Hello all.
So, last year I was working in car sales (which is a career to be avoided if you ask me, but that's another story), which of course meant that I had a company car. When I'd had enough of selling Fiats and Vauxhalls, I lost that privilege meaning I needed wheels. Enter stage left, this...
No, that's not a Peugeot. It's Rover, but it did me well for a few months. As time moved on, I hankered for more luxury and more spec. Run of the mill stuff like windows that work, and heat on demand and so on. My aspirations were low.
So, scroll forward to the week before last and, with some money in my pocket courtesy of father Pollitt, I hit the classifieds hard. I only had £500, but I was confident that a monkey could buy something better. Little did I know what I'd end up with.
I was going to buy a Mondeo...again. It would've been my 6th. No man should own six Mondeos, something my insurers agreed with, as they demanded nearly £200 more for the driving privilege. Erm, no, no way at all.
Then Facebook happened, and with that a link to Peugeot via Rysz. I've never had a French car, and if I'm honest, I planned to keep it that way. Then this happened...
...damn you, Facebook.
To be totally honest, I didn't think my limited funds would get it. Two days later I was proven wrong, and I've never been more happy about being so.
Two owners, 122k, full history, all the bills from new, six months tax, twelve months MOT and not a dent, ding or blemish in sight. BOOM!
£488! Now that's a cheap car. Never did I think I'd get something so nice for so little. Nor did I think I'd get something so large!
It is wonderful though, in every sense of the word. It drives like it's rolling on pressed velvet and for a big old madame she handles well, too. The engine is the seldom-seen-in-a-605-because-they-all-end-up-in-205s 2.0 8v turbo, delivering 145bhp. It's no drag racer, but overtaking is a joy thanks to the mid-range torque on offer from the blower.
There's electric everything as well and even more impressively, it all works, which is nice. Battery fuelled gizmos also include the amazing OEM head-unit...
...and of course, the obligatory Peugeot anti-theft device...
...simply wonderful.
I've not even had it five days yet but it's already covered over 600 quiet, refined and smooth miles. As you can probably tell, I'm very VERY happy with it.
Plans? Well, not many to be honest, but enough to make it my own. Crucially though, nothing that will harm that amazing ride and comfort.
Stereo - I love the current head-unit, but A) it only has tape and B) it hates mobile phones. It's from '95 after all, so 2013 results in it buzzing, fizzing and crackling at every opportunity. That's annoying. With that in mind, I've got my eye on a nice Alpine head-unit that shouldn't look too offensive while offering me bluetooth, MP3 and iPhone connectivity. I'll also replace all the speakers with standard size modern equivalents.
Wheels - it needs alloys. OEM+ (is that right?) is the way forward here, as I have my eye on some modern Mondeo rims which, with spacers and spigots, should look superb.
Suspension - no silly lows, nothing to upset the car. Just some 40mm springs. That's it. If it still looks too tall after that, I'll readdress the issue.
Gears - the gear linkages are a bit worn - it can be a bit of a fight to get third and fifth. Some new bushes should sort that.
Detail - for the first time ever I have a car that might benefit from some serious detailing. Clay, wax, all that bo**ocks. Never done it before, so it should be a good learning curve.
Intercooler - the jury is still out on this. Nothing silly or robbed from the set of The Fast and the Dubious, just something to help the engine/turbo a little, that's all.
Roll - that's it. Done. I just want to enjoy it then.
So, there you go. My latest ride put forward for your scrutiny. And unlike my cars of old, this one should be around for a while as it's my daily.
Thanks for reading.
Chris
So, last year I was working in car sales (which is a career to be avoided if you ask me, but that's another story), which of course meant that I had a company car. When I'd had enough of selling Fiats and Vauxhalls, I lost that privilege meaning I needed wheels. Enter stage left, this...
No, that's not a Peugeot. It's Rover, but it did me well for a few months. As time moved on, I hankered for more luxury and more spec. Run of the mill stuff like windows that work, and heat on demand and so on. My aspirations were low.
So, scroll forward to the week before last and, with some money in my pocket courtesy of father Pollitt, I hit the classifieds hard. I only had £500, but I was confident that a monkey could buy something better. Little did I know what I'd end up with.
I was going to buy a Mondeo...again. It would've been my 6th. No man should own six Mondeos, something my insurers agreed with, as they demanded nearly £200 more for the driving privilege. Erm, no, no way at all.
Then Facebook happened, and with that a link to Peugeot via Rysz. I've never had a French car, and if I'm honest, I planned to keep it that way. Then this happened...
...damn you, Facebook.
To be totally honest, I didn't think my limited funds would get it. Two days later I was proven wrong, and I've never been more happy about being so.
Two owners, 122k, full history, all the bills from new, six months tax, twelve months MOT and not a dent, ding or blemish in sight. BOOM!
£488! Now that's a cheap car. Never did I think I'd get something so nice for so little. Nor did I think I'd get something so large!
It is wonderful though, in every sense of the word. It drives like it's rolling on pressed velvet and for a big old madame she handles well, too. The engine is the seldom-seen-in-a-605-because-they-all-end-up-in-205s 2.0 8v turbo, delivering 145bhp. It's no drag racer, but overtaking is a joy thanks to the mid-range torque on offer from the blower.
There's electric everything as well and even more impressively, it all works, which is nice. Battery fuelled gizmos also include the amazing OEM head-unit...
...and of course, the obligatory Peugeot anti-theft device...
...simply wonderful.
I've not even had it five days yet but it's already covered over 600 quiet, refined and smooth miles. As you can probably tell, I'm very VERY happy with it.
Plans? Well, not many to be honest, but enough to make it my own. Crucially though, nothing that will harm that amazing ride and comfort.
Stereo - I love the current head-unit, but A) it only has tape and B) it hates mobile phones. It's from '95 after all, so 2013 results in it buzzing, fizzing and crackling at every opportunity. That's annoying. With that in mind, I've got my eye on a nice Alpine head-unit that shouldn't look too offensive while offering me bluetooth, MP3 and iPhone connectivity. I'll also replace all the speakers with standard size modern equivalents.
Wheels - it needs alloys. OEM+ (is that right?) is the way forward here, as I have my eye on some modern Mondeo rims which, with spacers and spigots, should look superb.
Suspension - no silly lows, nothing to upset the car. Just some 40mm springs. That's it. If it still looks too tall after that, I'll readdress the issue.
Gears - the gear linkages are a bit worn - it can be a bit of a fight to get third and fifth. Some new bushes should sort that.
Detail - for the first time ever I have a car that might benefit from some serious detailing. Clay, wax, all that bo**ocks. Never done it before, so it should be a good learning curve.
Intercooler - the jury is still out on this. Nothing silly or robbed from the set of The Fast and the Dubious, just something to help the engine/turbo a little, that's all.
Roll - that's it. Done. I just want to enjoy it then.
So, there you go. My latest ride put forward for your scrutiny. And unlike my cars of old, this one should be around for a while as it's my daily.
Thanks for reading.
Chris
[*]
[*]
