Scottish Elises

Being a cr*p old car fetishist, I've hankered after some automotive chod for a long time, but been unable to justify the expense of owning / running two cars while living in London. (My S2K shed is current hibernating at the SP Motorsport Facility, although there's no way I'd want to leave it on the mean streets of this place on a regular basis).

I've thus far utilised Hertz on Demand - A car club where you can use a shiny new Fiat 500 for £5-6 per hour, all inclusive.

(Great for nipping around for a couple of hours, but limited to 30 miles per day, so you couldn't really use it for a weekend away).

Anyway, after a few false starts, I took the plunge and collected this today from a member of another forum I'm on.







It's a base spec 1990 205 XE, with the 954cc TU9 powerhouse...

I drove all the way from SE18 / Woolwich, to NW6/ Queens Park, passing many of the names on the Monopoly board on the way through the city.

So what? - You might ask?

Well, it got me thinking - It's stupidly basic:

No PAS
No ABS
No EW / EM
No Central Locking
No ECU's / Fuel Injection
4 Speed gearbox

In fact, it doesn't even have a cigarette lighter or radio...

But it weighs 750kg's, and was an absolute hoot around town - Narrow enough to nip through tiny gaps / park in miniscule spaces. Sharp brakes, very direct steering, responsive chassis.

I guess, like many, I hadn't driven anything this old for quite a while - And I think it's amazing how numb & lardy modern cars have become. (Mr May hit it on the head the other week on TG, while reviewing the new Fiat Panda).

(And I forgot the best bit regarding the Pug - I paid £250 with 4 months tax / 10 months MOT ... Free parking due to the engine size, and cheap tax / classic car insurance... Truly minge-bag motoring in effect... )

I used to have a 205xs awesome!

Yeah, the xs was great - one of my all time favourite cars. Ross, you need MORE POWA in that MUVVA. I'm sure UncleRon can sort you out on that ... some sort of M16 engine

Good choddage anyway - you are invincible in that car as you absolutely do not give a stuff what happens to it. Just don't have a big accident ... new cars may be lardy and numb but they do crash well!

Cheers,
Robin

Top respect - Mrs 1st car was a new 205XL on a NHS lease scheme - cheap all in.

Great car to drive (pedal to carpet* method)


*no doubt carpet was an optional extra.

Loving it Was after an xs big time back in the day
The strangest thing I find about my 205 is the looks you get.
98% confused 2% Real Car Buffs

+1 on the uncle ron idea its frightening with 160 odd ponies

Car with the fondest memories was my 1.6 205GTI. Brilliant little car so much so I had 4 or 5 of them over the years. Pity little hot hatch's aren't made like that any more.

I likes that

Reminds me of the 106 XN 1.5D Mrs Bee had for a while which was a hoot to drive - and also devoid of any of the fripperies you mention

That non-turbo XUD lump was mental noisy when cold too


As for the 954cc yours has - that'll be the same as my old turd-brown Talbot Samba had, but the less said about that car the better

I really like that

I'm a big fan of old 'banger' driving

I loved the 205 as well, had a 1.9GTi and a diesel. Rust was a problem though in the '80s.

tut

I liked metro's but top shedage

Top car and the perfect big city car. I loved the two I had.

I've no idea what chod is? (young folk and their street talk :mumble)

Had a few and wanted one like you've just bought as a first car, but found a mini instead.

tut wrote:I loved the 205 as well, had a 1.9GTi and a diesel. Rust was a problem though in the '80s.

tut

205's were always pretty rust free unless they've been bodged though.

I loved my 205D van, great little run around.

My first proper fast car (van)

Kelvin wrote:
I've no idea what chod is? (young folk and their street talk :mumble)

Chod reminded me of South park from about 8 years ago
The meaning: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.p ... hod&page=2

"
When a man's penis is wider then its length, and not in the good way. Orinenated from early South Park episodes
Haha that lad has a chod!...unlucky"

Although, the pug is longer than it is wide so I will forget that...

scottishselise wrote:

Kelvin wrote:
I've no idea what chod is? (young folk and their street talk :mumble)

Chod reminded me of South park from about 8 years ago
The meaning: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.p ... hod&page=2

"
When a man's penis is wider then its length, and not in the good way. Orinenated from early South Park episodes
Haha that lad has a chod!...unlucky"

Although, the pug is longer than it is wide so I will forget that...

Or it could be Car Hire On Demand in reference to the Hertz thing?