Got the last car on my bucket list...

[Deschodt]

I mean, there are always more potentially, but realistically, unless a 991.2 GT3 fallsin my lap 70% off, that's it.

I have wanted that car for 34 year +/- but figured it wouldn't happen.

To most of you here it'll be a weird Euro pile of poo from the late 80s, relatively flimsy, noodle thin A pillars, no ABS, no power anything. Not even a door on the glovebox. A scant 1.3 liter of fury fed by 2 dual webers. Barely 100hp and change ... but... 680kg / 1500 lbs. You read right. Even Lotus cannot do light like that !

So that's a Peugeot 205 Rallye. That spartan car was the cheaper than GTI entry to the rally Group N, which gave people like Seb Loeb access to rallying. There is no way I can ever import it to California (25y rule is trumped by the SMOG rule) but in new developments I can store it in Europe and drive it once or twice a year while vacationing. Does it make sense ? not at all, but they doubled in price in the last 5 years and I am done playing chicken.

After quite a few modern and faster cars this lightweight buzzing bee makes me happy like I can't believe. We've grown so accustomed to complex machines with 500 hp and electronic everything. This has nothing. A steering wheels, a responsive gas pedal, zero safety, off you go.

Parts are a joke... A CV joint broke and I noticed a leaking M/C, $65 and $45 respectively, LOL. Beats any happy pill!

Incidentally, Chris Harris agrees with me (and that video probably cost me 1/2 the car price increase, check it out)

https://youtu.be/EfDHULZZjpQ?si=OIcqhRlzqDxEm8vI

[astrochex]

Looks like a lot of fun. Tossable. Stupid California continued.

[Baz]

Posts like this deserve that little BMW logo.......just sayin'.....

Congrats and have fun!

[Bill Douglas]

I didn't know such a car existed. I've been a fan of the GTI for, ummmmm, yeah about 34 years too.

Lots of the GTI's around Germany/France/Spain back in the day. Fast, reliable, didn't attract too much unwanted attention.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Congrats on the cool car! These kinds of cars are exactly what I love about driving, Chris Harris' video was brilliant, he couldn't have said or driven it better.

[Otter74]

That looks like a riot. I've driven a regular 205 with a 1.3 and it was tons of fun. I forgot that there was a Rally version of the 205 - I only remembered the 106.

[JeremyD]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

I mean, there are always more potentially, but realistically, unless a 991.2 GT3 fallsin my lap 70% off, that's it.

I have wanted that car for 34 year +/- but figured it wouldn't happen.

To most of you here it'll be a weird Euro pile of poo from the late 80s, relatively flimsy, noodle thin A pillars, no ABS, no power anything. Not even a door on the glovebox. A scant 1.3 liter of fury fed by 2 dual webers. Barely 100hp and change ... but... 680kg / 1500 lbs. You read right. Even Lotus cannot do light like that !

So that's a Peugeot 205 Rallye. That spartan car was the cheaper than GTI entry to the rally Group N, which gave people like Seb Loeb access to rallying. There is no way I can ever import it to California (25y rule is trumped by the SMOG rule) but in new developments I can store it in Europe and drive it once or twice a year while vacationing. Does it make sense ? not at all, but they doubled in price in the last 5 years and I am done playing chicken.

After quite a few modern and faster cars this lightweight buzzing bee makes me happy like I can't believe. We've grown so accustomed to complex machines with 500 hp and electronic everything. This has nothing. A steering wheels, a responsive gas pedal, zero safety, off you go.

Parts are a joke... A CV joint broke and I noticed a leaking M/C, $65 and $45 respectively, LOL. Beats any happy pill!

Incidentally, Chris Harris agrees with me (and that video probably cost me 1/2 the car price increase, check it out)

https://youtu.be/EfDHULZZjpQ?si=OIcqhRlzqDxEm8vI

Looks like fn!

[CurtEgerer]

Wow! Very nice. Congrats!!

[RANDY P]

Nice!

Seriously, where are you buying parts for that thing at?

rjp

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by RANDY P

Nice!

Seriously, where are you buying parts for that thing at?

rjp

In the US no idea. In Europe at the corner grocery store, I mean everywhere..Cheap, they made millions and this one while rare is a parts bin special.

This week has been good to me. An old friend came to pick me up in his Alpine A110 GT.

Another light weight but this time 300hp. OMG I wanted to be non-plussed but I coud not, it's a fantastic car. So my bucket list is in trouble again, but that is not something I could pickle and visit twice ayear and it'll never be OK in california. Bummer.

[Deschodt]

[Tobra]

Can you register it in South Dakota or Montana?

[Deschodt]

Oh no the CA cops have put a stop to that loophole. Game over.

[LWJ]

I am in Oregon. I believe we have a 25 year rule. No smog issues. And if there are, rural registrations don’t check for smog.

Meaning, store it in Medford. Come drive the open roads of S. Oregon / N. California.

[stealthn]

A well told story that brings a smile to my face!, you sir, are a Car Guy!

[David]

Cool car and one of my favorite Chris Harris videos!

We just got back from Europe and there are so many cool cars!

Here's some pics of an Alpine I took. Too bad the interior didn't come out very good since the seats are really nice.

[Yorkie]

I recently emigrated to France from California and for the first few months I was running around in a little 2000 VW Polo. Those lightweight manual shifting hatchbacks make so much sense here in Europe. Such fun to fling down country lanes and negotiate traffic circles/roundabouts. The French are very switched onto the 205 GTI so picking one uo will be tough but I’m keeping my eyes open on Le bon Coin.

[David]

Originally Posted by Yorkie

I recently emigrated to France from California and for the first few months I was running around in a little 2000 VW Polo. Those lightweight manual shifting hatchbacks make so much sense here in Europe. Such fun to fling down country lanes and negotiate traffic circles/roundabouts. The French are very switched onto the 205 GTI so picking one uo will be tough but I’m keeping my eyes open on Le bon Coin.

Reminds me of another car pic from this trip: