First Car Clio - Questions

[ekaJ]

I'm 16 and have been saving up for my first car since august. My budget will be around the 2k mark and ive seen a few clio's around that price.
My only concern is that they are all oldish, around 2001/2.

Are there any notorious reliability issues? And what would a decent mileage for that age be? Any checks before purchasing?

Thanks

 

[Dm_26]

I'd save up and get the lessons and test out the way first.

But if you are desperate to get your own car/learnt to drive in your own car then a 2001/2 clio would be decent.

Just make sure it comes with full service history, make sure the timing belt has been changed recently as 2001/02 cars should be due their second by now. (Every 5 years or 72k miles, whichever comes first)

You can easily pick up cars with 50-60k on them but the average is around 12k per year but I personally wouldn't buy anything above around 80k, especially on a 1.2 if that's what your going for.

Best going for the 1.2 as they are cheap to run and insure as it will be your first car.

Hope this helps

 

[jenic]

Presume you'd be looking at the 1.2 16v, I bought one 2 years ago for £2k, that was a 2001 model so using that logic you should get an 02/03 one now for £2k. When do you go 17, might aswell wait until then tbh.

Mine was a bag of crap tbh, every month a large part of my wage went on repairs until i got rid when the head gasket went after a lot of repairs.

I think they changed the engine in 03 though since it was so unreliable so might be worth getting a 53 onwards one if you can (might be wrong on that but someone will correct me).

As a first car with cheap insurance you can't really go wrong with a low powered clio tbh (1.2/dci), more interesting than a corsa for sure.

 

[ekaJ]

Thanks for your help.
Id prefer to buy the car first and get that out of the way and then save for lessons and such. Weird I know.. :S

Jake

 

[ekaJ]

Presume you'd be looking at the 1.2 16v, I bought one 2 years ago for £2k, that was a 2001 model so using that logic you should get an 02/03 one now for £2k. When do you go 17, might aswell wait until then tbh.

Mine was a bag of crap tbh, every month a large part of my wage went on repairs until i got rid when the head gasket went after a lot of repairs.

I think they changed the engine in 03 though since it was so unreliable so might be worth getting a 53 onwards one if you can (might be wrong on that but someone will correct me).

As a first car with cheap insurance you can't really go wrong with a low powered clio tbh (1.2/dci), more interesting than a corsa for sure.

Hmm, see that's scared me now. I won't be buying until may-ish, so hopefully 53's might come down in price. I have heard quite alot of bad things about early clio's and I dunno what to do.

 

[jenic]

Thanks for your help.
Id prefer to buy the car first and get that out of the way and then save for lessons and such. Weird I know.. :S

Jake

Aslong as you wont be tempted to take it out before your test, and your prepared for it being even worse if you fail first time with a car on the drive.

Hmm, see that's scared me now. I won't be buying until may-ish, so hopefully 53's might come down in price. I have heard quite alot of bad things about early clio's and I dunno what to do.

So far the 182 has been a lot more reliable, i'd get one of them lol

 

[ekaJ]

Aslong as you wont be tempted to take it out before your test, and your prepared for it being even worse if you fail first time with a car on the drive.



So far the 182 has been a lot more reliable, i'd get one of them lol

Haha, I wish.

 

[Chapppers11]

I got a V reg (2000) in March and its in perfect condition, no rust and paint is perfect, from Renault approved used dealer for just under £2k with 54,000 miles.

 

[Dm_26]

I have a y reg (2001) ph1 shape, and tbh its been s**t. Although it could of all been avoided had I checked to see if the timing belt had been changed or not. Timing belt snapped and has caused loads of problems since.

As long as you can find a decent one with full service history then you'll be fine mate.

Usual common problems but cheap and easy to fix most of the time

 

[ekaJ]

I got a V reg (2000) in March and its in perfect condition, no rust and paint is perfect, from Renault approved used dealer for just under £2k with 54,000 miles.

So that's the older model, is that older engine more reliable than the newer 2001+ models?

 

[Chapppers11]

So that's the older model, is that older engine more reliable than the newer 2001+ models?

couldn't say mate, but as long as you find a decent example nothing major should go wrong at 10 years old.

 

[jenic]

couldn't say mate, but as long as you find a decent example nothing major should go wrong at 10 years old.

Famous last words lol

Every car is a risk imo, know people who have blown engines in less than 6 months on brand new vw's and porsche's.

Just buy one with history, looks in good condition, get a mechanic friend to give it a once over and take it from there.

 

[ekaJ]

Thanks for the help guys.

I'm just gonna take it slow and take my time.
It's just buying your first car, I want one NOW lol.

 

[Chapppers11]

Famous last words lol

Every car is a risk imo, know people who have blown engines in less than 6 months on brand new vw's and porsche's.

Just buy one with history, looks in good condition, get a mechanic friend to give it a once over and take it from there.

lol very true, full service history and a checkover from a mechanic does always help.

Thanks for the help guys.

I'm just gonna take it slow and take my time.
It's just buying your first car, I want one NOW lol.

I was exactly the same! didn't even want a red clio but Im so glad i got it in the end!

 

[barker22]

i bought a 51 plate facelift clio almost 3 yrs ago, £2.5k. 1.2 8v, never missed a beat, crashed twice - 1 my fault into a fence, the other someone ran into the back of me. its not like a 182, the cambelt being done isnt such a great issue as it only costs about £200 to get done, could use it as a bargaining tool to get extra off .i paid £80 from a friend. he told me to try to avoid the 16v, he said he sees them all the time in his garage, parts are cheap as chips, insurance is a doddle etc. i would recommend 1 to you.

 

[Josh2005]

Thanks for your help.
Id prefer to buy the car first and get that out of the way and then save for lessons and such. Weird I know.. :S

Jake

I was exactly the same and if i'm honest was the biggest mistake I ever made.

I bought the car with 6 months tax & MOT still on it which I thought was great, no need to renew and it wouldnt cost me for months! But by the time I had turned 17 and passed my test I had about a month left of Tax & MOT as well as having to pay to insure the thing! Just think for every month it's sitting unused you still pay for it so could get 1 when you pass or even a few weeks before you think you will? Just think getting it early will be a mistake!