1989 Peugeot 205 GTi 1.6

The car seen for auction here has been with the same owner for the past 30 years with the current owner receiving the car as a gift from their partner. The owner is now reaching an age where their lifestyle unfortunately limits use of the hot hatch, and they would prefer the car go to a loving home rather than wasting away. Being with the same conscientious owner for the last 30 years, the car is in completely original condition with no modifications, or any additional extras being added. It has been meticulously serviced and maintained by a trusted local garage when any faults have arisen over its lifetime, it has also had a solar panel attached to keep the battery level topped up during periods of little usage.

The current owner has specified that currently there is an occasional intermittent ‘STOP’ warning light that illuminates on the dash however, thorough checks have been made and no fault has been found. A Peugeot specialist has diagnosed the cause of the issue and suggests that it is most likely down to a faulty sensor, the water temperature has recently been changed as a preliminary step.

Whilst the exterior of this little Peugeot does have some wear and tear, the underlying base is in well-kept condition with many of the issues you see being reduced with a cut and polish and a bit of love given to bringing the plastics back to life. The trim around the car, while faded, does look to be in good condition apart from one section of the rear driver’s side wheel arch which has a part of the plastic snapped off, we suspect however, this would be easy to replace. The ‘Pepperpot’ alloy wheels look to be in excellent condition too with minimum curbing and little to no lacquer peel.

The shut lines all appear to be uniform and straight with all panels fitting snugly and with a minimum of rust around the body, especially under the bonnet where the car has had treatment in the past. All rubber seals and sundries on the exterior of the car are in good condition, with the tyres for example looking to have lots of life left.

Whilst the outside of this 205 GTI might have some minor dings and scuffs and some small car park battle scars, these issues can all be easily addressed for little money considering the market for these hot hatch legends. Today there are dedicated aftermarket sales companies devoted to keeping as many of these cars on the road which will make it even easier to breathe new life into this cherished car.

The interior of this car is remarkable, very clean and with little to no wear and tear to speak of, that iconic steering wheel sitting pride of place in front of the classic analogue dashboard. From the driver’s perspective, you’d be forgiven for thinking this car was half its age or younger, it really feels a stark contrast to the exterior of the Peugeot. There are no rips, tears, stains or burns on the interior anywhere and the carpets are relatively free of any ingrained dirt or discolouration. The gear lever and steering wheel, areas you’d expect the most wear being the main touch points on the car, look almost brand new and hark back to the early 80’s when the GTI came onto the market. The car has an alarm system installed and a modern radio fitted that suits the ‘racer boy’ aesthetic.

Everything works inside the car, electronics and mechanism all move and operate as intended, with the sunroof not leaking water either, which is a welcome point to hear. The seat bolsters look as though they are sagging ever so slightly if we’re being picky but suspecting these are the original seats, they have fared very well indeed. The grey on red interior beautifully matches the exterior and gives the car its well-deserved road racer feel.

The underside of the Peugeot looks to be in great condition and with the car having such low mileage it’s not hard to see why, there seems to be no rust to speak of, with only some of the suspension components having some surface bloom, which is normal on our salted roads here in the UK.

The chassis rails are not bent or dented at all, and the spare wheel, hiding in its hanger underneath the boot also looks in great condition with a good condition tyre with plenty of tread left. The gearbox rear seals have been replaced at some point and the underside of the engine bay looks leak free and looks to have been well looked after. The exhaust also looks in great condition, having been replaced a few times during the ownership of the current keeper.

Some of the rubber bushes look like they might need replacing with some fraying of the rubber. We don’t suspect this will affect the car majorly, but should the new owner want to firm up the ride and handling of this pocket rocket, this is where we would suggest investing in first.

There is a mammoth and comprehensive history that comes with the car and having been with the current owner for 30 years they have carefully arranged and kept the file to easily recall any of the work done. Some of the key works and history notes are listed below:

- Timing belt and tensioner – 21/03/2000

- Near side front anti roll bar link – 21/06/1994

- New downpipe and long pipe in exhaust – 18/07/2000

- New Rear silencer – 07/02/2007

- Replacement radiator – 22/12/2000

- New Auxiliary belt – 04/04/2012

- New engine belt – 04/04/2012

- New Gearbox diff seals – 08/08/2013

- Replacement radiator – 08/08/2013

- Replacement water pump -08/08/2013

- New timing belt – 08/08/2013

- New starter motor – 06/03/2006

- Replacement clutch – 10/04/2013

- Cylinder head stripped, welded and ground, replaced with new head bolts – 13/09/2005

- Replacement engine mount – 04/04/2012

- New window regulator – 17/12/2001

- New starter motor – 12/09/2016

- Solar panel – 12/09/2016

- New exhaust system – 12/09/2016

- Subframe spare wheel carrier – 08/12/1992

- Replacement master cylinder – 07/02/2012

The car also comes with a full HPI check which is clear and shows no alerts or warnings.

The MoT expires in May 2022.

Finding these cars in original, unmodified condition nowadays seems like a near impossibility unless you want to be paying the very top premiums for fully restored condition show ponies. This car represents a lifetime of care from conscientious owners who have not left the car wanting for anything during their ownership, clearly understanding the heritage and affording the respect this car deserves. 

This example has very low miles and owners and may be the perfect opportunity to get your hands on one of these cars with a little work to do to make it a top tier example of the breed. The market continues to rise strongly with these cars, so the car also represents a solid investment opportunity as well. Whatever the new owner chooses to do with the car though, we’d strongly suggest using it for what it was built for.

We estimate for this car to reach anywhere between £8,000 - £12,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.