Is a Trophy worth the extra 2-3k over a 172 cup???

[Dave Hester]

Looking at getting a Clio as a daily and for the occasional track day, so have narrowed it down to eith a 172 cup or a trophy,

now I know a trophy has better seats and the mega expensive sach dampers, apart from it being a couple of years newer is it really worth the extra cash??

I know evo magazine creamed over the trophy big time in 2005 but how much better is it than the 172 cup??

I have driven a handful of cups but not a trophy yet, typically you can buy 2 172 cups for the price of a trophy.

Also do think that the trophy will get down to the £3-4k price bracket in a couple of years time??

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Personally, no.

The Sachs suspension set up seemingly transforms the already amazing Cup packed set up on standard 182's, but even that wouldnt be enough to warrant myself spending the difference.

Any Renault Sport 172 with a good coilover/geometry set up is going to be as quick as a Trophy with the right driver.

 

[Munson]

The deal breaker for me would be AC. f**k not having that in a daily car. No chance.

 

[Keith Lemon]

I preffered my FF 182 to the trophy , the only thing I really liked was the seats, although I dont do track days or anything!!

 

[alanc1000]

in short, nah.

 

[ed55j]

Yes!

 

[CuppyDean]

A 172 cup is faster

 

[kevin.s]

as you say, you could get another 172 for the price you would pay for a trophy so you could have one for the daily and the other as a stripped out track s**g. then you aint hurting your daily when nailing it on a track

 

[Jamie]

I've had a few Clio's now - Williams, 172, 182 Trophy. I've also been in and had a go of a Cup.

I personally think the 182 Trophy is night and day better than the others. However, it does have its draw backs. I know people on this forum are a big fan of slamming a car and putting it on coilovers, but tbh, I'm very sceptical that this will erode the difference of Renault's technical knowledge and experience of purpose picking the dampers and stiffness over an after market set up.

The price difference will certainly leave you with some spare cash to play with on your car. However, if you're planning on doing this (Cup plud mods) you'll no doubt only be increasing your cash loss when you come to sell. This may not be an issue, but you have said, or asked if a Trophy will come down in price in the future so it must be of at least the smallest consideration.

I've also lost quite alot on my Trophy so unfortunatley would have to agree they will continue to come down. I've also spent a fair whack on mine with the Mark Fish set up, damper rebuild - this makes it a silly decision to sell. You'd also imo want to consider refurbing the dampers of any Trophy that you do buy if it hasn't had it done (£500 job - may be making the Cup option seem a better deal). Mine were rated as "ok" and not in need of a refurb, but had it done anyway. Consequently post drive I can tell they did need doing as it's transformed the car. Handles and feels so much better it's untrue.

I honestly think that the best option is a 182 with Cup packs. The 172 feels and looks really cheap inside, it's just those seats, I really hate them. The 182 with Cup packs has a good overall package. The Trophy is very stiff, not the best mile muncher and I feel not quite as good as the 172 for everyday use.

Also, I think you either want a Trophy or you're not arsed. The Trophy should have that appeal over and above other RS models which is what compels you to buy one. If it's just a plain decision for out and out track day ability and you're confident that half of the cash saving between purchases prices could turn the Cup into a better handaling car I'd do that. If not, get the Trophy.

 

[jonbrown]

Only way to work it out is to test drive them both.

When I was looking for a 182 I drove standard ones, cup packed ones, cups and trophies and went for a full fat 182 and got lucky with finding one with the Trophy recaro's. They were all different, I could see the appeal of all of them in a cost / what you get, and just narrowed it down to what I would really be using my car for.

Personally if you can afford a Trophy that would be my choice out of the two, after all resale value will always be higher too.

Other way to look at it is, if you want to modify then get a 172 cup, if you don't get a trophy.

 

[BoroGTI]

Trophy is definitely worth the extra money, drive one and you will see

 

[ste_182]

Personally if you can afford a Trophy that would be my choice out of the two, after all resale value will always be higher too.

Other way to look at it is, if you want to modify then get a 172 cup, if you don't get a trophy.

I have to agree with jonbrown here. I have a Trophy and before I bought it I was looking for a 182 cup. Having been to look round a few I really didnt like the wheels and seats and thats what I was going to have to change if i bought one. When I priced this all up it took me to cheap Trophy money, but then looking around cheap Trophys, they were all crap. So I spent 1.5k more than I planned lol.

If you do want a Trophy please take your time, look for a nice clean example (Im not saying only buy standard here) that has had upgrades as opposed to "Mods" and it defo must have had the damper refurbishment and probably a cam belt change now as well. Being part of the Trophy forum, the upgrades tend to be either Mark Fish or Eibach springs and Koni rear dampers, to complement the car and give it back that new feel now they are 5 years old.

If you pay more for a Trophy you will get more back. A Trophy can never be worth less than a 182/ cup. a 182/ cup can never be worth less than a 172 etc. So IF they are ever worth 3-4k the the others will be worth 2k max. Probably will never happen and if it does no one will sell it as you wont get a better car for that money.

% wise you will probably loose the same on both.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Id say yes, but for different reasons to those above. Yes the Trophy is very good out the box, but if you are wanting to modify, it is also a far better place to start, for example:

'53 plate, 75k 172 Cup - £3750
Sell Turinis (£250)
Buy H&R Coilovers (£750), Bucket Seats (£400), 15's inc Tyres (£250)

Total Cost = £4900

'55 plate 75k, 182 Trophy - £5250
Sell Sachs (£650), Recaros (£650), Turinis (£450)
Buy H&R's (£750), Buckets (£400), 15's inc Tyres (£250)

Total Cost = £4900

So, whilst your initial purchase is £1.5k more for the Trophy, the final cost, after modification is the same -and you end up with a newer car.

Trophy bits are worth considerably more than standard items you see

Cue the haters :rasp:

 

[Hixle]

If I would have bought a 182 w/cup packs, I know I would have spent 2k[ish] on Turinis, Recaros and H&R's/KW's anyway. That was my justification of buying the Trophy instead

 

[Christopher]

It's better, but not £3k better.

You could get a VERY sorted Cup for Trophy money nowadays.

 

[Gally]

Yes.

It's red for a start.

 

[Cookson]

Yes.

It's red for a start.

+1

 

[Budgie]

If you want a cheap RS, get a decent Ph1. If you've got more cash to play with, get a Trophy.

Only 1*2's I'd ever own again.

Trophy needs cable throttle and it's as good as it can be, imo.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Yes.

It's red for a start.

Mines pink, does that make it faster?

 

[Hixle]

Mines dirty, does that make it faster?

EFA.

 

[Gally]

Mines pink, does that make it faster?

Yes, it has less paint weight.

Have you put your back seats down for aerodynamics?

 

[Sir_Dave]

Yes, it has less paint weight.

Have you put your back seats down for aerodynamics?

No, not yet, but i fold them down on trackdays, lowers the centre of gravity iirc.

 

[Gally]

Twice as good and 1% the price of a carbon roof.

 

[Fred@BTM]

cup everytime!

 

[Ollie82.]

Trophy for show, Cup for a Pro. Everyone knows this but most are in denial....

 

[Sir_Dave]

Trophy for show, Cup for a Pro. Everyone knows this but most are in denial....

I only bought the Trophy as i couldnt afford another cup, they're the ones that are quick in the twisties right? Cost more as so many of them get crashed in the winter due to no ABS, pushing prices up ...

 

[Iain C]

Id rather have a cup

 

[Ollie82.]

I only bought the Trophy as i couldnt afford another cup, they're the ones that are quick in the twisties right? Cost more as so many of them get crashed in the winter due to no ABS, pushing prices up ...

Advanced Clio you see. For the type of driver who doesn't simply stand on the anchors, close their eyes and pray that they land softly in a field of buttercups....

Trophy as in Ironing boards and Matt Wills? DO NOT WANT. Im sorry, but that car is forever tarnished in my eyes.

 

[st3ve]

cup everytime!

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Daz.]

My tuppence..

When I had my valver I would see a williams and feel rubbish, like I knew that car was everything mine wasn't.

When I see a trophy in the 172 I don't feel the same way - It's another way of getting into a mk2 to me , not a special car just a reboot of an older one.

I prefer seeing an Exlusive on the road, they look sooooo good! and rarer

 

[Sir_Dave]

Just out of interest, how many people commenting in here have done over 20k miles in each, having owned them all for at least 6 months?

Oh. Just me then

Btw thats a 182 (cup-pack), a 172 cup & 2 x 182 Trophy's...

 

[keo]

Was worth it for me, red paint, recaro's, fancy dampers, speedlines, 1 of 500. They were my reasons and i knew if i brought a 172 cup which i thought about i would of always wanted the trophy, so i am happy with my decision. Had it about eight and a half months and done 6.5k aprox init.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Was worth it for me, red paint, recaro's, fancy dampers, speedlines, 1 of 550. They were my reasons and i knew if i brought a 172 cup which i thought about i would of always wanted the trophy, so i am happy with my decision. Had it about eight and a half months and done 6.5k aprox init.

./

 

[Matt W]

Buy a cup, and spend the rest of the money on track days TBFQH.

 

[Rob]

I'd be buying a ph1 over the cup.

 

[keo]

./

500 uk
50 swiss ones

if it realy matters?

 

[Steve]

When Trophy was new, yes easy decision.
Now unsure as all 5yrs old, due susp rebuild, belts etc etc so 2-3K could easily become 4K.
Also after 197 would not go back.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

500 uk
50 swiss ones

if it realy matters?

Its really.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

I'd be buying a ph1 over the cup.

Teh Rob speaks the truth, the Phase 1 feels as raw as a Cup and lets face it, throttle cable's are the choice of the alpha male TBH.

 

[marc1330]

cable throttle on a cup?