Peugeot 309 GTI Goodwood: PH Carpool
From the scrapheap to a star turn on Peugeot's Festival of Speed stand for rare hot hatch 'ugly duckling'
Car: 1993 309 GTI Goodwood
Owned since: September 2013
Previously owned: "XR2 Mk1, 205 1.9 GTI, Golf GTI Mk2, Clio 172, Audi A2, BMW E46 330Ci, E46 M3 convertible."
Currently own: "Z4 M roadster, R56 Mini Cooper S, 205 1.9 GTI, 205 1.6 CTI."
Takes a true fan to see the potential in this...
"The car was facing being scrapped or stripped for parts when I went to look at it. I had wanted one since the late 1990s and lost out on buying one many years ago. Time and car interests move on and I chanced upon this car only a few miles from home nearly two years ago. To say it was in a sorry state is the biggest understatement ever.
"With a promise that I could not strip the car to make a good profit, I became the 10th owner for the price of a pair of high-end running shoes. I had planned a quick turnaround with minimal replacement of parts but over the next 18 months the car has been restored to concours standard."
What I wish I'd known:
"Sourcing parts for my 205 GTI/CTI has, until recently been relatively easy. Even most 205 trim parts that need to be obtained as used parts are moderately easy to locate. I presumed the same with the 309 and I was wrong, in a big way.
As ever, things spiralled out of control a bit
"Thankfully, I had great support from a fellow enthusiast who could locate parts across Europe and without these, the project would have stalled. As an example, I bought a new 309 GTI windscreen from a dealer in Austria and only one other new genuine screen was listed worldwide. It is like the 309 GTI has been erased from the memory of most of the people on the planet. To my surprise, this is supported by the not totally accurate HowManyLeft.com which shows just a few hundred 309 GTIs and only 120 or so Goodwoods remain from the original 398 made in 1991. To put it into context, there are over 5,000 205 GTIs still left on the roads."
A rare beast, saved from near-extinction
"The boxy old fart image grows on you, I promise. When is the last time you saw one on the road? I haven't seen one in years apart from at Peugeot Sport Club UK's annual gathering, 'Pugfest'.
"Because the car is rare to start with and has been fully restored, it is at the moment unique and whilst I want to ensure I use it, it will be garaged for nine months of the year to keep it in top condition. As a novice mechanic I really enjoyed the restoration project , I only wish I had the time and funds to restore my 205s too."
Things I hate:
"The fact that, even as a 205 obsessive, the 309 GTI is derided as it looks like the 205 GTI's ugly sister. Many people take a look at a 309 GTI with its boxy 1980s lines and lose interest, but they have not driven one. The views based on the contemporary roads tests lead me to believe that it will handle even better than my 205 GTI."
Rescued from Shed status
"Not many places since it was 'finished' - it currently needs an MoT as the restoration was only completed in late June. It featured at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed on the Peugeot UK 'Moving Motor Show' stand as part of the 308 GTI world premiere.
"To say I was like a kid on Christmas morning when I realised it was going to be on the stand was an understatement. The reactions were very positive overall, with a few people asking 'What is that doing here?' Most people, including some of the press reports I read afterwards, presumed it was Peugeot UK's car or it has only done a tiny mileage."
What's next?
"Just more finishing off really, with little tiny bits to do and then bed it in gently like people used to do with older cars. Then I need to decide should I use it in the summer months (I think I will) or garage it and use it for shows only (yawn). I may fit heated seats as my 205s have these and I love them and they will be a bigger benefit too with the car's full black leather. I am looking forward to using and showing the car at the NEC in November as it was very well received at Goodwood and many fellow petrolheads love the nostalgia of the 1980s hot hatch era."
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