Daily Driver: 205 Gti

[Richie 32]

Can we have a show of hands please of those who use their 205's every day?

 

I suppose im trying to convince myself that my 205 gti will be a fine replacement for my dead daily driver. I did drive my old 205 gti as a daily car for almost 3 years, so you'd think i'd be able to make an educated decision on the matter. I suppose im a little indecisive these days.

 

I remember the good times easily enough, i'm just trying to give myself a reality check as to the negatives of running them every day...maybe i should just get a mondeo instead and pop to the shops without kangerooing everywhere

 

Any words of reassurance? or suggestions that i'd be mad to use it daily?

[24seven 104]

Using mine everyday, but it's far from ideal with a good few electrical niggles at the moment .

[Tom Fenton 1,539]

Not at the moment, but in the past I sold my then daily 405 Mi16 far more easily than I thought I would, with the result that my 205 Mi16 got pressed into daily use. Not ideal seeing as I was doing 60 miles a day and 150 miles each weekend.

 

Anyway it put up with it fine, even if I did have to stop 75 miles in to my 150 mile journey to let my legs and arse recover (motordrive GRP seats).

[pugit666 2]

i use mine most days, I cycle to work but have no other car so have to use the pug for everything. Costs a small fortune in juice but I love it .

[Anthony 1,002]

Up until about a year ago or so, I used my 205 as my daily driver, doing over 20k miles a year

 

It's been relegated from that role by the 306 at the moment, but if needs be I'd happily start using the 205 again daily.

[steve@cornwall 100]

Another one here who used a gti as daily driver for 10yrs+ until petrol got silly expensive (too tempting on the right foot).Used a seat arosa for frugality until i needed my 205 fix so got a 1.1. I'm now using a hyundai accent daily and have started getting the gti ready again - so yes...go for it!

[pip470 61]

I use mine everyday, I love it I hate it I love it I hate it. Its not standard so has a few peculiarities. It hates being started at 6 o clock in the morning, although it always does. It drinks more go go juice than an alcoholic. I worry sometimes of the outcome if some one was to head on with me. The other day I just filled up with petrol, hit the start button and poof. A big cloud of smoke, it misfired back through the inlet manifold and because the throttle was closed just pushed the carbs straight of there rubber mountings. I spent the next hour n the cold, entertaining all the people who stopped to tell me how good these cars were when all i wanted to do was set fire to it. The fact is, every journey, every roar of the engine, every fill up at a petrol station is a story, or a good memory or a total ball ache. I love it I hate it I love it I hate it.

 

 

Long live the hardcore daily drivers.

[chrisj21 2]

I used mine everyday for 2 years until she gave up last November, once the vts is fitted it will go back to daily use

[kjd4000 0]

First of all i'm 22 and don't have loads of money to burn. BUT I use mine as a daily driver and its great. Yeah i could have bought a saxo or some other crap but i love my 205. I do 32 miles to work and back everyday. Safe in the knowledge that if it goes wrong i can pretty much always fix it myself, not have to take it to a garage for it to be plugged into a computer to tell me whats wrong and cost me a fortune to fix it.

 

I love the 8v roar and the felling of being more intouch with the road, making the commute much more fun and bareable.

 

Just as a comparison, i drove my g/fs mums mk3 Golf Gti to Blackpool and back 2 weeks ago. The power steering was horrible and very unresponsive, gear change was jerky and not very smooth at all. I felt totally disconected from the road and not very comfortable.

 

What i'm trying to say is driving is supposed to be fun and enjoyable. I still smile as my 1.6 Gti roars through the gears up to 70mph after hugging the roundabout onto the slip road. Its been a brilliant drive and my 2nd 205 for the last 2 and a half years, never being off the road for more than 2 days at a time.

 

Drive it every day and bloody enjoy it.

[harryskid 193]

I would want to own a petrol station if i used mine every day!.

Harryskid

[one-lady-owner 1]

I used mine everyday until the HG went... but I loved every second of it, it rattled a bit, and it had it's little quirks but it was good fun. And I wouldn't worry too much about mpg, my standard 1.9 8v usually did at the very least 28mpg, which isn't that bad! My bosses 5 series diesel does worse than that sometimes!!

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Last time I had a 205 as a daily driver was in 1988, and that was only for 10 month's, I would never use one daily now as I like my toy's and comfort too much and with children Saftey does come into it.

[Paintguy 0]

Daily driver since I got it on the road 4½ years ago.

[chrisj21 2]

Nice to see you around again Andy

 

How's things?

[j_turnell 136 3 Cars]

Use my 1.6 as my daily driver, touch wood, not let me down yet, just need to look after them and they are as reliable as the rest of the modern crap on todays roads, and so much more fun!

[pp205 17]

Mine isn't my daily driver at the moment but was up until the end of December, just can't afford to tax both of my cars at the moment. I miss it loads though! And I know when I dont use it daily it gets angry and something will break next time I take it out!

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Used mine as a daily driver since I bought it (for the purpose) back in June 08. It had 128k on it and now has nigh on 149k on it. Engines been superb, just everything else surrounding it has been replaced, bodged or fixed

 

Currently getting about 25-27mpg with main town pottering, so not too bad in the cold weather.

[Paintguy 0]

Nice to see you around again Andy

 

How's things?

Busy mate. Very busy!

 

Nice to be back too, although my 205 ownership days are unfortunately numbered, as I simply can't manage any longer with such a small car

[mojo1997 0]

I use mine as a daily driver, although I work from home so generally do little mileage (it used to be used as a third car when I had a company car)...

 

Having said that I have to attend site meetings now and again and at the moment I'm driving from Doncaster to Manchester (and back) once a week in the 205. Makes for a more entertaining drive going over the Woodhead pass in the pug than driving along the M62 in a family car.

 

However with two kids, a dog, and nowadays only having a Fiat 500 as the other car in the household, I'm thinking of (or should that be I'm getting pressured into) replacing the 205 with something a bigger/newer.

 

Ideally I'd have it as a third car that regularly get's used instead of the family run about.... if only I had a two car garage.....

 

Generally get 25mpg around town going up to 30mpg when I go on a run, so not to bad on fuel either...

Edited February 11, 2010 by mojo1997

[Tom Fenton 1,539]

Ideally I'd have it as a third car that regularly get's used instead of the family run about.... if only I had a two car garage.....

 

You had better come to Cadwell on the 25th of March- we'll soon persuade you into an Mi conversion!

[SweetBadger 94]

My MI is a daily drive and that's through London traffic every day, so far hasn't let me down just gets frustrating driving it through traffic itching to be somewhere I can put my foot down...

 

So far has been very reliable only had a couple of moments - once when the gear pivot bolt fell out and my work mate had to push us up the north circular , and a week later when the bloody accelerator cable snapped on a red route... bit of tape and a knot in the cable and I was away again.

 

Comfort wise it's not too bad and that's with uprated engine mounts, I don't see a problem with using a 205 Gti as a daily drive providing it's well maintained

[welshpug 1,651]

Have done a few stints of using it to get to work, 5.30 am Cardiff to Newport and all the roundabouts that entailed was great fun

 

 

Have been lucky enough till recently that all my work has been within walking or a short bike ride away, though still used the car most days for shopping and bike rides.

[grandos 16]

Finished using mine every back in 2006, but it was used every day for around six years before that, last three years it had to endure 350-400 miles every week.

 

(The last bit did start to make the engine feel a bit tired though.)

 

If I needed to I would not hesitate to use it again, the only thing on them that seems to need regular maintenance is the ignition system and the suspension bushes etc. (This was with the high mileages)

 

The 205 is a highly capabale car it just needs a little love if its in constant use. (Like a woman)

[woo83 0]

205's virtually the only car I've ever owned (had a 309 gti too).

 

The only time I've not had one as a daily driver is the last year when I needed a 4x4 for work (could only insure one ) .

 

I'm currently restoring a H reg 1.9, And when thats done I'm going to use it as my daily driver.

[Baz 421]

For the best part of all my driving life 8+ years or so i guess, i've pretty much had 1 or 2 205's i could happily get in and use everyday, and go anywhere without worry. Quite proud of that!