Peugeot 309 GTI | Spotted
Traditionally lost in the 205's shadow - now a bonafide hot hatch classic in its own right
In 2012, you could buy a seemingly decent 309 GTI for £1,750. I should know, I wrote about one, and really wanted to buy one. Probably for the best I didn’t - £1,700 went on a 306 Rallye instead, which ended up in a hedge. And eventually, back on the road, it should be added, albeit thanks to somebody else’s handiwork. If only we’d known then what these cars would end up being worth, they’d all have been driven a little more carefully.
That being said, the writing was very much on the wall for some of these old favourites. They were never going to get cheaper than Shed money, because any car that moves is worth a few hundred quid. They weren’t getting any younger, numbers were dwindling, and it was clear even 10 years ago (or it seems that way now) that cars like the 309 and 306 weren’t to return. The rather uninspiring 208 GTI of 2012 was proof of that. Those cars had to become more prized, to rise from their undeservedly low ebb - they were too good not to. Just nobody predicted quite how far.
The 205 GTI love-in surely has much to do with the 309’s rise to prominence. Ugly sibling it may have been in period, but the 309 shared more than enough of the smaller car’s good stuff to eventually bask in the same glory. Those priced out of the daintier GTI sought out cheaper alternatives, a spot the 309 occupied perfectly: it still drove brilliantly (better than the 205, according to some), but maintained a lower price for a good while on account of the image. We’ve seen it in a few places, with other E30 BMWs becoming desirable as M3s have soared and later 911s being coveted as early ones are unobtainable.
Once the 208 GTI 30th Anniversary came along in 2014, however, the game was up. It celebrated the 205’s legendary heritage, which reminded everybody what a wonderful hot hatch it was, and awakened a few to the 309’s significance as well. By 2016 a great 309 (half the mileage of the 2012 car) was commanding £10k, and in 2019 that was £15,000. Having also seen the delivery mileage example we now have this: a very smart, Cherry Red five door, with 80,000 miles, for £17,995. If more than a little while back, it does feel like the inexorable climb in value may have slowed.
This 309 looks fantastic, too, which would surely do a lot of the persuading when it came to handing over the cash. It’s one of those hatches that arguably works better with five doors rather than three, and a recent glass-out respray has the red looking better than it probably did even in the late '80s. The interior has survived well, those brilliant Speedline wheels are flawless - even the engine bay is really clean. Perhaps real sticklers might want a less obvious exhaust, but this must be one of the best remaining 309s.
Moreover, with a recent MOT and ‘recommissioning service’ in March, plus a cambelt in 2021, the GTI should be fit for many more years of enjoyment yet. There’s no reason for this car to be a garage queen; it’s ultimately a light and simple hot hatch, with the knowledge and enthusiasm in the community after so many years of enjoying both 205 and 309. When stuff does go wrong, it should be fixable. And if the price remains a sticking point, take some solace in knowing there are 205s out there for more money. Some things never change…
SPECIFICATION | PEUGEOT 309 GTI
Engine:1,905cc, four-cylinder
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 132@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 119@4,750rpm
MPG: 28
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1989
Recorded mileage: 81,000
Price then: £9,599
Yours for: £17,995
The comment from Matt about the 208 GTI is a bit harsh though. A friend had one and it seemed pretty good.
I P/Ex'd it for a Golf GTI cabriolet in 1995....and got just...£2,500 for the Peugeot. If only i could go back in time?..
By all accounts (even back then) the 309 never seemed as good as the 205 and values were always lower...unless you had the green Goodwood limited edition model.
Both fantastic cars (although id think twice about it crash protection now!). I had mine whilst working in Aberdeen back in 1992/3...and its handling and performance, on roads up there, still brings back fond memories!
Awful build quality and seats that’s fell apart after the first 3 months, and which had their bases replaced by Peugeot with a solid slab of very hard foam.
Then drove a mates 1.9 GTi, totally different thing altogether, although he did take a running from his mates as he worked in a Ford main dealers..
The thing that was disappointing about them was the dashboard, I always had the impression they were made from the plastic ‘flashings’ from old Airfix kits.
A bunch of half cut motor traders never got any ‘dates’ - lol. But at least we had fun in what I was pretty sure we’re always going to be cool cars. Good times.
309 - a proper hoot, in my view only really bettered by the 306 Rallye… this one looks pretty good value tbh…
Every now and then a ‘premium’ performance vehicle would make itself out on the early evening lash, Porsche, Period M car, Benz, but these little GTi products never felt very much ‘out’ gunned on regular roads…
What was that advert? ‘GTi - 6, the slowest car in its class’
Still looks good after all this time.
That they were relatively cheaper secondhand clinched it, since few others understood.
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