RE: PH Heroes: Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9

[Luke167]

Reading this thread has bought such a smile to my face! I bought a White 1.9 GTI, F924 ETT as a present to myself for my 19th birthday! It cost me £150 a month to insure but did I care!? Did I hell!!! The best car I've ever driven and I only wish I had it now I know how to drive properly, 19 year olds think they can drive but the lift off oversteer caught me out once! Lesson learnt! Have had a 309 GTI since and a GTI-6, both great cars too but not a patch on the 205! PH Classifieds here I come! :-)

[Baz Tench]

joz8968 said:

300bhp/ton said:

Maybe I need to try one. Although I've driven a fair mix of cars and it would need to be sensational and a huge step up from anything else comparable to truly impress, which I doubt it would be. Had a couple of 106's though.

Thing is, 25 odd years on, we've all now been 'corrupted' by 'big' power. So, even if you did, you might well now be underwhelmed. You'd have to go in with your "80s hot hatch" head on....

Edited by joz8968 on Tuesday 29th March 15:09

Yes I was just thinking this myself, then I cast my mind back to how my mates 1.6GTi felt to drive (not that hard to do as it made a big impression on me). It just felt so 'right'.

I deeply regret never getting the chance back then to own one. I had a 309GTi which was a bit of a dog (turned out to be clocked and the headgasket was toast) but it was still good to drive.

The 205 always eluded me. I may have to finally have one one day...

[johnhenry]

quite fitting i got mine up and in order today this article should appear

i can agree totally with this write up, absolute hooligan, but then put it in 5th and its cruises pretty nicely on the motorway

• rose spectacles firmly on today*

give it a few days, something will brake and its back to normal lol

[Galaxy Bob]

sootyrumble said:

Your right about the mint green i think it was called Laser Green but it deffinitely wasn't Lhasa as that is a dark Veedub metallic from the Mk1 GTI's, they also did a Roland Garros which was effectively BRG with white leather interior which you may be confusing it with

Always liked the Roland Garros, but I don't think it was ever a GTI. It may have been a CTI, but I always fancied the dark green with white leather, but stopped short when I couldn't get it with the GTI spec. Wasn't the Roland Garros auto only too?

[joz8968]

My (mint) white one met its end a few years back soon after getting onto the M11 from Stansted. Motor let go (I had let it get low on oil) and bits of engine could be heard bouncing onto the motorway behind! Eeek!

AA got it to my flat in Leic, and I was so pee'd off it just sat for a while on the road. Finally rang a specialist, simply to take it off my hands for 1p lol (legal transaction). He opened the bonnet, and staring us in the face was a conrod resting unassumingly against the alternator!!! I'll never forget that lol.

Edited by joz8968 on Tuesday 29th March 15:43

[minipower]

Interesting article, especially as I've been looking at these as a possible track car.

They seem to have the performance but what is reliability like? I'd be looking at under a grand so not looking for something mint but wonder whether a Golf GTI or MX5 might be better for the price.

[belleair302]

I had three of these way back in 1998, 2000 and 2003. Amazing little cars, struggled in warm weather and slow traffic, but great to drive really hard. Build quality was so-so, but the torque steer was incredible and for such a light package the brakes etc were very good. Glad I never crashed one as they were not the safest of cars but oh how I now miss the two red 1.9's and a Green one. Steering if I remember was good on the go but hard work parking and the radio was dreadful.

E 529 DKX, G 910 UBM and a K plate that slips my mind.

[300bhp/ton]

joz8968 said:

300bhp/ton said:

Maybe I need to try one. Although I've driven a fair mix of cars and it would need to be sensational and a huge step up from anything else comparable to truly impress, which I doubt it would be. Had a couple of 106's though.

Thing is, 25 odd years on, we've all now been 'corrupted' by 'big' power. So, even if you did, you might well now be underwhelmed. You'd have to go in with your "80s hot hatch" head on....

Edited by joz8968 on Tuesday 29th March 15:09

Reckon I could appreciate it on it's own merits. I'm a big believer that power isn't always everything due to running a few classics and a 80hp Roadster.

[joz8968]

300bhp/ton said:

Reckon I could appreciate it on it's own merits. I'm a big believer that power isn't always everything due to running a few classics and a 80hp Roadster.

Agreed.

In that case, 'test drive' one (if you can find a dealer selling a decent one - maybe that enthusiast in the article?). I reckon you'll easily 'get' it...

[Tuscan Rat]

I was in my Nans loft last week and found amoungst other brochures an almost brand new Peugeot 205 GTI brochure from 1985. Also found the Ford one.

Back then it was either a Capri 2.8i or the 1.9 205 GTI !!!

( If my scanner would work I would scan it )

[Galaxy Bob]

Just been looking around at some good examples of this car and now might be the time to get one. There is one for sale in the classifieds for over £11k!!!
It seems like it could be an appreciating classic as decent ones with low miles don't seem to be available for less than £5k.
I paid less than that for mine in 1996 and sold it for £3.5k in 1998.

[300bhp/ton]

joz8968 said:

300bhp/ton said:

Reckon I could appreciate it on it's own merits. I'm a big believer that power isn't always everything due to running a few classics and a 80hp Roadster.

Agreed.

In that case, 'test drive' one (if you can find a dealer selling a decent one - maybe that enthusiast in the article?). I reckon you'll easily 'get' it...

Lol maybe I need to rephrase. I'm fully sure and confident that it'd be really good and highly capable. I guess my issue is I'm not overly keen in them stylistically. And despite being good I personally suspect they wouldn't be so much better (as in a different league better) than many other cars at this price point. So I, on a personal level find it hard to get excited about them.

If they truly are a day and night difference/better than anything else at this price point then maybe I'm missing out.

[joz8968]

Tuscan Rat said:

I was in my Nans loft...

is that a euphemism?

[vrooom]

I had one, H reg in white, in 1.6 gti, with 1.9 wheels. It was rotten because it had rust around the front windows, and tempernal alarm system.. but oh boy it can handle. It is so much fun. I came out of 3 year of mini cooper, into 1.6 GTI. found it wasnt very torquey... but it had intera free rev to play with. very fun on country road.

The ride quality is perfect for UK roads.

[Mastodon2]

Cool, cool, cool. I love it, if I won the lottery I'd pay to have a group B spec 205 T16 built for a place in my road racer collection, much like that rich bloke had the Stratos resurrected, except mine would be detail-perfect to the original.

[Gwagon111]

They were great little cars, in their day. I had a 1.9 GTI when I were a lad, and all this were fields. I drove a nicely restored one last month, let's just say it doesn't stack up to today's hot hatches very well .

[mooseracer]

Cracking cars - had an early 1.6 and more recently a later 1.9. Made my Mk5 Golf GTI (supposed to be a great 'fun' hatch) seem utterly boring in every way except straight line performance. Made me drive like a loon 20 years ago and they still do now.

That said, the 309gti I had was my favourite.

[zeb]

I had the pleasure of driving one of these from 89 to 91

it was still to this day one of the best cars ive driven and the most fun

[Pugland53]

This is how hot hatches are meant to be. I still miss mine, and the feedback you get through the steering is something else. Lovely car.

[Gatefold]

Galaxy Bob said:

sootyrumble said:

Your right about the mint green i think it was called Laser Green but it deffinitely wasn't Lhasa as that is a dark Veedub metallic from the Mk1 GTI's, they also did a Roland Garros which was effectively BRG with white leather interior which you may be confusing it with

Always liked the Roland Garros, but I don't think it was ever a GTI. It may have been a CTI, but I always fancied the dark green with white leather, but stopped short when I couldn't get it with the GTI spec. Wasn't the Roland Garros auto only too?

It was the 'Gentry' that was a 1.9, Auto only, leather and electric stuff... The Roland Garros had a 1.4 (I think) and was a manual, and had a lovely combination of white half leather and red seatbelts.

I agree, the 205 GTI is well worthy of hero status. If only because I have a soft spot for older Peugeots.