205 GTi, 1.6 LE
Discussion
As I sit at work during this odd spot in the calendar between Christmas and the New Year where nobody really seems to know quite what day it is or what they should even be doing I thought I’d start a thread about my 205, to log any car based activities 205 and I enjoy before the death bell tolls for our beloved internal combustion engine.
The background to my 205 can be read in this ‘Carpool’ article I partook in a couple of years ago https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-carpool/peugeo...
2 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
It’s hard to believe that little 205 and I are just a couple of weeks away from our seventh anniversary together. It’s had quite a transformation in that time both mechanically and cosmetically which includes a clutch, rear beam, refurbished steering rack, cambelt, complete respray, retrimmed seats, a recent MOT flagged up a few bits which included a wheel bearing being done. It’s taken me from my mid-twenties, two house moves and now into my mid-thirties. We’ve ventured across France a couple of times and made many more trips nationally. It's now fast approaching the big 1-2-0 thousand miles and each one seems to get more and more enjoyable. It's amazing how much fun you can have with just 115 brake horse power.
9 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
I love my 205, I’m unashamed of that. I think, possibly like many of us here, my adoration of my car is not totally shared by the additional significant other in my life, my fiancée. To say she is not totally enamoured with it would be an understatement (they got off on the wrong foot when the coolant hose developed a significant leak at a country pub on one of their first meets) but, to her credit, will indulge me at times and join us on trips to places like Goodwood and Bicester Heritage. Is it a coincidence there's a shopping park at Bicester? We plan on travelling to the latter a week Sunday and also hope to visit Caffeine and Machine the day before, so if anyone has any good recommendations for a B n B or hotel in the area please let me know. This is all reliant upon our kitten recovering successfully from being neutered next week though.
3 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
I also have another of what I’d class as a ‘modern classic’ in the form of a 986 Boxster S which will probably pop up from time to time, we used this last year to do 2,000 km to the South of France and back and I’ve driven it down to Spain before too. The two vehicles, as second and third cars, compliment each other quite nicely. I also enjoy the similar comments both receive, “not a 1.9 though...” and “couldn’t you handle a 911?” I cycle a fair bit too.
8 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
And here are some more gratuitous photos of the car that this thread is about;
4 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
1 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
5 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
7 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
6 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
We went down to check out our wedding venue in the Dordogne and as soon as I started seeing their winding country lanes I immediately missed the thrum of my 4 cylinder petrol engine, fortunately though every other person there owns an old beaten up 205 so I would get my fix of the simple yet elegant lines of a 205 around every corner.
10 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
And here is a photo of the aforementioned other feline in our life, completely non car related;
11 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
I'll keep this thread updated with bits that happen to the car and any interesting places it takes us.
The background to my 205 can be read in this ‘Carpool’ article I partook in a couple of years ago https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-carpool/peugeo...
2 by Andrew Hodges, on FlickrIt’s hard to believe that little 205 and I are just a couple of weeks away from our seventh anniversary together. It’s had quite a transformation in that time both mechanically and cosmetically which includes a clutch, rear beam, refurbished steering rack, cambelt, complete respray, retrimmed seats, a recent MOT flagged up a few bits which included a wheel bearing being done. It’s taken me from my mid-twenties, two house moves and now into my mid-thirties. We’ve ventured across France a couple of times and made many more trips nationally. It's now fast approaching the big 1-2-0 thousand miles and each one seems to get more and more enjoyable. It's amazing how much fun you can have with just 115 brake horse power.
9 by Andrew Hodges, on FlickrI love my 205, I’m unashamed of that. I think, possibly like many of us here, my adoration of my car is not totally shared by the additional significant other in my life, my fiancée. To say she is not totally enamoured with it would be an understatement (they got off on the wrong foot when the coolant hose developed a significant leak at a country pub on one of their first meets) but, to her credit, will indulge me at times and join us on trips to places like Goodwood and Bicester Heritage. Is it a coincidence there's a shopping park at Bicester? We plan on travelling to the latter a week Sunday and also hope to visit Caffeine and Machine the day before, so if anyone has any good recommendations for a B n B or hotel in the area please let me know. This is all reliant upon our kitten recovering successfully from being neutered next week though.
3 by Andrew Hodges, on FlickrI also have another of what I’d class as a ‘modern classic’ in the form of a 986 Boxster S which will probably pop up from time to time, we used this last year to do 2,000 km to the South of France and back and I’ve driven it down to Spain before too. The two vehicles, as second and third cars, compliment each other quite nicely. I also enjoy the similar comments both receive, “not a 1.9 though...” and “couldn’t you handle a 911?” I cycle a fair bit too.
8 by Andrew Hodges, on FlickrAnd here are some more gratuitous photos of the car that this thread is about;
4 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr1 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr5 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr7 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr6 by Andrew Hodges, on FlickrWe went down to check out our wedding venue in the Dordogne and as soon as I started seeing their winding country lanes I immediately missed the thrum of my 4 cylinder petrol engine, fortunately though every other person there owns an old beaten up 205 so I would get my fix of the simple yet elegant lines of a 205 around every corner.
10 by Andrew Hodges, on FlickrAnd here is a photo of the aforementioned other feline in our life, completely non car related;
11 by Andrew Hodges, on FlickrI'll keep this thread updated with bits that happen to the car and any interesting places it takes us.
Clean 205 you have there! Bookmarked.
I hope to one day find my Sorrento Green G-plate 1.6 again, its SORN'd somewhere, but then on the other hand probably a good thing if I don't, with 6 on my fleet just now the wife would definitely make me sell something!
EDIT; just had a read at your carpool thread and can definitley see yours is Sorrento. I am even more jealous now
I hope to one day find my Sorrento Green G-plate 1.6 again, its SORN'd somewhere, but then on the other hand probably a good thing if I don't, with 6 on my fleet just now the wife would definitely make me sell something!
EDIT; just had a read at your carpool thread and can definitley see yours is Sorrento. I am even more jealous now
Edited by rickygolf83 on Friday 27th December 17:16
Thanks for the kind comments chaps.
If you're thinking of getting one, I just would. I'm possibly slightly biased though!
I know what you mean about too many cars, I think I got up to 5 at one point, maybe two years ago. Had a 38k 106 GTi and a 306 GTi too. Bearing in mind that I cycle to work, they just weren't being driven. I doubt I'll ever find a 106 as good as that one again but it just didn't make me smile as much as the 205. I think I found the 306 a bit too competent and I never really gelled with it.
ETA, yeah, really is a colour that changes depending upon how the light hits it, best shown with these two I think;
Rear by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
IMG_0895 by Andrew Hodges, on Flickr
Being a Limited Edition it's got the leather seats, PAS, sunroof and electric windows too.
If you're thinking of getting one, I just would. I'm possibly slightly biased though!
I know what you mean about too many cars, I think I got up to 5 at one point, maybe two years ago. Had a 38k 106 GTi and a 306 GTi too. Bearing in mind that I cycle to work, they just weren't being driven. I doubt I'll ever find a 106 as good as that one again but it just didn't make me smile as much as the 205. I think I found the 306 a bit too competent and I never really gelled with it.
ETA, yeah, really is a colour that changes depending upon how the light hits it, best shown with these two I think;
Rear by Andrew Hodges, on FlickrIMG_0895 by Andrew Hodges, on FlickrBeing a Limited Edition it's got the leather seats, PAS, sunroof and electric windows too.
Edited by GrandAndrew on Friday 27th December 17:34
Not strictly 205 related but I started off the week in the Dordogne, where there’s plenty of old 205s, of which I didn’t manage to snap any photos, but the other car of choice still seems to be the Renault 4. They just look so very, well.... French!
Also spent a couple of days with a Kia C’eed which I really couldn’t gel with.
Also spent a couple of days with a Kia C’eed which I really couldn’t gel with.
Edited by GrandAndrew on Wednesday 19th February 21:02
Lovely 205.
In my 20's I had a 1.4 roland garros, a 1.6 gti and a 1.9 gti. I would love to own another one day. It sounds like you use yours quite a bit, how does it hold up in terms of reliability?
The main thing I am worried about is the lack of power, they felt more than powerful enough for me 10, 15 years ago but will I be dissapointed going back to one now?
In my 20's I had a 1.4 roland garros, a 1.6 gti and a 1.9 gti. I would love to own another one day. It sounds like you use yours quite a bit, how does it hold up in terms of reliability?
The main thing I am worried about is the lack of power, they felt more than powerful enough for me 10, 15 years ago but will I be dissapointed going back to one now?
mnaylor said:
Lovely 205.
In my 20's I had a 1.4 roland garros, a 1.6 gti and a 1.9 gti. I would love to own another one day. It sounds like you use yours quite a bit, how does it hold up in terms of reliability?
The main thing I am worried about is the lack of power, they felt more than powerful enough for me 10, 15 years ago but will I be dissapointed going back to one now?
When I bought mine I had a 190bhp vRS Skoda Fabia and the little 1.6 GTi made the Skoda feel pedestrian.In my 20's I had a 1.4 roland garros, a 1.6 gti and a 1.9 gti. I would love to own another one day. It sounds like you use yours quite a bit, how does it hold up in terms of reliability?
The main thing I am worried about is the lack of power, they felt more than powerful enough for me 10, 15 years ago but will I be dissapointed going back to one now?
Love the Roland Garros editions, I’ve even dreamt that I owned a convertible in Spain, an odd use of a dream, I know!
I’ve only ever been let down once by it, with a coolant hose springing a leak, which was just down to age of the rubber, probably the original one on the car. It gets used more in the Spring & Summer. I went to the Classic Car Show today and really wished I had my 205 to drive home in after, although I’m sure I would have soon got fed up with changing gear through the stop start London traffic and then the constant drone on the motorway back.
I don’t think you really focus on the power, it’s more the way the car handles on winding roads. The notion is a bit of a cliche in these parts but you can really enjoy most of the power without ever really breaking the law. I’ve got very little desire to travel much above 70 in it either, on the right roads you’re grinning ear from ear at around 45, or at least I am.
There were a couple of red 1.9s at the car show today, one that had done 74k and had an estimate of £11-13,000. Compared to a very, very rusty (pretty much just buying a V5) 1968 Mini Cooper at £8-10,000 I think they still offer pretty decent value for money.
This isn’t actually the one being auctioned, it’s the other one which was upstairs, there were too many people around the cars being auctioned to take a photo.
To give you an idea of the mini, apologies for the quality, had to screen shot it from my Insta story! I’m happy for anyone that knows more about Minis to tell me why this one was priced so!
I’ve only ever been let down once by it, with a coolant hose springing a leak, which was just down to age of the rubber, probably the original one on the car. It gets used more in the Spring & Summer. I went to the Classic Car Show today and really wished I had my 205 to drive home in after, although I’m sure I would have soon got fed up with changing gear through the stop start London traffic and then the constant drone on the motorway back.
I don’t think you really focus on the power, it’s more the way the car handles on winding roads. The notion is a bit of a cliche in these parts but you can really enjoy most of the power without ever really breaking the law. I’ve got very little desire to travel much above 70 in it either, on the right roads you’re grinning ear from ear at around 45, or at least I am.
There were a couple of red 1.9s at the car show today, one that had done 74k and had an estimate of £11-13,000. Compared to a very, very rusty (pretty much just buying a V5) 1968 Mini Cooper at £8-10,000 I think they still offer pretty decent value for money.
This isn’t actually the one being auctioned, it’s the other one which was upstairs, there were too many people around the cars being auctioned to take a photo.
To give you an idea of the mini, apologies for the quality, had to screen shot it from my Insta story! I’m happy for anyone that knows more about Minis to tell me why this one was priced so!
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff