New Person would love your opinions on buying!!!!!

[16vsy]

Hello there - i have just found this forum and it couldn't of come at a better time!!!!

My car has just given up the ghost so into a hire car for me!!! I need to purchase a replacement car and have decided on a Phase 2 172 Clio - quite a step up from my oil burning £400 Escort!!!

I have never driven one but with all the reviews on various sites and car magazines raving about them i don't think its an issue.

I don't have a huge budget so will be looking at early examples or higher mileage cars which isn't really a problem as my weekly commute alone is 240 miles without any personal journeys.

Have been reading several older pots and picked up some handy tips and used the search function as well!!!!

I have found a car i am interested in viewing and wondered what you guys thought from the advert and anything particularly relating to this car i should consider???

It reads as follows -

2002 RENAULT CLIO 2.0 16V Renaultsport 172 3dr Hatchback

Manual, Silver, history, 85k, new tyres, just serviced, cd changer, aircon, alloys, 12 mths mot, 5 mths tax, xenons, half leather sports seats, twin airbags, obc, extremely quick and in excellent cond. £4,795. ono

I would be interested to hear any specific things i should be asking particularly realting to the higher mileage of this car??? When is the cambelt due on the 172's??

Look forward to your replies and will keep you posted on my hunting!!

Ralph

 

[Sy]

After 5 years or 72,000 miles

 

[m88ejr]

too much money for that mileage and no s/h just bought a 52 reg 172 cup with 50k with s/h for 4500 off a dealer

ok ok its cat d but still!?!?

 

[16vsy]

Cheers skindeep just came across it in another noobs post!!

m88ejr - nice to know there is someone with some knowledge local to me!!! I am in W-S-M. Surprised that its too much money i thought it was quite a bargain but like you say no mention of FRSH or even FSH!!

Can i expect to find a Phase 2 for between 4-5k???

Ralph

 

[m88ejr]

yeah thers a few about im a car salesman myself iv seen a few about in trade it but i would never buy a 172 private no way not worth it get a warrenty cus there problem cars!!!!

 

[Sy]

yeah thers a few about im a car salesman myself iv seen a few about in trade it but i would never buy a 172 private no way not worth it get a warrenty cus there problem cars!!!!

I will second that.

 

[S22 JGS]

Cheers skindeep just came across it in another noobs post!!

m88ejr - nice to know there is someone with some knowledge local to me!!! I am in W-S-M. Surprised that its too much money i thought it was quite a bargain but like you say no mention of FRSH or even FSH!!

Can i expect to find a Phase 2 for between 4-5k???

Ralph

Ull soon come to realise that FSH is much better than FRSH

 

[16vsy]

Cheers guys - thats real interesting that you wouldn't buy privately having read through some of the historic threads peoples advice seems to be that although they have some problems nothing major to report.

This may not be the case then???

I am concerned now - what sort of problems are you guys talking about then??

Gonna be hard for me to find a car in my budget via the trade i would imagine - m88ejr you might be better qualified to advise me on that???

I have to say with most cars that i have owned the experinece has never been trouble free, but unless your buying a NEW car i guess this will always be the case. In relation to warranties i have always avoided second hand car dealership warranties like the plague!!!! They don't cover anything useful and if you want to utilise it normally costs more than getting the problem fixed yourself.

So am i best sticking to Renault dealers used system or is it safe to look at second hand car dealers as well??

Ralph

 

[fixedgear]

Just because it isn't stated in the ad doesn't mean it has no SH! I prefer a private sale, I like to know who has owned previously! Might sound silly but hey. Some will say Cat cars are fine but some cars I work on have problems that have been missed! I'd say what your looking at sounds good, provided the cambelt has been changed!

 

[Neil G]

I prefer to buy my cars privately as well....garages are in the know when it comes to bodging.

Thing to remember about 02 cars is that they are going to be needing a cambelt change this year if it hasn't been done which is expensive...you could factor that into the deal.

 

[Darren]

too much money for that mileage and no s/h just bought a 52 reg 172 cup with 50k with s/h for 4500 off a dealer

ok ok its cat d but still!?!?

how much!!!! he only gave me £2500 for it!!! :rasp:

 

[16vsy]

Yeah i think to be honest as long as you do your standard checks then a private sale should be ok.....

Spoke to the seller now see what you guys think?!?!?

Bought it 2 monts ago from auctions in Newport for his girlfriend she can't insure it so he has to sell it. When bought no history whatsoever so contacted Renault supplying dealer who sent him printed reports of servicing upto 21k. 21k - 62k no history but again printed reports from a different garage with a full invoice for cambelt change. 62k - 85k no history but current owner had full service done 1 month ago.
2 brand new front tyres, 11 months mot and 5 months tax.
Only reported fault is the blower doesn't work apparently Renault quoted £70.00 for a new motor but i should imagine it will be more to fit etc.

There are a couple of others i have found i will make some enquiries about, found a couple of cracking delas on Cat D's but dubious as to whether this is asking for trouble!?!?!

Ralph

 

[BrianR]

Hi Ralph, Welcome.


I would prefer to by a used car from its last owner (preferably its only owner) than from any dealer.

The rational being, Owners, you can tell quite quickly if they are genuine and have cared for the car, they will normally have bills for tyres and batteries and all sorts of things as well as service records, and are less likely to be able to pull the wool over your eyes.

Dealers on the other hand, can be accomplished liars when selling second hand cars, if you believe them every car on the road was owned by a little old lady and only used for going to Church, and the cam belt has just been done.

It is also very unlikely that any warranty or guarantee they give you, will be worth the paper its written on. If you look on this board there are horror stories about just this sort of thing.

This board has a wealth of knowledge and owners experience contained in it, there is in fact a guide in the "guides section" listing all the known problems with Clio's, well worth a read, compiled by a member called Edde, who is a professional motor engineer.

Fred of yozzasport is another professional with a very in-depth knowledge of these cars. Both are always willing to help. subject to the time constraints of running their businesses.

The bullet points on these cars are, Cam belts and regular services.
Try to avoid buying a modified one unless you can verify who did the work.
One mans suspension and brake mods is another mans nightmare accident.


I cant help you on prices, try Parkers to get a feel then ask on here.

No matter what you buy if you post up pics on here, I guarantee, the first thing you will be told is "slam it and change the wheels." :quiet:

Join up, its only a fiver a year and it will give you full access to all areas and unlimited posts on THE best Clio owners board.


edit: Just read you bit about the heater motor. Doubt thats right, more likely to be the resistor pack, known problem !!!

 

[Patrick1964]

Brian's advice is spot on as usual. Personally I wouldn't touch the car you've asked about with a bargepole - there are plenty of good ones out there with proper history for less money.

 

[16vsy]

Thanks Brian sound advice and i agree with what you say about the private/dealer question.

Having said that i have just come across a 58k example 2001 in black, 1 owner from new, fsh, dealer will fit new cambelt asking £4950.00 for it??? Seems reasonable and with no part exchange would expect to get some money off that only thing i don't like is black!!! Looks lovely when its sparkly clean but its keeping it like that......

Keep you posted thanks for all your advice guys.

Ralph

 

[Faxo]

Ok, i bought a 51 plate black 172 with 95k on it in november last year off a member on here, mint is was with full history and everything done on it, and i paid £3200!!

That got written off a few weeks back after doing 101k, and still ran sweet as a nut, but little things were wrong with it like the radiator gave up!

Ive now got a desirable flame red 02 plate one, one onwer, full history, been meticulously (sp) cared for and i apid £4950 for it on 57k, so that one is waaay overpriced! (The origional one )

Any questions about mileage, pm me!

 

[16vsy]

Cracking thats dead helpful Faxo - it seems like pricing is massively varied with some high some low!!! Sounds like you got a cracking deal on both your cars, i suppose i will have to keep my eyes peeled.

Ideally would like to buy one from someone on here but it depends how and if one comes up to fit in with my time scale.

I think i am going to discount the original one unless he gets sensible with his price!!

Cheers the hunt continues

Ralph

 

[Faxo]

Search mate, thats all i can say! I travelled on a round trip of nearly 500 miles last weekend for my current one, one thing that doesnt bother me is distance, i mean its only a day out of my life! We travelled 9 hour round trip to get my mates VTS, and how many of those are there in Brtiain, but its one of the fastest ones, and it was a major bargain!

Pistonheads is where i got mine from, have a look at the older adverts, as they're more likely to drop their prices. Saying that though, when i called about my Flamer, the advert was 4 hours old lol, and i sent him a deposit without seeing it, which is the only downfall of traveling, you have to be more than confident you're gonna buy it!