1984 Peugeot 205 XS from UK and Ireland - Comments

Alternator is wearing out, head lights keep dimming and getting brighter.

Sometimes looses power due to the alternator.

My 205 XS is an earlier model with the old style engine, it is the type I wanted as it comes with the twin Weber carbs - this gives it a bit of wicked poke!

The handling is awesome, the grip and feedback of the car gives you a truly dangerous sense of confidence - this is especially true on roundabouts! Driving in the wet is the most fun you can have with your clothes on, find yourself a route that you know like the back of your hand (a country back route is best) and drive the wheels off it!

Don't buy the XS if you intend to do a lot of motorway miles - short ratio box means that it screams away at 4000 RPM at 80mph, not good for relaxed motoring.

Unfortunately I am saving for university otherwise I would have a GTi by now. If I was to buy again I would find a later model with the later single carb engine, I believe that it is the same as fitted to the Citroen AX GT. The reason for this being that a mate of mine has an AX and the RPM gauge "red-lines" at a far healthier seven and a half thousand RPM, mine only goes to six.

These are seriously underrated cars. Had a GT (5 door version of XS), would out accelerate just about anything from lights, roundabouts up to about 60-70 when short gearing meant it was running out of steam. Good tip with the older engines with the gearbox combined is to treat engine oil with Slick 50 - major improvement in gearchange. Handling suberb -possible to lift inside rear wheel at roundabouts.Would still have it, but it self destructed due to poor build quality.