Used Peugeot 607 review and buying guide (2000 to 2008): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Peugeot 607 should you buy?

Aim for a 607 built from 2003 onwards, because by then the hard driver's seat of the early cars had been completely cured (the electric seat motors left little room for padding). It's a single generation sold from 2000 to 2008, so beyond the year, the choice comes down to the engine and the condition of the car in front of you.

On the 2.0 HDi diesel, the job that decides it is the crankshaft pulley. On 8-valve 90 and 110 versions up to 2006, the rubber holding its two metal rings together breaks down with age, the outer ring wobbles or slips, and the auxiliary belt gets thrown or shredded. It's a known weak spot rather than a reason to rule the diesel out, so favour one with a receipt for a new pulley.

There's very little on record about the 607's other engines or its gearboxes, good or bad, and that silence isn't proof they're sound. Don't pay more for one on the assumption it's the safer pick; judge it on the electrics, the ride and the paperwork covered below.

Which Peugeot 607 engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The 8-valve 2.0 HDi diesel in 90 and 110 form is the one engine with a known weak spot, and it's the crankshaft damper pulley on cars up to 2006. Once the rubber between its metal rings lets go, the auxiliary belt can come off and the alternator stops charging, so treat a diesel still on its original pulley as a job waiting to be done.

Don't confuse this pulley with the cambelt. It sits on the nose of the crankshaft and drives the auxiliary belt, so a cambelt receipt on its own doesn't prove it's been changed. Ask for an invoice that names the crankshaft pulley, or have it replaced straight after you buy, and you've dealt with the one engine problem that's documented.

What should you check when viewing a used Peugeot 607?

Listen at idle with the bonnet up on any HDi: a hard knock or rattle from the crankshaft pulley is the warning sign, along with a squealing auxiliary belt that looks frayed or runs off-line. If the battery light comes on while you're driving, the alternator's stopped being driven and the pulley's the first suspect.

Work through the electrics, because the 607 has a list of niggles. Try every electric window, open and shut the driver's door to check it doesn't stick, and watch for a washer warning light or an airbag warning light that stays lit. An airbag light that won't go out needs diagnosing before you hand over any money.

Take it over rough roads. A small batch of UK right-hand-drive cars was built with heavy-duty suspension by mistake, so a harsh ride can point to one of those, and Peugeot originally put this right by fitting the correct parts. Ask for proof of recall work too: a 2002 recall covered 78 cars whose front right lower suspension arm could be out of spec and bend in an impact.

If a gong sounds from the dashboard on the drive, one owner found it meant the battery wasn't holding enough charge and needed replacing, so treat it as a sign a new battery's due. On a car built before 2003, spend a few minutes in the driver's seat, since the early ones are hard to sit on for long.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Peugeot 607 cost to run?