A few weeks back, I bought a 1989 Peugeot 205 diesel off a neighbour as a bit of fun more than anything. We have enough cars as it is but these 205's bring back a a few happy memories since we had one new in 1986 and the chance to pick up an immaculate low mileage model was too tempting. Anyway the intention was to use it for local journreys but last week I had to drive to Cambridge for the day, a round trip of almost 400 miles from Bath.
Normally I would take my Mégane dCi but it's got a slow puncture at the moment and I didn't want to risk it on the motorway. SWMBO was using her Toyota and the VW is in the barn on axle stands having some new brake disks fitted. I had no choice but to use the old 205.
I was amazed at how good these old 205's still are. By modern standards the 1.8 engine is modest in power output, there being no turbo on this model. But it purred along very comfortably at or near the legal limit. I returned home with no back pain and averaged approximately 55mpg. A very comfortable, rust free, refined and economical car all for £550. And should anything go wrong, it's so simple under the bonnet.
In the late 90's we looked at the 206 and to be honest were disappointed. I found it hard to get comfortable and I felt refinement wasn't as good. I think my recently acquired 205 will be with us for a while, parked happily in our barn next to the Mégane, Yaris, Polo and Dauphine.
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interesting follow on, Xileno, to a thread of mine here a few weeks ago - I enthused about a relative's 20 year old 4 door 205 (petrol) in Spain which is still going strong, rust-free and (my particular point) gives wonderful vision all round thanks to deep windows.. these days the waistline has moved up!
BUT I have to say that era of car is not one you would want to be inside if it crashed - very thin metal all round and little protection to occupants. Fingers crossed then.
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Crashability of the 205 is limited, as Hacko says.
But they don't rust, handle well, parts are cheap and the diesels go on for ever if you change the oil.
I too found the seats to be superb.
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But they don't rust
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Early models (I think pre 1991?) were NOT galvanised and therefore are prone to rusting. Otherwise agree with everything said about the 205 - supersuper car (and I have a minter!)
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Im not plain stupid, just a special kind of stoopid.
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HJ rates it as the best designed small car of all time doesn't he?
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Agree with all that. They are a superb minimal design, low waistline, good visibility, slim front pillars (but obviously designs now rate safety first hence all the weight and bulk).
Ride and handling superb with brilliant feel through non assisted steering (similar to the 305 of the 80's).
Particularly like the rear light design (anorak warning!) how it blends in seamlessly with tailgate. Makes you weep when you look at the 206 in comparison. Future classic. Recommend collecting a few choice examples - diesel, GTI 1.6 and the one I used to own a while ago - 1.4XS, pocket rocket with twin choke carb and sports ratio gearbox. Closest thing today would be Saxo VTR but not as attractive.
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Myself and SWMBO had two each as tuition cars, all diesels, and they were brilliant. Astronomical milages on all of them, nothing ever went wrong and they were a pleasure to drive.
Still look fresh today, a classic design that is so far dateless.
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A few months ago my son bought a J reg. 1.2 ltr.petrol, 104K 205 from a college friend who was moving abroad. He paid £200. As he's away training in the Navy at present,and hasn't yet passed his driving test, I get to keep it at home and drive it.
I'm amazed at the zest and smoothness of the engine - far better acceleration than my Honda Civic 1.6- cruises smoothly and quietly at the limit, and excellent economy.
And as remarked in other posts, superb seats. No rust, and it even had a good quality CD player and quad speakers!
I shall be sorry to see it go when he comes home to claim it.
A modern classic..
P.
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My Mum had a 1.6 4sp auto. went like stink. I did Cardiff to Heston services in an hour and 50 minute in that.
Very fragile interior tho.
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Agree wholeheartedly with all of the above. SWMBO had a 205 GRD like Xileno's followed by a turbodiesel Sceptre (limited edition I think, using a name inherited fron Rootes). We loved both of them - even the non-turbo went like a bomb as Xileno says, with plenty of torque where you need it most.
SWMBO also had a 206 - lovely 2.0 TD engine but the rest of the car was a huge disappointment. Uncomfortable and flimsy inside, but the worst feature of 206s is the appalling blind spot caused by the C-pillar. Wider A-pillars are no doubt necessary for safety but the C-pillar is just the stupid stylist having his own way. They have sold well so obviously people disagree, but to my mind the 205 (designed by Giugiaro was it?) looked much prettier than the 206, styled in-house I think. The 206 rear doors remind me of a 1970s Datsun Cherry.
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Agree wholeheartedly with all of the above. SWMBO had a 205 GRD like Xileno's followed by a turbodiesel Sceptre (limited edition I think, using a name inherited fron Rootes).
Well, the people who engineered the Talbot Samba, were also largely responsible for the 205.
My aunt and uncle had 2 205s, one for her and one for him. She had the standard 954cc (I think) 205 which "couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding", while he had the 1.6 GTi. One of the best cars he had, according to him.
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I did 1000 miles in a week in my old 205, the problem i had before i traded it in was that the milometer had broken so the milege was stuck even though it was low miles anyway, i didnt want it to have a 2nd hand replacement so i just traded it in after 2 years service to me for a Ford Ka with nearly the same milege but 9 years younger!!
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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If i had a wee bit more disposable income and could afford to lose a couple of grand, I would be tempted with this
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=...1
drooled over them when I was wee, would love to just be able to say I owned and driven one!
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Yes there're a few around in good condition, but i think many are now locked up by enthusiasts who cherish them for the 'motorshow season' with clubs!
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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People are already paying 'classic' prices for the 205 GTI: it could be that the diesel is a future classic as well.
Xileno, as well as a car to use and enjoy you may have got yourself a good investment. I'm sure we're not the only ones who remember 205s fondly, especially the diesels.
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You certainly aren't. A wonderful little car and probably the best handling small hatch of all time.
Even clarkson loves the Gti.
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The 205 is a fantastic car, the diesels will run for several hundred thousand miles and give great economy and the GTi's are legendary cars.
The GTi's may not be as powerful as some of the more modern cars but around the twisties it will annihalate a lot of more powerful and more expensive machinery.
There is a very loyal following for the 205 and the owners club is very active. There are a lot of people selling things like impreza's and mitsi evo's to come back to 205 ownership.
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Over the long weekend I treated the 205 to a nice jetwash to get all the mud out from underneath. I can't see any evidence of rust anywhere. A potential rust trap is the front wings, there are no wheel arch liners fitted but having said that, I've yet to see a 205 with rusty wings. Anyway, a good application of waxoyl followed once thoroughly dry.
This weekend I shall give it a brake fluid change since it's looking a bit black. But apart from that, everything else is all up together with the exception of the rear wiper motor which seems a bit slow. If it doesn't respond to lubrication then I shall get a replacement.
Interesting point about the safety. SWMBO reckons I drive much better in the 205 than my Megane, which has all the safety features under the sun. A nice unexpected bonus of the 205 is that she won't drive it, it's not got PAS or aircon you see. Suits me!
Now if only I could come up with a good excuse for her not driving my Megane...
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You can pretty much say that 205's don't rust - if your looking at one and its rusty walk away.
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"Now if only I could come up with a good excuse for her not driving my Megane... "
Ask her if she REALLY feels safe reversing your Megane with that appalling blind spot at the C-pillar. There could be a child hidden somewhere, toddling past, say, in the supermarket car park.
A good view aft is one vital safety feature that your 205 has that the Megane - and the 206 - haven't.
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205 diesel a future classic? Come on....
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205 diesel a future classic? Come on....
The only one that has any where close to a following is the 205 STDT which has a 1.8 Turbo Diesel and looks pretty much like the GTi.
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Had a 309 with a petrol engine of similar vintage. I think these cars were the last Peugeots with that old-fashioned solid build quality, maybe a bit crude and unsophisticated, but you felt you could drive them forever in the African bush.
(Not that I live there, just my fantasy).
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Saw an 'A' reg 205 GRD in Chippenham railway station the other day, in dark blue. Still looked remarkably tidy for a car over 20 years old.
To be honest I've never found reversing the Megane a problem but you're right, I could try and convince SWMBO that it is terrible...
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As to what makes a classic there are probably as many different ideas as there are people on this forum....If you read Practical Classics it's just about anything over 25 years old which is still running.
I should imagine that two essentials are (a) it was well thought of when new; (b) it doesn't rust.
205 diesels do well on these counts, so all I'm saying is that if you buy one now it shouldn't lose any value if looked after, as Xileno intends to do, and should start gaining before too long. Although they don't rust much, neglected ones will, and be scrapped, so eventually a good one will be rarer.
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Disagree on point (b) there - I'm in a club full of Triumph owners and we are pretty convinced our cars are classics.
We might as well be the Tin Worm Appreciation Society.
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I could have added (c) the make is defunct.
Actually, defunct or not, Triumphs are always special. Years ago we had a 10-year old fwd 1300 as a second car. It was fairly clapped out, used a pint of oil every 50 miles, and the starter motor did a fair imitation of the fall of Babylon - but it never let us down and we loved it.
If I can one day find a few thousand spare I'll try and find a restored Vitesse convertible, and remember how proud we once were to drive British cars.
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