Just back from viewing a car

[Greg.w]

.....and I'm in 2 minds about it :-/

Hey all

Basically im looking for a fairly cheap 172 as a daily and an occasional track car.

So seen a nice one on Gumtree. Phase 1 in odessey blue with 85k on the clock. Ok service history with a Cambelt change 2.5 years ago(15k ago). It's on eibach springs, 172 phase 2 alloys and has a massive twin exhaust.

Plans were if I bought it to fit a single exit recessed exhaust or a stealth one, fit silver turinis and a phase 2 rear bumper. Perfection in my eyes lol.

Right few things I noticed that's putting me off slightly.

-passenger door won't open from the inside. Assuming its just the linkage it should be a easy fix with maybe a trip to the scrappies needed.

-no stereo. Owner said at asking price he'd include the flip out screen one that was fitted(that I wouldn't want) but I've knocked a fair chunk off of it already. Easy fix for around £40 from Halfords. No multi changer under the seat I noticed aswell?

-quite a bad oil leak. Can see it on the road and the cover underneath. Also on the O/S top engine mount. Owner says its the rocker cover gasket. Is this common? Easy fix?

Other than that the car looked in quite good condition for nearly 12 years old. Odd scratch here and there but nothing major. No spare wheel either and 6x9 in the parcel shelf(the shame!) but all easy fixes for a few £.

Now to the point that made me leave it be and think about it for a few days. Basically in march this year the owner(let's call him mark) bought it from a guy a few doors down(let's call him John). So mark had owned the car for around 6 months. I hpi checked it before I left and it came back clear. Last owner was changed in July 2010 and it's had 8 owners. So while looking through the service history I mentioned to mark about the hpi being wrong and he explained that he bought the car from John in march in the hope to use it as a track car, but after deciding it was in to good condition to track it he was going to sell it to get something he would feel happy tracking. So instead of filling in the v5 and changing owners mark thought it'd be better to sell the car with the v5 still in johns name to save the number of owners going up. This is where alarm bells started ringing and I decided to leave it and think about it for a few days.

So what do you think first of all about the faults? And secondyl about the v5 situation?

Sorry for the novel lol

Cheers
Greg

 

[imprezaworks]

How much is it? And if in doubt walk away

 

[Greg.w]

I've got him down to £1100 with mot till nov and tax till dec.

 

[imprezaworks]

I sold mine for not much more than that, it didnt have any of the issues above, Pay more and get a nicer car, thats far from cheap btw

Mine i sold

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?642012-Possible-final-wash-of-my-Ph1-(

 

[Greg.w]

I've got around £2k to spend but there's no phase 1s about tbh. Been told phase1s are the ones too go for? Faster than the phase 2s. I'm new to the Clio sport game lol

 

[sbridgey]

First thing to learn, its a Renault sport Clio.

Ph1's are best for track use, due to being cheaper, lighter and the engines are supposed to produce more power.

 

[imprezaworks]

Theres minimal difference in performance mate, despite what people will tell you. Driving wise the ph1 does seem to give you the feeling of it being more alive, so to speak. 2k will get you a mint ph1, be patient if thats the one you want. Failing that a nice ph2 is more than do-able for that money. Mine did get on my nerves a bit, but i dont do many miles so it wasnt too bad. But then it depends what your thinking of doing to it, im assuming tracking it etc?

 

[McGherkin]

Ph.1's are getting on a bit now. Get a decent one while you still can.

 

[Stefan.]

i find gumtree to be the worst for looking at cars, maybe a coincidence but just seems to have loads of ropey cars on it. plenty of other cars out there so i wouldn't be to bothered with looking at others rather than jumping for the first one you view.

 

[JoshOm3]

i find gumtree to be the worst for looking at cars, maybe a coincidence but just seems to have loads of ropey cars on it. plenty of other cars out there so i wouldn't be to bothered with looking at others rather than jumping for the first one you view.

+1. My mates uses that to swap cars with people. It's shocking tbh. As soon as either person swaps a car it's back up on their and on the swaps website. Crazy.

 

[SC03OTT]

First thing to learn, its a Renault sport Clio.

Except it's not. Clio Renaultsport is what you meant.

 

[lemonnobby]

Ill have one for sale in about a month. very nice car.

 

[daveski]

PM James23 and see if he will part with his. its a lovely car (I should know, I sold it to him)

Now has a complete phase 2 interior, brand new Koni suspension, cambelt, aux and dephaser pully changed last year and iirc somewhere around 90k miles.

 

[Bluebeard]

He doesn't want to track it because its too good?!!

What a load of bullshit. He doesn't want to track it because it needs too much work! For a start The oil leak from the rocker cover is a cambelt off job so £££!

 

[R-Sport.]

Revels is looking to sell his- probably in your budget & low miles as well- good cambelt @ RENTEC as well

Worth a PM

Steve

 

[imprezaworks]

I love the way people say its too good to track, chances are it wont make it round lol. If you have 2k there are plenty of options and if revels is selling his that would be a good place to start

 

[James23]

PM James23 and see if he will part with his. its a lovely car (I should know, I sold it to him)

Now has a complete phase 2 interior, brand new Koni suspension, cambelt, aux and dephaser pully changed last year and iirc somewhere around 90k miles.

Aww Dave
It has a 182 interior, and is on 83k and got it's MOT done today. OP - send me a PM if you're interested

 

[flat-eric]

Walk away, we've seen ph2's go for not much more in here!

And the rocker gasket is a pig apparently!


Just my opinion.

 

[Greg.w]

Yeh going to leave it be. It's very strange they didn't change owners :/ so put me right off

I prefer the look of the phase 2 tbh but been told they are noticeably slower than the phase 1s? I find this hard to believe though but haven't been in both so can't comment.

Id love a Monaco phase 2. Or a 172 cup but also been told with the lack of abs they can be pretty dangerous in the winter and being my daily driver I'd always be worried to touch the brakes on those icy mornings. Or are they not that bad?

 

[imprezaworks]

Trust me they are not noticibly slower, on that note im sure another debate will start. I used to own a ph1 with quite a bit done to it. The guy who now owns my car had a 182 with quite a bit done to it and there is little in it. On the road it comes down to whos the stupider one to test this theory. On track is all about the driver. I cant remember the last time i had to use abs. Depending on where you live with regards to the snow/ice would prob sway me to having abs, although thinking about it its a pain in the ass really.

 

[Cookson]

I've owned both. The difference is negligable.

I preferred the toys of my Phs2, but the look of my Phs1

 

[daveski]

I've owned both, preferred the phase 1.