News
Page and site last updated 07 September 2003.
07SEP03 - Links & News Updated
EuroNCAP Results
Recently EuroNCAP tested the Peugeot 307 CC which received a 4 star rating. For more information click here
The 307 5 door hatch was previously tested with a 4 star result as well, which can be seen here
Interestingly, the CC has better frontal crash performance than the hatch (13/16 vs 12/16 points). The hatch has better side impact performance (18/18 vs 15/18).
03SEP03 - Owners Comment & News Updated
307 DAM Numbers
Thanks to Danny from the mailing list, we have information on DAM numbers and production dates. DAM numbers are given as starting DAM numbers for the month - ie. 8820 is the first DAM number for January 2001 production.
2001 2002 2003 January 8820 9185 9550 February 8851 9216 9581 March 8879 9244 9609 April 8910 9275 9640 May 8940 9305 9670 June 8971 9336 9701 July 9001 9366 9731 August 9032 9397 9762 September 9063 9428 9793 October 9093 9458 9823 November 9124 9489 9854 December 9154 9519 9884 DAM numbers are located on the sticker near the front right hand door hinge (for RHD cars). See the picture below for an example:
In the above car, the DAM number is 9436. They are useful in determining what edition of equipment your car is equipped with (eg. ECUs) and what parts are required or what features can be added. For example, 307 1.6s from DAM number 9466 can be equipped with the factory cruise control.
Australian 307 Sales
The Peugeot 307 continues to go from strength to strength. Already the fastest ever selling Peugeot in Australia, the car sold 330 units in July, well up on the 282 units sold in July last year. Other Australian Peugeot sales figures for July include:
206: 212 units (best result for 2003).
206CC: 56 units
406: 18 units (normally selling around 40 units monthly). Citroen C5 sold 73 units and the Renault Laguna sold 69 units, its best result this year so far.
406 Coupe: 3 units (normally selling around 10 units monthly)
607: 3 units
Overall, July's results were the fourth best for 2003, only one car down on July 2002.
Milestones
peugeot-307: The Peugeot 307 Mailing List
As we approach almost 6 months of the list's operation, the mailing list has 176 members from around the globe and 1150 posts, now having just over 300 posts a month (or roughly 10 a day). It is probably the most active English speaking Peugeot 307 discussion list online and you are welcome to share the knowledge.
Visit it here.
06JUN03 - News Updated
Milestones
The Peugeot 307 Website
After about 10 months, today the website finally passed 10,000 hits. Visitors are welcome to send emails about their experiences and questions via the Contact page.
peugeot-307: The Peugeot 307 Mailing List
After less than 3 months of operation, the mailing list has now over 100 members and 350 posts. It is the most active Peugeot 307 discussion group at Yahoo! Groups and probably one of the most active in the world. Visit it here.
307s Reaches 1 Million
Although this is old news, over one million Peugeot 307s were built by April 2003.
TU5JP4 1.6 16V Belt Squeal
Had the alternator belt (auxiliiary drive belt) changed almost two months ago. Unlike the previous time, the squealing hasn't returned. It seems the combination of increased tension and a new drive belt have cured this problem for now.
Reports from a Peugeot technician suggest that there still is no permanent solution to the problem from Peugeot, however replacing the Peugeot belt with an aftermarket one have been successful.
12APR03 - 307 Technology, 307 Problems, News updated
peugeot-307: The Peugeot 307 Mailing List
The list now has 41 members in its first month and almost 80 posts. I encourage users to participate and keep it alive with interesting discussion. Feel free to raise ownership concerns about operating costs and problems, as someone will probably have something to say.
Visit it at: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/peugeot-307/
COM2000 Now Here!
The infamous new COM2000 part has now arrived, several owners have had it fitted and are reporting much better performance, in particular better self cancelling action. Contact your dealer for more information.
TU5JP4 1.6 16V Belt Squeal
My dealer reports that in Australia, Peugeot engineers have found a new auxilliary drive belt (aka. "fan belt") for the 1.6 engine. Many cars have been having this problem - those with the TU5JP4 motor fitted (including 206). When servicing, I could immediately guess what car was nearby thanks to a squeal - it was another 307 1.6 auto. What happens is that on starting the car, when you put the car into gear, there is loud squealing and rattling coming from the engine, especially with the brake on. It can happen even when driving, ie. accelerating from low speeds, but disappears once the engine has warmed up.
The problem apparently is caused by the belt material and a new belt has recently been found of a different material to cure this problem. Previous attempts to cure this problem have been unsucessful - replacement of the belt and increasing tension twofold.
I'm having this fitted in a few weeks and will report on how effective it is.
15MAR03 - 307 Owners' Comment, 307 Reviews, 307 Contact & Links updated
peugeot-307: The Peugeot 307 Mailing List
This website has been crying out for a mailing list or forum for quite some time already. In response to this demand, I have decided to start up a mailing list on the Yahoo Groups website.
If you're interested in the car, please join. I am sure we will be able to learn from each others' experiences and help develop an international knowledge base from fellow 307 drivers worldwide. A simple form to join the list is available on the Contact page.
The mailing list address is at: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/peugeot-307/
COM2000 Manufacturer gone bust?
In a move that is likely to make many 307 drivers laugh, a report from the UK suggests that the manufacturer of the infamous COM2000 indicator stalk has actually collapsed. The COM2000 appears to be the most frequently replaced non consumable item on the 307, having caused problems for customers worldwide - more details are available on the Problems page.
According to the English report, the manufacturer of the COM2000 used in the 307 has gone bust as they vac formed a part of the stalk. This part of the stalk could not stand up to the pressure of the steering wheel being returned to the center straight ahead position. From a right hand turn when centering the wheel, this meant that the stalk either
Over corrects the self cancelling action & starts indicating left. OR
The stalk becomes jammed in the right indicating position and when the driver applies pressure to cancel the indicator, the stalk snaps off.
This problem also affects some Peugeot 406 and Boxer vehicles. Although this problem has now been corrected, because Peugeot has had to find a new supplier for the stalks, there is a delay. The new supplier has retool and get approval for the stalks. It is expected that customers will be able to get replacement stalks by April.
As of yet, there has not been any official comment from Peugeot regarding this matter.
08MAR03 - 307 Owners' Comment updated
307 Owners' Comment
Today the first entry for the new Owners' Comment page has been created. George owns a Peugeot 307 2.0 XSE and previously drove a SAAB 9-5. If you feel like writing some comments about your ownership experience, please feel free to submit your comments via the Contact page. Please include:
Name (first name is fine)
Model of 307
Location
Click here to see his comments.
02MAR03 - 307 News, 307 Links & 307 Problems updated. 307 Owners' Comment created.
307 Problems - Major Content Update
I have just done a major update of the 307 Problems page as this is a very popular page. Thanks to much feedback, I have gone and added many new problems and fixes. In addition I have updated some of the content of existing problems. Please continue to send your feedback to skystar320@bigpond.com
The formatting has been updated with a new logical system - problems are now listed by categories related to the part's function in the car - ie. electrical, powertrain, etc.
New 307 Owners' Comment Page
There is now a new 307 comment page. If you wish you may submit your comments to this page via the Contact page. In addition to your comments, please include your name (first name only would be fine), your model of 307 (trim, engine and transmission) and where you are located (country will be fine).
Visit the new page here
Mad Exploding Airbags?
I have just received two interesting cases from Israel and Scotland. When driving slowly, the cars' seat and side curtain airbags suddenly exploded without warning, although there was no accident. Fortunately noone was hurt, but it was certainly a shock to the drivers involved.
Has anyone else experienced this? I'm sure these are extraordinary cases.
Peugeotlogic.com
Recently, thanks to a post on the 206GTi.net Yahoo mailing list, I discovered an Australian site - Peugeotlogic.com This site is filled with plenty of interesting technical repair information about various Peugeots post 306 and is run by a Peugeot technician. If you have a problem and it hasn't been listed on this site, pay Peugeotlogic.com a visit. It might have the solution.
307 Discussion
I would like to create a forum for this 307 page. If anyone has suggestions about good options to start a forum, please email me via the Contact page. A Yahoo Groups mailing list has been suggested, however I suspect that it may be harder for visitors to follow than a forum.
In the meantime, I recommend that you join the Aussiefrogs forum, which has French Car Discussion, especially if you're an Australian. Although we have many members we could certainly do with a few more 307 owners. If you're interested in French cars, it's certainly a good forum.
Fuel Economy
With the uncertainty in the Middle East and rising fuel prices worldwide, I thought the picture below would give 307 drivers something to aim for. The image isn't doctored and is from a 307 1.6 Automatic on a country drive. I'm sure our diesel readers will be able to beat this!
16JAN03 - 307 News & Contact page updated.
Cruise Control
Although it's been in the owners manual for over a year, cruise control hasn't been in any Australian cars until now. However, it has recently arrived and I have been quoted $350 to have it installed by my dealer. Quotations have varied from $300 to $800 installed. Because the car is throttle by wire, cruise control installation chiefly involves a new stalk and new software - it does not require any vacuum units to move throttle cables physically, as the throttle unit is motorised. This makes the installation much easier - from a theoretical perspective.
The stalk is very similar to the audio remote control stalk, and is fitted to the left hand side of the steering column.
Australian 307 XS HDi, XSE and XSi models have it standard for the 2003 model year. For XS 1.6 cars, it is a $300 option.
Most 307s cannot be retrofitted with cruise control, only some delivered late in 2002. For instance, 1.6 16V cars require a L5 emissions control unit to be equipped with cruise control, cars with L4 units are ineligible. Contact your Peugeot dealer for further details - knowing your VIN can be helpful.
Sales Success in 2002
2002 was a record year for Peugeot in Australia, selling a whopping 3178 more cars or 92.1% more over 2001 . Originally 2002's target was 5000 cars, however this was revised to 6500 cars later in the year. In 2002, Peugeot Automobiles Australia sold 6630 cars! In 2001 3452 cars were sold.
Year
Sales
Growth
2000 2712 2001 3452 + 27.3% 2002 6630 + 92.1% 2003 ???
This means, Peugeot sales in Australia have grown by 144.47% since 2000!
Here is the breakdown of sales by model for 2002
Model
Sales Peugeot 206 1384 Peugeot 206 GTi 561 Peugeot 206 CC 872 Peugeot 306 Cabriolet 227 Peugeot 307 3018 Peugeot 406 471 Peugeot 406 Coupé 38 Peugeot 607 59 Total 6630
Automatic vs Manual Gearbox Sales
Model
Automatic Manual All Models 44% 56% 307 Range 52% 48%
29DEC02 - 307 News page updated.
More to Come
I've been receiving feedback from various owners about their 307s, which is great. I plan to create a new page for owners' comments.
Recently I have received news from the UK that Peugeot has halted the installation of replacement indicator stalks, as the new updated stalks (see 19NOV02 entry) are still causing trouble. Until the supplier resolves these issues, no new stalks will be replaced. It is expected around mid January 2003 that replacements will recommence.
If any drivers are having a cabin vibration problem at highway speeds, I'd be interested to hear about your problems and how they have been resolved (if they have). Secondly, if anyone has any news on cruise control in the 307, I would also be interested - as its arrival into Australia should be imminent.
Have a Happy 2003, and may our 307s behave!
24NOV02 - 307 Technology page updated with BSI translation.
19NOV02 - 307 News & home page updated.
Back Again
Apologies for the two month lack of updates on this site, finally I have time to update it. Much has happened during this period. Peugeot Australia has totally overhauled its website, far superior to its predecessor - albeit slow at times. There have also been several running improvements in the Peugeot 307.
The indicator stalk is probably the most problematic part on the 307. No other non consumable part has had to be replaced so much on the Peugeot 307. Complaints include a failure to self cancel, failure to hold itself in the indicator position, and sometimes activating headlights with actuation of the indicators. Why this has been the case is beyond me, given that the same stalk is used on the 206, 406 and 607, as well as on several Citroen models.
Finally, Peugeot has had an update. The new stalk is much stiffer, and feels a lot more solid overall. The overall switch action is very positive, and the new stalk would rate as one of the most solid indicator stalks out there (most stalks aren't that solid anyway) - more solid than most prestige vehicles in fact!
Drivers with "Automatic Gear Fault" messages, there is now some new instructions from Germany to install the actuator switch in the centre console. I can also report that the latest transmission software has improved shift quality, in particular on downshifts. It now shifts into 4th gear as early as 60km/h on very light throttle inputs, as opposed to 65 km/h before. However, if there is one downside to this new software - the transmission sometimes holds gears too long, refusing to downshift without a prod - holding 4th or 3rd gear to 1400rpm is too low for this engine's torque characteristics.
I had a chance to drive a recent build 307, and the build quality of the cars is improving. For example, the climate control panel now has soft touch buttons, which depress in to some degree. Earlier panels felt cheaper and did not have the same damped, "long travel" switch action. On alt.autos.peugeot, there appear to be fewer complaints arising from the car.
Have a look at your 307, and other PSA (Peugeot & Citroen) cars, and you may notice quite a few similar parts. The driver's power window switch block in the 307 is straight out of a Citroen C5, albeit in a different colour. In the engine bay, there are a handful of parts shared. The audio head unit used in the 307 can be found in the 206 and C3 as well. The climate control unit can also be found in the 206. The audio remote & cruise control switches can be found in a 406 and 206. The list goes on.
In Australia, 307 sales continue to excel. In September, it sold 330 units, its best result yet.
12SEP02 - 307 Problems page updated. 307 Reviews updated with AutoWeb review.
Volkswagen gets back at Peugeot.
I was at a Volkswagen dealer, and he gave me 3 problems with a 307.
1. Slam the doors in a 307 compared to a Golf - yes, the Golf has very solid feeling doors. The 307 doesn't have the same feel, but the Golf is class leading in this respect.
2. Look in the front footwells and look where the carpet ends - true, the 307's carpet does finish quite early in the driver's footwell, there is some cost cutting there. However, in the passenger footwell there is plenty of carpet.
3. Half baked design from Peugeot? In the boot there are two hooks (cord loops) which hold the boot floor up when you lift it up to access the spare wheel - the problem is they don't reach the hooks they were designed to reach - so they are useless.
Have a look here for the actual hook, and here for an overall view of where it is in the boot.
So, here are three things for Peugeot to work on.
I guess the salesman forgot to mention that the 307 has superior performance to a Golf, is better equipped, more refined, is safer and a much more satisfying drive. Not to mention that it now equals the Golf in resale value in Australia, and the fact that it is European Car of the Year 2002. Like it or not, there is little doubting that a Golf has excellent build quality and still is the standard for solidity in small cars.
09SEP02 - 307 Reviews page updated with 3 new reviews from German car magazine weekly AutoBild.
Note that these articles are in German, and if you do not understand German, try babelfish.altavista.com for translation. Simply copy the URL and enter it into the "Translate a web page" field.
307 Specifications page updated with new braking performance stats and cabin dimensions.
05SEP02 - My Car page updated with more comments comparing 307 with 306 and 206. 307 Specifications page updated with DW10TD (2.0 HDi 90HP) and EW10J4 (2.0 16V) power/torque curves. Links page updated with more Peugeot clubs.
Ever wondered why Peugeot drivers prefer something over a boring old Corolla?
Click here
Image copyright Motor Magazine.
04AUG02 - The Peugeot 307 Website passes 1000 hits.
26AUG02 - 307 Problems, Links and 307 Reviews page updated.
23AUG02 - 307 Problems, 307 Technology, About the 307, Specifications, My Car, Multimedia, Contact pages all updated with more information and images. There has been a significant update of content on the specifications page.
AU Specification Change Due?
Australian 307s will be fitted from November 2002 production with cruise control. A price increase is expected.
21AUG02 - Specifications page updated with Australian fuel consumption data. Technology page updated with more technical data on AL4 programming.
20AUG02 - My Car updated, and 307 Problems page updated with new suggested improvements page.
Sales Figures - Peugeot Automobiles Australia:
As of 31st July 2002, Peugeot has sold 3834 cars (+ 79.8% over 2001), including 1643 307s (42.9% of total sales).
Peugeot has acheived amongst the highest growth of any car manufacturer in Australia, having already beat last years record sales in half a year. There is certainly greater potential for more sales with cars such as the 307 and 206 GTi limited in supply.
I was told earlier by a dealer, "If we had 100 307s a month, we'd sell 70 of them". They're supplied with around a quarter of that figure at the moment.
19AUG02 - 307 Specifications page updated with AL4 gear ratios and TU5JP4 power/torque curve. 307 Technology page updated with new suspension section.
17AUG02 - 307 Problems and News page created.
16AUG02 - The Peugeot 307 Website launched on Aussiefrogs.
03JUL02 - The Peugeot 307 Website idea first conceived.
