prana

We dont get many of them in Australia and good examples are very rare. But I am interested in one. Please tell me about the 1.9L version

Mechanical longetivity, are they expensive to replace ?

Handling, I read many a times they are regarded by many as the handling masterpiece that crafted the hothatch ?

Power, plenty adequate ? How safe is this car ? What to look out for ? power steerings, AC ?

I am looking to pull out the rear seats and make this my project car with a rollcage and some good suspension bits for the track.

Cheers.

Dave_A

Great cars, can use a bit of oil on the 1.9, rear trailing arm bushes can get worn, you can tell by jacking up the rear and checking for movement on the rear wheels. Not a huge job to sort, but can lead to a grinding noise from the rear if not sorted out,

Build quality is typical 80's french - ie expect most of the interior trim to either be missing or held together with string and tape

But, one of the best cars I ever owned (in 1.6 guise anyway).

Dave
www.scoobyphotos.com
dave@scoobyphotos.com

p@ul

Agree with dave there,i had a 205 gti in my teens and it was by far the best of the hot hatches i owned.Go kart handling,reliable,fast and it held its second hand value well.I sold mine with 95k on it and only problem it ever had was brake judder when i reversed then applied brakes!

IanWatson

Fantastic little cars.

Was the daddy hot hatch when I was growing up - finally bought one last year.

I'd say it's at least as fun as my modded MY99 UK Scoob. In fact the fact that you have fun ALL the time I'd say it was even more of a hoot.
Quick enough to get the heart beating but just electric round the bends. No lag, bags of low down torque, fantastic steering and a chassis that's all about throttle adjustability. Needs a commited driver, though - it's no Nissan Micra!

Galvanised bodies so only rust when badly repaired. Engines are pretty strong. Parts are cheap here but I think a little harder to find in Oz.
The rear beam thing seems to be a widespread issue once the miles pile up - although it's nothing a competent home mech couldn't cope with. (Did mine last week)

Air con was an option, but rare. Power steering is more common - has a quicker rack than non-PAS and is still pretty weighty. Many track day cars use the PAS quick rack with the assistance removed.

Common mod is fitting the 16v version of the engine which drops in with only minor mods(fitted to Citroen BX BTi 16v and Pug 405 16v) - around 160 bhp out of the box, high flowing head give loads of room for tuning.

Try these sites

Aussie frogs (some really good stuff, loads of old mag articles, plus it's in your hemisphere!)
205 GTi Drivers Forum (brilliant site - you'll find people who've done exactly what your planning, ANY question you have fill find an answer here)

Shropshire-Guy

Awesome little car. Had 1.9 gti. Talk about torque. Only needed 2nd gear and 5th + reverse off course. As nibble as hell, Drives like go cart. . Goes around corners like it was on rails. As said ,build quality not to clever. but the fun factor out numbers that. Check for syncro wear on third gear. Before u part with cash as it was know problem with them. Have ben told thou the 1.6 gti was more fun thou and cheaper to insure. But i guarantee the 1.9 will put a smile on your face for certain

mozzaITA

Check for accident damage due to lift-off oversteer surprising a few people!

Gutmann pug

I love mine and enjoy driving it almost as much as i do scooby



and this is the best way to stop the interior rattles

prana

Thank you all, very generous of you with the advices ... keep em coming.

Dats exactly how I want my set up, with the roll cage etc. I just want a good car to learn some track days from. Might be a few months before I actualy get my hands on one though... a good example is VERY difficult to find here.

prana

can the lift off oversteer be reduced by increasing rebound on the rear struts or would you recommend coilovers altogether ? I was thinking someting from Bilstein perhaps !

mikelmr

Why would you want to reduce lift off oversteer ? as long as you are used to its just another quirk of owning a fairly powerfull fwd car

prana

I have never driven it, so I am not sure how controlled the oversteer is. I guess when I own one, I will be able to tell If I wanted another powerful car with no cornering, I'd go one of those crap Aussies with huge engines.

Gutmann pug

You can reduce the lift off oversteer by fitting a good suspension pack and lowering the car by around an inch..... It will never 100% go away and will always be part and parcel of the 205. You just learn to live and deal with it, its part of the fun of the car.

Within 3 corners of taking mine on the track the first time I had the rear passenger wheel about 8 inches off the ground and literally **** myself ..... Now I love that sort of thing .....

They are great little cars and mine takes a bit of a hammering, but it just keeps coming back and saying, ''come on ya wimp, is that all ya got?''

Chris L

I had a 1.6 GTI many years ago - fab little car. Non-power assisted steering gave fantastic feedback. If I'm honest, the only car I've ever regreted selling.

Lift off oversteer - never knew what it meant until I owned one of these The handling was fantastic, but that doesn't mean you can take liberties. Push hard and you will get LOS in sharp corners, but apart from that, it was a truely stunning car.

Chris

ScoobyJawa

Its all already been said Superb car. Its a go kart, fantastic low down torque

I'm on my secong, first was when I was 20, now have a Sorrento Green 1.9GTi with PAS (first had no PAS and prefer my current - defo the best PAS I've used, nice and weighty) that lives in a garage and is cared for like a child!! LMAO!!

I absolutely love them, cracking styling, back in a day when a car was light and 100% fun. Everytime I bring it out it puts a smile on my face which gets even bigger when I drive it

mozzaITA

HAS anybody got any photos of 205 gti that i can use for a magazine im working on please?????

Gutmann pug

Scoobyjawa ...my car has power steering apparently but i really can't feel it. Not sure whether that means its up the creak or its just heavy? Plenty of fluid so it aint that.

Oh and mine is sorrento too

Chris L

I always wanted one in sorrento green or metallic blue (weren't they the ltd edition ones?), but mine was the classic red

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

I have fond memories of mine.
What a car
Steve

Dream Weaver

I have the Mi16 conversion currently with 166bhp aiming for 200bhp), great fun, great car, love it

ScoobyJawa

Gutmann - sounds about right to me, hence why its one of the best PAS I've used. You can bearly feel it, quicker rack etc but is still fairly heavy

Chris - Sorrento and Miami were limited around G reg, but an option afterwards. There are more Miami's than sorrento's, plus the sorrento had a different interior on the non special edition, green carpets, green door inserts and green cross stitched half leathers. IMHO much better looking than the standard red - but then I'm biased:

Dream Weaver

The specials also had full leather as such:



From what i've seen, 205 GTi's cost a lot in Australia, 15000 dollars for a good 91 model.

mozzaITA

FAO DREAM WEAVER and SCOOBY JAWA, can i used your pictures supplied in this thread for a new FREE performance car magazine www.rapidcarsltd.co.uk

As im doing a feature on 80's hot hatches.

thanks

moz.

ScoobyJawa

Moz,

Sure mate - no worries.

Dream Weaver

No probs Moz, email me if you want any more.

mozzaITA

Thanks alot for your help Scooby jawa and dreamweaver, ive been trying to get some decent 205 photos all weekend nobody wanted to give me some.

They are two great looking pugs!! they will look good in the article ive done! if you got anymore pictures send them on to g60msport@yahoo.co.uk

many thanks

moz

Gutmann pug

Mozza what was the matter with mine then???? not good enough for ya ?

Dave_A

Heres mine from a few years ago - 1.6, written off by some uninsured moron who didn't stop at a crossing!






Dave
www.scoobyphotos.com
dave@scoobyphotos.com

chaos.

I've gotta have one of those!!

Thing is with them 205s, it's just toooo easy to imagine it wrapped around a tree..

What the top speed BTW??

prana

oooo owww don't say that ! That is jinx ... knock on head

2hotty

My 205 has got 17s, full dimma wide arch kit, full leathers, koni re-valved dampers etc..... oh and the little mi16 engine tuned up to produce 195bhp its like a little go cart

Oh and you can stop lift off oversteer - just do what I did and fit a 309 back axle with the extra track it gives the car is a lot more manageable when you lift off