1987 Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6

This is your chance to acquire an excellent 1.6-litre 205 GTi manufactured in 1987. Purchased by the current vendor last June as a lockdown project, he rather reluctantly now offers it for sale to fund his next venture, the full renovation of a Ford Capri!

The car was purchased from a trader in Derbyshire who was a Peugeot-trained mechanic. He carried out extensive work on the car, using mainly original Peugeot parts.

The current vendor completed the project and the car now presents in very fine condition.

The vendor tells us that the only areas of paintwork that gave him any cause for concern was the front spoiler. This was professionally resprayed, and it appears to be a job well done.

A number of minor supermarket dents were entrusted to a specialist company and were successfully removed leaving no trace. The car therefore now shows well and defies its 33 years.

The alloy wheels have been recently refurbished and are clad in four new premium matching Goodyear tyres. As we never tyre (ahem) of saying, quality matching tyres are a sure sign of proper care and attention by a car owner/seller.

The overall appearance is one of originality and the car still has the ability to turn heads.

Peugeot’s of this era were not renowned for the robustness of their interiors, so it is pleasing to see that this 205 has worn better than most. The cloth seats are remarkably wear-free, the only sign of ageing being the slight deformation of the foam on the driver’s seat bolster. This should be an easy fix, but it does not in any way detract in our opinion.

Some may bemoan the lack of leather seat facings, but after 33 years you would be certain of ageing and in any case, when pressing on, the cloth seats will hold you better in place.

The headlining presents well, the carpet is in good condition and there are overmats which appear to have done their job. We suspect they are not the originals.

Thankfully, this car does without the popular sliding glass sunroof, as these were notorious for leaking and causing untold problems.

The parcel shelf is intact and has not been ruined by the fitting of aftermarket speakers, a popular thing to do back in the day.

Everything appears to work as it should, bit if we are being picky, the gear knob is a little loose.

We are told the aforementioned Derbyshire dealer, Avalon Autos in Chesterfield, carried out extensive work on the car before selling it to our vendor. In order to ensure the 205 GTi maintained its renowned handling prowess, he fitted new suspension arms, drop links, rear shock absorbers and Macpherson struts, including strut tops and springs. And the dealer said only original Peugeot parts were used.

Past MOTS mentioned rusty brake pipes, so these were completely replaced too. In addition, new brake calipers, braided hoses, discs and pads were fitted thus ensuring the car should stop as well as it goes.

The engine came under scrutiny too and as such the cylinder head was rebuilt and new gaskets and valve stem oil seals were fitted. The timing belt was also replaced at the same time.

The car was given a thorough service too with oil and filter, fuel filter, air filter, brake fluid, spark plugs and HT leads all replaced. The car has covered little mileage since.

We have noticed that (on the front only) the side lights & indicators don't work however, the vendor thinks that could be simple a broken wire from when the front spoiler was re-fitted. We know the headlights work and have published a picture in the gallery below to prove it.

The car has had a gentle life over the last 14 years, covering just 3,000 miles. The current MOT is valid until June 2021. A light brake imbalance was the only advisory at the time of the last test, and this was easily rectified.

The documents section of the gallery contains a raft of paperwork and the service book is present and correct and boasts plenty of stamps. The owner’s handbook is present, along with other assorted pamphlets.

Finding an original, unmolested Peugeot 205 GTi is getting harder with each passing year. Many were either raced, modified or crashed. This example has covered a reasonable mileage and in recent years has benefitted from a good deal of expenditure to ensure the new owner will have many years of enjoyable motoring.

The very best examples of the 205 GTi have been known to change hands for over £30,000. We expect this one will sell between £10,000 to £15,000. Prices will only rise as the years go by, so why not relive the ‘80s and buy one of the best handling hot hatches ever produced. We doubt you will regret it.

Inspection is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.