My new 206 GTI 180

[Pebbles167]

Thought since I've got a new Pug, I better make a new post

Found online for me by Jamie (puglove) and I picked it up the next day for the resonable sum of £1450. 2005 model with all extra's and only 53000 on the clock. Sadly it was previously a Category C write off, but as far as I can tell this was for a side smash which ended up with a banged in door and front wing. Pah! I've had worse accidents than that making breakfast! 

First impressions are good, don't know why everyone hates them so much! Sure, they are not as fast as a Gti6, and the gearbox and ride are pretty poor, but they are nippy and have decent handling. The seats are lovely too. Going through a bit of a documentation nightmare with the DVLA at the moment regarding Tax, but have been assured it will be fixed within a couple of weeks. 

Looking forward to seeing the club during the show season, and hope to get on the Track a fair bit and see what shes made of! Noticed last week (after I bought it) that It has brand new Michelin Pilot Exalto 2's. So about £380's worth of good gripping tyre to play with!

Anyway, here she is . I'll grab some better pictures when the weather gets better.

[THE_Liam]

Looks well man, the 206 usually looks gayer than Michael Barrymore but the GTI looks far better than the standard car. These aren't that bad to drive, just not quite a '6, and I think that's where the criticism comes from.

[Pebbles167]

I think you're right. People thought;

"why should I pay £xxx for this 206, that isn't as good as the 306 it replaced, and isn't as good as the Renaultsport Clio"

And they were right to think that. Plus I think everyone still had the Gti 138 in the back of their mind. There really is no excuse for that gearbox in the 206 though. Sure, I'm not yet used to it, but I can tell its inferior to that of any 205, 106, 306 or 406 I've driven.

[ozonehostile]

I've always quite liked these, vvc is weird to get used to compared to other pug gti's but I like the way they drive (and sound with a nice exhaust)


I don't think I've ever seen a 180 for sale that hasn't been a cat c or d at some point haha

[Pebbles167]

The exhaust it the one thing that's letting it down to be honest. Thinking of doing a bit of home doctoring, as I can't hardly be bothered with a £350+ backbox as it seems that is all that's available!

There are a good few right off's, you're right!

[lolsteve]

Nice, as said the standard 206 is a questionable taste but once in a blue moon see a 206 that deserves a second glance.
When the sun is shining during the show season and I go flying past this on track I'm sure it'll be one of those

So these have vvc then? Is it noticeable when kicking in like a vtec or a gradual increase

[Niall]

I was surprised when Samass took me in mine how well they corner and IIRC his was on budget tyres. Also made a really nice noise. For a split second i thought about one then i realised i had some testicles in between my legs and stuck with the 6

[Pebbles167]

Is that a challenge Steve!?

It picks up slightly at around 5.5k, similar I guess to that of the ZR, but nowhere near as pronounced as Vtec.

Whilst it feels quite quick, it's no quicker than a Gti6. Much the same as a 6 or a ZR 160, but not quite up there with the pull of a Clio 172/182. Although with a far worse ride and slightly less appealing handling.

Yeah it's not too bad Niall. I prefer a 6, but wanted a change of scenery. This one has Michelin PE2's on, so should be fairly decent on track!

[lolsteve]

you sound like you really wanted a clio 182 instead?

And yes it's a challenge. You have til April to prepare

[Pebbles167]

I didn't want to put up with some of the more expensive maintenance jobs associated with Clio's. I wasn't after the fastest, just something fun and different. The 206 represented that whilst still being a Pug

I'm very tempted to ditch it in the summer and finance a new 208 Gti, but we shall see. I've financed new vehicles before, and I feel I'm not able to have the same level of fun, ie: take it on a track. For fear of a big doss at a certain corner on a southwest circuit!

[adam b]

Light weight 16" wheels and it will be transformed.
Quicker than a 306 and they should be rated more than they are.

Anyway good luck with it

[1616six]

I love mine, only paid £450 for a 59k one in Aegean blue.

They are great on cam!

[Pebbles167]

I am trying to get hold of some Nimrod's adam. Was one of the first things on my list.

Anything you would recommend mod wise?

And JJ, they certainly do goand make a good noise higher up! I seriously need to sort the back box. It looks awful. Rusty rubbish!

[adam b]

I said LIGHT wheels, not nimrods

Like max 6kg per wheel

[Pebbles167]

Didn't reaslize they were so heavy. Looks like it'll be a set of team dynamics wheels then. Suspension upgrade/drop might be on the cards too.

[adam b]

They need dampers too. Ride was under damped in one with just eibach springs.

Handling is ok as stock for starters, has antiroll bars and everything

[Pebbles167]

Would be looking at a set of Bilsteins or KW's. I'm glad it has anti roll bars, might help prevent any excursions into the scenery!

[lolsteve]

I didn't want to put up with some of the more expensive maintenance jobs associated with Clio's. 

Fair enough with this. Looked in a friends 182 once and thought fk ever doing any work on that. No space for a wet fart in that engine bay

Looking forward to seeing this though, havent spent much time with 206s and was considering one after a ride in Sammasses once

considered Jom suspension? Friend had some jom coilovers on his polo and it rode well despite being on its arse

[Pebbles167]

It is pretty cramped in a clio. I think a lot of the jobs are engine out. That said, i really like the car and think it looks and goes great. Would like to own one at some point. Only downside other than the maint, is the slightly high seating position. Nothing that a race seat cannot fix though!

I've considered quite a lot, but I might just leave mostly standard. I'm trying to save up for about 100 different things, and wanted this as a more standard toy. I said that about pretty much every vehicle I've owned though!

[lolsteve]

Said that about the bluey "will leave standard" now I'm learning the ins&outs of the ecu to try and get that extra power and have refurbished coilovers sat in my study

[Pebbles167]

I must say, I really do think that the ZS is a massively underrated car as a whole. Everyone once knew that they handled well, but now that they are getting on people seem to have forgotten. It's a shame about the K series HG problem, but you managed to sort yours easy enough right? No worse than a Gti6 with there tendency to develop 'snapping belt syndrome'

[lolsteve]

Easy & cheap. For the mk2 I've got new top end gasket set, belts, water pump and tensioners for ~£100 and the job can be done in a weekend even by a mechanicaly incompetent fool like myself Would rather HGF than a snapped belt tbh
Do these engines in the 206 gti have any Achilles heels ?

[Pebbles167]

Should prove to be a tough engine then. Am I right in saying the original 'paper' type gasket was replaced with a PTFE one? I too would rather HG failure. There are signs of failure, and damage isn't immediate, whereas with a snapped belt you'll be lucky to have a top end left as it will nearly always go at higher RPM.

The head gasket was a worry in that Alpina I had. Early models used a organic gasket unlike the stronger ones of later years. It was hard to tell if mine had the later one or not, and the mileage was ticking on. A 4.6 litre V8 meant that it was an engine out job, and would cost £2000 to fix minimum... OUCH!

I think the Gti 180 engine has several possible problems. I've heard it's not as strong as the XU10, although Welshpug, adam b and chris bowen know much more than me. IIRC Belts are once again the main issue.

[THE_Liam]

I must say, I really do think that the ZS is a massively underrated car as a whole. Everyone once knew that they handled well, but now that they are getting on people seem to have forgotten. It's a shame about the K series HG problem, but you managed to sort yours easy enough right? No worse than a Gti6 with there tendency to develop 'snapping belt syndrome'

To be honest I think most problems with the K are down to neglect. It does have a design flaw, but if it isn't twatted off the redline when cold, and it isn't used by old people to potter to the shops every day and never taken over 2.5k revs, you should see 100k miles from a head gasket.

I actually think it's a great engine, I mean the 1.4 in a normal 400 like I had has 100bhp, the version in the Metro GTi has 115bhp, the same as Ford were getting from the 1.8 Zetec which isn't exactly a bad engine, and more than a 1.8 XU which again isn't a bad engine. They love to rev and weigh nothing as well, which is why Caterham, Westfield and Lotus used them.

Could have been far better if not for BL penny-pinching though.

[Pebbles167]

Typical BL. Hence why it all went down the pan. It was a shame, as I always likelikesd rover.

[lolsteve]

Anyway we're here about a pug
So does this feel like 180?
Saw 3 206s lined up this morning, 2 were pre2000 and looked it the last was a 06(irrc) and with the revised front bumper/fogs, coloured coded stuff actually looked pretty

[Pebbles167]

It feels... just as old as a gti6. And no faster. Fun, but not as planted as a 6 and higher up, with a crap gearbox.

It is good though. Its a 2005 this one and has 53000 on the clock. I think things start to go at around this age/mileage. Probably due a belt change, and the clutch is a bit juddery.

[lolsteve]

You sound smitten with it
I'm sure you'll make it awesome er in time for some racing

[Pebbles167]

Liberal application of stickers will be the main mod I suspect!

[lolsteve]

Stickers are a sound way to add bhp