Junkyard Find: 1982 Peugeot 505S Turbodiesel
Peugeots! The final model year for new Peugeot cars in the United States was 1991, though I find the occasional Mexican-market Pug here and we can still purchase a new Peugeot pepper grinder right now. Back in the 1980s, though, Peugeot managed to hang onto a semblance of American marketplace relevance with the 505. I've found an oil-burning 505 in a boneyard in California's Central Valley, so let's take a look.
During the early 1990s, I owned a free gasoline-burning Peugeot 504 and thought it was a very nice car to drive, though parts obtainment proved challenging. The 504 stayed in production quite deep into the 21st century ( in Nigeria), and the 505 was its ordained successor.
Like all French car manufacturers, Peugeot remained fiercely proud of its national heritage. This car's build tag shows that Peugeot held its head high as a result of being headquartered in the 16th Arrondissemont of Paris.
In 1982, American Peugeot shoppers could choose between the 504 wagon, the 505 and the luxurious 604. The 504 was available only with naturally-aspirated diesel power that year, while the 604 could be purchased only with turbocharged diesel power. The 505 was sedan-only here for '82, but was offered with both gasoline and diesel engines.
This 2.3-liter oil-burning straight-four was rated at 71 horsepower and 99 pound-feet, which was tolerable for a 3,090-pound car in 1982.
The turbodiesel 505 for 1982 came with a five-speed manual transmission as base equipment, but this car has the optional three-speed slushbox. The price tag for this transmission came to $370, or around $1,208 in 2023 dollars.
The car itself listed for $13,570, or about $44,292 after inflation. Meanwhile, the similarly-sized BMW 528e had an MSRP of $23,325 ($76,131 today).
Perhaps the Datsun Maxima Diesel sedan was more of a direct competitor to this car, with its price tag of $11,419 ($37,271 now).
This car never even reached 90,000 miles, according to the odometer. Did the speedometer cable break in 1990? We can't know.
What we do know is that someone drove a vehicle with big lift and gnarly off-road tires over the hood and roof of this old Frenchman, ruining whatever resale value it might have had.
It has a nice AM/FM/cassette radio with loudness and CrO2 controls.
Do the French perform best in the bedroom or on the road?
Like eating caviar and strawberries.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
1982 Peugeot 505 Turbodiesel in California wrecking yard.
[Images: The Author]
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Writer d'Elegance Brougham Landau.
More by Murilee Martin
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A company I worked for in the mid eighties allowed its middle and upper managers around $15k each to spend for an entry level luxury car. There were a couple a Maximas, a Cressida, a Saab 900, and yes a loaded Cimarron with the 2.8 MPI as well as Peugeot 505 gas turbo. One day I rode in the 505 and was quite impressed with the ride. Like many French vehicles the seats were super comfortable and the interior furnishings were functional in a quirky fashion.
I feel as if this was either a one-owner who drove to the mid-90s at best and then it sat till recently or its a two-owner who bought it for a song in the mid to late 80s and then parked it sometime after Peugeot left the USDM. I can't see this being driven in the 21st Century other than to be moved ten feet at time, anyone piloting it on the road would have spend the $20-30 (?) to put some other kind of radio in. The body damage happened after it was discarded, I suppose in the yard/on the premises or just before in a public event (i.e. a crash-o-rama).