205 GTi - repairs underway

[mat_the_cat]

We dropped off a vehicle at my local garage recently, and my wife happened to spot this awaiting work in their yard...

I enquired about it, and turns out it's in for a few jobs before sale. Started out life in Cyprus, and has had long periods of dry storage over here so the shell is very good - better than the ones she had when they were 10 years old.

It's also had a documented engine rebuild from a specialist, who she's been in touch with to confirm. The garage put it up on their ramp so we could check it over today, and although not perfect, it only seems to be minor stuff.

One trackrod end and lower ball joint

CV joint 

Fuel hoses

Temperature gauge inoperative and high idle when warm (I think seperate sensors so possibly not linked)

Sticking handbrake cables 

Low alternator output 

Coolant level sensor telling lies

Missing jack

Missing door pocket but otherwise great condition interior.

I know most will just say get it bought, but any sober voices of reason out there to say why not? £7.5k which although is a lot, now seems towards the cheaper end of the range. And I'd rather be changing suspension and brakes than welding a rotten shell!

[RayMK]

My son and I have had several 205s over the years, petrol and diesel, manuals of various capacities and an automatic which was my last one about 5 years ago.  None of them had any bodywork issues and all were a joy to drive.  Neither of us could justify a GT,  nice though they are.   If you can, then it looks to be an excellent and attractive starting point for you to attend to its known issues.  

[juular]

The most sober thing I can say is... Get it bought!

[mat_the_cat]

Well, it's too late for advice now seeing as @Puglet has phoned up the seller and agreed to buy! It does mean though, that it'd be possible to recreate a similar photo to this one from 2001:

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Ooof. That looks to be  a fantastic starting point. They do like to rot around the seams so a 205 which has spent years away from our climate can only be a good thing. I used to borrow a mate's white G plate 1.9 gti back in the mid 00s and it was so much fun. I remember it was slightly grumpy at idle (are they all like that?) but it loved a heavy right foot. Proper boy racer car at the time. 

I bought my own early F plate 1.6 GTI F52 HVR a few years later but it was a tired example and didn't even vaguely mirror the feeling I had driving the 1.9 years before. Looks like it made 203k before being sorned in 2015.

Looking forward to updates!

[Matty]

Excellent car, excellent decision.

[Stinkwheel]

I’d definitely say well bought 

[Surface Rust]

That looks really smart - good buy!

The only rust I've seen in 205s was in the seam immediately in front of the rear wheels. I rescued a1.9gti many years ago with a mate. It was a lot of fun once back on the road,  eventually getting sold to a rally driver ( it was a rare non sunroof model).

[dome]

These are ace. I had a 54k mile J reg 1.9 non sunroof at the turn of the century(!) Was an amazing car. A good one is a very special thing. 

Seen the Tolman restomod? It looks amazing but is a damn sight more expensive than yours!

https://205gti-tolman-edition.com/

[Cavcraft]

There aren't any reasons not to buy it.

[Asimo]

When my kids were at primary school there was a (yummy) mummy who drove a BRG Peugeot  205.
 
1.9.  

Automatic.*

Hnng.  

In every sense!

** 205 Gentry?

[dome]

Sounds about right, Gentrys were effectively an auto 1.9 GTi with lots of toys. 

The french used to be good at luxury small cars, I forget what the posh Renault 5 was but I used to think they were lovely 

[D.E]

39 minutes ago, dome said:

I forget what the posh Renault 5 was but I used to think they were lovely 

Monaco in the UK, Baccara in most of continental Europe.

[Faker]

Epic 

[LoftyvRS]

On 16/12/2023 at 20:52, dome said:

Seen the Tolman restomod? It looks amazing but is a damn sight more expensive than yours!

https://205gti-tolman-edition.com/

This was at the Classic Car show (NEC) recently, and while I admire the spirit of a restomod, some of the finishing of the Tolman one wasn't that pretty, especially given the £100K + price tag. I'd expect absolute perfection for that.

[cobblers]

that's lovely, and seems a good price. An original non rusty one is ten times as good as one that's been "restored".

If you don't like it, I'm sure you won't have a problem selling it on (probably to me 🥵)

[wuvvum]

Am I the only one who hadn't previously figured out that Puglet was Mrs_the_cat?  

[Westbay]

Lovely, well done !

[Volksy]

Ooh. I had a red CTi which I loved. Well, until the brakes failed on the M62 when I was rapidly approaching a wall of stopped traffic. 

 

Given that, despite how lovely as those Tolman ones look, I certainly wouldn't want to do 140mph in one. 

[dozeydustman]

£7.5k is quite a decent price and overall I think you've got a bit of a bargain from a trader. An early phase 2 facelift with the nicer tail lights and stronger BE3 'box and it should be old enough not to be strangled by a cat convertor. Most of what it definitely needs are simple jobs for the most part. Really nice ones hit £12k plus even as private sales.

Jealousy is high here!

[Puglet]

On 16/12/2023 at 20:52, dome said:

These are ace. I had a 54k mile J reg 1.9 non sunroof at the turn of the century(!) Was an amazing car. A good one is a very special thing. 

Seen the Tolman restomod? It looks amazing but is a damn sight more expensive than yours!

https://205gti-tolman-edition.com/

They look amazing but I prefer mine 😅

[mat_the_cat]

Well, the first installment of the 205 purchase is here - thanks to @eifion we now have a jack!

The plan is for her to collect the car tomorrow, after an epically long journey...

[Bren]

Well done.

Life really is too short.

[Back_For_More]

I was left a 1.9GTI by a friend who lost it on a motorbike back in 96..... It was modded as young boys did and was epic.  Sadly stolen from Watford one night out. 

This is a beauty and looks straight as they can be nowadays. 

I couildnt face one now as I'd probably drive it as badly as I did back then and stack it - then hate myself for it. 

Lovely tinny rocket powered paperweights.... 

Have (safe) fun with it 

[andy18s]

On 16/12/2023 at 23:37, dome said:

Sounds about right, Gentrys were effectively an auto 1.9 GTi with lots of toys. 

The french used to be good at luxury small cars, I forget what the posh Renault 5 was but I used to think they were lovely 

My sister had a Roland Garros,dark green paint with white leather interior. 

Nice little car but iirc a wheel failed and put it into a hedge..

My own 205 experience was buying a 4dr diesel at Prees Auctions,just as an engine/parts donor.

Drove fine but in the cold daylight of the following Monday many,many things became apparent. 

Mostly involving the osr door having enough daylight showing around it's edges to give it an Aura worthy of Jesus himself..

[Erebus]

That looks really solid and tidy.  Decent price for a nice original and fairly low mileage example needing just minor work to make it bang on. 

Apart from usually being quite rusty by now, a cherry red coloured one would usually also have really faded paint.  Apparently a '90 G is widely regarded as the most rust resistant year for some reason

[Arfur Foxache]

I took mine out last night for a last run out of the year. The garage is being turned into a bungalow in the new year so I'm culling the fleet.  The GTi is a definite keeper and probably the Cavalier Sri

Edited December 19, 2023 by Arfur Foxache
.

[djoptix]

Looks great. Now rip that stupid engine out, put in an Mi16 on carbs, bin the back seat and refer to it as your "track slag".

[Tenmil Socket]

14 minutes ago, Arfur Foxache said:

I took mine out last night for a last run out of the year. The garage is being tuned into a bungalow in the new year so I'm culling the fleet.  The GTi is definite keeper and probably the Cavalier

Could I have some information on the Escort please via PM if it will be for sale?

[cort1977]

Seems like a good deal, these really are a bona fide modern classic and the jealousy is strong here.