Courtesy car: the perfect parts runner

Kinja'd!!! "duurtlang" (duurtlang)
09/09/2016 at 07:02 • Filed to: vw golf sportsvan, peugeot 205 cti

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Yesterday I had to hand in my company car for some repairs. I got a VW Golf Grandpa “Sportsvan” as a courtesy car. The perfect car for a junkyard run! 2 transmissions, a front end and a few other parts fit just fine.

For my engine swap project Peugeot 205 CTi I first visited a local junkyard specialized in French cars to get an engine mount from a way too nice and previously untouched 150k km 1996 Citroën Xantia 2.0 with slushbox (the latter being it’s probable death). I felt really bad for touching that Xantia. It looked like it could drive right off and even the battery was still hooked up (dash clock still working). Such a clean car and, other than the transmission, a desirable one too in my opinion.

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The interior and exterior of the Xantia were really clean.

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The engine. It looked good.

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The engine mount I needed.

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Work completed

I then went an hour further to a Peugeot 205 specific place. Their business model is stripping the cars and selling the parts, while also and working on running 205s. I got two Peugeot 205 transmissions; one from a 1.9 GTi, one from a turbo diesel (for its longer 5th gear). I also got a front end that was sawed off a donor right in front of me.

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9+ Peugeot 205s, a Peugeot 306 (with parts swappable into a 205) and... a BMW e28.

The front end donor was the one in the middle of the picture above. It was located at the back of the lot, among the cars that were stripped of their usable parts and which were simply scrap metal at this point. The front end was rust free though.

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The engine was still in the car. The subframe however was not. I unbolted the struts. The guy then removed a few bolts and the engine, still attached due to some wiring, fell through where the windscreen of the car below it once was. This was his cue to get the saw. Three minutes later I had my front end.

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I need that front end due to poorly repaired damage. It came with better mounting rubbers and a cleaner washer fluid container as well, which was a nice bonus. Also, for those not familiar with 205s, it came with a factory jack (which I lacked). Directly behind the right headlight. Other parts I got: lock set (1 key for all the locks...) and a relay box. They were simply in their warehouse, so getting those wasn’t very eventful.

As my daily driver (a Peugeot 406 coupe) isn’t very useful for transporting these large parts and because I cannot drive my company car (Ford Focus wagon) for private use due to tax reasons and a GPS black box, I had a problem. This was solved when the Focus got some damage due to no fault of my own. While it got repaired and I got a courtesy car. No GPS box in that, so I could do with it as I pleased. I used it as a parts runner! And yes, I did it in my own time and filled it up with my own cash afterwards. What I got was a VW Golf Sportsvan 1.2 TSI with DSG. What amused me was that the guy giving me the key to the car asked if I knew how an automatic transmission works, as he encountered many people who had never driven one before. Odd that they used autoboxes in courtesy cars to begin with.

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The Golf Sportsvan 1.2 TSI DSG was less than a year old and had 18k km on the odometer. My opinion of the car, summarized in 3 letters: meh. For those unfamiliar with the Sportsvan; it’s a less sporty, taller Golf. Nice interior (much better than my Focus), the 7-speed DSG with flippers was fine for an automatic, but the steering and the suspension were clearly aimed for someone else. The engine is a tad underpowered, but otherwise fine. It lists in corners, dives when you brake and the steering is numb. And then there’s that exterior. At 33 I’m way too young for this.

It did one thing well though. It housed my parts.

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The only picture I’ve got, so excuse the quality. The front end is clearly visible, one of the transmissions is as well.


DISCUSSION (34)


Kinja'd!!! RallyWrench > duurtlang
09/08/2016 at 19:56

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Too bad they don’t send those here, I could see myself daily driving one someday.


Kinja'd!!! bhtooefr > RallyWrench
09/08/2016 at 19:57

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If “here” is the US, you can get Ford’s version in hybrid or plug-in hybrid form, as the C-Max.


Kinja'd!!! duurtlang > RallyWrench
09/08/2016 at 19:59

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Why not a regular Golf or Golf wagon? I would strongly prefer both over the sportsvan (I still roll my eyes every time I write that name)


Kinja'd!!! RallyWrench > duurtlang
09/08/2016 at 20:20

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I like both, but the height of small vans appeals to me as a father, mountain biker and surfer. It’d also be a bit easier for car camping.


Kinja'd!!! RallyWrench > bhtooefr
09/08/2016 at 20:22

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I’ve thought of those, but the VWs are actually fun to drive and DSG>CVT.


Kinja'd!!! bhtooefr > RallyWrench
09/08/2016 at 20:27

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Except duurtlang’s whole point is that the VW isn’t fun to drive. And, the length isn’t any longer than a regular Golf IIRC, which means car camping will only work if you can fold down the front passenger seat to make the bed, whereas a Golf SportWagen may work without doing that.

Also, I just remembered that we actually get a long wheelbase version of the Golf Plus (the predecessor to the Sportsvan) - it’s called the Tiguan. (No, really. It’s reskinned to look like a crossover, but it’s really just a lengthened Golf Plus.)

Honestly, if you want a van, buy a van (Transit Connect Wagon, AFAIK, being the most passenger-oriented of that category), not a tall hatchback without the length of a van.


Kinja'd!!! someassemblyrequired > duurtlang
09/08/2016 at 20:37

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You could make some serious money selling those Sportsvan badges to depressed North Americans forced to drive minivans on a regular basis.


Kinja'd!!! RallyWrench > bhtooefr
09/08/2016 at 20:39

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But it’s a 1.2. If it had a 1.8 or 2.0TSI or (cough) TDI it’d be fun, and better to drive than the C-Max no matter what. They wouldn’t bring us the smallest engines. We work on loads of Tiguans, they’re fairly crap. The Audi Q5 with which it shares the platform, oddly, is not. This looks like it has a taller load space than either, and that’s what appeals to me.

I used to sleep in the back of my Mk4 Golf at the track, and while it wasn’t great, the length of a 5-door would have worked. Certainly not for family camping though.

I can’t believe I forgot about the new Transit Connect, I really like those.


Kinja'd!!!  > duurtlang
09/08/2016 at 20:44

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Almost as mint as a Volvo wagon!


Kinja'd!!! bhtooefr > RallyWrench
09/08/2016 at 20:45

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I think you mean Q3? Because the Q5 is longitudinal, and not Golf-based at all.

Also, duurtlang’s complaints weren’t about the engine, even - they were about the steering feel and suspension setup. A bigger, heavier engine may well make that worse .


Kinja'd!!! HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > RallyWrench
09/09/2016 at 00:35

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You can get a Honda Fit, the high roof, is one this we really like about ours. You could easily fit four mountain bikes in the back with the front tires removed. We’ve used ours for camping a few times, two bikes and three days worth of camping gear fits with out a sweat. And we still get 35+ on the highway try that in a crossover.


Kinja'd!!! HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > someassemblyrequired
09/09/2016 at 00:36

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Who still drives a mini van?


Kinja'd!!! RallyWrench > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
09/09/2016 at 01:00

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There is a very good case to be made for the Fit, but I’m a lifelong VW nerd so it’s not the first thing to come to mind.


Kinja'd!!! duurtlang > RallyWrench
09/09/2016 at 01:16

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My company car is a Focus, so I can make a decent comparison. My 2013 Focus has a 1.6L 105 HP turbodiesel. This sportsvan a 110 HP turbo gasoline. So still quite close.

The Focus is far more fun to drive. Not due to engine but because of the chassis. It handles better and it communicates far better. Also, because it’s a wagon and not a tall hatchback, the cargo space is far larger (longer) than that of the sportsvan.

In Europe the C Max (which we’ve had for multiple generations) isn’t a hybrid. I haven’t driven one, but given its background I bet it (in EU spec) is more fun to drive than the sportsvan.

Trunk of the sportsvan, loaded with boxes containing old engine parts. Not bad at all, but not even close to the much longer Focus wagon.

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Kinja'd!!! RallyWrench > duurtlang
09/09/2016 at 01:37

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That’s a good point, if our C-max wasn’t laden with batteries and hybrid frippery it’d be a much different vehicle, and the Focus is very good. I really like the Mk6-7 Golf, and it seems like that plus a bit more height would be a good combination for an all arounder. Is the sportsvan shorter than the Golf wagon? I may be incorrectly imagining a slightly taller Sportswagen in terms of load space.


Kinja'd!!! duurtlang > RallyWrench
09/09/2016 at 05:08

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Length:

Golf 5-door: 4.26 meter
Golf Sportsvan: 4.34 meter
Golf wagon: 4.56 meter

Cargo space of the sportsvan is said to be much closer to the wagon than the hatch, but I’m curious if that is mostly due to the increased hight (+13 cm). The length of the trunk space behind the rear seat is certainly considerably shorter than in my Focus wagon. One interesting feature though: you can slide the back seat to increase cargo space at the expense of rear leg room.


Kinja'd!!! duurtlang > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
09/09/2016 at 05:30

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Arguably, most people with vehicles with 3-row seating.


Kinja'd!!! Snuze: Needs another Swede > duurtlang
09/09/2016 at 07:15

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When I rented a car in France, the rental agent eyed me suspiciously as I insisted that I knew how to drive a manual.

Good luck with your project 205, looks like fun. My friend has a right hand drive (ex-UK) 205 GTi here in the US that is an awesome little car. He told me I can come drive it one day, I just haven’t had the time.


Kinja'd!!! Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > duurtlang
09/09/2016 at 07:26

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I one bought a running Xantia to put its engine in my 306 cabriolet, I tried to sell parts of it, ended up throwing the whole car mnus the engine away.


Kinja'd!!! duurtlang > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction
09/09/2016 at 07:28

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I had that exact 2.0 8v engine in my 306 convertible as well.

It’s strange to me how unpopular these cars are. They’re reliable enough, parts are cheap and they’re rather comfortable. That 2.0 8v is a gem.


Kinja'd!!! Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > duurtlang
09/09/2016 at 07:40

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I don’t know about yours, but mine drank more oil than the RX-8.
It was a fun car, and the engine was appropriated, but you constantly had to check the oil level.
As for the Xantia, it was always considered a old people car. And it’s expensive to fix the suspension that eventually fails.


Kinja'd!!! duurtlang > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction
09/09/2016 at 07:47

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Mine didn’t use much oil. Sometimes it needed a little bit, but I’ll have to admit I didn’t drive it much. The 2.0 in my 406 coupe uses a bit too, maybe 1L in 10k km, but that’s a newer engine generation (EW versus XU).


Kinja'd!!! Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > duurtlang
09/09/2016 at 07:57

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The 306 was around 0.5 L per 1000 km. The 307 cc took about the same.
They took more when you drove faster.

Both cars had around 130.000 km.

Comment from Peugeot was that up to 0.5 L per 1000 km is standard.


Kinja'd!!! FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > duurtlang
09/09/2016 at 08:15

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Hah, the weird shape of the Golf Plus (I refuse to call it Sportsvan) is good for Sole things! It’s not that bad of a car, still wouldn’t buy one if I’m not at least 50. But starting at that age it’s the perfect car.


Kinja'd!!! duurtlang > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction
09/09/2016 at 08:16

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I did notice the oil consumption increasing after long high speed Autobahn trips in my 406. Still though, nowhere near the 0.5L/1000 km in that 280k km car.


Kinja'd!!! duurtlang > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
09/09/2016 at 08:43

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I guess it is. It’s easier to get into for older folks, and the cost/economy/performance hit you take isn’t as big as with a taller vehicle.


Kinja'd!!! FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > duurtlang
09/09/2016 at 08:54

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Like I always say, I suffer from the Stockholm - in this case Wolfsburg - syndrome. It’s really not that bad.

I’m a terrible jalop by the way hahaha.


Kinja'd!!! HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > duurtlang
09/09/2016 at 09:10

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Idk I think I see more crossovers and big SUVs than mini vans.


Kinja'd!!! HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > RallyWrench
09/09/2016 at 09:12

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I’m the other way around. I’m a life long Honda nerd who kinda likes VWs. Especially now that the Si hasn’t been a hatchback in 12 years but VW still makes hot hatches.


Kinja'd!!! duurtlang > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
09/09/2016 at 09:19

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Well, my point is that those (with 3rd row seating) are more or less minivans as well.


Kinja'd!!! HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > duurtlang
09/09/2016 at 09:37

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I suppose, just minivans with way less headroom, and smaller thrid rows.


Kinja'd!!! someassemblyrequired > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
09/09/2016 at 11:44

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Ppppppeople who want to make sure their kids don’t ding your car in the parking lot. [sobs uncontrollably]

But seriously, they’re cheap to buy, especially the FCA ones, and the difference to a similarly sized and equipped SUV/crossover will buy you another car that doesn’t suck.


Kinja'd!!! HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > someassemblyrequired
09/09/2016 at 12:53

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Oh I agree I think mini vans are great, they just aren’t the norm anymore. At least up north where everyone thinks they need AWD.


Kinja'd!!! Marcus > duurtlang
09/10/2016 at 14:19

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They should bring that to the US. Would be perfect for city folk that done need an SUV/Minivan but want more space than a hatchback.