| Product: |
Peugeot 205 |
| Date: |
09.07.07 (173 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Reliable
Disadvantages: Difficult to get a good one nowadays.
The Peugeot 205 really is a wonderful little car. When people say “hatchback”, most will think of the Clio or the Corsa, but for me it will always be the 205.
From what I can tell the safety is fine, but I have yet to crash mine so I can’t really comment. I do have a trailer hook stuck on the back of mine (in the words of my Grandad, who handed this car on to me: “If someone crashes into the back of you, it’ll do far more damage to them"), and it handles the extra weight of a small trailer very well.
Mine is a 1992, 1.8 litre diesel engine, which is superb for quick acceleration but abysmal to insure. When I passed my test my Dad could not get a quote for me for less than £900, and that was with me as a named driver. I’ve had to wait until turning 20 before I could get insurance at £500, and now with one years no claims I’ve managed to argue it down to £318. But seriously, go for the smaller engine as otherwise you’ll be forking out a lot of money.
The seats are incredibly comfortable, and if you have the 5 door one then it’s decently sized inside too. I managed to fit four 20 year old blokes (three of whom were at or over 6 foot tall) in it with very little trouble. The seats are quite cushiony so you don’t get a numb bum until a few hours into your drive, and the leg room is quite decent.
There are a few downsides, other than the insurance. Mine is now on 125k miles and the engine does make a bit of a racket, especially first thing in the morning. I can get a full tank of petrol for about £25, which will last me several trips up and down the M25, but you do get dirty looks from environmentalists who think that anything built before 2000 creates more pollution than a lorry (I actually got yelled at by a “friend” who told me I was destroying the environment with my 205). Occasionally it refuses to go into third gear, or reverse, and no one can work out why.
But if you’re looking for a car to buy for your son or daughter when they pass their test, this is a good start. Get them one with a small engine to save on the insurance, and then send them out in it. I learnt to drive in a Vauxhall Corsa and the transition from that to the 205 was easy. Occasionally you hear about one like mine with the odd unsolvable problem, but otherwise they’re quite reliable. Plus it’s an old car, so you and your son/daughter won’t get too upset if it gets scratched or dented.
Summary: A nice car for new drivers, but can be expensive to insure.
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