Hi All

Iv been a big an for the Peugeot 205 GTi for years and want to buy one as a project. Have been really close to buying a few times but have always gone for something a few decades younger! Been keeping my eye on ebay/piston heads ect for about 6 months now for a weekend hobby and started to get really temped.

Iv read quite alot of owners reviews/common problem wrote ups but stil dont eel confident buying a car that is going to be the same age as me or possibly older

Anyone got any advise or something i have not heard of yet?

if the rear torsion bar has been messed with (what they used to do with front springs to lower them, and it RUINS it) you can tell by the fact that the rear wheel doesnt sit centrally in the arch, but closer to the back of the car...

try and get as close to original as possible... people say the 1.6 handles better, but i would go for the 1.9

Guy at my work was mad into them and his mate owns a garage that messes with them alot http://touch.facebook.com/home.php?refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Ftouch.facebook.com%2F&refid=8&_rdr#!/media/set/?set=a.415739335104721.105073.159917677353556&type=1&op=10&v&__user=1379568907 so i could always ask him if you have any questions:)

Infact come to think of it im sure one of my mates bought a turbod one the other week aswell

My mum's ex had one... was like a go kart! His was the 1.9.

The turbo ones are nice too.

His had the big sunroof which caused problems with leaks!

Phil

Don't get one that's been messed with as above.

FWIW, if it's your first car of that ilk, then i'd get a 1.6GTI over a 1.9, mainly because the 1.9 suffers (like most hot hatches from the time) with some rather severe lift off over steer.

This was much less in the 1.6 GTI.

Of course if you're happy with that side of it, then the 1.9 was a lot of fun and one with an Mi 16v in it is even more fun

Buy the best /most original you can find.

I only frightened myself in a 1.7 diesel with lift off over steer (179,000 miles) never in a 1.9 gti.

Never any rust,and 37 mpg from the gti.

It would pull 6200rpm in top on the autobahn.

It was also a comfortable long distance commuter and YES I still miss it.....

I wouldnt worry too much about buying an older car, much less to go wrong, and if anything is iffy it`ll stand out a mile chances are. Forums are the best place to start for looking at info/buying one.

I used to tear around whitby in my 205 gti years ago, great cars. Look out for lumpy tickover, heavy clutch issues and the rear beam as stated prev. Dont tend to rust much as galv bodys but weak interiors. Id love another:)

Lovely little cars - there is a guy on DW doing a project thread which might be worth a look, TBF he's not done much on it yet!

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=188639&highlight=andyc

I have a stripped 309gti at my parents that am building as a track car, i have a rebuilt mi16 engine sat in garage waiting to go in it

Guy at my work was mad into them and his mate owns a garage that messes with them alot http://touch.faceboo...user=1379568907 so i could always ask him if you have any questions:)

Infact come to think of it im sure one of my mates bought a turbod one the other week aswell

440bhp? And here I thought we had the most powerful 205GTI. And these cheeky buggers get 21 bhp more than us! I'm not gonna let this stand! No one disrespects that piece of art we built and gets away with it.

SOS Motorsport and LoneAtom Sweden, Nürburgring, at dawn...

EDIT: The torsion bar, as mentioned, is a big issue. As is the clutch. Otherwise its a solid car. Keep in mind that these are relatively cheap to own and insure and young owners are common. Beware. Most "kids" my age can't drive for **** they often kill the clutch and the suspension. Check for signs if the car has been crashed. Parts are cheap and most people just bolt on a new fender or whatever without looking at internal damage. As mentioned, if it has a sun roof, leaks can be problematic. Especially if you buy a low mileage car. Ours did 90k and we have to strip the interior due to mould since the sun roof was leaking.

Edited 24 May, 201214 yr by DaKKs_152

Thanks guys

To be honest iv always been drawn to the 1.6's over the 1.9's. Im not actually buying the 205 for the power, my Octy has about the same power output as the 1.9 but i love these cars and want a piece of modern history. Yeah ill take it out on a weekend but more for a drive more then a rally and iv heard the lift off over steer quite alot and its actually scaring me!

Edited 24 May, 201214 yr by Ema_jane

Its not that bad actually. While I wouldn't recommend taking it for a spin on Nürburgring in a stock configuration, you probably won't notice it all that much. Besides, its a lot worse on the 1.9 than the 1.6. I've driven them both.

The lift off oversteer is very predictable on a pug, had mine go a few times but no dramas to get back into line. Weird for short wheelbase huh

Its not that bad actually. While I wouldn't recommend taking it for a spin on Nürburgring in a stock configuration, you probably won't notice it all that much. Besides, its a lot worse on the 1.9 than the 1.6. I've driven them both.

Iv read it the tyres to *mainly* blame for the lively rear end? Iv been analysing my driving for the past few days, we have plenty of twisty roads and never caught myself lifting off in the corner, normally go in with little or no thottle and power out half way though but what if something runs out infront of me (while putting the power back on?) Just hope for the best?

See iv only been driving 5 years so easy to say my cars have had ABS, ESP and got used to these driver aids, how much is this little Pug going to bite my head off?

Edited 24 May, 201214 yr by Ema_jane

Not to put you off or anything but my mate has to fight to control his from 70mph+

But then again its only got 2 seats a steering wheel and a roll cage inside and is ridicululsly low with a turbod engine up front so its just a recipe for disaster :(

Iv read it the tyres to *mainly* blame for the lively rear end? Iv been analysing my driving for the past few days, we have plenty of twisty roads and never caught myself lifting off in the corner, normally go in with little or no thottle and power out half way though but what if something runs out infront of me (while putting the power back on?) Just hope for the best?

See iv only been driving 5 years so easy to say my cars have had ABS, ESP and got used to these driver aids, how much is this little Pug going to bite my head off?

It won't unless you do something stupid, like go far too quick in and brake or snap the throttle shut. Just take it a bit easy until you get the feel of when the back goes all light :-)

As others have said, many of these have been crashed, often due to running out of talent after doing the above.

Not to put you off or anything but my mate has to fight to control his from 70mph+

But then again its only got 2 seats a steering wheel and a roll cage inside and is ridicululsly low with a turbod engine up front so its just a recipe for disaster :(

Yeah, they have a tendency to uhm... wobble. Above 200bhp you need a new suspension and some decent down force, otherwise the rear end will take off. The car is too heavy in the front. Ours is exactly 701.2 KG with 51/49 weight distribution. But it has a completely different suspension. It stays on the road whatever the hell you do.

Iv read it the tyres to *mainly* blame for the lively rear end? Iv been analysing my driving for the past few days, we have plenty of twisty roads and never caught myself lifting off in the corner, normally go in with little or no thottle and power out half way though but what if something runs out infront of me (while putting the power back on?) Just hope for the best?

See iv only been driving 5 years so easy to say my cars have had ABS, ESP and got used to these driver aids, how much is this little Pug going to bite my head off?

Its actually very easy to drive once you get the hang of it. As mention you have to watch the rear end. As for tires, maybe some wider tires might help. But from my experience, its the suspension that's the weak link. Its too stiff in the back. Now add the fact that its very front heavy and you've got a nice case of no rear traction at all. Now in its defense, its quick to respond to steering so its not much of an issue if you have decent reflexes. In fact, I enjoy a car where i have to do some work when driving.

Edited 24 May, 201214 yr by DaKKs_152

It won't unless you do something stupid, like go far too quick in and brake or snap the throttle shut. Just take it a bit easy until you get the feel of when the back goes all light :-)

As others have said, many of these have been crashed, often due to running out of talent after doing the above.

Indeed.

Don't drive like a twerp and don't put cheap tyres on and you'll likely be fine.

It's certainly predictable and you know what will set it off.

As above, it's the heavy nose and rigid rear that doesn't help, hence the earlier poster seeing an issue in the 1.7 XUD (Or XUDt if he was lucky) as that's a lot of weight over the nose.

FWIW, the Octy might have the same power as the 205 1.9GTI, but the 205 weighs naff all and feels really connected to the road.

The 309GTI has a lot in common and is near enough a 205GTI in a saloon suit.

Edited 25 May, 201214 yr by cheezemonkhai

I've been wondering how the Renaultsport Twingo compares with a 80/90's hot hatch. It is 133 bhp when Golf Gti, 205 gti and XR3i were all around 120bhp.

Anyone any ideas?

I've been wondering how the Renaultsport Twingo compares with a 80/90's hot hatch. It is 133 bhp when Golf Gti, 205 gti and XR3i were all around 120bhp.

Anyone any ideas?

Having not driven either :think: but i can imagine them both been very fun but in completely different ways, the twingo is high riding compared to the 205 and has all the driver aids, enabling anyone to have abit of fun but the 205 is more of drivers car, basic but in my opinion the best way, like a go kart in very sense, except the fact you have a roof

Used to have a 1.6 years ago, ran it for several years until I started to do mega miles and so got a diesel 306. Loved the car and always hankered after getting one again. Was always told that the 1.9 was the one most likely to have been crashed. For me at the time the 1.6 was more than enough, even enabled me to gain my first set of points.

I think that a common mod on the 1.9 was to put in the gearbox from a 1.6 as it had different ratios giving better acceleration at the cost of top end.

1.9 alloys were the nicer ones I always thought.

As I recall it did have water ingress issues and I treid in vain to track it down and even ran silicon around the rear window seals. Once In the winter I had to remove a block of ice from the rear footwell having left the car for a while! Engine also did have a lumpy tick overwhich the garage couldn't pin down. Probably some forum up and running now which will have various solutions to these issues.

Buy one now and quick, they are going up in value faster than most things. Their are people in the market for them willing to spend 20K on the right one.

4 star classics have some nice ones in stock sometimes.

I've had mine 17 years now and would never sell it.

Checked Autotrader after going through this thread and there are not many 205s out there, GTIs are even thinner on the ground and as vrs777 prices are going up!