Thinking Out Loud.

[daza2020 2]

Hi all first time here.

 

Have been lusting after a 205 gti since I was a kid walked past a miami blue on every day on the way to school and always slowed down as I passed it. Now I've grown up a bit and I've been pondering the idea of grabbing one with the intention to tear it down and build it back up as that quite appeals to me I've got quite a bit of knowledge of cars and would feel confident doing it.

 

Now comes the question parts would it be more wise to go after a more expensive example than a dirt cheap one my budget would be set around the £1k mark and I'm taken by red or white in the 89/90 range as I've read about the rust issues on earlier and later models.

 

I've seen a few for around £500 then a few around my max budget is there anything between this or would it simple come down to viewing and seeing how bad if any the rot is and other bits milage doesn't concern me as I'd be eventually a summer/weekend toy.

[acox99 74 1 Cars]

My advice would be buy the best you can afford, go and look at a few and see what you can get for your money. Why tear the while lot down? Do what's needed to a high standard and use it. You can do bits when they need doing over winter if it a toy.

[daza2020 2]

Would prefer to tinker and tear down/ rebuild over the course of a couple of years to make it a minter already got a daily driver and would like to get/keep the 205 for the foreseeable future as I see them only gaining in value.

[Doof 11]

Let's be honest, a lot of the fun is in the tinkering isn't it? Basically it sounds like you want something with a good shell and you're only going to find that out by going to look at them. If that's the case, I don't think budget matters so much, you just need to find a solid shell.

[daza2020 2]

Indeed I'd enjoy it more stripping it and rebuilding it so it'll last quite a while and get some looks I'd also like to get it to a few shows once it's mint. Agree on the solid shell seems everything after that is rather simple.

[laldy875 6 1 Cars]

As long as you have time and space, and it's not your everyday car.

Avoid sunroofs,go for solid body low mileage, you can take time to sort everything else out

[MiniGibbo 142]

Sounds like the Miami on my drive is just what you want..

[GLPoomobile 958]

If you want a 205 GTI you put straight on the road and enjoy, buy the best example you can find/afford, with the caveat that it WILL still need some work doing to it.

 

If you want something you can tinker with, buy a cheap one with a decent shell (unless you fancy the welding and painting activities too).

 

As Doof said, half the fun is in the tinkering. And the more involved you get, the more you will learn about the car (not just GTIs in general, but your own GTI) and become more familiar with it. This is really useful further down the line when you experience mechanical failures or have to do any servicing, as you'll have the confidence to tackle that work.

 

And let's be honest, how many of us have set about a project with fairly small ambitions and as you work through it things just spiral out of control? If you're that type of person there's no point buying a car that's more expensive and in good condition, as you'll still go through the same expensive process of replacing parts that are less than perfect, to achieve the same end result as you would if you'd started with a cheaper and inferior example.

[daza2020 2]

Yes it seems to be find a decent shell and go from there I don't currently have a clue on welding but wouldn't mind giving it a go and I'd ideally like to keep the paint work original but I shall begin my search for the "right one" as I'm in no rush atm.

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

Avoid sunroofs

 

I'd have to say don't avoid sunroofs. The factory sunroof is one of my favourite parts of a 205, nothing better than cruising around on a warm summer night with the sunroof open.

[2052NV 24]

Id say buy the best one you can afford and then pull it down and tinker. Sooooo much better starting with something that is a 5 out of ten to start with and putting a decent effort to make it a 9, compared to buying a 2 and ending up with 6 if you follow

[GLPoomobile 958]

Sure, there are some merits to starting with a better example, and it'll be less work and less expense IF you have some self restraint and only do the minimum work required to get a reasonable end result. For most cars, I'd say this is a sensible philosophy.

 

In the case of 205s, I just don't think it makes much difference going from a seemingly better starting point. Providing the shell is straight and solid, just about everything else you'd need to do to improve one is so bloody easy, and most parts are still really easy to come by (so long as you aren't anally retentive about keeping it OE and using Peugeot parts). And the other thing is that even when you buy something that seems in good condition when you check it over, there's a high probability that once you get familiar with it and start stripping bits down you'll uncover all sorts of previous bodges etc, and the list of things to do soon grows.

 

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that IF you can exercise self restraint, of course it makes more sense to start with a better example and have less work to do. But I've seen enough projects on here, and I know from personal experience that even with modest goals, things soon spiral once you get in to the project. Once you start putting a few new parts on, the temptation is there to start replacing other related bits, and so on and so on.

 

On the flipside though, the danger with buying one with the intention of it being a project from day 1 is that you can lose sight of things after a while, and you end up with a car that you never get to enjoy on the road and just gathers dust in the garage. At least if you get to experience it for a while before you start doing the work it gives you some good memories to spur you on when motivation starts to wane.

[Davy 18 1 Cars]

Totally agree with the above!.. When the "tinkering" starts, it's hard to know when to draw the line.

 

 

Id say buy the best one you can afford and then pull it down and tinker. Sooooo much better starting with something that is a 5 out of ten to start with and putting a decent effort to make it a 9, compared to buying a 2 and ending up with 6 if you follow

 

..using the 0 - 10 scale as example... I find I could start with a 9, and think "oh! I'll just fix that tiny little bit there"... and next thing I know the bloody things stripped back to where a 2 would have been stripped to anyway! I've already got one project sitting covered in dust, looking abaondoned and I'm finding it hard drawing the line with the current project which was only meant to be a 'quick freshen up'.

[2052NV 24]

Totally agree with the above!.. When the "tinkering" starts, it's hard to know when to draw the line.

 

 

 

..using the 0 - 10 scale as example... I find I could start with a 9, and think "oh! I'll just fix that tiny little bit there"... and next thing I know the bloody things stripped back to where a 2 would have been stripped to anyway! I've already got one project sitting covered in dust, looking abaondoned and I'm finding it hard drawing the line with the current project which was only meant to be a 'quick freshen up'.

hahaha so true!

[daza2020 2]

Thanks guys for all the input.

 

From what I've gathered then a decent shell to start with thats mostly rot free would be preferable I've already begun looking around but won't make a purchase till next year unless something silly comes along like I saw yesterday 65k iirc 89 reg for around the 1500 mark was sorely tempted but don't want to rush into anything got a lot of reading up first.

[mowflow 67]

I've done exactly what's been described above.

 

I went on the same budget as the OP. I struggled to find anything near me that ticked the boxes of not having an insurance cat and having an original 8v engine. Closest were at least 100miles with the added complication of being no tax or ticket. Without a trailer that instantly sees the budget creep.

 

I ended up buying what would maybe be a 7 or 8 at the other end of the country. Taxed and tested so drove home. Planned to drive it through summer and fully strip over winter but just started stripping instantly. I'm now doing as above and replacing things that didn't need replacing. It's a satisfying process and should mean a totally mint car in about 10 years at this rate.

 

Figure what you want. What work you are prepared to do and buy the car that ticks the most boxes. I didn't want to buy a box of bits but I also didn't want to pay a few k for something that was already mint as the tinkering is part of the fun.

 

One other thing to be aware of is that it can be difficult to tell the state of some common problem areas such as up under the tank and exact beam condition.

[daza2020 2]

Nearly forgot about this, been out looking not with a mind of buying anything however this one keeps on coming up with a lower price every time and for some reason I'm very taken by it just waiting to hear back from the guy about the underside and a few other things but it does look very nice.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=151111072547

[nveeate 78]

Nearly forgot about this, been out looking not with a mind of buying anything however this one keeps on coming up with a lower price every time and for some reason I'm very taken by it just waiting to hear back from the guy about the underside and a few other things but it does look very nice.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=151111072547

 

That one does look nice. Worth asking for some pics of the usual rust traps?

[Pompeysteve 0]

Be good to have a few more over here on the island! I have a Miami Blue 1.9 but sadly not for sale .... ever .... ever!

[cybernck 402 1 Cars]

there's no point buying a car that's more expensive and in good condition, as you'll still go through the same expensive process of replacing parts that are less than perfect, to achieve the same end result as you would if you'd started with a cheaper and inferior example.

 

Exactly the reason why I started with a really bad example - it was cheap, I will be replacing everything on it anyway and the end result will provide more satisfaction as well .

 

By the way, I am also doing a Miami Blue build .