RE: Peugeot 205 GTI: PH Used Buying Guide

[aaron_2000]

Mine is on UniRoyal's, not a tyre I would choose but they're a surprisingly good set. Good grip, great feel and they're not bad in the wet. I did have an "Oh st!" moment in it the other day when someone coming the other way in a 20 zone veered into my lane. I'd be fearful in the Focus, but at least I'd have the rest in my mind knowing I'd survive a 20mph (40 closing) crash in the Focus without any real injuries, but I was absolutely aware that I was in a car made of the same metal they use on Galaxy Caramels. I have a real thing for the history on a car, I just can't imagine what a life mine has lived. I still can't get over that lovely classic car smell it has either.

[PistonBroker]

John-skoe0 said:

My 1st hot hatch was the 205 XS (couldn’t afford the GTi insurance) The 1.4 twin choke engine was a lot of fun and beat my mates XR2

Agreed. My first car was a 205 Roland Garros - an XS in drag, effectively. I set out to get an XS, having finally decided a Nova SR wasn't for me as they'd all been thrashed and/or were rotting away. Alas, XSs all turned out to be in sorry states back then in the early noughties too. Thankfully, I managed to stumble upon a Roland Garros in lovely nick.

It still caused me bother, mind. Both driveshafts, brake lines - lucky I'd parked it in gear outside the pub that night! - and then, near the end of its time with me, it developed a hot-starting problem.

Alas, that resulted in me shelving plans to replace it with a 1.6 GTi and I opted for the 'reliability' of a Mk2 Golf GTI instead. Which failed its MOT on welding 6 months later!

A Miami Blue 1.9 is still a scratch I'd love to have itched.

[johnnyBv8]

The 205 GTI is such a great car - I had a few 1.6 GTIs when I was at uni because I couldnt then afford the insurance on a 1.9, but eventually bought at 1.9 GTI approx 15 years later. I was looking for a steel grey one but got impatient and bought a 1989/F in graphite grey. I then found an original 1991/H car, which I've had for the past 4 years or so. I'm probably going to sell it soon, but purely because I hardly ever find time to use it. It's not quick compared to my other cars, but is great fun to drive and it always gets positive comments.

[IanMalks]

With regards to the cracking mentioned above - its fair to mention it but its not a fault or problem, more of a feature of the car. Every single 205 GTI will have this if driven at more than Granny pace. The lightweight agility of the car allows the framework to flex a touch in hard cornering, which causes the hairline cracks, but also is what makes it a fantastic car to drive. Even if you have the car repainted, it will appear again.