Having suffered a major computer crash last Friday, and being without a
functioning unit for five days, I had almost 200 emails to wade through
today, on this site alone. Too much of that was complaints about how
awful Peugeots are to own, ya can't get parts, they always break, etc.,
etc.
Having a few extra minutes available over the weekend (when I should have
been attending to e-business), I grabbed the calculator and made a rough
estimate of what Peugeot ownership has cost me since buying my first Mi16
new in 1989.
My conclusion is: use it or lose it.
Since I claim the world high-mileage record for the 405 (approx. 425,000
miles between the two cars) it is obvious that if you drive them, they
don't break.
For my two Mi16s:
Times stranded: four - alternator, coil, a shift linkage popped off (I
should've known where to look), and that white nylon clutch pedal thing
(back before anyone knew about it).
Generalizations: suspension parts don't need replacing til close to
200,000. Transmission (5-speed) is good for 200-250,000 - fifth gear
dies. Burgundy leather shows use more readily than black. Engine never
needs anything except oil changing every 5000 (I use the cheapest oil I
can, usually store-brand, and Fram filters because that sandpaper
exterior makes changing a whole lot easier). Premium unleaded can't be
worth the money; Mi16 runs great on anything stronger than curdled milk.
Replace the water pump when you change the timing belt. Alternator is
good for around 150,000 miles. Coil about 225,000. Speedometer isn't
worth fighting: use the tach (20 mph for each 1000 rpm in 5th). Rear
calipers build up tons of corrosion on the sliders. Clean 'em up and save
yourself a bundle.
Parts availability - never been a problem. Loss of use of car? A day or
two at most - how fast can you change a transmission?
The body doesn't rust. The trunk is plenty big if you know how to pack
it.
Cost per mile. The original Mi16 cost me $21,500 in 1989. The current '91
cost me $6000 in 1997 ( with 80,000 miles). Cost per mile, using 28 miles
per gallon at $1.00/gal as a rough estimate:
TWELVE CENTS PER MILE
In case I left a few things out, let's call it FIFTEEN cents per mile.
I doubt a Saturn would give you a figure like that (leaving out anything
like the fun-factor).
The IRS allows a deduction of over 30 cents per mile for business use
(32.5 cents for year 2000). The more I drive my Peugeot, the more I earn!
Admittedly, I have added a precaution recently - back-up transportation.
Since I have no nearby relatives from whom I could mooch a ride, I picked
up a 405S Sportwagon last fall for $1000. It needed a couple hundred
dollars worth of replacement parts (the exhaust and a couple shift
linkages, which even I could do). This one's gonna be even cheaper to
run.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu 18 Jan 2001 - 15:49:36 UTC