1990 Peugeot 309 GTi review from UK and Ireland

The clutch wore out just after I got the car which is apparently quite common around 70 - 80,000 miles.

The starter motor used to get stuck which was quite annoying so I replaced it.

The alternator was badly worn and noisy so I replaced this as well.

I just bought a brand new exhaust system for it as the old one broke at the flange and made a hell of a racket!! Please note, if your exhaust goes on your 309 gti then make sure you replace it with a STANDARD one. Some of the big bore stainless jobs may sound sportier, but they often have a detrimental affect on power. They always claim to give you 10 bhp, but the truth is that you'll probably end up losing power which isn't on when your spending £300+ for a stainless system.

It sounds like I've spent loads, but I have driven this car 65,000 miles and I've not had it 3 years yet and it loves it! I can always depend on my pug!!

Also the car does use a fair bit of oil, but the actual Peugeot owners manual states that you can expect to top the oil level up by a litre for every 600 miles and that was from brand new!! I've heard the valve stem seals are a common problem which causes excessive oil consumption. I have found the consumption is relevant to how hard you drive, what oil you use and if you let the car FULLY warm up before booting it. Also topping up the oil regularly means that you're getting plenty of fresh oil into the engine which is a good thing!

The engine runs sweet as a nut when you get a few things right. Firstly mine is a 1990 Phase 2 model (pre catalyst). Although these models have the hardened valve seats so they can run on unleaded fuel, the fuel must have a minimum octane rating of 97 RON (super unleaded). Standard unleaded fuel is 95 RON. The 309 gti needs SUPER UNLEADED PETROL TO RUN SMOOTHLY, I can't emphasise that enough! Test it for yourself if you don't believe me. The car will sound "nocky" at idle with standard unleaded fuel and will be jumpy and inconsistent on the throttle. The performance and engine idling etc is greatly improved when you get the fuel right. I use shell optimax or similar. Personally speaking I don't rate BPs "ultimate unleaded" or the Esso equivalent. Stick with Optimax (used to be 98 RON ron, now 99) or Tesco Super unleaded which is also 99 RON. It might cost a few extra pence per litre, but it works out about 3 or 4 quid more for a full tank which is not a lot really when it makes so much difference and if you wanted low fuel bills then you wouldn't be driving a 1.9 gti!

Next important point is changing the oil. You must do this at least every 6000 miles to keep everything running nicely. I like to do mine at about 3,500.

I put a K&N 57i kit on mine and it improves the economy and gives it a sporty induction noise. The throttle response is improved, but the power increase is fairly minimal (2-3 bhp).

The gear ratio on this car is AWESOME!!

Probably the longest 1st and 2nd gears of any old hold hatch I can think of. 40mph in 1st and just over 65mph in 2nd. Both of these speeds are a bit sadistic on the engine and gearbox, but if there's plenty of oil and the car is properly warmed...

The 2nd gear max-out is a bit of a party piece! If you are doing about 45mph in 4th and some idiot comes blazing up the road behind you in his nova or saxo then drop to 2nd, get the revs right up and you'll fly away when you hit 3rd! I've done it to so many of the "max power mobiles" where I live.

The overall speed of this car isn't quite what you'd like it to be (8 seconds to 60 mph, 128mph top end) but in it's day it would have been a real flying machine I reckon! That said it will do your novas, fiestas, saxo VTRs and escorts, but will still be outrun by Astra GTE 16v's or renault 5 turbo's in a straight line, but round the bends it will more than keep up with them as the handle is so predictable and well balanced which is much more than can be said for any Astra!!!

The interior is good on this car. Soft, but supportive seats give a comfy ride on long motorway journeys.

Mine might just be a lucky example, but there is no body rust to speak of whatsoever and the paintwork is all in good order.

You can get a whole load of stuff in this car if you fold the rear seats down making it a very practical car.