So after a year of sensible, economic driving, I've decided that my trusty Megane just wasn't for me and didn't really do anything for me either. With me having craved motorbikes my whole life, I took the plunge and sold up for the winter months with an insight to owning my first nice car.
I've wanted a Clio ever since seeing Nickson's Phase 1 about a year ago. I'd been hung up that jap cars were my thing and had pretty much ignored every other manufacturer. But once I'd noticed one Clio I couldn't stop seeing them about.....especially as a mate who goes by the name of Sameshoz had now bought a Trophy!
The mission was then to obtain an RB with a matter of urgency!!
I'm in the position with work that I will be (hopefully) looking at a company car spring/summer time. Thus meaning the RB will be my last proper car before I head back towards bikes next year.
So after selling my current bike within two days of listing it I then found myself with a wodge of money burning a hole inside my pocket and a car sat on the drive that I hated driving. The quest was on to find my perfect RB.
After a couple of arranged viewings and the disappointment that followed, I came across a car on Pistonheads based in Essex. It had the perfect mods, half decent mileage and the belts changed June last year. Just looking at the advert I knew I had to have it and put down a swift deposit with the owner to hold the car whilst I could arrange a time to view the car.
So off I trekked up to Essex with my old man and Nickson to inevitably buy the car below!
So here it is, a 2004 RB FF with Gordini stripes with a list of extras that made me all giddy upon turning up and viewing it! We have: 172 cup Turini's powder coated in Anthracite, Janspeed / K-Tec Supersport exhaust system, Carbon Fibre splitter, Fog surrounds, Exhaust surrounds and Tailgate strip, Alcantara A- Pillars, Renault Sport mats and an iPod connection.
It has a fully stamped service book, all original paperwork and was immaculate when we arrived to view it.
Needless to say I paid my money and proceeded to drive it home with a massive grin upon my face.
Here's a few shots of it from the advert:
And one of the drive home:
The car did have a few niggles with it (don't they all?). One of the Xenon's wasn't working, the Engine management light came on spontaneously & the drivers door mechanism had broken off when I test drove it, meaning no access via the drivers door! O yea and the steering wheel had inevitably melted.
Within a couple of days ownership I had re-attached the door mechanism so I could now get into the car, and myself and Nickson had sorted the dodgy Xenon...........it was only a blown fuse......
and we had only found this out after removing the front bumper and swapping all the light units over trying to find the problem!! Typical!!
Since owning the car I have now fitted this (thanks to rickyquicky):
I have also changed the plugs, leads and an injector to cure the miss-fire and engine warning light coming on and have bought and fitted a K-Tec induction kit courtesy of JFS. Although I'm not sure whether I like the noise or not?!
O and I have changed the pressed plates for a 3/4 front of the normal plastic varient.
That's it for now, but I will get some proper photos of my own showing my progress and trying to show off how clean this thing really is.
Big thanks to Nickson for all his help, viewing and fixing the car. Sameshoz for putting up with me buying a car that can only dream upon living in his' shadow
. And Alex for selling me the car.
One final instagram-goodness photo:
I've wanted a Clio ever since seeing Nickson's Phase 1 about a year ago. I'd been hung up that jap cars were my thing and had pretty much ignored every other manufacturer. But once I'd noticed one Clio I couldn't stop seeing them about.....especially as a mate who goes by the name of Sameshoz had now bought a Trophy!
The mission was then to obtain an RB with a matter of urgency!!
I'm in the position with work that I will be (hopefully) looking at a company car spring/summer time. Thus meaning the RB will be my last proper car before I head back towards bikes next year.
So after selling my current bike within two days of listing it I then found myself with a wodge of money burning a hole inside my pocket and a car sat on the drive that I hated driving. The quest was on to find my perfect RB.
After a couple of arranged viewings and the disappointment that followed, I came across a car on Pistonheads based in Essex. It had the perfect mods, half decent mileage and the belts changed June last year. Just looking at the advert I knew I had to have it and put down a swift deposit with the owner to hold the car whilst I could arrange a time to view the car.
So off I trekked up to Essex with my old man and Nickson to inevitably buy the car below!
So here it is, a 2004 RB FF with Gordini stripes with a list of extras that made me all giddy upon turning up and viewing it! We have: 172 cup Turini's powder coated in Anthracite, Janspeed / K-Tec Supersport exhaust system, Carbon Fibre splitter, Fog surrounds, Exhaust surrounds and Tailgate strip, Alcantara A- Pillars, Renault Sport mats and an iPod connection.
It has a fully stamped service book, all original paperwork and was immaculate when we arrived to view it.
Needless to say I paid my money and proceeded to drive it home with a massive grin upon my face.
Here's a few shots of it from the advert:
And one of the drive home:
The car did have a few niggles with it (don't they all?). One of the Xenon's wasn't working, the Engine management light came on spontaneously & the drivers door mechanism had broken off when I test drove it, meaning no access via the drivers door! O yea and the steering wheel had inevitably melted.
Within a couple of days ownership I had re-attached the door mechanism so I could now get into the car, and myself and Nickson had sorted the dodgy Xenon...........it was only a blown fuse......
and we had only found this out after removing the front bumper and swapping all the light units over trying to find the problem!! Typical!!
Since owning the car I have now fitted this (thanks to rickyquicky):
I have also changed the plugs, leads and an injector to cure the miss-fire and engine warning light coming on and have bought and fitted a K-Tec induction kit courtesy of JFS. Although I'm not sure whether I like the noise or not?!
O and I have changed the pressed plates for a 3/4 front of the normal plastic varient.
That's it for now, but I will get some proper photos of my own showing my progress and trying to show off how clean this thing really is.
Big thanks to Nickson for all his help, viewing and fixing the car. Sameshoz for putting up with me buying a car that can only dream upon living in his' shadow
. And Alex for selling me the car.One final instagram-goodness photo:
