Peugeot 205 GTi 1.6
Discussion
Firstly - great choice!
I'm no expert, but bought and sold quite a few back in the nineties when they were just "used cars".
Back then, the tree main checks were:
1. look at the seam running from the top of the B-pillar over the top of the rear side window. These would crack on hard-driven cars. May not be such an issue now as anything left on the road has probably either been restored / modified of led a very sheltered life.
2. squat behind the car and check the rear wheels are perpendicular to the ground. If not, the bearings in the rear beam are knackered. Again, these days there are a variety of fixes for this, but it's something else to be aware of / factor in.
3. check the exhaust for blue smoke, generally a sign of valve stem oil seal wear. Not a biggie, but another potential cost.
Other stuff: sunroofs can leak (the vacuum-operated, factory-fit slider), seat bolsters get squished by lardy drivers like me, all the grey exterior trim will go white and powdery eventually and everything will squeak and rattle. Only worry about the last point when it stops: that means something's dropped off.
Oh, and don't forget: whatever colour the car is, the bonnet slam panel will always be beige.
I'm no expert, but bought and sold quite a few back in the nineties when they were just "used cars".
Back then, the tree main checks were:
1. look at the seam running from the top of the B-pillar over the top of the rear side window. These would crack on hard-driven cars. May not be such an issue now as anything left on the road has probably either been restored / modified of led a very sheltered life.
2. squat behind the car and check the rear wheels are perpendicular to the ground. If not, the bearings in the rear beam are knackered. Again, these days there are a variety of fixes for this, but it's something else to be aware of / factor in.
3. check the exhaust for blue smoke, generally a sign of valve stem oil seal wear. Not a biggie, but another potential cost.
Other stuff: sunroofs can leak (the vacuum-operated, factory-fit slider), seat bolsters get squished by lardy drivers like me, all the grey exterior trim will go white and powdery eventually and everything will squeak and rattle. Only worry about the last point when it stops: that means something's dropped off.
Oh, and don't forget: whatever colour the car is, the bonnet slam panel will always be beige.
I saw that one on their website a few days ago. Looks reasonably honest, plus mechanically fit if the backstory checks out (no reason to doubt it). Obviously has its cosmetic issues, but seems decent enough for a little light project over winter.
Manual windows is quite unusual: in fact I think the only option on that one was the sunroof. Cherry Red was one of the 3 no cost non-metallic colours (black and white being the others). As an 89 it has the later, better, gearbox without the lift-up for reverse (although the gear knob would need to go
).
Manual windows is quite unusual: in fact I think the only option on that one was the sunroof. Cherry Red was one of the 3 no cost non-metallic colours (black and white being the others). As an 89 it has the later, better, gearbox without the lift-up for reverse (although the gear knob would need to go
).Ooo I was looking at that one too!
I think their valuation is way off the mark though, it will go for a fair bit more. They have two others as well.
Given that classics are generally not rising in value and some are certainly dropping, the 205 is definitely one on the rise. I’d be surprised if you can find a tidy one which doesn’t need a fair
of welding for less than 8k now.
I think their valuation is way off the mark though, it will go for a fair bit more. They have two others as well.
Given that classics are generally not rising in value and some are certainly dropping, the 205 is definitely one on the rise. I’d be surprised if you can find a tidy one which doesn’t need a fair
of welding for less than 8k now.velocemitch said:
Ooo I was looking at that one too!
I think their valuation is way off the mark though, it will go for a fair bit more. They have two others as well.
Given that classics are generally not rising in value and some are certainly dropping, the 205 is definitely one on the rise. I'd be surprised if you can find a tidy one which doesn't need a fair of welding for less than 8k now.
Agree: it's a "come and get me" estimate and at the time of writing bidding already appears to be at £5250.I think their valuation is way off the mark though, it will go for a fair bit more. They have two others as well.
Given that classics are generally not rising in value and some are certainly dropping, the 205 is definitely one on the rise. I'd be surprised if you can find a tidy one which doesn't need a fair
of welding for less than 8k now.ThingsBehindTheSun said:
As someone who had a 1.6 Gti back in the 90s, get a 1.9.
I was never happy with mine, always knew I, should have got the 1.9 instead.
Have to say I thought it felt knackered and a bit rubbish at 9 years old, dread to think what they feel like now.
Or better still look at a European Market 205 rallye. A genuine homologation special if you can live with LHDI was never happy with mine, always knew I, should have got the 1.9 instead.
Have to say I thought it felt knackered and a bit rubbish at 9 years old, dread to think what they feel like now.
ThingsBehindTheSun said:
As someone who had a 1.6 Gti back in the 90s, get a 1.9.
I was never happy with mine, always knew I, should have got the 1.9 instead.
Have to say I thought it felt knackered and a bit rubbish at 9 years old, dread to think what they feel like now.
I had a 1.9 because if I'd have had the 1.6 I'd have always wished I'd bought the 1.9. Plus the wheels were much nicer! I was never happy with mine, always knew I, should have got the 1.9 instead.
Have to say I thought it felt knackered and a bit rubbish at 9 years old, dread to think what they feel like now.
I'd never want to drive one again though. My rose tinted memories of such an incredible car would be ruined. I did own a Clio Williams and it was very small, no more than 'quite nippy' and just nowhere near the reputation it still has. God it generated some interest though!
ThingsBehindTheSun said:
As someone who had a 1.6 Gti back in the 90s, get a 1.9.
I was never happy with mine, always knew I, should have got the 1.9 instead.
Have to say I thought it felt knackered and a bit rubbish at 9 years old, dread to think what they feel like now.
I had a 1.6, and my experience was the opposite. It felt like it had been built by Lexus. It was noted by anyone who drove it that it might have been an outlier!I was never happy with mine, always knew I, should have got the 1.9 instead.
Have to say I thought it felt knackered and a bit rubbish at 9 years old, dread to think what they feel like now.
Aside from that, I always felt the 1.6 was beautifully balanced and fast enough for its time. I sold it, completely mint, for £900.
paulguitar said:
I had a 1.6, and my experience was the opposite. It felt like it had been built by Lexus. It was noted by anyone who drove it that it might have been an outlier!
Aside from that, I always felt the 1.6 was beautifully balanced and fast enough for its time. I sold it, completely mint, for £900.
Part exchanged mine in 1997 for £1K, still cannot believe how much these go for now.Aside from that, I always felt the 1.6 was beautifully balanced and fast enough for its time. I sold it, completely mint, for £900.
ThingsBehindTheSun said:
paulguitar said:
I had a 1.6, and my experience was the opposite. It felt like it had been built by Lexus. It was noted by anyone who drove it that it might have been an outlier!
Aside from that, I always felt the 1.6 was beautifully balanced and fast enough for its time. I sold it, completely mint, for £900.
Part exchanged mine in 1997 for £1K, still cannot believe how much these go for now.Aside from that, I always felt the 1.6 was beautifully balanced and fast enough for its time. I sold it, completely mint, for £900.
I have a couple of other missed opportunities in my car past. I sold a 944 S2 for £4,450, but that's what they were worth then.
I'm in my early 50's and did have an Mi16 converted one back in the day but always hankered after a standard 1.9. I bought and restored a 1990 example completing the resto about 2 years ago and it sat in my garage ever since - I do have other cars to use and maybe I enjoyed the journey more than the final destination but just never really had the desire to use it regularly. I sold it a couple of months ago.
I could never understand why anyone would buy the 1.6 back in the day, as for the same money you could get the superior Fiat Uno Turbo or Renault 5 GT Turbo.
I knew a few people back in the day that upgraded to the 1.9 when it was launched due to the lacklustre performance of the 1.6.
I knew a few people back in the day that upgraded to the 1.9 when it was launched due to the lacklustre performance of the 1.6.
Ask away, I ve owned one since 2001.
Www.205gtidrivers.com forum still has a wealth of info on there too.
The 1.6 now is liked for its engine over the 1.9.
Barely anything in it really, 1.9 has half leather and discs on rear.
Non-sunroof examples are sort after.
Peugeot Musée have started reproducing some parts, all available in their website.
Lots of specialists out there.
That 1.6 in the auction looks good. I ve got those group n mounts, you ll get more vibration but the engine hardly moves.
Lots of club support out there
Www.205gtidrivers.com forum still has a wealth of info on there too.
The 1.6 now is liked for its engine over the 1.9.
Barely anything in it really, 1.9 has half leather and discs on rear.
Non-sunroof examples are sort after.
Peugeot Musée have started reproducing some parts, all available in their website.
Lots of specialists out there.
That 1.6 in the auction looks good. I ve got those group n mounts, you ll get more vibration but the engine hardly moves.
Lots of club support out there
Edited by Simes205 on Friday 26th September 20:10
Rob 131 Sport said:
I could never understand why anyone would buy the 1.6 back in the day, as for the same money you could get the superior Fiat Uno Turbo or Renault 5 GT Turbo.
I knew a few people back in the day that upgraded to the 1.9 when it was launched due to the lacklustre performance of the 1.6.
Early 1.6 only had 105bhp, until about 1985 when went up to 115. I think the early early ones don’t have side repeaters.I knew a few people back in the day that upgraded to the 1.9 when it was launched due to the lacklustre performance of the 1.6.
Rob 131 Sport said:
I could never understand why anyone would buy the 1.6 back in the day, as for the same money you could get the superior Fiat Uno Turbo or Renault 5 GT Turbo.
I knew a few people back in the day that upgraded to the 1.9 when it was launched due to the lacklustre performance of the 1.6.
Well, my brother did because that's what he wanted: it helped that the FIAT he tried was obvioulsy made of cheese, & the Renault dealer wouldn't let him test one, because "people buy them anyway, no-one needs a test drive".I knew a few people back in the day that upgraded to the 1.9 when it was launched due to the lacklustre performance of the 1.6.
The Peugeot dealer gave him the keys & said bring it back when you're ready, so he did & bought it when he got back.
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