1989 Peugeot 205 XS review from UK and Ireland

Initially when I bought the car there was a lot of work to be done - this included new engine mounts (due to the previous owner having a field day wheel spinning the car!). This is a common problem, so watch out when buying. Have also spent £700 repairing engine problems, this involved mainly changing warn gaskets.

Since the initial problems were sorted, I had about half-a-year of trouble free motoring, but then the handbrake cable, front/rear brake pipes, CV joint, exhaust and eventually the front pads and rear shoes needed to be replaced! Overall since buying the car I have spent £1500 on repairs over 2 years but most of this was needed as soon as I bought the car!

My previous car before the Pug was a Metro and I can tell you that the XS is like a Ferrari compared to it! I couldn't afford the insurance of a GTi so I opted for the next best thing - the XS! It has superb performance and will beat anything on the road with the same engine size or less (that doesn't include a turbo or injection!).

I have added 1.9 GTi alloys to my Pug and this has increased the car's road holding ability.

One thing you must look out for if you want an XS is 'Has it been well looked after?' Make sure it is checked out before you buy anything because this can be costly as I have found out - you may have to pay a little more but it will definitely pay off in the long run.