Faults:

Rear brake cylinders leaked, lifted the braking surface off the brake shoes!

Gears sometimes clash, quite possibly just the clutch in need of adjustment.

The rear window de-mister doesn't work (or not very effective)

Lots of squeaks and rattles, mainly because the interior is quite plasticy (but hey! that's a French car for you!)

Central locking seems faulty e.g. sometimes different doors lock/unlock and sometimes they don't. (accidentally broke the passenger door panel trying to diagnose the problem...)

Polyester bumpers fade and look shabby.

General Comments:

Looks quite stylish in black, factory alloys look great too.

1.7 model - beats my friends Golf off the mark (not to mention a few Jap cars as well)

Nice upholstery, rather comfy, it is one small car that I don't mind driving long distances.

Starts OK in the cold (thank god for that manual choke!!) -although don't forget to turn the choke off as it isn't economical to use it all the time... remember to turn it off before you turn the car off as the engine keep seems to keep firing!!!

Runs much better with a tune and some engine mods.

Great handling with new shocks fitted.

Faults:

I purchased this car very cheaply with a blown engine, so immediately there were a lot of things I need to rectify and replace.

The reason I got the car was because it was a late model GTT on an H plate and was totally original and undamaged, with virtually no rust at all, which is excellent for a 12 year old car. Was the ideal base for a project.

Have done a full re-build of the engine myself and it started at the first turn of the key, which was both surprising and yet very satisfying at the same time! :)

Then I have also replaced the radiator (with an up-rated copper cored one), which was the cause of the engines demise in the first place and also fitted a new low temp rad fan switch, a high speed rad fan motor and a low temp thermostat to keep things running cool.

This is *very* important with R5 GTT's and is the cause of a lot of problems.

I have also fitted a kevlar heat shield, new anti-perc fan, new sensors, a Pipercross cone filter, a full Scorpion stainless steel exhaust, a dump valve, new dizzy cap & rotor arm, new HT leads, Splitfire spark plugs, etc... all things to keep it running well.

Have also cleaned and sorted out the interior as the seat bolsters were crushed (as per usual), but these have now been repaired.

General Comments:

The car came supplied with some 15" Team Dynamics alloys, Avo adjustable coil-over suspension, an adjustable front strut brace, cross drilled discs & uprated pads, a hybrid turbo, silicone boost hoses, a copper cored intercooler and so was already well specced up before I got it.

Now the car is on the road and in the process of running the engine in, so the boost is backed right off and I am driving it gently for 500 miles.

Once run in and I can get it set up on a rolling road and have the boost and the fuelling set, it should be running about 170bhp, which gives a *very* impressive power to weight ratio of 205bhp/tonne!

The R5 GTT is now a rare sight on our roads and a mint one is an even rarer sight, so I am proud to own such a fine example.

I bought this car as a play thing and I can see that I will have a *lot* of fun in it!