RE: Peugeot 309 GTI | Spotted

[Petrolism]

Bearing in mind it’s the equivalent of a mint low mileage 205 GTI with a boot lid, it’s not over priced at all. The same dealer had a mint Sorrento green 205 GTI 1.9 earlier this year for about double this - and it seems to have sold....

If pukka mint low mileage 205’s are worth £30k +, why shouldn’t a 309 GTI be worth good money?

Bet the 309 feels a LOT like a 205 to drive. And the 309 is probably a lot better. It even apparently handled better than it’s shorter sibling, according to road tests back in the day!

[thiscocks]

Drive Blind said:

perhaps the years have clouded my memory but,

was the 1.9 GTi engine - in the 309 and the 205 - with the cat not considered the one to avoid? The non cat engine was stronger and sweeter ?

The cat 1.9 had lower compression ratio, different management and produced around 120bhp as opposed to 130 for the non cat. Id imagine the non cat is a bit better to drive because of that but guess it would be minimal.

[nunpuncher]

Drive Blind said:

perhaps the years have clouded my memory but,

was the 1.9 GTi engine - in the 309 and the 205 - with the cat not considered the one to avoid? The non cat engine was stronger and sweeter ?

Correct. I think the 1.6 205 GTi engine made more power than the 1.9 with cat.

[Quadcamboy]

Loved mine. Bought for about 350 quid and sold for about the same 18 months later. Only sold it when I found a good 164 twin spark. Second child came with a lot more "accessories"

Edited by Quadcamboy on Tuesday 30th July 14:50

[BricktopST205]

That is an absolutely crazy price. Take a ferry over to France/Belgium for the day and get a 16V 309 Gti for half as much!

https://www.autoscout24.com/lst/peugeot/309?sort=p...

Plenty available here.

[AMGSee55]

BricktopST205 said:

That is an absolutely crazy price. Take a ferry over to France/Belgium for the day and get a 16V 309 Gti for half as much!

https://www.autoscout24.com/lst/peugeot/309?sort=p...

Plenty available here.

The ones on AutoScout that are half price all have 90-120K miles, so that's hardly a like for like comparison. Plus the vendor of this one does at least seem to have done something for their mark up by way of mechanical refurbishment.

I agree it's strong money, but it also appears to be a very nicely sorted car - aircon is a nice bonus and from experience you should get used to the LHD in a matter of days.

[Petrolism]

AMGSee55 said:

BricktopST205 said:

That is an absolutely crazy price. Take a ferry over to France/Belgium for the day and get a 16V 309 Gti for half as much!

https://www.autoscout24.com/lst/peugeot/309?sort=p...

Plenty available here.

The ones on AutoScout that are half price all have 90-120K miles, so that's hardly a like for like comparison. Plus the vendor of this one does at least seem to have done something for their mark up by way of mechanical refurbishment.

I agree it's strong money, but it also appears to be a very nicely sorted car - aircon is a nice bonus and from experience, you should get used to the LHD in a matter of days.

Seems to always be the same, anywhere really. When people find a fun car turned modern classic unaffordable for what used to be chump change any more, they then try to reason it's over-priced. What enthusiasts of a particular model don't realise, is that if such cars didn't rise in value due to rarity, nostalgia, etc. then such cars simply wouldn't be worth keeping well / restoring, in order to feed the market.

I'd be willing to bet this is probably the best condition example in the EU (If we can still count England as being part of the EU, that is...), as I've seen enough fresh Japanese Imports to know the difference between a car like this, and a typically crusty, rusty, banged up & tired U.K. car that's probably had the bejeezus wrung out of it for a couple of decades, by comparison, complete with the scars of many an MOT failure, as most 309's would have been, by now. To compare chalk against cheese and surmise that they're both worth the same, isn't really the work of logical minds, is it... LOL.

[Petrolism]

AS FOR LHD, it's been a status symbol in Japan, since after WW2, when the Japanese didn't make any good cars and had to import quality from Germany, Italy and (to a lesser extent) France. UK supplied RHD's and the U.S. supplied Cadillacs.
Nowadays, most Exotica are LHD in Japan, as not least there's next to no legal overtaking on the opposite side of the roads, there.

I drive a LHD E30 M3 from Japan (E30 M3's were all LHD!) and it doesn't bother me at all, TBH. I'd far rather have a LHD rust free Japanese Import than a RHD crusty - rusty U.K. car any day...

[Petrolism]

https://www.autoscout24.com/offers/peugeot-309-gti...

Nearly the same price as this black one, for double the mileage in France, albeit a 16V (conversion?).

.....Wouldn't be surprised to see this Japanese import go out of the U.K. then.

[Leins]

Petrolism said:

Seems to always be the same, anywhere really. When people find a fun car turned modern classic unaffordable for what used to be chump change any more, they then try to reason it's over-priced. What enthusiasts of a particular model don't realise, is that if such cars didn't rise in value due to rarity, nostalgia, etc. then such cars simply wouldn't be worth keeping well / restoring, in order to feed the market

Seeing as most 309 GTis are the best part of three decades old, is this really the case?

I can't see anyone having preserved any of these and kept the mileage low through the 1990s and 2000s in the hope of a big payday. Therefore I can only see this happening for some reason other than the hope of a rising market e.g. lack of use or a sentimental owner

Petrolism said:

https://www.autoscout24.com/offers/peugeot-309-gti...

Nearly the same price as this black one, for double the mileage in France, albeit a 16V (conversion?).

.....Wouldn't be surprised to see this Japanese import go out of the U.K. then.

Any reason for thinking it's a conversion? Looks legit to me

Edited by Leins on Tuesday 30th July 15:46

[Dblue]

Petrolism said:

Bearing in mind it’s the equivalent of a mint low mileage 205 GTI with a boot lid, it’s not over priced at all. The same dealer had a mint Sorrento green 205 GTI 1.9 earlier this year for about double this - and it seems to have sold....

If pukka mint low mileage 205’s are worth £30k +, why shouldn’t a 309 GTI be worth good money?

Bet the 309 feels a LOT like a 205 to drive. And the 309 is probably a lot better. It even apparently handled better than it’s shorter sibling, according to road tests back in the day!

Because its a 309 and not a 205 its JDM so not properly rust proofed, likely has km/h dials and may even be restricted to 112kph , like many JDM cars of the era.
Its a personal thing but the 205 is a perfectly proportioned and beautiful thing - the 309 is not.

[Meltham Terrier]

the Goodwood version was even nicer with Grey Leather, Green Met paint and limited numbers.

this would be the one for me in a 3 door body shell.

[Classicpugs]

I've got a 309 Gti all original from new.
1 owner and my one is a right hooker.
My mother bought it new in 1987 to drive 10 miles a day to work and back.
I think it was about £10k then.

[bobster69]

If it was the low mileage Red 5 door.... It sold at auction for £14,520.

[Honeywell]

I had one - G Reg. Also had XR2i's and a 205 around the same era and ended up swapping the 309GTi for a Nissan 200SX.

I loved the 309. I could thrash that thing and place it within a millimetre of where I wanted it. Whilst I spun and rolled the 205 (v nearly killed myself age 19) the 309 was a peach. The only car I have since owned which is the better drivers car is the GT86 which shares much of the factors which made the 309 so good.

I am now mid 40's and I can understand why some cars reach a certain age and then rocket in value. I wouldn't buy a left hooker for this money but I probably could justify reliving my youth on a tidy 309GTi around £10k. Its a nostalgia relationship thing.

I've got a barn. I think I might fill it with Fiesta ST's....


WWW

[s m]

Bought a 3-dr Phase 1 in Graphite Grey when all my friends got into 1.9 205s
One of them had a 309 Gti as a loan car whilst his 205 was in for warranty work
I had wanted a 1.9 205 as well until I had a quick blast in the 309 - seemed to handle even more sweetly than the 205 to me ....plus they were doing great deals on the ugly sister



Was a great car - enjoyed it for about 3 years

[Classicpugs]

No it's in my garage, Winchester grey colour 3 door and on a sorn ..

[Super Josh]

rastapasta said:

Im fairly sure you could get these with A/C in Switzerland as a factory fitted option. Still jebus it looks absolutely mint

The one in the advert has AC (look at the receiver/dryer and hoses in the bottom left corner of the engine bay ) as did most 205/309s in Japan (although a lot were auto too)

Cheers,

Josh

[Arsecati]

The only people who say a 1.6 is better than a 1.9 are those who couldn't afford a 1.9.

(Yes, I have a 1.9!!!)

Edited by Arsecati on Tuesday 30th July 17:38

Edited by Arsecati on Tuesday 30th July 17:38

[The Vambo]

Meltham Terrier said:

the Goodwood version was even nicer with Grey Leather, Green Met paint and limited numbers.

this would be the one for me in a 3 door body shell.

And big wooden steering wheel that looks like something Jack Sparrow should be hanging off. I've always wondered what all the fuss is with a Goodwood, it looks terrible imho.

A 16 valver in Blu however...