Peugeot 305 | 1970's Car Review | French Car| Drive in | 1978

[@VDPEFi]

Anyone who has only driven "modern" cars would be amazed by the long travel suspension, incredible ride, sharp steering and tenacious grip from skinny tyres.

[@andic6676]

As a young driver, the very sure footed suspension of my Dad's elderly 305 GRD saved my life once. Great cars.

[@jannevaatainen]

Peugeot made great looking cars back then! I also like that era's lion badge.

[@jigrodrigues]

Indeed they did. And that metalic lion on the grill is cool

[@darrenwilson8042]

I can't see the BMW look to the rear in this one though

[@Perkelenaattori]

Fortunately the new 508 once again looks stupefyingly good.

[@mfitzy100]

And they do again thankfully

[@MG-qi6zq]

Like all europeans you only swear by german cars. You are unaware that Renault supplies engines and châssis to Mercedes and Peugeot do the same with BMW and Ford.

[@davebassman5339]

Still some of these kicking about here in rural France, and so much better looking than anything built since the turn of the millenium, especially those hideous bling-machine SUVs....imo of course.....

[@stevenjoy3537]

SUVs are awful

[@putevasiliauskas7035]

Nah for sure not better looking than new ones :)

[@danielhorrachsanchez4710]

@@putevasiliauskas7035 still, I'd rather get an 'old' saloon or estate car (for example, a 406, as it happens) than a new SUV, even if it's "not better looking" for today's standards

[@eddiejones.redvees]

The square look is coming back to cars

[@roberthorwat6747]

Hired a 309 for the weekend once after a very disappointing week with an Astra... the rest is history. I am now on my seventh pug which is about to hit 200k on the clock. With luck I'll keep her alive for a few more years yet. (a 2003 406 2.0 Hdi estate)

[@juliestonelake7606]

Oh my god. I used to own a 406 rapier estate. I miss that car so much. Drove it all the way to Scotland from Dorset. In complete comfort. What a car

[@owensteele1645]

Nobody makes cars like the 406 anymore😢 They still look elegant in any variant. I do remember when the 406 first came out, it was considered an A4, C-Class or E36 competitor rather than Mondeo, Primera or Vectra. So good to hear you're keeping your late-production estate model going. 2.0 HDi is a very strong engine in both forms.

[@fenn_fren]

No luck is required. The 2.0 HDi is an indestructible engine. If you treat it well, it will run forever. I have it in my 407 estate.

[@runforit420]

1:08 Peugeot wasn't really ever known for quirky French styling anyhow - that was the purvey of Citroën.

[@runforit420]

Yes, but there still hadn't been many common projects at that time between the companies. The only one was the Citroën LN and LNA, launched in 1976, which was really a Peugeot 104, and people knew that it was a Peugeot 104 underneath immediately...

[@paulhunter123]

yes indeed - citroen was avant garde. Untill it gave up and gave us lego cars in the 80s 90s bx ax shitroen

[@runforit420]

True - did we just have a civil discussion on KZbin? The XM was pretty avant garde, though, even though it shared a lot of its parts bin with the 605, which looked like the 405. When I lived in the UK, I never saw a big Citroën or Peugeot. I saw an XM in Belgium, though, and a Renault Safrane. The Benelux countries loved their big French cars!

[@runforit420]

I don't know which Citroën was worse - the LN/LNA or the AX...at least the BX had the PRN lunules, which are VERY quirky.

[@paulhunter123]

As a child in the 90s a parent gave me a lift home in a bx - i thought wtf is that the bus looks better. and the bus was more red

[@oris247]

love this guy's pleasant accent and presenting style

[@team3383]

It appears people had to go to school and learn English to get a job back then...

[@oris247]

@@team3383 the very thought!!

[@billmcclean3453]

I had a 305 1.9gld and put 500,000miles on it no bother and I have the last mot with the recorded milage to proove it. Cars nowadays are white, full of warning lights limp modes and all sorts of electronic wizardry. Bet not one would go that mileage

[@BokorRider]

a car with real flare... no wait thats the presenter hee hee ....sorry long day! good little historical upload... thanks

[@ziauddinkhan5699]

Derek Watson lmao

[@grumpyoldman3458]

Derek Watson Flare enough (!)

[@TheBlaert]

Damn fine flares. I had a 305 Van for years. Brilliant comfortable motor. Amazingly easy on diesel too

[@volvo480]

The first generation 305 engines had a belt-driven cooling fan, but the engine was mounted transversely so they had to use a very long belt that went from the crankshaft pulley round the corner to the fan. Breakdown services usually resorted to not connecting the fan at all. But the worst fate of the 305 was of course rust, especially around the strut mounts. If you hit a speed bump too hard, many 305 owners ended up with a car that was lowered by a few inches and a dent in the bonnet where the strut bumped into.

[@ryszard68]

By the time speed humps made an appearance in earnest in the late 80's/early 90's I guess a lot of these had succumbed to the dreaded tin worm, mind you they still probably lasted longer than similar age BL vehicles some of which had begun bubbling even in the showroom lol.

[@FlorianRunser]

So you experienced a rust drama too ? Mine has the rear supsension supports/struts completeley attacked by rust, and the thing is also ready to break, having the springs in back glass... It is curious when we see the state of the car, in pretty nice condition, and this cancer located in the rear end... What a deception, two years of work, specielly on that XR5 that is apparently not a model of reliability, to see after that, by coincidentally , that my body is unrepairable and also dangerous... all of this for nothing... We are crazy to ge attached to those 70s car... Next will be better I hope. (And mine is a 83, also second generation... corrosion protective bath were supposed to be better...)

[@darrenwilson8042]

so not wildly different to the Avenger and Mk 3 Cortina I had.....and the FD Victor. All cars rusted badly until the late 80's until the Lancia debacle when they were all forced to sort it our and offer 6 year anti rust warranties. The it was things like Metro's and Fiesta Mk1's and 2's that rotted. How on earth Ford got away with the MK1 Ka for so long baffles me - they could rot for fun.

[@darrenwilson8042]

same as my first car - an Avenger and my 2nd a Cortina - most cars rusted badly from this ear. Ironically we owe modern rust proofing standards to Lancia/FIAT. The Beta rusted so quickly that to try and salvage some sort of reputation Lancia went into rust proofing and offering body work anti-corrosion guarantees - that meant others had to so we are where we are today.

[@tassos2011]

I have one 1.5 SR from 1978. Never had any of the problems you mentioned. 330.000 hard kilometers persuade me to continue with more modern Peugeot

[@grahamariss2111]

A time when Peugeot put the driving experience at the top of its priorities and built the best balanced fwd chassis, why sometime in the mid 90s having aced it with the 405 and 306 they decided that being average was good enough. I think it was taken with the decision to spin so many cars off the same platform, and their designs became about style over quality.

[@xavichuvy9047]

That was also the time when their chassis' guru was headhunted by Ford and the first Focus, finally a Ford with great handling, appeared. Coincidence? I think not.

[@k.j.g.9601]

I'm hopelessly addicted to these videos

[@s.leochapman417]

Very elegant, very competent. Quietly moving the mass-market brand game along nicely. A true Peugeot of yore... thankfully, Peugeot is finally retrieving some of that spirit in its latest proposals. Long may it continue.

[@darrenwilson8042]

Can I please go back to a warm sunny south of France IN 1978? Seems much more preferable than now

[@impinas]

My dad had the car for arrround 35 years. I remember as a kid, it was breaking down in 1 out of 10 drives

[@mikehall117]

The 305 estate 1.7 diesel was my first car. It was my fathers before I inherited it, and my grandfathers before that. Great car.

[@bens1972]

Peugeot’s were so well built then and reliable. They were taxis in many a country

[@svenlabots1869]

I used to own a 305 break 1900diesel. An absolute joy to ride. Smooth, smooth, smooth...☺

[@TheRatlord74]

I had one in my youth. It was an old car even then. It was like a tank. It just kept going and going. And that front wheel drive saved my life once.

[@robertmarsh3588]

The later 305GTX was quite a fast comfortable car. Good looking, and there was an estate too.

[@Glenn1967ful]

All Peugeots from the 305 to the 406 were winners, good looking, durable cars that were great to drive and well made.

[@danielhorrachsanchez4710]

​@Glenn1967ful the only downside I really can find as a Spaniard myself is that, unlike its successors, the 305 never succeeded in the Spanish market, which at that time had the SEAT 131 and Renault 12 as the benchmarks for mid-size family cars

[@stevegreen9460]

i like the light and roomy feel, and great visabillity of old cars, there was a greater sence of freedom about the way thay felt to be in. moden cars are so boxed in and dark. visabillity is rubbish on moden cars there hard to drive in just cause there sso many massive blind spots. I know there way safer in a crash. health and safty is great when thinsg go wrong, yes this is true. trouble is health and safty takes away the sence of freedom and joy in living life in the moment.

[@dorleysflir5350]

I agree with the exception of the MK1(2007-2011) C4 Picasso. If you get a chance, try one.

[@MajorT0m]

And if you open a window at any remote speed, you get a dreadful hammering of air in your ears these days. I guess less thought is given to that aspect in these days of aircon, but I like driving around with windows open. Good thing I have my Capri 🖤

[@danielhorrachsanchez4710]

​@@dorleysflir5350 you made the point, since the C4 Picasso is equipped with panoramic windscreen (why the hell can't all MPVs and SUVs have it?) and also has big windows for nowadays' standards, which together give the vehicle a great visibility from every corner, doesn't it?

[@sanchoodell6789]

3:39 "Look!" "What?" "Over there! Litter. It makes the car look good!"

[@thebigbowler]

Can't believe it had an early version of an OBD port all the way back in '78!

[@GentilsGarage]

Funny how he complains about the lack of visibility in certain angles. I wonder what he would say about todays cars!

[@djh29971]

The thing that strikes me about almost all of these uploads from Thames, is how the driver at the time had limited expectations and was easily pleased. We had a 504 and a 604 which were episodes best forgotten.

[@JackBandicootsBunker]

Those limited expectations were the result of British Leyland making utter crap.

[@danielhorrachsanchez4710]

Why episodes best forgotten? Did these cars give you a lot of problems or have they ever let you down on the road? Otherwise I can't see your point

[@antman5474]

and the mini cab was born

[@oldmutt1427]

Beat me to it. Nice one.

[@hayamburuk]

My first car (well the first one I had on the road) was a 1979 305 SR in beige. Was lovely to drive and extremely comfortable. My actual first car was a 304 estate which I cannibalised to make another one, when the 305 went, I put that on the road and had a good couple of years of adventures all over Europe until it kept going wrong.

[@johnwh1039]

Just so envious of those trousers!!

[@garyfynan1173]

Everyone had a pair back then and platform sole does.

[@PiggyWiggyO]

With french flair!

[@MarkAtkin]

A friend of mine had a diesel 305 estate. It was the first diesel car I ever rode in. I liked it.

[@RWL2012]

There's a white C-reg 305 diesel estate going round my way in 2018, so random!

[@NeilVanceNeilVance]

He's right about that Bimmer hind!

[@TK42138]

Epic slacks.

[@robhines4537]

I had a Y Reg in 1992 only cost me £450 , a big white estate version - I loved it , big comfy seats and nice to drive

[@RWL2012]

There's a white C-reg 305 diesel estate going round my way in 2018, so random!

[@RWL2012]

There's a white C-reg 305 diesel estate going round my way in 2018, so random!

[@sporkfindus4777]

My dad had a 305 just like that red one, but with black and white zig zag patterned seats. A GR, I think.

[@PhilippeMarchand-xw1zp]

I had a 305GT and sent it to scrap after an accident... at 380000 kms.

[@stevenlawrie7819]

I loved the 305 - designed by Pininfarina?

[@rjft7003]

Those cars were so comfortable. The suspension soaked most part of the annoying potholes and uneavan roads. Eventually only the GS and later the GSA could compete with it when it comes to comfort.

[@ABCDEF-yf4yu]

Peugeot was also making the 504 in 1978.

[@mollyfilms]

Great example of a side hustle. After this gig he then went on to a Burton catalogue shoot.

[@obelic71]

Only the tin worm and accidents could get that bulletproof generation of Peugeot cars killed. This summer my neighboor imported a 37 year old 305 from Spain and the first thing he did was send it of to a Dinitrol rustprotection center. He couldn't resist buying that car while on holiday in Spain. Same model, color and smell as the cars his parents had when he was a small child Nowadays seeing a presenter complaining about visibilaty issues on a greenhouse glass era car is hilarious 🤣

[@alecbrown66]

The 305, place holder while they retooled for the legendary 205's and the 306 and 406's that are still being made in some countries.

[@martiniv8924]

GR Metallic Beige 1500 diesel ( wet liners ) , slow , economical , typical Peugeot suspension meant it rode far better than anything else, more an escort size than cortina. Sold it to another work mate that had it for years, and travelled most of Europe .

[@MrDavey2010]

My parents had one of these and it was a great car albeit nowadays it looks boring.

[@appalachiahiker853]

MrDavey2010 this comment is from 1990

[@OrnumCR]

With every one of these sold this month you get a free pair of bell bottom beige slacks!!! Crikey the seventies and design were so at odds with each other! That car is woeful too!!

[@tarotjoker60]

0:40 Oh, this divine sound of opening and closing doors of European cars of the 70s-80s! 🤣

[@nkt1]

“And that’s the way for most is things are going to be”, regarding the preponderance of angular, three-box designs. True, but only for another four years.

[@MonkeyHunch1]

pug 405 was the only french car i ever really liked very rare now/

[@person.X.]

Y I used to drive a 405 turbo diesel estate for work. It was a great car. Relatively fast, efficient, comfortable and great handling. At about 130K miles though the turbo blew :(

[@frenchmax100]

That's my car !

[@MonkeyHunch1]

Yup they where a good car!

[@frenchmax100]

MonkeyHunch1 they still are, my next car will be a 504 coupé :)

[@robotmad]

I had a 405 diesel estate didn't have a turbo it was gutless

[@IRISHguitarist777]

Lovely colour.

[@yossarian6799]

Assembled by SIGMA in South Africa from 1980 to 1983. Originally just the 1.5 SR, but 1.5 GR and 1.5 ST (ST with 65 kW) were added mid '82. SIGMA replaced it with the Mitsubishi Tredia...

[@dean-gm1lg]

I ran 305s for a long time and had the first diesel models of the 305 which were 1580cc back when diesel was cheap

[@wickiezulu]

Is it known whether the 89 hp 1472cc XR5S engine in the Peugeot 305 could have been further tuned towards 100 hp or even stretched to around 1.55-litres (e.g XIDL. diesel bore/stroke) up to 1.6-litres? Additionally how common was it for Peugeot 204 owners to fit the larger XL/XR engines from the Peugeot 305?

[@johnmartinez316]

Why do the tires always look bald!

[@tassos2011]

I had one 1.5 from 1978. 330.000 kms and no problems at all (requires frequent servicing though) Really nice car and best handling with skinny tyres 165/70/14 (Peugeot recommended 145/80/14 but they were far too skinny the car size and the engine power)

[@alfamonk]

parents had a GT then a GTX which had the 205Gti XU1580 and 1905cc engines, with carbs. Thirsty but good to drive, handled well.

[@putevasiliauskas7035]

How loud the engine is

[@jamesmiller3142]

Still think I'd prefer a mk 4 Cortina. They seem a bit more weighty, and better built?

[@MajorKlanga]

I owned both back in the day and can assure you that they were leagues apart. The Cortina was so old fashioned and poorly built compared to the Peugeot, much less reliable and had dangerous handling and a terrible ride.

[@pinkyn0se]

Fords of that era were called "Dagenham Dustbins" for a reason... This was much more advanced (fwd, independent suspension all round) and the XUD engine fitted is known to be one of the best Diesel engines ever made, and was still being used in new Peugeots until 2001!)

[@xsduprwd3937]

haha Mark, I love the single person opinions you get on youtube. You're description of the cortina does however contradict the million plus cars sold to the public. My Mk4 was a great car, plenty of road trips round NZ full of mates and never came across as dangerous. This after the car was already 20 years old and only cost $500. Each to there own though right?

[@edgarbeat275]

The cortina sold loads but my god they rusted so bad. I don't think the quality was there. Dash tops that cracked etc ford glue plastics nasty. My dad owned three peugeots still has two 305. I remember my neighbour owned a Mk4 cortina with blistering wings. I poked my finger thru the wing and ran away lol. yes peugets do rust but the 305 body did seam to last. One 305 van has been sitting in the wood where I live and yet its rust has not progressed. e.g Ford Fiestas and Peugeots 205. Fiesta had metal fuel tank Peugeot 205 used plastic. Off topic slightly. The Peugeot 205 compared to late mk2 and Mk3 Fiestas were leagues apart. I have owned three 205 and they handle allot better. even if both were rust proofed in time rust will set in. but the Peugeot will last longer. that said rear axels were never a Peugeot strong point. You have to bear in mind the Cortina like most cars was a throw away car. most were company cars so an owner would own the car in a less time space than say a 305 owner. He would upgrade more often replace the Cortina more often Thats what Ford promoted and hence the High numbers. I still think in many respects the 305 is a much better car. Much better suspension they handled excellent in the snow, rain , coasted fantastic with the skinny tyres :)

[@edgarbeat275]

I do love Cortinas also and Fords in general but I would wax oil them and keep on top of body protection. Fit wheel arch liners etc. So many fords at shows with the Towl on the Dash to protect the Dash board. Not an insult just an observation. Have to admit not a fan of the Pinto engine with his rate of cam wear and the oil feed pipe to top end issues that result not regular serving. Take a corner at a junction and so many child hood memories of them skidding with that leaf spring rear. not the best located rear axel.

[@RETROCAM73]

Any 304 road tests I love these old car tests ❤️🙂👍🏻

[@johnstairs]

Liking the Christopher Reeves Superman fringe flick at 3.32

[@matnrach]

Great flares.

[@garethifan1034]

Shared an awful lot with the Talbot Solara if i'm not mistaken

[@incyphe]

155 tires?

[@rabit818]

Luckily the wind was not blowing that day. Otherwise, the host in his flared trousers will be swept away.

[@CuoreSportivo]

notice it lacks passenger side mirror.

[@frankvandepitte6374]

ah, my first car, with a 1500 diesel, dead slow but endearing

[@sverduijn1]

Probably still in use as a taxi in Africa:)

[@b.sulistio2744]

Front wheel drive ?

[@victorsingh878]

LOVE IT

[@schinaro]

Thanks

[@georgejacob3162]

0:23. Richard Hammond's dad?

[@Vakito227]

No it's Alan Partridge

[@mickadatwist1620]

its Michael Jordan

[@n136h]

The good ol days of one wing mirror

[@darrenwilson8042]

where is that filmed? Monaco? Cannes?

[@paulhunter123]

its so understyled. and in a chavs world of endless fussy styling with extra styling. i like it. but what would the diagnostic plug say now? early to have one. To begin with it was a basic service light is due.

[@Vincent-bs5mf]

This is the exact same car my grandad had. Colour and all!

[@anothercitizen4867]

Those are some fancy pants

[@ewaf88]

Regarding reversing automatic parking sensors on those days consisted of your wife saying 'That's it back a bit - back a bit - back a bit - No No Stop STOP' Crunch

[@moochincrawdad]

Polyester flares - they came in and went out of fashion sooo quickly! 🤣

[@tcpnetworks]

2:39 - That car spent the rest of its life with a bent bonnet. Shit - if he did that to a modern car, they would be replacing the front clip!

[@valicourt]

Still some on the roads now, even in the U.K. And I believe half of Africa is driving around in old Peugeots.

[@rob5944]

Free bag of nails with every engine.

[@k.j.g.9601]

Even though these are basically brand new it looks like it came straight from the junk yard. Maybe it’s the grill design but it looks like it is missing....

[@kevingrainger2530]

There are three models available. The R model for Rattles. The R model for Repairs. The R model for Rust. There you have it.

[@BogattheMoon]

Dafuk is a Purrgeot?

[@LMB222]

OBD in 1978? Respectable.

[@GrotrianSeiler]

Wonderfully engineered cars, the whole lot of them.

[@MG-qi6zq]

Peugeot is one of the best manufacturers of diesel engines in the world. Otherwise the best.

[@ahmedsafar5397]

my dad used to have one of those

[@downburst1]

Cars long gone. But those Teflon flairs are still registered and taxed till 2188

[@mindfixer4you]

Don't know why they bang on about cars getting over 40 mpg these days - these unsophistcated things were getting middle to high 30's back in the 70's! Even trouser style has made more progress!!

[@TakeMeOffYourMailingList]

In the 70s the cars made no power and weren't restricted by things like emissions standards or catalytic converters.

[@marks6663]

@@TakeMeOffYourMailingList yes they were. from about '74 onwards, emission controls were coming into effect.

[@TakeMeOffYourMailingList]

@@marks6663 In the USA, they were. Euro 1, though, wasn't introduced until 1992.

[@SpiritEngine]

A diagnostic port in 1978!

[@twincammike8329]

Yikes...that's some cool pants...

[@misled1982]

Is like it had a baby with a Renault 18!

[@funnyfiveminutes]

..."slung underneath"

[@goldiestimeschannel2185]

I remember my uncle has one clean and clear end engine like formula 😂 stronger and fast

[@hyena-chase2176]

viva imo was the best at time time :)

[@kevinmason5140]

Whats ALAN Partridge doing presenting a car program back in the 70s ??

[@OMENASOSE-zm2yl]

I LIKE PEUGEOT 305 AND W123 MERCEDES

[@victorsingh878]

got one

[@darrenwilson8042]

End of the day despite the idea that the booted saloon was the way forward motoring journalists were wrong and the hatch back was the future !!

[@Detroit8V92tta]

Looked like a cross between the 505 and the 604.

[@mrrolandlawrence]

wow it looks 2nd hand even when new!