After selling my evo7 a couple of months ago ive been debating on what car to get next. So what are your opinions on the 306 gti/ Rallye? In terms of performance, reliability etc etc.

Cheers guys,

Dan.

 

For the kind of price they are going for I would say they are good value as a fun chuckable car. I would only buy one as a weekend toy or as a stop gap whilst saving for something else. Worth seeking out a gti-6 - I think it's got an 'Evo' mag 5 star!

An old mx5 would be around the same price if you're not bothered about the roof, for some rwd fun.

 

id rather a 205 gti 1.9 if i was going to get a pug. can get minters still now days and they will walk all over a 309 with a large leather steel toe capped boot!

 

Yeah a friend of mine has just bought an old mx-5, great cars. I just fancy something quick, i appreciate its not going to be as quick as the evo or imprezas ive had. But dont want it to be mad money to keep it on the road. Any other ideas upto £2500?

Dan

 

What the 1.9gti is alot quicker than the 306gti?

Dan

 

all day long!

altho 30 bhp less it dont wiegh as much... and they are like go carts on corners

 

Im thinking value for money aswell, what with the 306 being newer

Dan

 

yes then the 306 would be better... if you just wanted a toy tho....

 

Great cars. Had a 306 GTi whilst my STi was off the road for a bit. Loved it. 1st and 2nd gear are a bit long so it's a bit hard to get it going, but once it's in the revs, boy is it fun. Makes a nice induction noise, and certainly shifts! Handling is fantastic on them, very communicative, and due to the passive rear steering, feels a bit tail happy.

The gearbox can be notchy when cold, but apart from that they're fine.

They've got an inbuilt oil temp/level gauge that tells you the oil level when you start it, and the oil temp as you're driving. Not the most accurate thing in the world, but gives you a good idea when to boot it. Great driving position. Comfy seats, really did like that car...

 

^^^^ sort of response i was looking for. Im going to the ring next summer so wanted to get a car to use for that aswell.

Dan

 

bit bias (as i still own one) but i have a civic vti (ek4) can pick them up for about 2k or less, b16 engine 1600cc producing 160bhp, alot of fun and vtec is very addictive. Mpg is not bad, i am not sure what the insurance would be, but i am 28 with 5 years no claims i pay 400quid.

I have owned a 306 but not a gti, i must admit i loved that too. But it does not touch the ciivic.

 

have you thought about a 206gti 180? they are really good cars - my brother has one, and its supprisingly good... i used to have the normal 206gti, and its amazing how much better the 180 is!

 

Havent thought about the 206 gti as i dont want to spend that sort of money

Dan

 

Look at the Pug 306 gti 6. Bomb proof 6 speed box and the 2litre engine

Around that sort of ££.

Scott.

 

Cheers Scott. Think the 306gti might be worth a look then. Are they reliable enough? Being French and all that, lol.


Dan

 

Just google track day cars or look pistonheads trackday cars, there's plenty to choose from that are road legal too pal.

 

They are good to drive if you can live with the shoddy build quality and the fisher price dashboard. Personally wouldn't touch French cars with a bargepole, but they do seem to be popular so there must be a reason.

My last car was an Almera GTi. Not quite as quick as a GTi-6, but it did beat it in an AutoExpress test (yeah, I know....so what?). They are dirt cheap to buy and run, well equipped and utterly reliable. Amazingly, they handle superbly. Only downside was the absolute zero street cred.

 

Thanks Scott will have a nosey. And thanks for all the feedback so far guys. Anything else anyone has to add be my guest.

Dan

 

No, the 1.9GTI was slower than the GTI-6, the 8v engine just didnt have the guts up top to pull as well as the 306, plus the 306 is far better built than the 205's ever were, still both are fun cars but you will find more 306 gti-6's in good condition over 205's

Tony

 

my mate has one and swears by them. suprisingly quick. his kept up with my old wrx wagon.

 

Ah well the 206 GTI 180 is a flawed car compared to the 306 GTI-6 shame really, I was going to buy one, it just didnt give me the buzz like the 306 did
To start with, the engine is a total peach and they handle very well but thats it, the gearing is horrid, 2nd gear just goes on forever and the pedals..... geez, if you have size 5 feet or above your screwed, they are offset to the right and very very close together, the car itself is lovely but the flaws just make it a mare to live with

Tony

 

In my opinion peugeot 306's are one of the worst cars ever made.

Mate had a 306 D-Turbo which in they're day were quick cars - he bought it about 7 years ago, and after 2 weeks it just fell to bits. Im not even joking. Its electrical systems collapsed one by one, even resulting in the headlights flashing on and off during random times, even during the night when it was locked up on his drive! Police car style.

After the electrics gave up the ghost, the engine mechanicals collapsed as well resulting in him spending thousands on a total engine rebuild.
After all of this, it lasted about another month or so after which he had to cut his losses and have it trailered away to a breakers yard.

Biggest pile of junk going - all french cars are the same if you ask me.

I have NO idea why on earth people buy them, glorified, overrated, overpriced, flimsy, hugely unreliable and expensive to repair. Oh, and the dashboard and interiors wear away as well. I remember his seat bolsters collapsed to bits resulting in a metal bar digging you in the leg every time you got in the drivers seat and he's skinny!

plus they are poncy looking girly girls motors even designed for women as the pedals are made almost touching together for a womans dainty little feet.

People who like them and rate them - each to their own, but I for one wouldnt touch any french car with a barge pole, never in a million years.

If you do , good luck to you - hopefully though you wont need it.

And what car does my mate now drive after ditching that 306? An impreza......

 

Well considering ive owned, oh 3 gti-6's, 1 2ltr ST, 1 306 S16 and a 306 DT, all ran great, the ST had a head gasket failure, down to the first time not being done correctly, none ever let me down otherwise, the DT just ran no matter what abuse you gave it, the electrics, biggest problem there were the door looms which have a tendancy to go due to the design, but flimsy? not by a long way, 205's were flimsy, and if you want some pics of the interior of a 306 gti with 95k on that has acutally been looked after, its in very good condition (and the guy who bought it off me also thought so ) so as you dont seem to have owned on, you cant really comment that they suck, as I could say the same for subaru's that go pop, must be a crap car etc, but you get abused examples of every marque

Tony

 

Had a few 306 gti-6's before i got my wrx , they're great cars for the money , loads of fun ,you can get a good condition one for under 2k easliy now , most are high milage now , but doesn't seem to affect them that much ,1 of mine had 135,000 miles and still made 170bhp on the RR , I found they were reliable , not allot goes wrong with them really apart from wearing parts like - wishbone bushes/ suspension , and have to do the cam-belt every 35k , have a look on 306 GTi-6 & Rallye Owners Club Forums

 

Get a xsara VTS...

and save your self the pennies, Same engine, 5speed box is miles better not the best looker out of the two.

I could go on, i loved mine... took out a 6 and didnt like it that was a a year or so after the xsara.

My xsara Daily driver/track car

 

Considering the 205 was introdiced in 1983 and the GTi-6 over a decade later I'd tend to agree Tony

I've had a go in a GTi-6 and obviously own my 205 GTi now and I can safely say I prefer my 21 year old roller skate! I hate to admit it, but it's more fun to drive round the twisties than my old Scoobs - tha handling as standard is pretty phenominal for such a simple easy to work on car.

I would personally budget about £1500 for a decent 205 (88 onwards so phase 1.5 or 2) with plenty of history and maybe a couple choice mods. Think GTI-6's go for around this money now too, but I'm not keen on the long 1st/2nd gears. In the 205 (1.9) the gears are short and 1st/2nd is brilliant to hit 55mph and 3rd is the torquiest gear for overtaking etc.

All imho - 205 any day of the week over a GTi-6, lighter and more fun to drive.

 

I'll dig some pics out of Wifey's Phase 1 GTi6 (the lightest version - akin to the later Phase 2/3 Rallyes, but WITH the toys )

It's now coming up to 160,000 miles, and is a daily driver. We've had the head done on it (make sure you get a non-tapper), and it goes like a freight-train.

Go-Kart handling, put more of a smile on my face than all 3 of my circa 300-bhp Scoobs/Audis. Fantastic to drive.


The downside IS the door loom electrics - due to the door's activity, the wires snap in the loom. Easy fix though if you're handy with a soldering iron
Heater matrix can be an issue that is a £40 fix, but a 16-hour job to remove the dash

The gearbox is sweet. It is so designed to be driven in the sweet-spot. All gear changes leave you in this sweet spot Downside is due to the box being 6-speed, the steering lock on the one turn (forget which), is SHOCKINGLY bad!!!! Turns a 3-point turn into a multiple!!LOL!!

The difference between the 205 and the 306? 306 is more practical, both handle great, but the 205 was notorious as a widow-maker due to the scary handling on the edge.
Put me off the 205.



The interior considering it's a 12-yr old car, is brilliant. Slight wear & tear on the driver's bolster (a common fault).

Oh, and mine cost around £1000 nearly 3 years ago. It's still roughly worth the same

Hope this helps a bit.

Dan

 

Cheers fellas. I will be using whatever i buy next as an everyday/odd track- day car, so im prob going to head towards the 306, what with it being newer and more refined. Heres a question. Performance wise are they way behind say an sti/evo? And another, a few mates have got ep3 type r's, how do they compare. Just a bit curious really.

Dan.

 

Looks superb in White, dont see many in that colour. And 160000 miles, bloody hell thats good going. After owning both an impreza and 306 how do you find the performance between the two?

Dan

 

Great cars, replaced a 205 with one, and was almost the same amazing experience as driving the 205, not bad for a much newer car that was heavier. Still miss it, handled great, but I fill the void with my current 205GTi which I've owned for 7 years and is now worth again what I paid for it