Peugeot 205 GTI

...kitting" is this cult classic.....the Peugeot 205 GTI...here is an example of a car that pushed forward the boundarys of the "affordable" pocket rocket in both engineering and aesthetics.

The 205Gti was peugeot's answer to the german built Golf Gti, the golf of the same period was a boxy shell (i am not slating the golf in any way, i think it is a very good car) whereas the pug was curvier and had subtle features differentiating ...
...car has a 1.6 fuel injected 8v engine which produces 105 BHP, not bad for a car built in 1992 and also very good considering its weight and size. The engine is reliable but unlike todays modern designs will need work when the mileage starts creeping up. However, parts are common and aren't over expensive. A problem i have encountered is the compression failing on one of the cylinders causing the car to misfire but the problem can be sorted at a reasonable ... more

Why oh why oh why oh why do people do it?
Adding crap body kits and over sized exhausts to their cars, thats what i'm on about. I have seen cars cruisin' with kits so low that speedbumps are a no go zone and exhausts so large that its possible for people behind them in Smart cars to drive up and take a detour into the manifold!
Don't get me wrong, i am all for styling kits and aftermarket exhausts (i also drive a Mitsi FTO) but...tastefully done and also done for a reason i.e, why does a 1.2 Clio need a Subaru style/size exhaust? It just doesn't have the power to justify it...Live with it, mate!

One victim of this incessant "crap kitting" is this cult classic.....the Peugeot 205 GTI...here is an example of a car that pushed forward the boundarys of the "affordable" pocket rocket in both engineering and aesthetics.

The 205Gti was peugeot's answer to the german built Golf Gti, the golf of the same period was a boxy shell (i am not slating the golf in any way, i think it is a very good car) whereas the pug was curvier and had subtle features differentiating the Gti from the standard 205.

This car has a 1.6 fuel injected 8v engine which produces 105 BHP, not bad for a car built in 1992 and also very good considering its weight and size. The engine is reliable but unlike todays modern designs will need work when the mileage starts creeping up. However, parts are common and aren't over expensive. A problem i have encountered is the compression failing on one of the cylinders causing the car to misfire but the problem can be sorted at a reasonable cost.

Standard equipment comes as follows, 1/2 leather interior, electric windows in the front, fog lamps, rear seatbelts and...umm that it. There is no airbags or side impact protection etc, but remember its old and this wasn't included as part of the package back then.The colour combination of the interior is certainly brighter and more interesting than a lot of other cars and is still better than todays pugs. Think of.....red door panels with black leather detailing, bright red carpet, black leather gear stick valance again with red stitching, 1/2 black leather seats with a red check all over. Well funky! This black and red theme also continues on the outside with the "stripping" and the front and rear bumper also having black with a red insert*

*if you keep this looked after with Autoglym Bumper restore it will prevent bleaching and cracking.

Now on to the fun bit...DRIVING! These cars were built for one purpose and that is being fun. They move quick, corner like they are on rails (thanks to the where the wheels are positioned and also the car has a squating stance on the road) and there is a good "feel" from the non-powered steering wheel. Basically it is like driving a street legal go-kart. They handle well at both high and low speed and you always feel in control of the situation.

Many of these cars have been upgraded or modified with MI16 engines being planted under the bonnet which in turn changes the car in to a minature missile, these cars have also been highly publicised over the years in modifying mags such as Maxpower, Fast car etc, where they have developed a large following through the ease in which they can be upgraded and the vast quantity of add-ons that are available..

There are many models travelling around that have been "badly" kitted with massive spoilers , lowered suspension, drainpipe size exhausts, and i hate to say it "NEON STRIP LIGHTING...AAAARRGGHHHHHHH!!!NO!!!PLEASE DON'T!!!!

For me the classic original unmodified version will always be the best, if the car was supposed to look like a mobile soundsystem chewing tarmac with a touring car spoiler and those bloody "lexus" lights then it would of been designed to look like that..ok. The designers knew what they were doing and certainly had the advantage over similar models, one version the CTI even had design input by the great Pininfarina of Ferrari noteriety.

Unfortunately todays peugeots have lost the edge that radical models such as the 205gti have and i certainly would not purchase a 206gti,
i know it may be technologically dated but the 205 Gti still has the fun factor that i require and thats all that matters. I have recently put mine into the hands of a garage where it is currently having a rebuild to ensure that stays on the road in great condition as it will be handed over to my wife when she passes her driving test.

Would i recommend owning one, in short, YES. Fuel economy is slightly less than modern equivalents, but again, its older, and i know there is not much safety equipment or power steering or ABS or SIPS or Airbags and so on and so on, but its raw driving at its most fun. I can't wait for mine to come back as its become part of my life, it was the first car i bought with my wife and it was the second proper car i owned. I wouldn't sell it unless a very good reason came up and i hope to get it restored to its original showroom condition over the next year.

Insurance (again) can be different for everyone, but the upside is that it is now , or soon, classed as a classic by a lot of brokers so you should get a good deal but shop around.

Before i forget, these cars are prone to having the GTI badges stolen by thieving little gits, so if you wake up one morning and there is a blank space where your badge used to be, don't be suprised...there are two types of culprit for this crime. eg 1) The standard 205 owner who is trying to kit their car up to look like a gti and doesn't have the courtesy to buy their own. eg 2) The gti owner who has also had their badges stolen and hasn't got the courtesy to buy their own.

Thats the end of the review on my pug, but do leave any questions and i will answer them the best i can.

Cheers

 

...less