1992 Peugeot 205 Rallye review from UK and Ireland

The seats were not in great condition when I first got the car so I had a vinyl 1/2 leather-look re-trim done on the front seats. However, recently the rear seat has started to wear through and that'll need to be sorted before I come to sell the car on later this year.

I put on a Pipercross free flow air filter which now means the carb freezes over at about 75mph in freezing fog, but the difference in engine note (and maybe power - but I can't remember what it was like before) is great. It now roars at high revs and it's not a manufactured exhaust sound, but induction.

Otherwise the car has been running great for 4 years, but it has been regularly serviced.

Absolutely perfect first car. I got it when I was 18. It was a lucky find (I just drove past it on the forecourt of a Ford dealer) but I didn't want to be stuck with one of those run-of-the-mill first cars like a 1.1 Fiesta or Nova. I wanted something a bit different that wasn't going to cost me a packet to insure or run. I'd looked at a 106 Rallye around the same time, but it was nearly double the price, more expensive to insure and a bit more 'broken in'. I'd say the 205 has fairly high performance (for it's size) and easily insurable for those young ones among us.

Nowadays though it's got far more competition as a first car and it feels a bit dated inside (it's noisy and squeaky compared to newer cars). If you absolutely must be a little different from the rest then try and find a 205 Rallye. It'll be hard work (as there aren't that many of them) but it's worth it. Just make sure you look after it and keep it in tip top shape. I don't want to ever see one in my local scrap yard.