The 205 Gti - A Dying Breed?

[Ben Allen 8]

I was recently visiting in the UK after three years away, and couldn't help but notice how things have changed around here in the time I've been absent.

 

So, I wrote about it. Thanks must go to Anthony for finding figures plus some old photos I happened across!

 

The 205 GTi - a dying breed

 

Enjoy

[Obey_R 23]

Good read! Unfortunately it's all true and with more and more people buying newer hot hatches that will do 50mpg whilst being thrashed, it won't be long before the 205s are as bad as the 309s!

[Baz 421]

A good artcle, but i'm afraid i disagree with the general thought of it, those figures are somewhat arguable anyway as they're from multiple sources, plus only account for taxed or Sorn'd cars or similar iirc?

 

IMO There's still many people happily using them from day to day and/or in anger every weekend, they just don't wish to come on here and tell us about it perhaps. This place has changed maybe, not so much the love or enthusiasm for 205's though.

[Fox 3]

I've got a graphite grey 3 door 309 GTi sat at my dads house, it needs £100 worth of welding for an mot. It's been parked since September last year and is started weekly and driven up and down the drive by my Dad, bless him! I just can't bring myself to break it. I drove it daily for six summer months and loved it!

[Richie 32]

Some home truths in the article.

 

I'm a pretty commited 205'er, its my every day car, its had a fortune spent on it and i enjoy it as much as i can. I do fancy something more comfortable over the winter months, so im yet to decide the fate of it (either garaging or selling).

 

I like to think my 205 brings a little joy to the commute. You look around and see lots of German metal, and there sits my 205 daring to be different. I saw a mint condition Renault 5 turbo the other day and it just looked extremely cool. Breaks up the blandness of every other car on the road. Long live the 205.

[laser_GTI 1]

Definetley agree with Richie, there is so much dull modern cars around, more comfortable sure but they are so dull and boring. I saw a Mk2 XR2 on the way to work the other day, was never a huge fan but it looked class. These are certainly rare motors these days.

[Fox 3]

I agree, I drive a focus as a daily drive (company car) it feels great to jump in a 205 and blast down some of my favorite B roads. The best bit is I can happily and comfortably sit in the ford, well above the speed limit without even realising. If I swap and take on the pug, I arrive with a grin from ear to ear, scare my self silly, stick within the speed limit and arrive looking cool as can be!

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

One of the best things about driving quite a rare car is how proud I feel driving it. Always have to look back a couple of times too as I walk away after parking it

[Cameron 16]

I think one of the best things about it is when people are excited to see one. I remember 5 mins after buying my Miami 1.6 a bloke pulled up next to me at the traffic lights, big beaming grin on his face and said "Wow, you don't see many of those anymore, I used to have one of them back in the day!"

 

I can't wait to get it finished so I can start driving a car with some personality again.

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

I think one of the best things about it is when people are excited to see one. I remember 5 mins after buying my Miami 1.6 a bloke pulled up next to me at the traffic lights, big beaming grin on his face and said "you just nodded off mate"

 

 

[gaz832 7 1 Cars]

One of the best things about driving quite a rare car is how proud I feel driving it. Always have to look back a couple of times too as I walk away after parking it

thats bang on, exactly what i would have wrote.

[Richie 32]

I think one of the best things about it is when people are excited to see one. I remember 5 mins after buying my Miami 1.6 a bloke pulled up next to me at the traffic lights, big beaming grin on his face and said "Wow, you don't see many of those anymore, I used to have one of them back in the day!"

 

I can't wait to get it finished so I can start driving a car with some personality again.

 

I agree. 9 out of 10 people look at a 205 GTI and think, why on earth does anyone drive something like that.

 

Then you get perhaps that 1 in 10 who looks at in with a real appreciation. I had a random bloke chat to me the other day in a car park for 10 minutes about my car telling me how great 205's were. He had a brand new skyline. I did offer to swap but he sadly declined.

[feb 47]

Great article!

 

One of the best things about driving quite a rare car is how proud I feel driving it. Always have to look back a couple of times too as I walk away after parking it

 

And I thought I was weird doing that

[Anthony 1,000]

Good article Ben

 

I don't necesserily agree with all of your analysis and reasoning, but there's no doubting the ever-declining numbers on the road and that are in regular use. I'm one of the guilty parties in that for various reasons, although at the weekend I finished a big chunk of work on one of mine and took a quick drive - it was only a few miles, but I still came back grinning like Alice's cat, the 205 magic bubbling through as the engine begs to be thrashed and it wags its tail like an excitable puppy.

 

It might not have the ecomony or mile munching capabilities of the 306, nor can be better the super-sideways wind in the hair I don't have thrills of the MX-5, but neither has that unquantifable something that a good 205 GTi has, that something which makes them more addictive than crack and more fun than any French tin can has the right to be.

 

PS. The picture of your car at FCS 2006 is courtesy of Paul Higgs though, not me - I just hosted the pictures.

[Cameron 16]

I agree. 9 out of 10 people look at a 205 GTI and think, why on earth does anyone drive something like that.

 

Then you get perhaps that 1 in 10 who looks at in with a real appreciation. I had a random bloke chat to me the other day in a car park for 10 minutes about my car telling me how great 205's were. He had a brand new skyline. I did offer to swap but he sadly declined.

 

Yeah exactly! When I first started driving GTI's (I think about 6 years ago now?) they weren't really looked at with any kind of fondness as they were quite a regular sight. Now that the numbers are far lower, and the contrast between one of these cars and modern cars is becoming more stark, I think people have a much higher opinion of them when they spot one. You're not regarded as a boy racer anymore really, more of an enthusiast. In fact my dad used to dislike them back when I first started but has recently been looking to buy one on eBay!

[Richie 32]

In fact my dad used to dislike them back when I first started but has recently been looking to buy one on eBay!

 

Im glad your dad likes them. My dad asked if he could have a go in mine the other week. I passengered. I was terrified. He couldn't get reverse, couldn't turn the non pas wheel, kangeroo'd everywhere, stalled. We only went to the local shop.

 

Its amazing how people (ie my dad) have become to used to not having to "drive" a car as such, as nowadays everything is done for you. Auto lights, auto wipers, mega light steering, climate control. You barely have to be awake to drive a new car. He suggested i get a real car. I told him to do the same. lol

[Andy_C 50]

Not bad Ben - and I agree with a lot of what you say.

 

Put simply, 205's are all now old and need a bit more attention than a modern blandbox to keep them alive and kicking. Cameron summed ownership up in a single paragraph as mosr petrolheads know what they are and like him I've had a lot of "don't see many of those" comments. Funnily enough, I clock a really nice graphite 1.9 most mornings on the M3 northbound and I spotted a peachy G plate in graphite heading towards Guildford last night. I've seen a fair few languishing in gardens in the last couple of years and I suspect quite a few people are prioritising their finances away from maintaining a second 205 in the current climate (I am to some extent but am also spending "car" money on my kids - and spending more time with them than cursing the car). I have some money coming in at the end of the year and have decided to use it not to repaint the car but to take my 4 year old to Florida instead; no brainer for me.

 

Nothing wrong with the 205 becoming a classic either - there's already a good sized industry providing all sorts of services for keeping them going, they have the appeal of being DIY-friendly even for a numpty like me and now Peugeot have jumped on the bandwagon and are offering factory restoration which will doubtless appeal to some with larger budgets.

 

For me personally my available time to spend in/with the 205 is a lot less than it was a few years ago. Work and family see to that but I'm not unhappy with it. My car's safely tucked away in the garage for now and owes me nothing. It won't rot away although it will need a service before I use it again (and an MOT and a battery and some tax) but it's still the cheapest way of motoring fun I can think of.

 

For doing 1k a week, give me my SMax every day - always stops, always starts, keeps me and my family safer than the 205 every time and with the rapidly reducing standard of driving behaviour on the UK roads I'm pretty grateful for that.

[Alan77 78 1 Cars]

Great thread, i'm lovin the enthusiasm on lots of the above comments...

 

My car was my dads 11 years ago. He always wanted one and went from xr2, xr3i and then to 205gti. He then sold it to me when I finished uni. I still insure him as a named driver so he can take it out every now and then.

I too am guilty of turning round to look at it when parked and also love the random car park / petrol station forecourt chats about the 205gti. I've had a few people offer to buy the car there and then as some people really seem to want a piece of the retro action...

 

Also agree on the boringness of newer cars. As my brother said the other day, the only other car you see a red carpet in nowadays is a Ferrari.

[Anthony 1,000]

...and now Peugeot have jumped on the bandwagon and are offering factory restoration which will doubtless appeal to some with larger budgets.

Sorry, back up a little.... but what?

 

I know that BMW recently started doing factory restores (for £££££'s) but I'd not heard that Peugeot were doing it.

 

Interesting to see how they're planning to do that also, when every week more and more 205 parts are listed as NLP and I can't see them adapting and making do with parts from later cars in the same vain that many of us do, nor can I see them hunting in scrapyard or scouring forums like this for those needed parts.

[u47sb2 27 2 Cars]

I use mine not daily but certainly a couple of times per week. I can't remember the last time I saw another 205 on the roads up here.

[lewis205cti 12]

Richie the daring to be different is so true. I like seeing the older cars still going strong. My 205 is my daily driver and is still great to drive down the back roads to and from work. Other people always notice it. Some love it other dont get it...... But unlike the millions of germen metal that all looks the same it stands out.

 

I also look back at it after parking it. Also the other half moans that it get the garage at night over her mk 4 golf. hahahaha

Edited July 12, 2011 by lewis205cti

[Tom Fenton 1,526]

I am certainly guilty of only using my 205 occasionally, but sadly I feel that probably 90% of people see nothing past the "G" on the reg plate and wonder why someone is driving an "old banger" and only 10% think "great I used to have one/mate had one/always wanted one/not seen one for a while etc".

[pug_ham 242 3 Cars]

Good article Ben, I'm another of the guilty parties for having but not really using my 205 GTI.

 

I would hapily use it daily but with the 306 just dopn't have the need & even on the back roads I favour to get to & from work, traffic is usually enough to spoil even a quiet drive.

 

I'm going to use mine as a daily driver again for a month soon, when its propely finished, even if it's just for getting to & from work.

 

Once it is done though I'm probably going to start on one of the others in my free time as well.

 

I agree with Tom though, even my 306 (V reg / 2000 plate) is considered an old banger even though there is absolutely nothing wrong with it & I know of no reason to change it just because.

 

Driving the 205 brings smiles from other drivers but also the inevitable newer hatch wanting to take it on.

 

g

[TT205 42]

I feel that probably 90% of people see nothing past the "G" on the reg plate and wonder why someone is driving an "old banger" and only 10% think "great I used to have one/mate had one/always wanted one/not seen one for a while etc".

 

I have been using my E-reg phase1 pretty regularly for a few months and especially at weekends, I tend to look at oncoming drivers to see if it brings a smile to amyone - to be honest I haven't seen even one admiring glance, not even in the petrol stations

 

I still look back at her as I walk away though

[arwel 43 2 Cars]

Another point to bring up is how many are now being tunred into/used as rally cars? I know I have one and it still gets used every now and again when there are no events. Since I bought mine nearly 2 years ago Iv always said that the 205 will go like the mk1/mk2 Escorts. Hardly see any of them around anymore and when you do their rally prepared.

Long live the 205.