Faults:

Rear wheel bearing failed - water got into the bearing and the grease turned to lard.

Cam belt change (precautionary)

Rear dampers need replacing.

General Comments:

Lesser known brother to the legendary 205 gti, the 309 shares the same engine and a similar chassis. The weight penalty does slow the car slightly, but also provides a useful size boot, and enough space that you can fit back seat passengers in. The stealth factor can work both ways. The 309 is a frumpy looking car, and admittedly not as pretty as the 205, but at the same time no-one realises just how quick it is until they lose you on a back road.

I bought the car to use for road rallying, and it performs superbly. Handling is taut, and although the rear dampers need replacing (despite only being 18 months old), it sticks very well round the corners.

The 1.9 is a nice torquey engine pulling well from 3000 rpm (my old 205 XS needed thrashing and only really went from 4500), with sensible gear ratios so that motorway crusing isn't too unpleasant.

Like all French cars, the trim has fallen off (or plastic cracked), but every time you get onto a twisty B-road you forget all the problems and enjoy the fun of driving!

Although not the quickest hot hatch in a straight line, I think any of the latest generation would struggle to lose the 309 down a twisty b-road.

Faults:

Ignition switch failed in 2001. Radiator sprung a leak this year.

Clutch failed this year.

General Comments:

I feel this car has given me a great service through the last 6 years. Always starts first time (touch wood! I hate tempting fate!). A very smooth inexpensive reliable friend. I had a mini before and got this one when I had a child cos I couldn't fit the pushchair in the mini. I didn't think I'd like it at all as I always like cars with "character". But it has a lot of characer and is a joy to drive, in fact everyone I've ever let drive it is surprised at how good it is. I have had several offers from people who want to buy it after driving it, but Betty isn't for sale!

Faults:

None so far.

General Comments:

154500 miles and still going strong.

Ideal school run car and second family car for my wife to drive (I run a 405)

Faults:

Where do I start?

Short driveshaft (gearbox side!)

3 new sets of pads

Brake-drum cylinder

Track-control arm

Fuel pump (mechanical)

General Comments:

Not the most reliable car, although I'm sure that this is due to it's age.

A good all-round car - goes well and handles like it's on rails, despite only having 165/70 R13 tyres!

I intend to lower it at some point, possibly using air-bag suspension. Some GTi alloys would be good.

It's a good car for Mummy and Daddy Max Power!

Faults:

Rear brake backplates had rusted badly and needed replacing.

Rear brake cylinder was leaking.

Brake pipes needed replacing.

Sub frame bush had worn out.

Car is about 15 different colours of blue (due to badly done bodywork repair job after a rear-end shunt!)

It's very hard to get hold of spray paint in the particular blue mine is (calypso blue)

Rear drums need replacing (wheel bearings)

Seats are starting to fray quite badly.

Fuel consumption seems quite erratic (sometimes it can touch nearly 60 miles to the gallon, at other times it will struggle to reach 30)

Tappets need to be forever adjusted.

Burns far too much oil when starting up.

Choke knob has parted company with the dashboard.

Interior light is extremely temperamental.

Dashboard illumination blub has blown.

Clutch is rather heavy, and extremely snatchy.

General Comments:

I purchased this car from an Internet auction site, and as fate would have it the vendor was a friend from college!

Absolute bargain, low mileage, looked good (I was prepared for virtual scrap!)

I did expect it to ride a little better, as the car reviews talk it up to be "smooth as silk" etc., but this seems not to be the case with mine...

Rattles a lot, bangs, creaks, and groans from just about every possible place, although it is a lot better since the sub frame bush was replaced!

When the car was sold to me, the seller informed me that the only work required was that the rear windscreen wiper would need to be fixed. At the MOT station, they took a different view. It needed the whole rear brake assembly renewing, and they said this could cost me 200GBP+. Fortunately, many trips to the scrap yard and a very very good friend saved me 180GBP, eventually only costing me 20GBP!

The tappets seem to forever need adjusting, but the noise never seems to get too intrusive (except when idling!), what can you expect from an engine that first saw the light of day in the late 60's?

Everyone comments on how powerful the car is for its size, and my brother was almost adamant that it was a 1.6 until I showed him the registration document!

Absolutely no rust anywhere to be found, which is a real surprise for a 13 year old car, but it was kept in an aircraft hangar for 3 years!

A great car, it has taken me all over the place, and with minimal cost. The parts are dirt cheap, and the fuel consumption even cheaper (when I don't feel like developing a heavy right foot!), it is certainly a respectable car to own, especially when given the bargain basement prices they can be had for. Not only that but they are surprisingly cheap to insure!

If you are looking to buy one, my advice would be to go for the GL model due to the fact that they have full length door panels, and a clock on the dashboard!

However, I won't be getting rid of mine in a hurry!