RE: Shed of the Week: Peugeot 306 GTI-6

[Gandahar]

Forgotten how this car managed to keep the design, though lengthened, of the 205 from the side view



What's a 309GTI worth nowadays ?

[Jonny_gti]

PTF said:

Interesting fact. There are 4x more 205 GTIs left than there are 306 GTI-6s. It's much rarer with only 466 left on the road and 686 SORN'd:

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/peugeot_306_...

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/peugeot_205_...


I hope values do start to climb a bit. I've got an 83k mile one sitting in my garage that's an ongoing project to make it a really good drive in original spec. It was original to start with but needed a few jobs doing, namely a new clutch, throttle cable, gear linkages, brakes, wheel refurb, decent (correct size) tyres, etc, etc. Next will be OEM spec shocks, possibly a refurbished rear beam, tidy a few bits of bodywork. At that point it should be a really tidy example, but cost a fortune!!!

Funny I also sent this to a mate the other day that there are more 205 gti's on the road now than 206 gti180's crazy isn't it I really don't see many 205s on the road.

[Matt_N]

There's another one here for £1k too:

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[sgtBerbatov]

My first car was a 306 1.9 XLdt in green. A P reg car. I remember trying to get on to a motorway on every journey just to feel the sensation of the turbo kicking in as you sped up, pushing you back in to the seat.

I would say though that the wiring loom between the doors and the chassis are a common area of issues. My 306 had a broken loom on the drivers door which meant the central locking never worked. I'd have to get everyone out, manually lock every door, get out and lock the drivers door. But I could open all the doors with the remote. It also had a wicked immobiliser on there which needed a keypad.

Greatest regret was getting rid of it. I loved that car. But I wouldn't say it had the best handling in the world. It rolled like a tanker full of water.

[PoopahScoopah]

shalmaneser said:

But it did have a faster steering rack and stiffer rear antiroll bar; hence generally agreed to actually hand better.

IIRC isn't there a difference in the trailing arms between GTI-6 and Xsara too? Think the VTS had more toe in at the back.

[Blackpuddin]

Richard-390a0 said:

Hurrah finally an interesting shed after the recent few months of frankly average dross!

I know, damn those buggers refusing to sell their interesting cars!

[anonymous-user]

PTF said:

DrSteveBrule said:

A friend had the GTI-D (I think that's right) around 98/99 - that was great fun.

They did a DTurbo that had some of the GTI-6 body coloured bumpers and side skirts.

That's the one. Looked great.

[lewisf182]

Never driven nor known anybody who had one of these but i've always admired the looks of the 306. Especially the 306 convertible which to my eyes is one of the best soft tops ever?
Would love a go in one to see what the fuss is about! At that price might be worth it just as an over-summer car.

[lucido grigio]

Can I be the only one who doesn't like it ?.....

[WojaWabbit]

Vouloir!

[Cambs_Stuart]

Another shed I've owned!
I had one, back when I was young and irresponsible. it nearly bankrupted me. Rust in the sub frame and an appetite for clutches (As I recall the exhaust was routed round the clutch which made it overheat).
Great fun when it was going though.

[Zed Ed]

Great drive and my first and last company vehicle back in 97.

Looked terrific in white and mine had no '6' badges for some reason.

It threw a cambelt at low miles but other than that ( and the spare wheel going missing while it was being repaired ) was perfect.

Not sure it is still on the road but hopefully others had the pleasure of 'SHW after me.

[JohnGoodridge]

As a comparison this car's contemporary 911 and Ferrari v8 both made less power respectively than a current AMG 45, or an RS3. That's progress of a sort.

But I never felt short-changed. I did a lot of business miles in boggo 306 hire cars back in the day and the chassis was so good I'd always peel off the Motorway and find a good A or B road home.

So easy to exploit and enjoy at legal, and >+30mph above the speed limit.

Dale487 said:

SS2. said:

Happy memories - had two of those way back when.

Pretty bland performance figures by today's standards but great fun at the time.

I was thinking the same about the performance - you could hardly call it a hot hatch today, a 150PS 1.4 SEAT Leon would match it for pace. But on the right road you'll have so much more fun in the Peugeot.

Also name a better looking hatchback than the 306.

[HeMightBeBanned]

YES!

Just YES!

Best shed in ages.

[Reeves_and_Mortimer]

I seem to remember quite a clever marketing campaign at the time where they advertised it as the slowest car in it's class albeit pictured alongside a Porsche, an Aston and a Ferrari (I think) on account of the 6-Speed gearbox!

[johno333]

0-60 8.8! yer right.
So all the Scoobie turbos that I raced (in my car S750 AGP) must have been 'fully loaded' as well. These were fast then and they are fast now. Induction roar under the right weather conditions, rear wheel lifts, crazy cornering speeds. I drove mine like a loon.
Also fragile gear boxes, interior trim and cack seats.

Edited by johno333 on Friday 29th September 13:23

[biggles330d]

J4CKO said:

Drive Blind said:

I always loved the 3dr 306 shape. It's looks just so 'right'

Indeed, perfectly proportioned and nicely detailed, the convertible was a real looker as well, saw one yesterday and still looked great, very dainty compared to more modern stuff.

Remember a chap in the office getting a black "D Turbo" in about 1994 (was it that long ago, god its almost 25 years since the 306 arrived !) and how I coveted that car, it felt pretty rapid back then and looked so cool in black with little red badges.

A well regarded old school hot hatch that seems in good order for that money will seem like a steal in years to come, I think this and the Clio 172 were where the old school peaked and we started getting into bigger cars with loads of power, lost all semblance of lightness, I am not over keen on nostalgia but these handled really well and teamed with that engine had plenty of power, we are addled now with 300, 400 bhp and really you dont need it, take this over a country road at speed and it will be plenty fast enough.

Look how 205 GTi's have gone price wise, these were better to my mind, but they are in limbo, still a bit too new and nobody has cottoned on, no buzz trotting the prices up yet,these are the cars to spot and grab for those on a budget, not saying it will go silly but you wont lose, there arent many out there, certainly not decent ones, the Rallye has already started going up.

Yep, had a D Turbo in metallic blue in mid '90's. Bought from Brundells new Kings Lynn.
Sure it was a bit fragile in the build quality but the shape to this day remains just right - perfectly proportioned and detailed. It handled so fluidly and the ride comfort was great - proper french soft seats helped, not the solid wood benches most manufactures want to install these days. Just fun to punt around even if by today's standard the engine was a bit rough and I recall the gear change being a bit notchy.

Great shed.

[aaron_2000]

Gandahar said:

Forgotten how this car managed to keep the design, though lengthened, of the 205 from the side view



What's a 309GTI worth nowadays ?

Quite a lot. I missed out on a good one for £1K this time last year, recently sold for £5700 on eBay. I'd even say it looked better than the 205, some said it handled better too.

[nosuchuser]

aaron_2000 said:

I'd even say it looked better than the 205, some said it handled better too.

+1, I still miss mine. Should have kept it rather than letting it go for a paltry sum to be replaced by a Nissan Primera.. I blame being a new parent.

[chevronb37]

Mrs Chev has a 306 Rallye. I had it for several years and it passed to her when I got my first company car. It does feel a bit baggy these days (it is almost 20 years old...) but it's very fluid across country. I had a particularly memorable drive through the Yorkshire Dales several years ago. A group of motorcyclists were following me through Ingleton revving their engines and generally making a nuisance of themselves. By the time we were in the NSL zone on the B6255, I lost them in three corners without the car breaking sweat. From there, it just felt like it was floating - you have to get comfortable with it moving around on its suspension - it's not tied down like an EP3 Type-R. But it's a lovely, friendly companion on tricky roads. The engine is awesome too. It's still quite cammy in its delivery but there's a nice wall of torque from 3k rpm and you can just flirt between third and fourth along most country roads. It still feels quite muscular, though of course it's lacking that big 'thump' you get from a modern turbo diesel engine.

Here's ours: