Peugeot 309 Gti

i have a Peugeot 309 Gti ongoing im turning it in to a racing van for track and showdays,these cars r the ultimate gtis best car i have ever owned

I first drove one of these about 12 years ago and was very impressed, I needed a second car this year so saw my current car on a auction website and haven't looked back. Not sure about the comments on fuel useage by others as mine seems pretty good even when hammered a bit.

The 309 is just an amazing car. It's old. It's cheap. It's economical. It's a sweetheart. Although it isn't exactly your state of the art honda civic or warrior Volkswagon Golf, it's a car that needs to be driven with heart and pride. Its looks are still hooking to the eye, and the interior still does the job without looking too antique, and it ages very well which means you can find one in very good condition for very little money. All this makes the 309 perfect for a first car or used car. You can use it for your groceries too, moving furniture ( ok, some furniture ), with its huge booth that can become even bigger with the rear seats folded, and what's more, it can still keep the pace with today's cars even though it's an 80s thing. Wonderful. If you plan to have a good time in one though, remember to keep your driving civilized since understeer can be sometimes a fatal issue. This was the first car I have ever driven ( legally ) and it will hold many beautiful memories. Check the tires for signs of wear and tear since this often means the chassis is bent or the car has taken a hard hit, which will affect an already questionnable steering. No signs of rust in my April 89 model when it was sold despite having been battered and bruised pretty badly and pretty often too, which means the car's original paint job was very good, so try to find one that hasn't been repainted. Check the seats since the 309's original have very uncomfortable springs that pop out with age. Also, check the electrics, the dashboard and instrument panel for missing 'pieces', and make sure that all of the accessories work ( power door locks, electric windows seem to be a hassle to fix, the blinker and light handle sometimes goes amiss, and of course you wouldn't want to drive a car with no wipers... ). Also, try the ventillation since some models have their motors worked out. Most 309's have had an accident so check for signs of repair: an accident that hasn't been properly repaired can cost you your life. Check and make sure that the car is level and not tilting more to one wheel either to the front or the rear, since this means the springs need replacement or that the car has taken a hit, a hard one, and that it will keep going sideways on the road. Try the car's handbrake too since it's known to give out eventually. If fumes come out when you start the engine, leave it alone, chances are sooner than later you will need to change the engine altogether or redo it, and this can be costly if you want it done properly. The brakes are also something that you need to check before getting into the driver's seat, without brakes the 309 is dangerous. If you plan to drive one, always plan your turns ahead, with breaking way ahead and then some throttle through the turn. Most highway exists you need to take at 40 or 50 since anything above is literally toying with death, and never let go of the steering wheel because sometimes it jumps and you can find yourself in a car doing slaloms in the middle of a busy highway. The handbrake, when its ageing, can be used for emergency braking or to help you correct understeer in emergency situations ( this has saved my life a douzen times ), but don't get too used to it either.

I have only owned my Peugeot 309 Gti for a couple of months but overall I am very pleased with my purchase.

Ok I have had to replace quite a few parts to get it past it's MOT (Was dry stored for 5 years before I bought her) but in relation to a new car these parts were "cheap as chips" and relatively easy to fit, and now she is on the road well worth the wait!

There are also good sources of information, the best one being 309-gti.co.uk

Hope this helps

Oh, and another thing, if you are thinking about buying one stop thinking and go and buy!

I loved my Peugeot 309 Gti. It was pretty fast and loved going round corners because of some weird suspension set up on the back.

I nearly got 120 out of it but I ran out of road (Leven bypass near Hull).I believe twockers won't steal these because when they try and kick off the steering lock it breaks the pinion (I dont know how true this is!) I would have kept my car but when my brakes failed on a cold icy night it had to go. Overall yes get one.

What can I say about the Peugeot 309 Gti. If anyone can find a more powerful & better handling car for under £1000 then please let me know. I never knew it was possible to take a 90degree corner at 80mph!!!

Only let down really is that there aren't many modified body parts available which is why you rarely see highly modified 309s.

Very big arches so with a tiny bit of arch work, 17's and a 50mm drop are possible.

Bought a regular 1.3 309 2 years ago. It was lowered 110mm on gti alloys and fell in love straight away. Impossible to make it go sideways!!!

Other than what I have mentioned above the Peugeot 309 Gti is a world class car and I hope i'll always have one.

God what a bad purchase this Peugeot 309 Gti was and I will say that I was right previously in always saying never ever buy a french car, problem after problem after problem. on the up side if you have a love for a bit of tinkering under the bonnet do not be dis-heartened as this is realy a true performer and needs a real driver at the wheel to be driven hard as it will punnish you if you are not ready. The words LIFT OFF OVERSTEER spring to mind. For those of you unsure as to what this means....basically when you come flying into a corner and you reach mid corner and panic and take your foot off the throttle this car will throw you side ways or worse into the nearest solid object. But if you can handle that it actually makes the car better at conering as long as you expect it.

I was given the Peugeot 309 Gti car for free. Before I stepped in it I had no idea as to its reputation. I have always liked my cars to be sharp and to handle well, having owned a Mini for 5 years previously.

To say that I am impressed is an understatement! This car has planty of grunt, luxurious seats, and the chassis is superbly responsive. It handles like it is on rails, but with none of the gloss over that a modern car adds, so it is a really down to earth drive while you throw it round bends. You are literally firmly in the driving seat. At the moment, knackered tyres are letting down the handling and the head gasket is going, but for a car with 120,000 miles on the clock, it sailed through its MOT. It had a full service history for 90000miles with the same owner!

Bad points are the rattling (I don't think that this will be too hard to sort out) and how thirsty it is! 200miles to a tank which costs around £40 to fill up! For this only I have given it 6 for practicality rather than more which it deserves for being so spacious.

Buy one cheap on ebay and enjoy!

ps Anyone know of an owners club or where I can get advice on what are the best tyres for it?

I bought my Peugeot 309 Gti for about £100 4 months ago and its been a quality drive every day. I'm 19 so this is only my second car, the first one I had was a 1989 ford escort 1.3. the escort was better on top end speed but the 309 is loads faster through the gears and a lot lighter, so handly is much better. ive just started work on it and have added an induction kit and a few decals, thats it so far but its a great car for people just starting out and want cheap performance. great car!