RE: Peugeot 208 GTI | PH Used Buying Guide

[Falsey]

MattsCar said:

These are tempting, more so now that the Clio RS (200 Naturally aspirated) has started to command high prices.

From what I can gather the Anniversary/ Peugeot Sport models are the ones to go for and are a genuine rival for the Clio RS cup in terms of driving experience, from reviews I have read, but command a hefty premium in comparison to the standard examples.

Is the premium worth it?

£6k seems about as little as you'll pay for a decent example, which seems like a lot of car for the money. The one linked in the PH article that is "chin strokingly cheap" is a CAT N repair.

I test drove the standard GTI and the PS GTI back to back and paid the extra. The LSD makes a huge difference, it attacks country lanes much much faster than you really think it should.

[Johnnytheboy]

I'm racking my brain and I can't say I've ever seen one on the road. Either:

• I'm very unobservant
• They are rare
• They aren't very distinctive looking
• Some or all of the above

[blearyeyedboy]

Maccmike8 said:

Yeah. Im not referring to luxury but quality of interior build. Truly terrible. It does mean they are often a bit lighter than competition though. Id happily hoon in one but would never own one. Or any Pug.

Maybe we're looking at different things; maybe I saw a particularly good Pug and a particularly bad Fiesta. But it was the Fiesta I saw that looked inside like everything was falling apart already.

No disrespect meant, just speaking as I found it in those particular cars.

[Jon_S_Rally]

MattsCar said:

These are tempting, more so now that the Clio RS (200 Naturally aspirated) has started to command high prices.

From what I can gather the Anniversary/ Peugeot Sport models are the ones to go for and are a genuine rival for the Clio RS cup in terms of driving experience, from reviews I have read, but command a hefty premium in comparison to the standard examples.

Is the premium worth it?

£6k seems about as little as you'll pay for a decent example, which seems like a lot of car for the money. The one linked in the PH article that is "chin strokingly cheap" is a CAT N repair.

I wouldn't write-off (ha!) the Cat N thing. My friend bought a Cat D (old equivalent of Cat N) Clio 197 a few years ago. Paid way below list for a sub-50k example and, after around five years, it's worth barely any less than he paid for it. He has now just bought a Cat S Fiesta ST-3. It's a 17-plate, had just under 9k on the clock, and he paid just over £7k for it. An equivalent un-categorised car would be over £12k and his has only had a new rear panel put in it. It drives and feels like a brand new car.

The stupid thing with the Fiesta is that it probably should have just been repaired and never put on the register. One insurance company had signed off on the repair, but then the liability moved to the other insurance company, and they said they wouldn't repair it. The funny thing with a lot of repaired cars is that it doesn't always mean a lot. Just because a car isn't categorised, it could still have been crashed and had some pretty major repair work done to it.

Anyway, bit of a side track but, if you're looking for something to keep for a while, you can get some real bargains with repaired cars.

Edited by Jon_S_Rally on Tuesday 25th May 12:12

[Clivey]

Do these suffer from timing chain tensioner failure like the DS3 Racing and R56 Mini JCW, or have PSA moved beyond that now?

[s m]

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:

How does a 197bhp hatch do 143mph?

Same way saloons of same weight and power did it 30 years ago?

[otolith]

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:

How does a 197bhp hatch do 143mph?

Same way a 2001 Civic Type-R did 146mph?

[s m]

otolith said:

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:

How does a 197bhp hatch do 143mph?

Same way a 2001 Civic Type-R did 146mph?

Yep my hot hatch was only 190bhp and manages over 143 so for 197 to do 143mph seems ok

[spreadsheet monkey]

Interesting that the first bullet point of this article says prices start from £4600, while today's "Spotted" car is a 1999 306 GTI-6 with 93k miles for £4500 (https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1934698).

At this price level I'd rather have a 208 with a few miles on it than a flaky old 306, but I know plenty of people who are nostalgic for the "peak years" of Peugeot hot hatches would take the 306! The interior looks great, particularly those front seats.

[otolith]

spreadsheet monkey said:

Interesting that the first bullet point of this article says prices start from £4600, while today's "Spotted" car is a 1999 306 GTI-6 with 93k miles for £4500 (https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1934698).

At this price level I'd rather have a 208 with a few miles on it than a flaky old 306, but I know plenty of people who are nostalgic for the "peak years" of Peugeot hot hatches would take the 306! The interior looks great, particularly those front seats.

208 does nothing for me. 306 would probably do nothing for me, except that I have fond memories of owning one back in the day, so it would get the nostalgia vote.

[IntriguedUser]

Johnnytheboy said:

I'm racking my brain and I can't say I've ever seen one on the road. Either:

• I'm very unobservant
• They are rare
• They aren't very distinctive looking
• Some or all of the above

Unless you know, they just look like a normal sport 208, only those that know, know. If that makes sense.

[spreadsheet monkey]

otolith said:

spreadsheet monkey said:

Interesting that the first bullet point of this article says prices start from £4600, while today's "Spotted" car is a 1999 306 GTI-6 with 93k miles for £4500 (https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1934698).

At this price level I'd rather have a 208 with a few miles on it than a flaky old 306, but I know plenty of people who are nostalgic for the "peak years" of Peugeot hot hatches would take the 306! The interior looks great, particularly those front seats.

208 does nothing for me. 306 would probably do nothing for me, except that I have fond memories of owning one back in the day, so it would get the nostalgia vote.

Of course. Nostalgia is everything in the classic (and modern classic) car world. 306 prices are heading upwards, while the 208 still has to go through the "unwanted banger" phase. A few people have commented "I wish I'd bought one of these when they were cheaper" on the 306 thread.

I just thought it was interesting that PH was running two articles on two very different Peugeot hot hatches at the same time, and the prices were so close.

[ldub]

Falsey said:

I test drove the standard GTI and the PS GTI back to back and paid the extra. The LSD makes a huge difference, it attacks country lanes much much faster than you really think it should.

How did you find the difference in ride comfort, especially low speeds in town etc?

[SupreSyndicate]

I miss my 208 GTI. I had mine from new via company car scheme, had to wait for ages due to the company policy that you needed to be 25 or 22 with advanced driving completed. Soon as I got it, I loved it. My friend had an ST and as much as I liked the ST, I preferred the interior of the 208. What I liked (and wish other carmakers do) is that it was mostly touchscreen except for the heating controls which was perfect. Had a 308 before and as much as I like the minimalistic look with the lack of buttons, it was a faff to do the heating on a touchscreen. Gutted when I was 4,000 miles in and a Polish lorry driver drove into my lane and wrote it off . Determined to get one again in the future, seeing my dad when he had his 206 GTI and the smile we had whenever we were in it and the smile I had when I had my GTi is something I want again.

[TeeGTI]

• Thread bump*

Any long term owners on here? Considering buying one as a run around for the summer/next 12 months. Values haven't changed much since this article was produced.

[CG2020UK]

TeeGTI said:

*Thread bump*

Any long term owners on here? Considering buying one as a run around for the summer/next 12 months. Values haven't changed much since this article was produced.

I’ve had 2 and love them.

Best bang for buck car on the road.

Try and get a facelifted car if you can. Hardcore driving and few track days then get the Peugeot Sport or 30th Anniversary cars. For ultimate daily driving get the Prestige model.

[Paulm4]

I've been considering one as well but the owners club seems to have new posts every day about a variety of issues, are they all just waiting to explode...

Yes, I'm aware that people only go on car groups to find help when their car breaks

[LamedonM]

Paulm4 said:

I've been considering one as well but the owners club seems to have new posts every day about a variety of issues, are they all just waiting to explode...

Yes, I'm aware that people only go on car groups to find help when their car breaks

I am on my second one 208 GTI BPS. Sold the first one to buy 718 Cayman S and kept BMW M6. Quickly regretted it. I bought another one, sold the Cayman S and M6 and bought a 718 GT4

The 208 is my daily car and I have put more than 14,000 miles since buying it 6 month ago, mileage at 57,000 miles. The exhaust has been modified on this one and truly makes it special. I love redlining it and taking B roads to work. Mpg depends on how you drive it, you could actually get 55mpg on motorway if you do speedometer 60mph

AC seems not to be working well and would be fixed this week, that is all. However it consumes front tyres like biscuits, I believe because of front tyre camber set up. It also needs regular 1L oil top up like every 5000 miles, it might be due to my driving style

It is a cracking car

[TeeGTI]

Cheers folk, much appreciated