Little Bit Ot: Thinking Of Buying A 206gti

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

After being around them for years now, and driving one myself, dont get one.

 

Dont need to say anything bar that I think.

[Batfink 201]

I'd certainly suggest at the minimum taking a longish test drive in one before buying, as while they seem fine around town (suspect driving position aside) I've never got on with them once speed increases - it might be the examples I've driven have all been poor, but none have inspired any confidence whatsoever, feeling both nervous and vague, reminding me very much of a 205 with tired suspension and dead beam mounts.

 

Beam problems and electrical gremlins seem to be rife on them from what I can tell too.

 

Certainly given a choice of a 206 GTi or 306 GTi-6 I'd take the 306 every time - so long as you accept that they're lacking the agility and rawness of a 205, they're a very good choice and in my opinion probably the last decent car that Peugeot made. Fuel economy isn't the best and insurance can be a little expensive, but in terms of driving they're very good indeed, parts plentiful and generally fairly reliable (so long as you buy a good one - plenty of tired basketcases around now)

 

Away from French tat, how about either a Ford Puma 1.7 or a Nissan Almera GTi? Both 206 GTi money or less, and both very under-rated cars in my opinion, particularly the Puma which people write off as a girls car - drive one and I'm confident you'll prefer it to a 206.

 

you have no car shame! I like it!

£900 gets you a 74,000 puma 1.7. My brother picked up one a few weeks ago and its mint, handles well and seems solid and comfortable. It does look a bit girly but he's already thinking ahead to the puma racing widetrack kit..

[welshpug 1,682]

Only issue with the Puma is the lack of availability of any panels at all, and they aren't free from the good old Ford tinworm.

 

I have driven one briefly and did like the way it felt, but couldn't get on with the visibility, A-pillars and rear view mirror are bang on in the way when you're at a roundabout, view in the mirrors is a bit poo, and I'm not even that tall at 6 feet!

 

Parts are reasonably cheap on the whole being Ford, but even the 1.7 isn't "that" quick.

[EnglishRob 0]

Hmmm, I'm not sure if the Puma would be big enough for the kids, although I guess it can't hurt to have a look at one if I can find one in the area. :-)

 

Rob

[Bogsye 22]

I bought a 206Gti new in 2000, and did 64k in it over the next 4 years.

 

It was quite a decent car, although I do agree the seats were a bit poor.

I had two main gripes - it ate front wishbones, despite always fitting OEM, and the exhaust is poor.

The downpipe, cat and middle box were all one welded section. The join to the rear was the Achilles heel, as it failed a couple of times and scrapped the system. It was quite expensive at the time. I got one on warranty and the second time I welded it up and flogged the car instead.

 

Good luck finding one!!

 

Brian

[EnglishRob 0]

Ahh, I didn't realise that, so the exhaust system isn't in replaceable sections then?

 

Hmm... the 205 is looking a bit more attractive now.

 

Rob

[welshpug 1,682]

not all of them are like that (downpipe cat and centre, then rear box.)

[Tom Fenton 1,576]

Even if it is a one piece system, the pattern exhaust companies now do a repair section so you cut off the old bit and fit a new back box with a sleeve joint and u-bolt.

[Bogsye 22]

Mine was downpipe,cat, middle box, with this flange to the back box.

 

Main problem was the joint was at a really awkward bend which made even bodging quite difficult.

Similar system to a 1.9 cat equipped 205.

 

Brian.

[EnglishRob 0]

Okay so I'm waiting to hear about the 205, someone else is looking at it so I think it might go before I can get up there (if so, then hey at least someone else will be about to enjoy the 205, and I'll just continue to fix up my red one).

 

Also going to look at a 206 tomorrow, after surprisingly convincing the wife to let me have one (she wanted me to get a diesel, so I've found a couple of diesels that she likes, one of which she can get for herself).

 

I figure that if at the end of the day I don't like the 206 as much as my 205 (if I get the 206 that is) then it'll at least be transport until I can sort the 205 out (which doesn't need that much doing to get running, the main thing is some headlight clips which I can't seem to find anywhere).

 

Rob

[Henry Yorke 270 3 Cars]

You can get a GTI HDI on the late ones - best of both worlds with 136 bhp engine I think

[welshpug 1,682]

gti hdi is a 110 bhp 1.6 (DV6 from memory?) the 136 HDI was the 16v XU10 which was not fitted to the 206.

[EnglishRob 0]

You can get a GTI HDI on the late ones - best of both worlds with 136 bhp engine I think

 

I did see the GTI HDI, would have been perfect but it was about 3 grand out of my budget which was a shame.

 

So anyway, the Miami Blue 205 went last night as expected, so a trip up to Okehampton and a couple of hours later and I'm not a proud owner of a rust coloured 206 GTI :-)

 

I had a bit of bother getting the insurance sorted. I found out today that my previous policy on the Prelude didn't give me a no claims bonus, I wish I knew that at the start of the policy last year. I've had to go for TPFT insurance to keep the cost down because of the lack of no claims, so I'm having to pay around £700 for it, a bit more than I was hoping but with an accident and points on my record and zero no claims it was still cheaper than about £1100 I was quoted from another company.

 

Thanks for the advice folks, I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them. It's a little bit grubby inside and needs a wash, but the interior doesn't have any rips just needs a bit of a hoover out.

 

Rob

[welshpug 1,682]

don't assume TPFT will be cheaper, its often not

[EnglishRob 0]

It was in this case, about £130 cheaper, although I must admit previously fully comp has been cheaper for me, just not this time round sadly.

 

I'll just have to be careful, make sure there's fuel in the car and to buy a petrol can (after my 205 incident).

 

Rob