So, You Know When You Fancy A Change...

[Stu 18]

I, like most people on here have had my 205 for a number of years, and dont get me wrong, i do enjoy the car..

 

Things is, of late, i feel like its all ive done for the last 6 years or so as a 'hobby' car.

 

Kinda fancy something else. So. Has anyone else felt this, and more importantly, sold up and moved onto something else and NOT looked back and had regrets?

 

If so, what did you move on to?

[stu8v 68 1 Cars]

AE86

[2052NV 24]

i get this feeling sometimes, then i go test drive a car i have wanted/lusted for (last car was a 325i E30) and relaise it drives and handles horrible and then i get back in my 205 and appreciate how awesome it really is... then i am happy for another year or so till i get the urge again and the process repeats

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

The other problem is, that you can do a car up to your perfect spec, run it for a few years and then things start to need to be replaced on it and you think that you replaced those not that long ago, but then realise it was 8 years previously! The worst thing is having a car resprayed and then using it. It can only get worse by the odd stone chip or so; it can never get better.

 

You sometimes miss tinkering when the car works perfectly too as there is not much to achieve or fix. That can make you want another project.

 

My diff went recently on my CTI and I really enjoyed taking it all apart, understanding it, cleaning bits up and putting it back together in an evening in the garage whilst listening to the radio and avoiding X Factor and the rest of the family. Thankfully it didn't cost a lot to repair as parts are still plentiful and there is a good local network around me (cheers Tom Fenton!!)

[Batfink 201]

AE86

So many tuning options they will be a money pit lol

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

I'm in this position at the moment, due to changes at work I could get something a little different, as such I'm hugely tempted by a Clio v6. The big problem is I can't part with the 205 as I know I'll regret it in the future, and I really can't justify another car

[Wes 86 1 Cars]

i'm sort of in that position. but i'm not selling the 205, i have just sorned it for the winter and am going to pick up my new american beast tomorrow! i've had the 205 for 5 years now and don't really want to get rid of it, so it can sit in the garage and i will see how i feel next spring.

[welshpug 1,657]

I'm in this position at the moment, due to changes at work I could get something a little different, as such I'm hugely tempted by a Clio v6. The big problem is I can't part with the 205 as I know I'll regret it in the future, and I really can't justify another car

 

stick a V6 in the 205, its the same lump...

[PeterGriffin 20 1 Cars]

I was looking to add rather than change out, but I tried a full fat clio 172 a couple of months ago. I suppose I was comparing it to a stiffened up 205, but even then it wallowed around the corners like a nervous bowl of jelly - very weird result after reading lots of good things about them.

 

I'd like to try a civic Type-r next, as I don't want to mount miles onto the family motor and the 205 isn't really set up for daily driving.

 

Just test drive as many different cars as you can. If you've never tried one, get into an mx-5 and imagine it with 20-30 more horses, they're a lot of fun with the odd tweak. Sitting on a sliding rear axle will spice up sunday mornings...

Edited September 12, 2013 by PeterGriffin

[Batfink 201]

For me after owning 205's the Clio 172 felt a bit dull. Fast but lacked excitement. I like the mx5 for its light and responsive steering but driving kyepans it so needs 30bhp more. Front engined rwd cars are good fun. I get to drive friends 205's in many states of tune and they are special. Saying that a mk1 golf drives very similar but has a lighter feel to its front end. I wonder if this is down to a better weight distribution but I recently considered owning one

Edited September 12, 2013 by Batfink

[GilesW 41]

Mk1 golfs are epic.

Every 205 owner should own one, and vice versa.

 

The 205 is a slight tweek on, but the golf still has it for me by a slim margin.

[Mac Crash 78 1 Cars]

The 205 is everything a French car should be and more, the MK1 Golf it's German equivalent - owned the real thing many years ago, left hand drive German spec, with no brake linkages because everything was on the the side it was meant to be on, black with special edition Royal Stewart tartan upholstery and campaign engine, that was one car I genuinely wish I'd never sold...

 

if your budget can stretch to it then I'd recommend, especially if you've never experienced it, is one of the older Audi's running the 5 cylinder turbo engines from the 80's early 90's, UR's, S2's and Avants etc... difficult to find now sadly, we know that Quattro means four in Italian and that the Quattro models naturally utilised 4WD but the true definition of the "real" Quattros was this very special, perfectly balanced 5 cylinder engine, Audi had to stop using it because it couldn't meet modern emissions but anyone who owned one will vouch for how special they are, the noise alone is just incredible.

 

No denying Jap cars are good but ultimately soulless in my humble opinion and mind they copied nearly everything from European cars in the first place.

[Batfink 201]

Old jap cars have loads of character! It changed somewhat in the 90's but the manufacturers race and hot hatch specials have always stood out although suffering bland interiors

[allye 530 3 Cars]

I've found myself looking at 1.8T Mk1 Golf's recently, but then I look at the goodwood and I still love it way too much! Even more so next year when it will work most of the time.

 

On a separate note I've just got myself a 89 Corolla here in Aus for the winter with a 1.6 Twin cam, bloody love it!

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Often think the same. Especially after another year of spending more pounds taxing and insuring the 205 to do less miles than pounds spent. I've tried to convince myself that next year will be the year it gets used enough to justify it.

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

I've found myself looking at 1.8T Mk1 Golf's recently, but then I look at the goodwood and I still love it way too much! Even more so next year when it will work most of the time. On a separate note I've just got myself a 89 Corolla here in Aus for the winter with a 1.6 Twin cam, bloody love it!

Wouldn't gloat too much, ban hammer will be coming out ;P

[Richie 32]

Recently sold my 1.9 after 5 years ownership, had a miami one for about 3 years before that too. Moving on to an Civic type r. But my 205 was always my main car and just fancied something a bit less hard work.

No regrets so far! I'll always love 205's, and probably will have a phase 2 1.6 at some point! But at this moment in time i think it was the right decision.

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Wouldn't gloat too much, ban hammer will be coming out ;P

 

I've been keeping it on the down low