1990 Peugeot 205 CTI

With only 33,000 miles on the odometer and just two previous registered keepers, the second owner bought at a year old and then kept it for the next 27 years - and she even left a note in the file pleading with the car’s third owner to look after it!

Our photographer describes the interior thus: “it doesn’t show its age at all” and came away wowed by its overall condition. With recent new tyres and a new fabric hood, it has a full service history and has been stored in a heated and dehumidified garage; the vendor tells us that it started first time after being brought out of winter storage.

After a year and around 1,000 miles in his hands, it is only being sold because he’s moving house. And, he’s a reasonable man and has agreed a very sensible reserve - and a guide price that is about half what you’d have to pay for a similarly good 205GTI hatchback.

The red coachwork looks terrific with tight shutlines, good panel alignment, and a bright, glossy finish to the paint; we’ve seen a few well-preserved 205s in the past few years and it never fails to amaze us how good they can look when they’ve been cared for properly - and a well-fettled one certainly puts paid to the lie that they’re rot-boxes…

The majority of the exterior plastic trim is still a deep black, and it all fits very well. The red trim that is inset into the front and rear bumpers, as well as the side trims along the car’s flanks, is in great shape too.

The black folding roof is in a great condition, but then it was replaced only recently along with the rear window. It furls and unfurls as it should, tucking away neatly when it is folded down, and remaining taut and well-fitting when it is up. The tonneau cover is good and fits very well.

Our photographer, a man with a keen eye for the details, describes the 205 thus: “The paintwork is in very good condition. However, it does have some minor stonechips plus two small supermarket dinks on the nearside, one on the door and one on the rear panel.” However, he was keen to point out that there is “no blemish to the paint on the dings.”

There is also a slightly matt area under the driver mirror, and some slight chips to the paint on the very edge of driver’s door and on the outside sills. There is also a slight bubble on the lower offside sill.

This sounds like he’s damning with faint praise but he really isn’t; as you can see from the photos, it’s in a fabulous condition but his artist’s eye misses nothing.

And, on the positive side, he does point out that the underside of the wheelarches are in an incredibly good condition.

The OE alloy wheels are in good shape but do have a few small marks to the outer rims. They’re shod with recent Firestone tyres and the spare, which is stored in a cradle underneath the boot, is a matching alloy with a good tyre.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Work to do - other than sorting out the few minor cosmetic blemishes - is limited to the need (perhaps) to fit a better rear bumper. The one that is fitted has gone grey and hasn’t responded to cleaning but then the owner admits that he hasn’t tried to old heat-gun treatment, so the remedy might be easy and free.

NB: The records show that it may well have had a new front wing, door skin, and rear quarter panel in around 2011. Please see the paperwork for details.

If we class the exterior as being very good, then the interior is nothing short of sensational. With barely any wear whatsoever, not even on the notoriously fragile seat fabric, it has clearly been very well looked after and almost certainly stored inside for the vast majority of its life as there is no sun-related degradation at all.

So, all four seats are still virtually as well-presented and comfortable as they were when the car was new and the rear seats are surprisingly usable - and that’s something of a rarity in any convertible car, much less one this small and light.

The carpets are still a vibrant red and are free of the sort of holes, marks and wear that almost every other example has. The dashboard is free of cracks, damage and extraneous instruments, and the door cards, headlining, steering wheel and gearknob are all excellent.

Even the pedal rubbers still look almost new, and that’s not a line we get to write very often. The vendor also points out that everything works as it should, including the brittle catch on the glovebox.

The boot is similarly impressive, and the underlying metal floor is free of rust, rot and damage.

Problems? Almost none. If we’re maintaining the ultra-picky theme then the switch panels for the electric windows is a little scratched but that that is the extent of the problems speaks volumes for how good the rest is.

We are told that it is a “faultless runner” and fired straight up after being stored over the winter. The engine is, he says, “very sweet and free-revving” and he is proud to say that it has “never missed a beat”.

The Peugeot has had a new clutch fitted at 27,000 miles, plus a new timing belt and waterpump in May 2015 at 30,577 miles. Other notable repairs include a new brake servo in May 2016, an offside window motor in August 2016, a wiper motor in February 2017, and a new exhaust in November 2017.

The vendor tells us that the Peugeot’s power-steering system has been disconnected as he prefers the feel of a manual system. However, he does point out that it could be fairly easily reconnected but it hasn’t been tested, so may need recommissioning.

The 205’s MOT certificate expires in November 2020, and it was gained without a single advisory point. The online MOT history also shows a gradual accumulation of miles over the years, starting at 27,348 in 2006.

The Peugeot comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years. It also still has its owner’s handbook, a Haynes’ workshop manual, and a copy of ‘Sporting Peugeot 205s’.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please contact the owner and ask if they can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like them to concentrate on.

While the new owner is free to take the car in whatever direction they like, we can see it being used as a daily driver, with perhaps the odd classic car show at the weekend; the Peugeot 205 CTI really is one of the most versatile, multi-role modern classics there is and will happily fulfill a number of roles with its customary charm and joie de vivre.

It probably won’t be that expensive to buy, either; while the price of Peugeot 205 CTIs and GTIs hasn’t risen in the way that those of fast Fords has, we are starting to see a nice, steady climb in values over recent years – but we think they’re still underpriced, which means this one might prove to be a canny investment for the car enthusiast with an eye to their car’s future value.

Being offered with a guide price of just £7,000-9,000, we think this charming 205 CTI 1.6 will provide its new owner with a whole heap of fun in a (probably) depreciation-proof package. Of course, nothing in life is guaranteed but we’d be amazed if this example didn’t provide someone with a great deal of low-cost fun over the next few years.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the seller in Haslemere; 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’.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ near Abingdon, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.