Peugeot 205 1.9 gti

stormin

Peugeot 205 1.9 gti

Anyone know this car. I'm thinking of it as a second car. A friend of mine in London is selling his for €450. New NCT (MOT) and has been very well taken care of. Black with half leather interior. Could be fun.

Think it's a good deal? Anyone ever driven one?

jayok

Never drove the 205 GTi, but drove the 206 GTi for a weekend (which I'd imagine was to be an improvement). I'd have to say the 206 was the worst death-trap I've been in, the brakes were under powered for the size of the engine, the car handed like it was a canoe and it drank petrol. On the plus side it went like stink!

From what I remember about the 205 GTi, it wasn't a particularily safe car either, I think there was talk at the time about banning them from Ireland (so many people were getting seriously injured in them) - obviously this wasn't possible. But basically it was the engine (1.9) from the 405 dropped into the 205 as such the chassis wasn't really able to handle it. The diesel really suffered here. Not trying to sound like a sensible fool, but if I was to have a bang I wouldn't like to be in a 205.

The 206 scored 4 stars in the Euro NCAP. Make it was me, but it just didn't feel at all solid

ds20prefecture

Yeah stop thinking about fun. Think Euro NCAP.:rolleyes:

If the car is straight £450 is a bargain. If it's not it'll be just the downpayment on a long line of repairs. Theres a bunch of guys over on octane.ie with 205 GTis, it might be worth checking them out. Apparently, they're quite fragile mechanically, so make sure you have the car inspected before buying.

Check what VRT will be on import, and insurance too. If you go limited milieage that might help.

1.9GTi is a beast. Widely regarded at the time as the greatest hot hatchback.

Cyrus

jayok wrote:

Never drove the 205 GTi, but drove the 206 GTi for a weekend (which I'd imagine was to be an improvement). I'd have to say the 206 was the worst death-trap I've been in, the brakes were under powered for the size of the engine, the car handed like it was a canoe and it drank petrol. On the plus side it went like stink!

From what I remember about the 205 GTi, it wasn't a particularily safe car either, I think there was talk at the time about banning them from Ireland (so many people were getting seriously injured in them) - obviously this wasn't possible. But basically it was the engine (1.9) from the 405 dropped into the 205 as such the chassis wasn't really able to handle it. The diesel really suffered here. Not trying to sound like a sensible fool, but if I was to have a bang I wouldn't like to be in a 205.

The 206 scored 4 stars in the Euro NCAP. Make it was me, but it just didn't feel at all solid

205gti was/is one of the best most entertaining hot hatches of all time, the 206 (unless it was the newer 180 you were in) isnt a patch on it

stormin

Thanks guys. He said it's like a rocket sledge alright. Thing is it's been really well taken care of. Full service history. It's been his baby sort of. He's getting rid of it cos he bought an 80's bmw M6.

ds20prefecture, I'll check out octane.ie. Hope I'm not being really stupid here but what's Euro NCAP? It's €450 (£300) or a good night out in Dublin.

t5pwr

I have to ask that dreaded question!!!

What's the insurance like???

stormin

I haven't checked yet but I've been driving a long time with full no claims and never an accident.

If I take it I'm considering letting it sit in a garage for 2 years until it is due for classic insurance.

unkel

Can't really go very wrong for £300

ds20prefecture wrote:

1.9GTi is a beast. Widely regarded at the time as the greatest hot hatchback.

Yes, the one that decisively took over the title from the Golf

stormin wrote:

He's getting rid of it cos he bought an 80's bmw M6

I take it he means an M635CSI?

ds20prefecture

stormin wrote:

Hope I'm not being really stupid here but what's Euro NCAP?

Don't mind me, I was being sarcastic to Jayok. Euro NCAP is a test that allegedly shows how likely your car is to stand up to a smash. It is the last thing you should consider when buying something for fun. Cars that do well in it tend to be overweight.

stormin

Unkel,

I take it he means an M635CSI?

I'm not sure. It's very nice though, black with black leather interior and a 3.5litre straight six motor. Pimpmobile or what.

ds20prefecture, if that's what euro NCAP is then I doubt the gti would even register. It's basically a seat strapped to an engine.

Gatster

Great in their day, but every dog has theirs. I was in a 205GTI about 6 years ago and although quick they feel very tinny in comparision to anything from the mid 90's onward.

Good for a laugh though, and at a bargain price, I'd go for it. Or save up for an M635CSI

BrianD3

Based on plenty of crashes I've seen, the 205 is actually a solid enough car in a crash considering it was introduced in 1983 when there wasn't the obsession with passive safety that there is these days. A 205 would do badly in an NCAP test but so would any other car from that era. I have seen footage of what happens to a "solid" Golf Mk2 when it's put through an NCAP test, it's not pretty.

Anyhow, as DS says, it is daft to start criticising a 205 GTi because it mightn't perform well in a crash. The car is a classic hot hatch. Even the cooking versions were great fun and great cars.

I have never heard about the proposed Irish "ban" on the 205 GTi. If true it is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard and a classic Irish solution to road safety. So you ban the 205 and let drivers loose in RS Turbos and R5 GT Turbos instead, real clever idea that :rolleyes: Cause it has to be the car that's causing deaths the fact that drivers are drunk, untrained, speeding, incompetent etc. would have nothing to do with it :rolleyes:

SouperComputer

Feck insurance, spend your money on a trailer and drive it where its ment to be driven. THE TRACK!

Great trackday car at that price!

TempestSabre

Goes equally fast, backwards through hedges.:D

Rudolph Claus

At the risk of being sneered heavily, is this particular 205 a 1.9 petrol or diesel Gti?

Seth Brundle

Nuttzy wrote:

At the risk of being sneered heavily, is this particular 205 a 1.9 petrol or diesel Gti?

petrol!

stormin

I'm gonna buy this thing. Thanks for all the advice. You guys have made it sound even more fun (especially backwards through hedge bit). Will leave it sitting for a bit and get her mechanically perfect. I think at €450 there's probably profit in it anyway once it's 20 years old and in top condition. Looks like I just got a winter hobby.

SouperComputer, track day would be good but I've never done it.

LOTTOWINNER

I had a 1988 205 1.6GTI in the early ninetys and I loved it!!!! The ride is a bit firm (to say the least) but they handle like a go-kart, just point the front where you want to go and don't worry about the back, mine didn't have power steering and as a result was a bitch to park but this was a small inconvience considering all the fun I had with it.
Never drove the 1.9 version, higher spec I beleive, but for 450, it's a steal.
By the way, they're very very thirsty!!

But defo go for it.

Interceptor

1.9Gti 205 is easily the most fun you can have with your clothes on, this side of an Arial Atom or a Lotus Exige. Spartan interior, non-existant suspension travel and motorbike-like acceleration make it a full-on experience for everyday use but guarantees a perma-smile every time you have to go anywhere in it. I drove several over the last few years and apart from avoiding crashed ones, I'd say go for it.

'c

cheapthrills

i have 2 sitting in the garage right now and wouldnt swap them for any NCAP'd w*nkmobile currently available.
it was designed with one purpose, to go fast!
the fact that it has no power steering(mostly), no abs, no a/c, no traction control etc etc doesnt matter a damn when youre blasting along some backroad with a huge grin on your face
theyre quite reliable, easy and cheap to fix if something goes wrong.
i'm obviously slightly biased but you wont regret it.
and if you dont want it tell the fella i'll have it for that price.
btw vrt will be between €750 & €1k unless you can show receipts for parts/labour etc.

SouperComputer

SouperComputer, track day would be good but I've never done it.

first time for everything and all that.....

stormin

cheapthrills

btw vrt will be between €750 & €1k unless you can show receipts for parts/labour etc.

Do you fancy expanding on this a bit. How would receipts help?

cheapthrills

stormin

there are three prices for the vrt.
1. €750 poor condition
2. €870ish average condition
3. €990 pristine condition
the last one i brought in was in the poor category and €750 was based on the car being worth €2500, which it wasnt. so i spent the money on the parts i needed(did the work myself) and went to vrt it armed with the receipts totalling over €500. i spent more than that but had no receipts for the remainder.
they allowed me for the money i'd spent and the final figure was near half the original quote.
why pay full whack on a car that needs work and then have to spend another chunk on repairs.
you can pay the quoted figure and then appeal it, but its much harder to get money back from them once youve paid up. easier to get a reduced rate initially.

hope all that makes sense

have you actually seen the car? or know whats been done to it recently?

stormin

I've seen it and it is in good condition. Needs a bonnet respray as it was replaced at some stage and I think wasn't able for the heat from the engine.

he's always kept in good condition, serviced, brakes recently done, 1000 miles on the tyres, and it passed the MOT no problem. He still drives it. It wouldn't need very much done to bring it to top condition.

VRT is a bit high considering the age of the car. I hate tax.

ds20prefecture

If he's still driving it daily there can't be much wrong with it for that money. Go for it.

cheapthrills

yep the tax is f*ckin extortionate!
as said if its used every day with an mot etc it probably isnt too bad.
its worth more in parts than the asking price anyway so it sounds like a winner.