1989 Peugeot 205 GTi review from UK and Ireland

Clutch started to slip shortly after purchasing vehicle.

Gear linkage.

Oil filler hose perished.

Uneven idle on startup.

Drop links.

Drive shafts.

A few things have gone wrong with the car, yes, but care for this car and you will be rewarded.

Pininfarina styling is timeless.

The 205 design was penned in the early 80s and the angular lines still attract.

Handling is perhaps the best among the hot hatches (sans Clio Williams).

The eight valve, 1.9 litre engine has got much more torque and grunt than the 1.6 version.

Bodywork slightly flimsy. It dents easy; I have seen a few dents appearing on various panels after returning to the car in the car-park.

Driving should be fun. Driving should be about feeling and emotions. The 205 Gti is the embodiment of fun, feeling and emotion. Taking one down a windy country lane will show you what it is made of.

You feel the road through the steering, which is crisp and precise.

As a result ride is a bit hard, but I am not one to complain.

Repairing can be expensive, as cramped engine bay leaves little room to manouvre, which entails high labour costs:

Clutch (make sure it is a Peugeot clutch, 1.9 should not have anything inferior put in, as you would not last as long, so you will paying out more in the long run) was £300+, inc. labour.

Cam-belt (only costs a few pounds, but the rest is down to labour charges) was circa £200.

The oil filler cap and hose is a nuisance as it is difficult to open, and easy to break.

I know the car is immense fun, but unfortunately so do thieves.

Have had an attempted theft on the car (had no stereo at the time, so must have been up for a joy ride).

Woke up one morning, car still parked outside my house, albeit with one bent passenger door and smashed glass (glass generally fares badly when bent!) - Heartbreaking.

There are newer cars, which are more comfortable, better built and more reliable an maybe even faster in a straight line, but the 205 Gti is a legend, and rightly so.

New cars have been made with safety regulations, and with comfort in mind. As a result new hot hatches are generally bigger, slower and have slacker handling than the original hot hatches.

The 205 is all about sensations.

Take one down some country lanes for a drive, and return home with a big grin on your face!