The Knowledge: Love it or loathe it, the Peugeot 306 Cabriolet is this summer's best-value bargain drop-top
The wind in your hair, Pininfarina style in your face and plenty of cash left in your wallet. What's not to love?
Alex has been a road tester and motoring writer for more than 10 years, and has written on new, used and classic cars for What Car?, Autocar, The Daily Telegraph and PistonHeads, among many others.
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You might not be thinking too much about carefree, top-down, summer-time motoring right now. But we’re all going to want something to cheer ourselves up with when the coronavirus nightmare is over, aren’t we? And what better way is there to do so than a bargain cabriolet? Enter the Peugeot 306 Cabriolet; one of the cheapest drop-tops you can buy right now – not to mention one of the most stylish.
At least, that’s what I reckon, anyway – DriveTribe editor Russell would beg to differ. In fact, when he heard the chosen subject for this week’s missive, his exact words were: “Keen to see how you can convince anyone they want a 306 Cabriolet.”
Challenge accepted. Frankly, most of my work’s been done for me by Pininfarina. The standard 306 was always one of the best-looking family hatchbacks, and its timeless style means it remains so today. Lose the roof and lengthen the tail and it looks even better – the transformation far more convincing than that of rivals like the Volkswagen Golf or Ford Escort. And it’s smarter still with the factor hard-top, which turns the Cabriolet into a razor-edged two-door coupe. Nice.
Inside, you get space for four people – and while the rear seats aren’t the roomiest things in the world, they’re perfectly adequate for a couple of kids, which means the whole family can come along with you.
And to drive, the 306 Cab is pretty decent. Of course, it’s a little bit more wobbly than the hatchback – but given that the standard 306 was already one of the best cars in its class to drive, the drop-top is still rewarding if you do feel like upping the pace a little. Especially if you’ve opted for the 2.0-litre engine also found in the XSi warm hatch which, while not blisteringly quick, is at least potent enough to make swift progress.
Then again, going fast isn’t exactly the point of the 306 Cabriolet. Better to cruise gently along in the sunshine, listening to some Edith Piaf, pretending you’re bimbling around the port in St Tropez and looking forward to an evening aperitif of Pernod. For this, the 306 Cabriolet is utterly ideal.
Why you should buy one now
While the 306 Cabriolet has aged much better than most of its ilk, its prices haven’t. As a result, it sits well and truly in bargain basement banger territory at the moment, which means it actually looks a lot pricier than it is.
We’ve just watched a tidy 2.0-litre 16v with just 64,000 miles on the clock and a six-month MOT sell for shade more than £1,000 on eBay. Tattier examples with higher mileages sell for even less, while even low-milers in concours condition should cost you no more than £2,000. You simply won’t find a Pininfarina-styled soft-top anywhere else for less.
What to look out for
Air conditioning on 306s is notorious for failing, so check that it works if it’s fitted, and if it doesn’t, be prepared to either live with it or spend big money getting it sorted.
Rubber seals around the convertible hood perish and the hood itself can split, as can the plastic rear window. Look out for damp carpets and signs of mould, and if you’re viewing the car in the dry, take a large bottle of water with you, and pour it over the seals and seams when the hood’s up.
You’ll also want to check the electric hood works, as there are often problems with the sensors, wiring, or with the control unit itself, all of which can cause it to fail to operate.
So have I convinced you the 306 is a bargain drop-top to look forward to when lockdown’s over? Or like Russell, do you still reckon it’s a wafty posing pouch with little to love? Vote below, or tell us in the comments.
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Comments (23)
I have owned a 2000 2 litre 306 Cab as a second "fun'' car for nearly nine years and love it as much now as when I first bought it. I cannot for the life of me understand why it is not considered a "classic". It is without doubt the cheapest class car of its type out there. If you find a good one, grab it!! It is well worth it!!
I have just purchased a 306 cab. It’s is a 1995 model but unregistered from new with delivery miles only. it must be the only 1 in the world. Fabulous in deep metallic red.
I’m on my 3rd one now (having had one of each phase) and it’s about the best one in its class when compared with its rivals, a few simple mods can improve its handling and road manners
What's not to love?
Attention from LGBT community?
They are also shit!
If your a bogan rev head you might say such , its not that class of car