Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Hi All

Sold my Carlton on Saturday and my company took my Puma back and gave me a 306 diesel in its place This car is truely horrible so I'm trying to think of a cheap, fast & fun car to run to and from work so that I can leave the diesel piece of sh!te here at work. I have come across a 1.6 gti 205 that seems like a bit of a bargain

What are these like to drive? Do they rev well? What are the main differences between the 1.6 & 1.9 other than engine size?

Also what do you look out for on these?

Thanks

Paul

p.s yes the missus will kill me

Dream Weaver

Owned one, apparently a similar drive to a 1.9, but I now have an Mi16 so cant compare.

Good on fuel, fun to drive, etc etc.

Check rear beam, window/boot seal leaks, sunroof leaks - all easy fixes.

Check idle/cold starting ability. Look at cracks above rear windows - not a major problem, but the smaller the better. Check synchro on teh gearbox - make sure it doesnt crunch.

Watch for blue smoke on idle/gear change - sign of stem seals going - £250 to fix.

There is a lovely miami blue one for sale at £900 over on the peugeot-gti forum.

Dream Weaver

Main diff to 1.9:

1.9 has oil cooler, discs all round, and I think different drive shafts. Better alloys as well.

dome

Get on here, this is the best 205 site (IMO of course)

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/

I've just gone the opposite way, 205xs to Senator 3.0, you'll notice a bit of a difference....

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Thanks I'm really considering a 1.9 now after telling my fiancee yesterday that I wasn't buying another car There are a couple on autotrader for how much I want to spend, I don't want to spend alot because I will probably change my mind after a few days again Any idea what the figures (power, 0-60 & economy) are for these?

Thanks

STi Paul

1.6 115bhp 0-60 8.0 mpg we got about 30
1.9 130bhp 0.60 7.9 mpg - never had one

the 1.6 we had was completly std, handled just like a go-kart, very little difference in performance between the two, 1.9 more power, more torque, higher gearing.

Paul

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

They are pretty quick then I just registered on that other board too thanks

ScoobyJawa

I believe official pug figs are 7.8 for the One-Nine, and 8.7 (though I reckon its more like 8.4) for the One-Six.

One-Nine also has by far the nicest alloys 15" instead of One-Six 14", IMHO nicest standard alloys ever fitted to a car

The One-Nine is supposed to be a bit more twitchy, but you should love that Paul, and cracking lift off oversteer that you'll love too

Buy one, and join a load of us on here with them too, official Scoobynet 205 Appreciation Society

I've got a 1.9 myself, the 1.6 seems like only doing half a job, and the 1.9 is the real daddy

ScoobyJawa

Plus, my 1.9 is about 28mpg in traffic, runs get over 30, some get 35mpg plus!

Dead easy to work on yourself too (except old bits which are a bit seized up!!! LOL)

ScoobyJawa

Except for the Mi-16 conversion boys of course, but that don't count as its not standard

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Sounds like a new plan hatching I've found a 1.9 with 78,000 miles 7 miles from here

ScoobyJawa

Go for it mate! Thats good miles, mine on 73,500 What year is it?

The XU9JAZ engine fitted to the later cars has a CAT which reduces power from 130bhp to 122bhp, and performance similar to a 1.6. Standard 1.9 engine is XU9JA - should be on the plate in the engine compartment!

Cat's were an option from 1990 IIRC, and standard from Late J plate IIRC.

BTW - pre cat 1.9's must be run on Optimax (or super - spits ) unless you adjust the timing, but do that and you lose power down to 120bhp ish.......

IN THE STICKS

1.9 has part leather seats also, Watch out for leaking sunroof , I had both a 1.6 and a 1.9 'in my youth' and the 1.9 is a little cracker

Dave

IN THE STICKS

1988 onwards have a better dash ..IIRC

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

It's an 87 E reg. Black and seems to have all the stuff I'd want. Might call it in bit and see what the score is.

Thanks

Paul

p.s why do they have to run that fuel

IN THE STICKS

Try this site ...http://www.205gti.co.uk/info/default.asp

ScoobyJawa

1987 is prob the old shape dash, it changed over in 88 as said. But its got good low miles considering.

It must run optimax as the 1.9 was designed to run on Leaded petrol at 98 ron. LRP is cack and since Optimax is 98 ron job done. If you run it on unleaded and haven't adjusted the timing it will pink to ****. As I said though, adjust the timing and lose power, so its better to just run Optimax.

EddScott

I've owned 2 1.6s and a 1.9 and all have been great fun and "mostly" not a problem.

First "sporty" car was a D reg black 1.6. Great fun at 19 (now 26) and the Saxo was not out yet so the 205 was still the kiddy to have. Its still going strong now in someone elses hands and still see her knocking about town.

the 1.9 was E reg and had full magnex exhaust and stainless manifold, induction kit, koni shock kit and nearly new pirelli tyres and a Sony CD head unit for £300ish and it had a 12 month ticket but no tax - bargain. Only bad thing was crappy bodywork.

Bought it to strip the bits for my 1.6 which was H reg phase 2 but the 1.9 ran so well I couldn't bring myself to kill it.

Had originally bought the 1.6 for my GF but she didn't like it as it was too heavy to steer. A lad who owns a garage near me had 3 MI engines under his work bench so the conversion was on the cards for under a grand or a grand on the nose with a bit of engine work included.

However, I bought the Impreza instead. If I had the space, time, money I still would have carried on with the MI conversion and had myself a track car.

NACRO

Had both and still the best car I've ever owned fun wise, liked it even more than my E30 M3.

1.6 engine blew after I sold it to my neighbour, also had the infamous knackered drivers seat side bolster, the 1.9 had the leaky sunroof and needed new driveshafts. Both were built like insubastantial toy cars and handled like go karts. Top cars but fragile.

Boss Hogg

Your better off buying on condition than going for 1.6 or 1.9 phase 1/2 etc. Just find the best one you can, otherwise the few hundred quid will turn into a melting pot of cash, trying sort erratic idling, knackered valve stem seals, shagged AFM and SADs, conked out rear beams, water leaks, dodgy electrics etc etc etc etc...

...and try to get a non-sunroof model - a/because they all leak from the roof, and b/ if you want to track it/race it, much better to have the 'stiffer' shell than go through the palava of welding a plate into the gap.

(owner of 750mc Stock hatch 1.6gti)

ScoobyJawa

Flipping eck LOL I don't find it a melting pot myself, most things are relatively easy to sort yourself and parts aren't that expensive.......... but would make sure rear beam is ok, the only real bugger I wouldn't want to have happen!

As for the sunroof, well mine doesn't leak and never has since I've owned it

Dream Weaver

Yeah yeah

My sunroof did leak, but its always either the ariel or handle - easy fix with clear silicon. Alsoworth noting, the side window seals shrink and leak into the rear footwells. They cost about £40 each as well.

My old 1.6 used to manage 45mpg on motorway runs, my current Mi does about 20mpg on spirited runs, about 27mpg normally.

ScoobyJawa

T-gro

I had a 1.9, fantastic car.

Maybe the best steering of any car I've driven, including an Elise.

It was the only car I've had which got progressively worse with each modification I made, they're amazing as standard.

rb5_336

Don't buy a 1.6 if you want to sell it on afterwards, 1.6's are cheap as chips, as everyone goes for the 1.9 with half/full leather etc.

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

That's interesting advice So should I hold out for a bit and get a 1.9 or get the 1.6?

Brun

Deffo hold out for a 1.9

Boss Hogg

scoobyjawa - they're all 'reasonably' common problems (not on the same car at the same time!) that you could expect over time.... although having said that mines been ok mechanically considering that it gets thrashed - though intermittently suffers from a HT circuit breakdown under load - replaced plugs, leads, rotor, dizzy cap and ign amp module tested ok, so hopefully should have sorted - it's already cost me one trackday stranded on the M11....and it leaks!!

You gotta love 'em tho!

ScoobyJawa

Yeah - pretty much mate, though fortunately they are quite easy to work on yourself so not too bad!

As for luvin them - hell yeah

ScoobyJawa

BTW Paul - defo hold out for a One Nine