La 604 en Suède

Hej! 

As we say in Sweden, meaning “bonjour”. Here comes some information in English so that enthusiasts all over the world can read about the 604 in Sweden.

1028 new 604’s have been sold in Sweden between 1975 and 1982. The record selling year was 1976 with 316 new models sold of the 604 SLV6. Of those 1028, once new, Peugeot 604’s not even 10% are still in the register and only 6 are roadworthy. 

So the probability to cross a 604 in today’s traffic is nihil. Rust has eaten up many of them because Swedish roads are heavily salted during the long winters. The probability of finding a non-rusty 604 is even lower than crossing a 604 in today’s traffic.

Besides the rust, there hangs a very negative aura around the PRV engine that everybody seems to avoid like the plague. As known, Volvo introduced the PRV in its 264. And go on any forum or chat or FB page and start talking about the Volvo 264 and you get immediately extremely negative comment: “The PRV is the most horrible motor ever made”, “The water jacket sealings are always faulty, with descending water jackets and water in your cylinders”, “the are always running warm” and more….

So it is a car that reveals emotions, but often not very positive. Of course the Swedes blame “French engineering” for the useless and unreliable motor.

Well, all that might be true to some extent, but I always counter with my own experience. I grew up with PRVs and we never ever encountered one of the named problems! In 1975 my father bought his first V6SL, Pierre de Lune with leather followed by a V6SL Automatique Vert Argenté in 1979, followed by a R25 V6 Injection in 1984 and finally a Safrane V6 RXE in 1990 that he sold in 2000. After a short period of PRV abstinence my father and I bought a 504 V6TI in 2003 and in 2008 I finally bought my own 604 GTI. Both cars are imported (from Belgium) and are still in my possession and registered in Sweden.

And today, 14 years later, I am totally trapped in the 604 world. I am a true 604 enthusiast. All I can read and find about it has my attention. I work a lot with my cars and do small and big maintenance and refurbish and restore where I can and I learn a lot doing it. Of course we use the cars for events and weekends with the club or just to cruise around and do errands. All of that I enjoy very much.

As stated earlier, few 604s are alive in Sweden unfortunately, but I want to be an ambassador and motivator to at least keep the 604 on the radar, and if possible, help increase the number of 604s on the road in this beautiful and big country.

Did you know that Sweden is almost 2000 km long? That is 4 full tanks of petrol for a trip in a 604 (V6).

Anyways, I will gradually add more what there is to know about this Grande Routiére in Sweden and you are more than welcome to contact me in case you wonder about something and you would like to add your 604 to the roadworthy ones in Sweden or any other business concerning the 604 in Sweden.

Bonne Route!