Test drove the '87 Peugeot 205 CTI (convertible GTI)

"duurtlang" (duurtlang) 11/02/2015 at 08:20 • Filed to: None

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It turned out to be the perfect winter project car (car to work on during winter). Should I buy it?

It’s an ‘87 Peugeot 205 CTI (convertible GTI) with 213k km. The owner bought the car when he was 19 years old, which is visible in some of the modifications. It was his first car. He is 38 years old now, so he’s owned it for a rather long time. The car hadn’t left his garage in 6+ years, until very recently. Other than the issues I’ll mention it looked solid enough, and it isn’t expensive. The owner mentioned he replaced the brake lines this year. It drove alright.

Issues I found:

Loud/aftermarket Remus exhaust. Muffler will have to go.

Ugly/dangerous aftermarker pedals. These must go.

Aftermarket front bumper needs attention.

On both the left and right side there’s a tiny hole in the convertible roof on the exact same spot. Probably due to some folding issue. It’s patchable.

Some rust on one sill. No holes, the metal was rather thick there when it left the factory and still seems solid underneath. Metal brush + anti-rust stuff + aerosol paint?

Both front seats need some attention. I’ll probably replace the black cloth (which is damaged) but keep the colored cloth for authenticity.

Front indicators are period-incorrect clear. A €7 a side fix.

Passenger side window doesn’t work. Wiring, switch, motor, arm? Will have to troubleshoot.

Driver side window works, but needs guiding preventing it to fall aside.

Air intake hose missing.

Radio front missing. Owner will look if he can find it.

Grille in the wrong color, which apparently was a conscious modification in the 90s.

So, lots of issues. All relatively easily fixable by a novice like me. Front seats, roof and grille need to be outsourced, the rest should be doable.

So what do you think? Should I buy it as a winter project?

Pictures from the ad, showing the pedals

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 11:46

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I love the Heckblende

GhostZ > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 11:48

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> Convertible

> Winter project car

Do you live in australia?

LeadfootYT > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 11:49

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Ah, the illusive winter fun car. I’ve been kind of looking at Saab 900 Turbos for the same purpose.

It’s a shame the Remus isn’t doing it—normally a fan of their exhaust notes. Definitely doesn’t look like a subtle system though.

Any additional rust underneath? Do you live somewhere where undercoating would be available/useful?

duurtlang > GhostZ 11/01/2015 at 12:00

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Not at all. They salt the roads here during winter, and I´m going to mount winter tires on both my company car and my daily driver next week. What I meant was: it’s a car to work on during winter, to have it ready when the weather becomes nice again.

davedave1111 > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 12:13

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Do those rust from the inside of the sill out, like some cars? If so, that’s a much, much bigger repair.

GhostZ > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 12:16

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That makes a lot more sense!

MultiplaOrgasms > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 11/01/2015 at 12:17

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Meinst you den red Plastik strip zwischen the taillights?

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > MultiplaOrgasms 11/01/2015 at 12:21

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Yup

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 12:22

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Seems like a solid buy if it drives OK! :)

Mostly minor niggles...

duurtlang > davedave1111 11/01/2015 at 12:23

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Could be both. I’m guessing it’s not coming from the inside, as it felt solid. I tapped it. I’m far from an expert though.

Klaus Schmoll > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 12:50

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Buy in fall, tinker over winter, sell in spring = profit. If you have somewhere to store it and occasionally work on, I’d say do it.

duurtlang > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 13:26

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I snuck my daily driver in there as well apparently.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 14:08

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Rust on an 80’s-90’s Peugeot 0_O

This is unheard of, and I’m not being sarcastic.

I’m assuming it’s crash free?

pip bip - choose Corrour > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 14:20

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buy it? YES!

duurtlang > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/01/2015 at 16:27

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I didn’t see any evidence of crashes.

By the way, all cars will rust. Peugeots starting with the 205 rust less than average to far less than average, but they too will rust eventually. My 205 GTI ha d a spot where the door scraped the sill and the exact same spot as this CTI, both shallow spots that have since been repaired. It’s rusting slightly on the inside of the front fenders behind the headlights (where this CTI is clean). 406 coupe and 306 convertible are utterly rust free.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 16:42

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I appreciate that while steel is steel, it will rust, but this era Peugeot or so reliably rust-free (as you well know) that I think I’ve only seen two rusty 406’s both of which had bodywork damage in that specific area. Aside from a possible good stone chip on the inside of the arch, there’s no visible deformation or damage on that sill. It surprised me, that’s all :)

davedave1111 > duurtlang 11/01/2015 at 20:05

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Check with people who know them. Some cars, minor rust on the outer sill is a sign of major rust inside. Others, it’s a sign of minor rust on the sill.

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > duurtlang 11/02/2015 at 09:33

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I’m interested in how you are planning to tackle the rust, since my car is coming apart this winter too, and is in need of rust repair..

duurtlang > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 11/02/2015 at 09:40

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First, I’m new to this. Too bad we don’t live closer together, we could help each other out.

It depends on what kind of rust it is. Is it shallow rust covering solid metal, or is it a crunchy piece of iron oxide that should be cut out? This is a Peugeot designed in the 1980s, so I’m guessing it’s the former. Hence; iron brush, rust primer, paint, something like that. Yours is a Toyota, so I’m guessing it’s the latter. So you’d have to cut out the rust and weld in new sheet metal. Something I certainly can’t do and would have to outsource.

I will have to ‘fix’ the holes in the floor of the German ‘83 Prelude project though. We’ll probably saw out the shitty parts ourself, and have a friend of a friend weld in new metal so it can pass inspection.

Amoore100 > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 11/02/2015 at 10:19

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I know that refers to the plastic red bit between the taillights but what does the word “Heckblende” itself mean?

505 - morphine not found > duurtlang 11/02/2015 at 10:33

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I had this thing with the 505, when i had surface rust so went after it with wire disk, and kept on cleaning away the rust, just a wee bit more... ooopsie, there’s a hole. No, don’t take “surface rust” for granted, plan for the worst, hope for the best.....

duurtlang > 505 - morphine not found 11/02/2015 at 10:40

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I’m thinking of joining a wrenching club. I’ll have them look at it before I do anything against the rust. If I buy the car, which I probably will. I want to see if I can get the price down a few hundred, while forcing the current owner in taking those stupid pedal covers off as they’re outright dangerous.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Amoore100 11/02/2015 at 10:55

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I don’t really know if there’s an English word for it. There probably isn’t. But Heckblende is the plastic application between the taillights like you said.

Amoore100 > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 11/02/2015 at 19:00

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I know but it just seems so annoyingly convenient that the Germans happen to have a single word for it but it must have some sort of origin? Surely Heckblende must have some other application...

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Amoore100 11/03/2015 at 01:39

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Heck = rear, or tail (only for cars, boats or planes etc)

Blende = trim

Those words are just put together from existing words. Kraftfahrzeughaftpflichtversicherung (=car liability insurance) for example. That’s how it all works and where those funny words come from.

Amoore100 > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 11/03/2015 at 02:40

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Makes much more sense now. Thank you!

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Amoore100 11/03/2015 at 04:17

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No problem:)