Since 1991 I've had 4 x 205s, 1 x 304 cab, 2 x 306, 1 x 406 and a Citroen Xantia Activa.
I've also got a Matra Murena, which is tres cool.
I sold my last 306 for £750 and was all set to buy a mint 205 gti for the same price. I spoke to the seller who said that now he had a years MOT on it, he wanted £850. This was more than I wanted to spend so told him to shove it.
So, with a pocket full of notes and ebay on a 8Mb broadband connection, what is a chap to do? I searched for some interesting motors local to me and this black 480 turbo popped up, currently at £20. So I bid. I couldn't go and see it as I was busy all weekend, but watched as the bidding climbed to over £400. I asked the vendor some searching questions and he seemed to know his stuff and was a cool guy. The end time approached and I got into a little bidding war, which I eventually won at £510, which included 10 months tax. I now owned a Volvo, was I mad?!
I explained to the guy that I was so busy I couldn't even pick it up, so he offered to delivery it for me. I had bought a car, from ebay, sight unseen that wasn't a Peugeot. I must be bloody mental!
Anyway, I took it for a spin and scared the seller witless! It seemed pretty good and had a reassuring number of squeaks and rattles so as to remind me of my Peugeot owning past.
On this site I spotted a post from Pol who said there was a rough-looking turbo for sale in Tunbridge Wells, which I subsequently acquired for £50. It donated a working Infocentre, 2 tailgate struts, an ecu/MAF and various interior bits and bobs including 2 seat belt arms. I then sold it for £20 - bargain.
I have already fitted an induction kit (cheers Pol) and an MBC, which is awesome in a brutal kind of way. I have just sent my blue-label ecu off to Rich for modding and am using the orange ecu from the old turbo, despite advice that it wouldn't work. I have also just bought a decat pipe, so if/when it goes through the MOT test next week, I will use that. Together with the Richmod, I am hoping for reasonably rapid car.
Impressions...well after 16 years of Peugeots, my initial impression is of a severe lack of feel in the handling dept. The grip is incredible, but there is no throttle adjustability in a corner and the steering is quite inert.
The build quality is worse than Peugeots, if such a thing is possible and the infocentre needs tweaking every so often. Despite that, I love the colour, the power, the looks, the grip, the gizmos and am slowly falling in love with it.
So much so, that the guy with the 205, having failed to sell it for £975 (!!) is now offering it to me for £750 again and I am in 2 minds. I would love a decent 205gti, but this Volvo thing has me hooked.
What should I do??
Anyway, enough of my self-indulgent ramblings, here are some pics of it.
I will update this diary again when I get the Richmod/decat fitted with some more impressions.
In the meantime, if anyone wants to give me £750 for it - DON'T!!
Antony