French driver to celebrate car’s million km with Peugeot factory staff

A driver in France whose Peugeot 307 estate car is about to hit one million kilometres on the clock is to celebrate the rare achievement with the workers who originally made his vehicle.

Fabrice Gommé, a father-of-four from Fournival (Oise, Hauts-de-France), bought his Peugeot second-hand in Compiègne in 2007. It had done just 6,000km at the time of purchase, meaning that Mr Gommé has himself added 991,300km to the clock in the past 15 years.

At the time of writing, it had 997,300km on the clock. This is equivalent to driving 25 times around the Earth and 2.6 times the distance from the Earth to the Moon.

To mark the car’s millionth kilometre, Mr Gommé is set to take a 650km journey to the factory in Sochaux (Doubs), in May, to celebrate with the workers.

Before arriving in Sochaux, he also plans to go to Trémery (Moselle), where the engine was created. His trip will conclude with an evening organised at the Musée de l’aventure Peugeot, with Peugeot workers and his family and friends.

Mr Gommé is aiming to hit the million mark “outside the gates of the Peugeot factory” he said. “My ambition is above all to thank the workers that took part in its creation. I want to shake their hand and say thank you.”

The driver’s family and friends have set up an association called “ Un million de km en 307 (One million km in a 307)” and are now looking for sponsorship via online crowdfund to help support the journey and celebration.

“We need to pay for fuel, motorway, accommodation, and food,” said Mr Gommé. Any money raised that is leftover will go to a charitable association, he said.

He added: “If Peugeot wants to keep the car to understand how it has covered so many kilometres, then I’ll let them have it. Otherwise, we’ll drive back with it.”

Now in his 50s, Mr Gommé says the car “works just as well” 15 years later, despite its huge kilometrage.

And while, in two years, the car’s age will mean it can no longer enter central Paris due to pollution restrictions set to come into force, Mr Gommé said he will “continue to drive it as long as I can”.

‘Not an impulse buy’

The father-of-four said he bought the 307 model very intentionally, as it had three rows of seats and would also be practical for his considerable work journeys.

He said: “It wasn’t an impulse buy; I knew exactly what kind of car I wanted to get.”

As part of his work in the packaging and cardboard industry, Mr Gommé said: “I do about 1,500 to 2,000km per week. In five years alone, I put about 400,000km on the clock.”

The secret to the car’s longevity?

Mr Gommé denies that he has “done anything extraordinary” to keep the car running in such good shape.

He said: “It has always been kept outside, and has never been kept in a garage. I don’t wash it that often…but as it’s the same person [me] who has had it since I got it, I know it like the back of my hand.”

The car still has its original engine and turbo, and Mr Gommé said he only changed the alternator and gearbox at 600,000 km.

In 15 years, the car has had 46 services and 12 technical inspections.

Mr Gommé said: "The last one was a fortnight ago. Everything went well and we're back for another two years!”

The driver also said he had been very lucky. He said: “I have never had an accident. I have always changed the bulbs, the brake pads, and the tyres before the recommended date.”

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