Heart Ruling My Head?

[aldworth33 45 1 Cars]

I have gotten my hands on what I thought would be enough money to buy a decent 1.9gti with not too many flaws but the car that I'm looking at has a bit of rust above the screen,(screen out job) a decent size scratch on the boot and has done 160k on the original engine. Am I mental for thinking about spending 2.5k on this thing? I'm desperate to own a 205 but I don't have much body work skills, whereas if it was mint body wise and had a few mechanical problems I wouldn't mind as I'v been working on cars for years. If the owners a member on here sorry just needed a few opinions from owners who know their 205's.

 

Thanks for any advice Aidan

[Bogsye 22]

I'd have thought £2.5k would have got something quite nice - only problem I see is your location though. The Scottish market always seems quite small with little supply. I went as far as York and the Lakes trying to find my rough car.

 

I'd hold out for a decent know car through the classifieds here and posisbly be prepared to travel.

 

Feel free to PM me details of th one you're considering.

 

Cheers,

 

Brian

[GLPoomobile 958]

Would need more info on the car really, but £2.5k sounds excessive on the face of it. But the rust may not be that bad compared to what is the norm these days, and it may have had a lot of new parts, which might give justification to the price. Do you know?

 

But if it's just an average example that shows it's age, I probably wouldn't go any higher than £2k. And only as high as £2k simply because values have increased recently and there are less GTIs for sale so demand is higher.

[dcc 855]

*ah hem*

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1992-PEUGEOT-205-GTI-RED-AIRCON-PAS-ORIGINAL-RARE-/141043105633?

 

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showtopic=152112&hl=

[NFS 32]

lol thought that would happen ^^^^^^^^^^^

[aldworth33 45 1 Cars]

It looks in really good nick apart from what I mentioned, there is a huge list of things that have been done on it in the last year or so and it passed its mot no problems. It's a fair old trek as it's in Lancashire so I don't mind travelling a bit but south Wales is a tad far. I definitely thought it was a bit on the pricey side but I know they're a dieing breed

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

I travelled to Newcastle for mine and paid £600 for a rolling shell.

 

I waited a long time for the right car/shell so take your time and don't impulse buy.

[welshpug 1,666]

fly to Cardiff airport, or get the train. I'm sure Dan will meet you there.

 

A lad from Forfar came down on the train to Cardiff for the 309 Goodwood I sold 3 years ago, and if my Scottish geography is correct that is further north than you, so MTFU

[aldworth33 45 1 Cars]

Haha aye but I have got a budget and my mate will take me to anywhere in northern England for nexto nowt whereas planes and trains cost more, saying that if he sold me it for under 2.5k I'd deffo take it now it's taxed and has original wheels back on. I see what your saying about waiting for a good one but I'm kinda needing a car soonish for visiting my kids and family but I have my heart set on a 205

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

Hardcore 205 owner! You must really love the 205!

Just winding you up!

 

Don't worry about the cost, it's a safer investment than a new car!

[dcc 855]

Sorry boys. Deposit taken on the car tonight

[aldworth33 45 1 Cars]

I know just want to make sure I'm not spending more than I should as it's better in my pocket or put on making it a minter

[PeterGriffin 20 1 Cars]

I think it's a pretty stretchy price mate. I paid £1000 for something slightly worse for wear than what you describe, but with 20k less miles. Tidy solid little car. I would have paid 2.5k for a VERY nice one, but what is often reported as mint is often far from it.

 

If the rust and the scratch are the ONLY things wrong with it, and it's otherwise mint with full service history etc, you'd be forgiven for paying 2,500.

 

I spent a long time looking for mine and from what I've seen, anything higher than 2,400 ish stays advertised for a long long time, unless it's clean as a whistle, and who knows what they eventually sell for.

 

Go see the guy, spend a while chewing the cud with him, I'm sure you could get it closer to 2k, if not 2k flat. As farmer and welshpug point out, don't impulse buy, and travel wherever the car is - if in doubt send the AA in to inspect before you travel. If you do travel to collect, it's only 1 day of your time, well worth it for the right motor.

 

Good luck

[aldworth33 45 1 Cars]

Sound advice mate, he seems pretty solid on the price but I'll give him another try as it is a decent trip out to come home empty handed but I suppose he will try and play on that so I'd be better bartering beforehand

[aldworth33 45 1 Cars]

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/peugeot/205/205-1-9-205-gti-phase-2/1641651 this is the ad, iv got the seller to email me pics of the scratch and rust

[welshpug 1,666]

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showuser=21648

[aldworth33 45 1 Cars]

I kidna figured he was going to be member lol it's nice but the mileage and rust make me think its pricey

[welshpug 1,666]

It looks tidy enough imo, you would be looking at significantly more if it was truly rust free which is particularly rare these days over here.

[aldworth33 45 1 Cars]

Cool mate I just didn't want to dive in feet 1st cos iv always wanted a red gti and get stung

[GLPoomobile 958]

Mileage is irrelevant if the mechanicals are up to scratch, and it's had plenty of new parts recently to be fair. Body work doesn't look to bad, but photos are always more flattering than in the flesh. Looks suspiciously too red though Wonder if it's been resprayed at some point. It should be nicely orange by now if original.

 

On the basis of that advert, I think £2.5k might be fair actually. You just never know until you go and poke and drive. And I'm afraid that you will have to travel, as this is just one of the trivialities of buying rarer cars. You have to be a lucky man to find what you are looking for on your doorstep.

[mowflow 67]

Man this thread was confusing.

 

My car was originally advertised as "mint condition" for £2.5k. It had a little rust around the window but otherwise the bodywork looked good. Poking about I found a few other bits of rust in the hidden areas along with a few other issues and in the end I got it for £1.1k. I had to travel from Glasgow to Coventry as there are bugger all in Scotland. I got a flight for £25 so cheaper than driving (cost me £60 fuel to get home) if you pick your locations travel anywhere in the UK can be cheap and easy

 

I'd pay £2.5k for a known good example..... maybe. Anything else I'd treat with the suspicion this forum has taught me to treat rear axels with. Unless someone has had it apart recently it's probably fooked and should be paid for as such.

[aldworth33 45 1 Cars]

Says the rear brams been done mate so the general consensus is that I should go for it so I have told him I'm going down Saturday and I'll have a good look over it and see what happens. Cheers for all the advice

[mowflow 67]

Fair play. Having actually read the advert now it does sound that it's had a lot of things sorted with preventative work.

 

On the other side of the coin and to answer your original question. Yes, I do think your heart is ruling your head. I say this because you sound like the car will be your sole mode of transport to visit family/kids and whatever else. For that budget you can get something much more suitable, newer, safer, reliable and faster. You can get an ep3 type R for that money for example.

[welshpug 1,666]

I wouldnt touch a 2.5k ep3 with a barge pole!

[aldworth33 45 1 Cars]

I see what your saying mate, I think your right but i suppose it's not a bad thing in a way as buying a car iv dreamed of owning since I can remember so it's always gunna be. I just wanted to run it by you lot to make sure I wasn't being totally stupid.

 

I'm not a civic fan I'd rather spend 500quid more and get a dc2 integra if I was gunna get a honda