1991 Peugeot 205GTi 1.6 - Only 65,000 miles

With a fresh MOT and only 65,000 miles on the clock (a figure which is believed to be genuine), this cracking little Peugeot 205GTI is as charming – and diminutive – as we remember them back-in-the-day.

It sits four-square, with a perfect stance; the wheels aren’t comedy large, nor the ride height impractically low. This is a beautifully usable hot-hatchback, that is subtle rather than brash, so it’s a real treat to see that it hasn’t been modified. It’s as fresh and original as the designers and engineers intended, and all the better for it.

The lightweight, and quite thin by today’s standards, panels are free of ripples, dents and other damage, which is rare given how easily then are deformed. It is also free of rust as far as we can tell; we’ve prodded it and poked it and lifted all the carpets and can’t find any at all, which is quite remarkable.

The Steel Grey paintwork is in fine fettle and believed to be largely original, although it has had some localised touch-ups in the past. The panel gaps are good and tight too (well, as good as any French car of the eighties, that is…), which is a reassuring sign on a car with something of a reputation for hurling itself through hedges backwards.

Just as importantly, there are no dents to the underside of the sills at the front where ham-fisted tyre fitters have often jacked them up in the wrong place. A small thing perhaps, but indicative of a careful, caring owner who wasn’t afraid to demand that their car was treated with respect.

Speaking of which, a set of matching Michelin Cross Climate all-season tyres sit on scuff-free OE alloy rims; this combo – matching tyres and no sign of kerbing – are two of the most important indicators we know of a careful and conscientious owner. The tyres are the correct size too at 185/60x14 and have plenty of tread on them, looking almost new.

Oh, and the factory fitted glass sunroof works as it should, sealing nice and tight. This again speaks of someone who has nurtured the car through the years.

The headlining is clean and taut, and the dashboard is free of damage, scratches and evidence of badly installed accessories, although it does sport a modern head unit; if it were ours, we’d be tempted to source a period-correct stereo from eBay to score some (albeit largely unnecessary) extra originality points at a concours.

We’ve played with the switches and can report that everything seems to work as it should, including the remote central locking, although we’d welcome potential bidders to come along to see the car here at The Market HQ in Abingdon to double-check for themselves.

The leather-bound steering wheel is in fine condition, as are the bolsters on the cloth seats; both are high-wear items on abused, high-mileage cars, so we can continue to connect the dots and draw the conclusion that the recorded mileage is almost certainly accurate.

This is supported by the rest of the interior, which is in very, very good condition, including the carpets. There’s almost nothing for the new owner to do in there other than sit and enjoy one of the best interiors of the eighties, snug in those heavily sculpted seats.

Almost nothing? Well, the window winders are starting to whiten a little, but they’re original and it’s highly likely that the old heat gun trick would bring them back to their former glory. (Ditto some of the exterior black trim, which has lightened.)

Oh, and the rear parcel shelf is still there, free of holes, and about as straight as the day it left France. Fans of the breed will recognise that this is almost unheard of and yet another indicator that this example has led a pampered life in the hands of owners who have appreciated how remarkable these cars are.

The engine bay is neat and tidy but not overly clean. We think this is a plus point as it obviously hasn’t been steam-cleaned to within an inch of its life to hide the evidence of oil leaks. It even still features its jack, which often goes missing in action when careless owners can’t be bothered to replace it (it can be a bit of a fiddle to locate properly) after changing a wheel. 

The underside is a bit grubby, but the underseal looks to be largely intact and the car is free of the sort of structural rust that can plague neglected cars. We’d be tempted to have both areas professionally cleaned; they aren’t bad at all, it’s just that the rest of the car is so good it seems a shame to leave them in their untouched condition.

Other work to do is pretty much limited to replacing some of the rusty screws and bolts that spoil the view under the bonnet. That’s not a bad To Do list for a 30-year-old French car, is it?

In fact the car was driven the 100+ miles here without fault, and our short test drives have shown this little 205 GTI to drive very tightly indeed, coming with the standard non-power-assisted steering, feeling "just like a new car". Please note this is the later 115hp example.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s low mileage. The MOT itself runs out in 12 months time, and is free of advisories. In fact, aside from a damaged rubber gaiter, the car has been free of advisories since 2011 – and before that only gained comments for surface rust on brake pipes and a corroded fuel line. That’s not bad, is it?

It has its original stamped service history book and owner’s handbook, plus comprehensive hand-written and typed notes from previous owners detailing the work they carried out on the 205 over the years.

The car comes with a large number of expired MOT certificates plus a thick sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the recent work, including the timing belt last year, as well as that done to it over the years.

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 the very highest standard.

The car comes with a few servicing consumables and spare parts, including two headlights. Please see the photographs in the gallery for more detail.

While the price of Peugeot 205 GTIs hasn’t risen in the way that those of fast Fords has, we’ve been seeing a nice, steady climb in values over recent years – but we still think they’re underpriced, which means this one might prove to be a canny investor for the car enthusiast with an eye to a good investment.

With a predicted sale price of just £7,500 - £10,000 – and nothing major on the To Do list – we think this charming 205 GTI 1.6 will provide its new owner with a whole heap of fun in a depreciation-proof package. Of course, nothing in life (bar philandering and dishonest politicians) is guaranteed, but we’d be amazed if this example didn’t provide someone with some low-cost retro fun over the next few years.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in 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’.

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

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.