1989 Peugeot 205 GTi

First registered in August 1989, the vendor bought this example just over a year ago to scratch that 205 GTI that is familiar to so many of us. Keen to own and drive something that was as original as possible, his search was rewarded when he eventually found G300 UFP.

With a relatively low mileage for its age, the car is almost completely original (bar, most notably, the roof-mounted Dimma spoiler) and in fabulous condition inside and out.

Freshly serviced and sporting a full MOT, it is now ready to move on to someone who is keen to experience for themselves just how good this model, the hottest of the hot eighties hatchbacks, really is!

The paintwork looks to be largely original. Not surprisingly, being an older red French car, some of the colour has faded in places but this is an affliction that is only apparent upon closer inspection. Concours buffs might consider a full respray but we think a good machine polish is the way forward, with a relaxed attitude being taken towards any remaining imperfections.

The 15-inch, original equipment Speedline alloy wheels are in fine condition and are shod with matching Toyo Proxes high-performance tyres, all of which have good tread.

The underside is solid and the underseal is only peeling in a few small areas, so rectification would be an extremely simple, straightforward job.

Problems are limited to two areas: there are a few, minor imperfections (including along the leading edge of the bonnet beneath the black tape) and there is a small dink on the bonnet. However, if localized repairs are your thing – and with a car this original they probably should be – then the repairs are not going to break the bank.

Oh, and the keen-eyed reader will have noticed that the red panel that sits between the rear lights isn’t original. While the owner likes the look of the red one, the grey original replacement is available with the car.

The interior is in remarkable condition – and not just for a French car. The leather-edged seats are still in very good condition with only mild creasing to the bolsters and the rest of the seat material is in almost perfect condition.

The door cards, roof lining and carpets are similarly impressive and it’s even still got its original, uncut rear parcel shelf! Sure, there’s a small amount of patination throughout but it’s nothing to worry about and the wear is way, way less than on similar cars we’ve seen.

Almost as importantly, it all looks to be original too, bar the modern Sony iPod-compatible headunit. At a time when ‘improving’ hot hatches has only just ceased to be a thing, this example appears to have completely escaped the tender ministrations of the modification/tuning community bar the fitment of aftermarket alloy pedals. Hallelujah.

Problems are pretty much restricted to a couple of dash panels that have been drilled with holes at some point in the car’s life. Sourcing replacements via somewhere like eBay should be reasonably straightforward given the number of Peugeot 205s that were built and later scrapped through serious body rot; the scrapyards are full of ‘em so getting this one back to showroom condition should be good fun rather than the chore it might be with a less popular model.

Aside from its recent full service and clean-sheet MOT with no advisories, the 205 has had a new rear suspension beam and refreshed gear linkages immediately prior to the current owner buying it.

The exhaust is a Magnex stainless exhaust system, which the owner tells us is “nice but not too loud!” He goes on to say that the car drives very well (“goes like stink” was the actual phrase he used…) and has no serious mechanical faults that he is aware of. It does surge a little on tickover but this is something of a feature of the model and so shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

The engine bay itself is clean and tidy and a credit to the previous owners.

The service record book shows a remarkable 23 stamps, the most recent of which was from June 2018. The online MOT history also shows nothing of any concern, with not a mention of any serious rot, which is the thing you should be worried about with any 205GTI.

The MOT history seems to support the car’s mileage, too.

If the Volkswagen Golf GTi was the definitive eighties’ hot hatchback, the Peugeot 205 GTI was widely considered to be the best - and yet, the price of even the best 205 GTI lags significantly behind that of some of its contemporary rivals, most notably Ford.

Which means that the next owner might be able to drive something of a bargain because we think the guide price £6,500-8,500 is a real snip considering the car’s condition, specification and desirability.

Yes, it needs tickling in a few places to make the most of its originality and low mileage but, if that matters, we think there’s sufficient headroom in the price for the lucky new owner to be able to get it fully sorted and then be able to drive it for a few years before passing it on without losing a penny. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised to hear that they’d done very well out of it…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in York; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.