205 Gti adventure – part 1
Firstly, apologies, this one is light on laughs and is a brief update. The problem with reviewing a car like this is that it takes a bit of time, to really test it some death defying late night long distance trip is needed and so far I have only driven it a couple of hundred miles mostly on the M1.
Well, a bit late in putting this up as we all know the site was down last week.
Anyway, in short, a bottle of wine and an ebay session a coupe of weeks ago ended, inevitably, with me buying a 205 Gti.
So with a spring in my step I boarded the 0650 to Darlington from Edinburgh last Tuesday morning. The train journey was seemless and at Darlington I changed onto what can only be described as a bus on wheels – real train shite for the trip to Middlesborough. On getting to Boro I spent some time getting my head around directions – it had been a while since I had been in that town and found my way to the vendor’s house located to the south of the middle of town, about a mile form the station. I set off walking with and having taken a couple of detours – one to avoid a crack den, complete with steel shutters (GR8 4 KEEPIN D HOES IN N D PIGS OWAT) and a large group of youths in hoods (conscious I was wearing a suit, crombie and wheeling a suitcase and laptop bag) I eventually made it.
Well, it turned out the car was being sold by the flatmate of the owner who had just graduated and got herself a proper job in the south with a company car. So her flatmate gave me the keys, ever essential wheel lock and the paperwork and I went to start the car. After working out how the alarm worked and immobilizer switched off I decided to get on the road quickly as the hooded types were taking a keen interest in proceedings. After stalling the car a couple of times (very different clutch to the Sherpa!) I pulled away up the street and was immediately transported to the days of stone washed jeans, Don Johnson, bleached mullets, Simon LeBon and birds in puffball skirts with huge shoulders and hair. The car IS the eighties right down to it's piped red and grey trim.
I drove to the nearest civilisation and pulled over to appraise my purchase. Al walk round told me much – the car had been in the ownership of a young lady student for about 3 years and had had not a lot of money spent on it, it had also spent most of that time in Middlesborough getting salty north east rain on it so there is a bit of rust here and there – the worst bit being the passenger door (good one now sourced on ebay for £40). The car needs a good wash, polish and t-cut – the boot may have been replaced at some time as the paint is slightly shinier but that could just be the cutting. The fog/driving lamps are, as usual rusted to nothingness and will be replaced the moment I have a spare £80. 4 good but budget tyres will be replaced asap by quality boots. The pepperpots have been repainted at some point and are reasonable but far from mint.
Inside the driver’s seat has the usual bolster wear on the left arse cheek and right shoulder, verifying the 120k on the clock. Carpets and the rest of the interior is in good fettle but could do with a clean. The gear stick gaiter is in a bit of a state and the plastic clip that holds it in pace is loose (new one ordered – e-bay £10). Entertainment comes form a reasonable aftermarket MP3 ready stereo which unfortunately has lots of crappy flashing lights on it – I am going to try and source a good period clarion for it.
Starting the engine brings a smile to the face – this is a 1.6 but the exhaust note is pure chav. I got out to check the pipe and it is a standard 205 gti exhaust – it sounds like it means business. The weather was very nasty on my drive to St Albans, some very very heavy rain and spray took M1 speeds down to under 20mph at one stage – one gets a bit concerned at the shite nature of the rear lamp cluster on these cars but no real dramas – the car coped very well with all.
I have to admit to taking it pretty easy – I know these cars have a reputation for being the best Gti of the period – if not of all time – and the car has to be treated with serious respect as it will quite happily kill you on the way home from Sainsbury’s. And, until I have had a chance to scope out the tyres, wheel bearings and brakes properly there won’t be a lot of driving – on – the edge in this baby. Well..maybe not that much!
On the motorway the car is – tedious – I won’t bore you but it is noisy, uncomfortable and in 1.6 format doesn’t have the legs for well behaved cruising – but turning off onto an A road and then a B road the car suddenly springs to life willing you to drive it hard and fast. B roads in particular are great fun – I can honestly say I have never driven anything quite like it including mini coopers and Westfields. On the Harpenden to Redbourne road last Wednesday I picked up a Porsche boxter behind me and effortlessly spanked him – the car is so quick off and on speed and responsive there is no messing around at all.
However….lift off oversteer is not a myth with these and it caught me out once on that road, lose concentration for one minute and this car will bite/kill you.
I may well driver her north to Edinburgh on Thursday – if so a further adventure thread will be added – if I can verify solid tyres and bearings (the brakes seem fine) I might bring her up the A68!
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