars hold together a bit better and of course you can find someone to work on them here.
posted by drmarcj at 7:53 PM on July 7, 2006

I would suggest that you contact the DMV first. You know how absolutely asinine the smog restrictions/etc in the counties surrounding San Francisco are, don't you?

If you do scare up a Peugeot, you might consider registering it in$County_not_in_the_Bay_Area.

Otherwise you might be really unhappy when you go to get the thing smogged and find out you need parts.
posted by drstein at 9:55 PM on July 7, 2006

I would suggest that you contact the DMV first. You know how absolutely asinine the smog restrictions/etc in the counties surrounding San Francisco are, don't you?

AFAIK, any car that is more than 90 days old and equipped with the original smog equipment (in good order) that was required for its original state of origin can be registered anywhere in california regardless of local regulations.
posted by buggzzee23 at 10:18 PM on July 7, 2006

There is a shop here in Austin that specializes in Peugeot repairs. Maybe you should give them a call and let them talk some sense into you:

Revolution Motors: [phone]
www.revolutionmotors.com
posted by bug138 at 10:26 AM on July 8, 2006

Also, importing cars is basically impossible. Importing diesels is a little worse.

This is correct. Especially in California. The Peugeot comments are also correct. I'm kinda curious how you got the impression that this is a reliable car?

If you're set on a used diesel, try a Mercedes. You'll need to limit yourself to cars that were sold smog-legal in California, making this difficult.
posted by RikiTikiTavi at 10:23 PM on July 10, 2006