seriously thinking about an RCZ

[jeffreywt]

Just beginning to appreciate the fabulous looks of these cars,a real design icon.
The boss has told me to reduce the fleet (VW Passat,Porsche 944,Boxster) so am selling the 944 and thinking of replacing the Passat with an RCZ.
Not sure if it will be a 156 or the 200 .My driving is quite sedate now so the 156 would be adequate.
Will be looking through the forum with interest to pick up inf as never had a Peugeot before.
The TG episode where they describe how Peugeot set out to make 'orrible cars' always makes me laugh.
I am in Twyford in Berkshire and hardly ever see one of these,they obviously didn't sell a lot which kind of adds to the attraction.
Regards to all

 

[indoldn]

Welcome. Nice fleet you have!

I'm in Berkshire and not seen many either in the area. I did see 2 in one day a few weeks ago but I wasn't in mine.

I have a Magnetic THP200. Have not driven a 156 or an R so can't comment. Originally wanted an R but was put off by the cost of full replacement of front brakes. In saying that I still keep thinking may be one day I will get an R.

A lot of information in the forum, some people say 156 is more prone to issues and diesel being the most reliable.

 

[apple3337]

Just get an R. Thank me later

 

[DKZ5745]

Welcome to the forum

If you’re not too bothered about performance, the 156 is no slouch. The first RCZ I test drove many years ago was a 156 MKII. I was so impressed I went on to test a 200, which I admit blew me away. It was before the R came out, so it was at the time the fastest production car Peugeot had ever made.
If you are concerned about reliability, don’t forget when reading these pages that the majority of people on here came along because they had some sort of issue, so it appears at first that the RCZ is an unreliable car, but of course the vast majority of owners who have no issues at all have never visited our forum.
The MK1 was originally known to have had a few more problems than the MKII did. This was probably because a few parts were modified for the MKII that had been prone to failure.
The MKII went into production in 2013 until 2015. MK1 2010-2013.
If you choose a MK1, check that the timing chain & tensioner has been changed. Check for misfires or fault codes on any variants, along with bent jacking points or split sills.
“Common” issues include various sensors, thermostat, High Pressure Fuel Pump, Coil Packs, just have a read through the various pages here & you’ll see what people have mentioned.
I have had mine for 7 years now, and more or less the only issues I’ve had started in December last year when I had all the coil packs & plugs changed because of a misfire & limp mode, and then more recently the fuel rail & HPFP.
Back to being like new again now.
THE most important maintenance is keeping the oil level topped to the Max mark. The BMW THP Prince engine is known for using a little oil.

Happy hunting & don’t be afraid to ask anything, there’s no such thing as a stupid question of you don’t know the answer.
Don’t forget to keep us informed how you’re getting on, & post some photos once you find your perfect car

 

[jeffreywt]

Thanks for the nice welcome.
As for reliability,I think the electronics on all modern cars plus the dpf feature on diesels means they are all suspect compared to 'old school' cars like the 944.
Having said that I have had no problems with the Passat or the Boxster,maybe just lucky.
Am intrigued by the timing chain comments ,I thought the chains were good for 150K miles or 10 years.
Ca n you give more detail or where I can look for more inf.
Thanks

 

[jeffreywt]

Have now done some research on the 'chain 'issue.
It seems it's not the chain but the tensioner/s that is the problem.
It seems tensioners are cheap and not difficult to replace.
Will be a while yet before the Passat goes as have a huge amount of cutting down (trees and laurels) and the Passat estate is great for getting that stuff all down to the dump.
I can spend a couple of months getting to know the engine on these cars and how the prices vary over the the 6 years of production.
Have not totally ruled out an Audi TT but they are so common! Not so good on the looks comparison either.

 

[Verminator]

Hi there and welcome to the forum and happy hunting for your perfect RCZ great value for your money and the looks are so sexy WOW...
Stay safe and stay lucky
Les n Co

 

[Jomo]

Saw 3 RCZs in Hampshire one day last week and I was in mine - do I get a prize ?

 

[DKZ5745]

You need to go to one of the meets that are posted on this forum. You will be beside yourself seeing all those RCZ’s in convoy.

Btw there are 4 on my estate - sorry

 

[Jomo]

Rats !

 

[Verminator]

I will get rid of them
I've got to say this but I think l might be drinking to much as when I open my eyes I still have double vision and see two out side my house..

 

[DKZ5745]

RRCCZZ 🏎🏎

 

[Jomo]

Ok ok, point taken, will go away now ........

 

[jeffreywt]

I'm lost.Please keep it simple guys,I am an OAP my brain doesn't function that well now.
Been doing lots of reading up on the timing chains for these engines,not the best bit of engineering design in the world.
Those plastic guides look ridiculously fragile.
What are the tell tale signs that the chain /tensioners/guides need replacing ?
Thanks

 

[Verminator]

The tell tail sign is when you start you car up from cold and you hear a rattle then get quiet then this is when you need to be changing the timing chain and tensioners.. Hope this helps you out.. Unless you go for a Hdi..
Drive safe and stay lucky
Les n Co

 

[jeffreywt]

thanks Les

 

[George123]

I’ve had my rcz for a month now. I can honestly say without any hesitation or doubt that it is the best car I’ve owned so far. I opted for the hdi due to the mileage I do.
what do I mean by best car I’ve owned? Well it’s not going to win a drag race, but it’s so balanced and planted it makes you feel like a hero when driving in anger! It’s no slouch and you can really put speed into and out of corners. I can’t wait to put some proper tyres on it and throw it around Brands Hatch.
The other day I had a (socially distanced) meet with some old friends and we’re chatting about cars and what each of us had now and why. When I told them I was now driving a Peugeot there was a grim silence followed by a swift change of subject. That all changed at the end of the evening when we walked off to the car park. It’s a very pretty looking thing, and more so when parked up by a row of Bavarian metal.
it’s just a shame people have such brand snobbery.

 

[jeffreywt]

Interesting comments George.
I have chosen this car purely on its looks and am not expecting much in the way of quality.
On the other hand I am probably swayed by the Clarkson view that French cars fall apart as you drive them.
Given that Clarkson comes out with a lot of BS I probably ought to know better.
Out of my 3 German chariots the Porsche build quality does stand out but the VW is average at best so yes difficult to understand the snobbery
associated with all German metal.
Good luck with the Brands track day.

 

[George123]

Interesting comments George.
I have chosen this car purely on its looks and am not expecting much in the way of quality.
On the other hand I am probably swayed by the Clarkson view that French cars fall apart as you drive them.
Given that Clarkson comes out with a lot of BS I probably ought to know better.
Out of my 3 German chariots the Porsche build quality does stand out but the VW is average at best so yes difficult to understand the snobbery
associated with all German metal.
Good luck with the Brands track day.

I think out of all of the cars I’ve owned, my old BMW E36 328i sport had the best build. It really was built like a tank and didn’t have much of the electronic witchcraft we are now sadly accustomed to, making it pretty much bomb proof.
My Z has already done 120k, needed a new battery, spoiler and wing mirror (the price reflected this). All sorted and happy to report feels great to drive with no squeaks or rattles. The seats are also in really good shape, I always found that post 80-90k German leather starts to wear especially around the bolsters, so in terms of build quality I think (so far) these little things are pretty well thrown together. I guess being made in Austria by Magna Steyr should give you some degree of confidence.
Best of luck with your search.

 

[DKZ5745]

The thing is, the RCZ was actually made in Austria, and has a German BMW Prince engine, so, French ......?