Plenty of Peugeots - and then there was one

[AlsoMike]

After even my coworkers have noticed a preference for french chod, I've got to admit I've got a bit of a Peugeot problem. Over the years I've owned a variety of old clunkers, lots of different marques and ages, but Peugeots account for nearly half of my overall purchases. I'm a serial 205 botherer (on my 7th & 8th currently), because they are frankly brilliant cars, the lower the spec the better I say.

 

So here's a bit of my car history if you can be arsed to read it. I'll warn you now, it's low on XUD content and contains small amounts of pineapple.

 

My first sampling of Peugeots was this 1993 309 GLDT. Bought in July 2006 from the original owner and in great nick. It went everywhere filled with band gear and never missed a beat.

 

Beaut. I used this for a year and then decided it was too new (at 13 years old in ’06) and reliable, so I sold it for far too cheap and bought a Mk1 Astra (saloon, in beige). I’d have another 309 TD in a heartbeat, true they are bland and lack the 205s character, but they drive great and are really useful.

 

I was going through cars at a great rate at this point, so the Astra was quickly replaced by a Hyundai Pony.

 

Ok, its May of 2008, I've just sold my '88 Hyundai Pony and I've got £175 burning a hole in my pocket. A quick browse of the local paper brings up a 205 Auto not far from my house. It's got a short MoT and its a Cat C, so of course I bought it.

 

Oh, and its metallic pink.

 

 

There wasn't a mark on it, panels all straight, interior tidy. No idea why it was a cat C. I enjoyed it mainly because it went like stink, or it did compared to the Hyundai. Most things did.

 

My ownership of this particular shed didn't last too long as I bought a Mk1 Golf a month later and had to sell this due to lack of storage. The Golf was shit in comparison.

 

Fast forward a couple of years, I've been made redundant and am struggling to make ends meet so I sell the Mk1 Golf (which had appreciated nicely) and start looking for a cheaper set of wheels to tool around in/get to interviews in.

 

Ebay threw up the ideal car almost straight away (probably because I was searching for it) a 1992 205 Auto. Resplendant in light gold with beige interior, it was a feast for the eyes.

 

205 numero deux.

 

 

This photo was taken after I'd given it a good clean and painted the wheels with a bit of hammerite. Spec was quite good on this beast, a leaking sunroof and a propensity for stalling at junctions were fan favourites.

 

Beige:

 

 

I proper loved this car, I even fixed some of the problems it had. I went a bit mad along the way and lowered it slightly and fitted some Allycat wheels. I enjoyed the look though. Here it is a the Retro show in 2009 (I think).

 

 

The only downside of this particular (and any 205 auto I suppose) was the fuel consumption. So, using my bestest logic, I thought I'd get a diesel 205 to replace this one. Beige-mobile was returned to standard and put up for sale.

 

I managed to sell the poor thing for a half decent amount (recouping my purchase price I think) and set out to buy another, but in XUD format. I particularly wanted a turbo dizzle and ended up travelling to Mansfield to view a particularly ropey example. Being the prat that I am, I drove it, it went well ( there's a theme developing here) so i bought it. *Sighs audibly*

 

This particular shitter was not my best move. When I went to pick it up it wouldnt start, and the seller (Backstreet Shonky Garage Co) had to jump start it. Suspicious, seeing as it was fine when I viewed it. Anyway, I bought it anyway and drove home enjoying the wooosh of an obviously leaking boost system/exhaust.

 

Upon proper inspection at home, the battery was the wrong one, too small for the bloody car and about 15 years old. The exhaust was held together with hessian sacks and only the drivers door locked. Excellent.

 

 

(Looks like all of my photos are front corner views - get used to it) 205 'Sceptre' TD. Never realised how wonky the front of this was, what a heap.

 

Arg. I bought a new battery for it and used it through the winter, this would be 2010/2011 I suppose. It was ok in the end, but it was too rough to be the 'long term keeper' I thought I was after. So I popped it on ebay and had people falling over themselves to look at the damn thing, think I took £350 for it in the end.

 

There was another intermission at this point for a Mk2 Golf.

 

 

 

 

[AlsoMike]

The 205 saga continues in June of 2011, my ebay search had been pinging up decent looking 205s for a while and I had bid here and there, but I had just finished teacher training and was SKINT. This next one stretched my £300 budget to its limit, I was swayed because of the beige, again.

 

Here's a rear shot because otherwise this thread is going to be veerrry dull. Instead of just regular dull.

 

 

Looks tidy, hey? Loadsa beige inside:

 

 

My excuse for selling this one was a big commute that was slowly killing the car. Not the other issues I'd found with it. Nope.

 

Next!

 

 

 

1996 106 XR. This was a really good steer, but I didn't bond with it. The rear brakes decided to fall apart at one point. I arrived outside Barrett's house to drop off some wheels with smoke pouring off them, which was slightly worrying. A quick blast around the block showed they weren't sticking so I set off home. I made it 200+ miles and the brakes locked solid at the end of my road. Could have been a lot worse.

 

As good as the 106 was, it just wasn't a 205, so I went and got yet another. (As you've probably guessed, I get bored easily and change my mind regularly with cars)

 

1990 205 XE. Bought in March 2013 and still used daily, the longest I've ever owned a car. This one might actually be a keeper!

 

As bought:

 

 

The XE is pretty much the lowest spec 205 that was available, 954cc engine, 4 speed box, no equipment, not even a clock. Perfect. As this is still going and has gone through a few changes I’ll leave it for a later post.

 

 

[AlsoMike]

If you're still reading, congratulations! You have great patience. We're almost up to date now though, so not too much more to wade through.

 

As the XE got to be a bit of a project (low miles, lady-owned car suddenly getting miles put on it and breaking shocker!) I decided I needed a second 205 for everyday use. Any excuse. Fuck it, I'd buy them ALL if I had the chance.

 

So, in quick succesion I bought this 1990 GR to strip for spares. I'd moved by this point and now had a driveway and garage, so all hope was lost. It was utterly fucked (foot long hole in the sill) and yielded very little. It was only £100 though.

 

 

I then picked up this 1989 GL, which was a more useable prospect. This was it after my customary clean and hammerite session. Note bumper trim held on with cable tie. Class.

 

 

This was an MoT fail bought for £205, I fixed the fails and got an MoT on it for very little money. As I was on a roll with it I went a bit far and ruined the ride and handling.

 

 

Yeah, I know. Bloody hipsters.

 

 

I ran them both for ages because I couldn't get my arse in gear with the upgrades for the red one. Then the gearbox on the white one went all french on me so I stripped it and scrapped it. Harsh. In retrospect it could have easily been saved but it would have taken me forever to get to it.

 

Last one for this post (thank god i hear you cry!). One last snotter and we're almost up to date.

 

1992 Auto. MoT fail, with a variety of giffer dents and touch ups. Bought blind off ebay (like all the best purchases), it turned out to be much rougher than I first thought.

 

This side looks good:

 

 

This side does not.

 

 

This one is currently languishing in the garage in many, many pieces. Not 100% sure on its fate, but it not looking bright at this point. But I doubt that this will be the last 205 I'll buy.

 

[Mr Laurence]

What a history! They all look really nice. I definitely ought to get, or at least try out a 205 at some point

[Junkman]

Now I want a 205 too.

[dougiefourspeed]

You can never have enough PUGLUV. Anyone who says otherwise needs to be pooed on.

 

That 106 is the colour I wish mine was. NICE WERK.

[AlsoMike]

I would highly recommend a 205 to anyone who has not sampled their greatness.

[Anthony]

Nice collection

 

I feel your pain as a fellow French chod botherer for the last 15 or so years - three 205 GTi's and a 306 HDi to my name currently - to the frequent bemusement of my colleagues and neighbours.

[PiperCub]

As a serial 205GTi owner - I approve. 

[Junkman]

GTI?

 

You guys must be loaded.

[PiperCub]

Bought mine years ago when they were way cheaper than they are now - luckily enough!

[Anthony]

GTI?

 

You guys must be loaded.

Sadly no, I've just owned them years from when they were pretty much worthless. Couldn't afford / justify buying them at current prices!

[DSdriver]

Well done, I far prefer the look of the 205 to the 206. Especially liked the look with the Alleycat wheels you had. We have a 206 in resale silver only its never been sold having been in the family (on the distaff side) since new. It is referred to as the Peugeot of Last Resort and only gets used when the weather is too poo for our other cars or when they are all broken (a common occurrence).

[Adrian_pt]

Great cars. Briefly had a Junior in France - 1990, white, every panel dented to buggery, 950 cc, no clock, no rev counter and 4 speeds. Loved that car, would have another any day....

[AlsoMike]

This thread is noticably lacking in GTI content, partly because of the cost (particularly recently), but also because I prefer the look of the small engine models. The fewer extras the better.

 

Anyhoo.

 

The current pug 'fleet'. The tally is currently at 3, the knackered blue Auto, the red XE and the ex-BorniteIdentity 306 cabriolet. I've been using this for work recently and its a pretty good old bus, deffo a jammy win that one.

 

Auto: Going nowhere and looking rough.

 

 

 

306:

 

 

Not the most Autoshite car on here, but what the hell. Going to be doing a few bits to this soon, including hopefully getting the roof working, so it may soon all be in working order.

 

XE: This has become a bit of a triggers broom really, it started off with just a clean up and some new tyres/wheels. The tyres on it (135/80s) were probably the originals, I was surprised that they survived the journey home when I bought it.

 

As bought:

 

 

It had 3 days MoT when i bought it, so I swapped the wheels and put it in the next day and it passed first time! I think that was the first (and last) first time pass I've ever had. At that point it looked like this:

 

 

I think I had fitted coilovers at this point. The ride was FIRM, but it cornered like a go-kart.

 

This was my only car for quite a while, it buzzed along nicely even though it was only a 954cc. After about a year of ownership I decided I wanted a bit more go so I bought a 1360 and 5 speed box to go in it. This was fitted over a weekend in a massive rush.

 

 

Total lack of photos from the conversion, the above being the only 1... It was very clean at this point, that didnt last.

 

Since then I've replaced the seats with good base model seats (from the white GL) rather than the knackered XS buckets it had. I've fitted better lowering springs and shocks front and back, plus other shiz, exhaust, brakes etc. The last addition has been 13x6 minilites. I'd argue that these are so i can get a wider tyre on it, but I just like the way they look.

 

 

The 1.4 is ok, the car is worlds apart from when I first bought it, but it needs more zip. So I've got a 1.6 gti engine and gearbox sat in the garage waiting to be built up and fitted, which I'll hopefully start on once the garage is cleared.

 

 

[DSdriver]

What are you doing to upgrade the brakes to combat this new surge of raw power?

[AlsoMike]

What are you doing to upgrade the brakes to combat this new surge of raw power?

 

Not sure yet, the current stoppers are adequate at best so something deffo needs to be done. I've been told that 306 TD calipers are a direct fit and should fit under the 13s, so that might be worth a try.

[eddyramrod]

Note bumper trim held on with cable tie. Class.

Just like Huggy!  Good move, all the best cars have it.

 

Best of luck with the fleet there.

[Anthony]

Not sure yet, the current stoppers are adequate at best so something deffo needs to be done. I've been told that 306 TD calipers are a direct fit and should fit under the 13s, so that might be worth a try.

The earlier 306 TD brakes will certainly fit onto base model hubs and I think they'll squeeze under some 13" steel wheels. Later 306 HDi brakes are larger (266mm) and need 14" wheels minimum.

 

I know that 1.6 GTi calipers with 1.9 GTI disks will fit base model hubs and go underneath 13" wheels - that's the setup that 205/309 TD models ran as standard.

[plasticvandan]

This was a great read,I'm seriously looking for a 205 for my next daily (first car since the mk2 polo 2 years ago!) Haven't found anything suitable or local enough yet,but hopefully something will turn up.

[Junkman]

Great cars. Briefly had a Junior in France - 1990, white, every panel dented to buggery, 950 cc, no clock, no rev counter and 4 speeds. Loved that car, would have another any day....

 

 

ATCNBE

[D Spares & Tyres]

306 TD calipers will not fit under 13s

 

I like the number plate on the scrapped 205!

[eifion]

Excellent stuff. I've just bought my very first 205 (a 1990 van), but I suspect that it might not be my last.

[carlo]

That gold GR looks lovely, I reckon the 1360cc GR was the best 205.  Great engine/weight/economy balance, and more delicate to drive than the GTIs.  Used to sell them new and can still remember how good they are.

 

And I know it's fashionable in some parts to lower cars and stick big wheels on them, but I can't see how that's going to improve the car's two best features, its ride and steering.

[Ghosty]

Sleeper yo! 

Looks good. I remember reading about that beige auto on the blue forum a looooooooong time ago.

[timolloyd]

Great posts. I've had 2 205s back-to-back and loved them. Agree that the more basic they are, the better.

[bramz7]

I kind of miss the 1.4 GR I had, I got rid basically because it was a bit spongy to sit in for hours on end and was too easy to break speed limits in!

 

I'd love a dturbo one but they seem scarce and usually way over the top price wise when they do come up.

 

Great thread by the way.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Splendid thread BTW. Is the 205 the best small hatch of all time? I reckon it probably is. Looks, driving experience, practicality, longevity. Brilliant

[Split_Pin]

Super thread, I definitely prefer the appearance of the basic 205s too.

[Timewaster]

Good read.

I'm pretty partial to an *05 Pug myself.

I briefly worked at a Peugeot dealership when I was about 16.

I promised myself a 205Gti and got one 5 years later when they were uninsurable and dirt cheap.

 

Coughed up the insurance money and cained it everywhere for 4 years.

 

Chopped it in for 16v Golf which was fast but crap.

 

Since then I've had a 405Mi16, a 106Xs and a 405TD estate in diminishing order of quality. The Mi16 was spotless, the estate looked dog rough.

 

Now the only one around is my wife's 206.