New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questions

[Muzzman]

Hello everyone, i'm new to the forum and first post

I was at Brands Hatch yesterday in my S2 Elise which is 812kg and 360hp as it's got a S/C and C/C Honda Engine n it, it was pissing down and i watched everyone in their Golf GTI's, Clio's, Mini's etc having so much fun i thought i'd get something a bit cheaper and fun to drive around in in the winter and have some trackday fun.

Anyway i went and saw this tonight and put a deposit down,

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1921168.htm

It's cheap so i don't expect it to be perfect, i drove it and it went well, i checked around at the things which i was told to on the net. It has all MoT's and receipts but no service book as such which is why it's cheap

I have a couple of questions

- Service light and airbag on, read on here it's a common fault so no problem
- Found the VIN sticker on the door, wheres the one in the engine compartment?
- Went into gear fine but felt a bit wobbly when in gear, didn't jump out at high revs
- Steering wheel was fooked on the RHS above the centre is this common?
- The car had electric windows, is this right in a cup?
- No plastic engine cover is this correct?

I did full HPI, it came out fine and said it was a 172 cup

I paid/ offered £2300

I may still strip it and track it, not sure yet

Any advice would be appreciated
Thanks

 

[Matthew]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

All the RS clios steering wheels melt mate so yours is fine, and yeah cups had no engine cover

 

[Sash]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Renault steering wheels are made of cheese anyway so yeah id expect it to be slightly more worn than usual.
VIN plate is in the bottom left of the windscreen i think?
Electric windows and central locking are standard equipment.

Sure someone will be along to answer the others!

 

[JCC]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

The service and airbag lights are a common fault, fiddling with wires under seats makes it go away.
The other VIN plate is in the windscreen, there isn't one under the bonnet AFAIK.
Gear stick wobble is normal, MK2 Clio boxes aren't very tight at the best of times
All Clio steering wheels melt eventually, normal
Electric windows were standard fitment in the Cup so yes
Cups didn't come with an engine cover as standard so this is normal also

Think that covers all your questions

 

[Muzzman]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Cheers for the answers so far, very helpful, felt very nice and chuckable down the lanes

 

[Muzzman]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

The service and airbag lights are a common fault, fiddling with wires under seats makes it go away.
The other VIN plate is in the windscreen, there isn't one under the bonnet AFAIK.
Gear stick wobble is normal, MK2 Clio boxes aren't very tight at the best of times
All Clio steering wheels melt eventually, normal
Electric windows were standard fitment in the Cup so yes
Cups didn't come with an engine cover as standard so this is normal also

Think that covers all your questions

Great, thanks for that, my mind is at rest!

 

[Muzzman]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

It has a missmatch of tyres between the front and rear, what do you guys recommend on these, i use R888's on the Elise, would like something i can use in most weather on the Clio, maybe Toyo T 1R's if they fit?

Also who's good for insurance, i'm an old man at 34 so think most people will be ok

 

[Matthew]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

PE2's if you can be arsed spending nearly £500 on them lol

 

[SC03OTT]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Hankook Evo 12's seem to be the tyre of the moment. Never used them personally.

 

[jenic]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

PE2's if you can be arsed spending nearly £500 on them lol

Or go to costco and pay around £400

Other tyres are goodyear f1's/hankook v12 evo's, personally i'd avoid t1-rs purely because of their poor wet performance.

 

[ash_s3]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Im looking for tyres and cant find Evo 12s in Cup wheel fitment 195/45/16

 

[Muzzman]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Or go to costco and pay around £400

Other tyres are goodyear f1's/hankook v12 evo's, personally i'd avoid t1-rs purely because of their poor wet performance.

Duely avoided!!

Anything thats a fairly std mod to improve the cars handling without spending too much or is it pretty much good enough out the box?

 

[Matthew]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Eibach prolines for handling or sportlines for handling/a little lower stance, about £130 mate, so wont break the bank

 

[jenic]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Duely avoided!!

Anything thats a fairly std mod to improve the cars handling without spending too much or is it pretty much good enough out the box?

Rear ARB apparently, I might one day find out....

 

[AK]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Eh, can't believe no one's asked... vids of the Elise?

 

[Matthew]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

^This.

 

[bigup7]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Im looking for tyres and cant find Evo 12s in Cup wheel fitment 195/45/16

they dont come in this size mate,

 

[Muzzman]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Eh, can't believe no one's asked... vids of the Elise?

I'll post some pics tomorrow, using a mac book pro at the moment and am rubbish on it, got a vid from ages ago at Snett, i'm not the best driver and don't pretend to be so don't be too harsh and it was a while ago.... Also i don't bully people in the corners

Also this thing red lines at 8750rpm but has std dials so i'm not at the rev limit.... i do get done by a subaru but i let him by

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62hoSrSAFso

 

[Muzzman]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Full Spec

Honda 2.0 Litre K20a JDM Spec engine (302bhp @ hubs ~360 @ Flywheel)
Honda 6 speed close ratio gear box
Jackson Racing Super Charger
DC5 (ITR) Manifold
Charge Cooler
Motorsport Ally Radiator
Laminova Oil & Water Cooler (Largest available)
Limited slip differential
Light weight flywheel
Baffled sump
MSC Quicksilver sports exhaust
Sports Cat
ITG carbon induction system

Nitron 2 way 450/700lb (Randy spec)
Lotus Sport adjustable front anti roll bar
OZ Racing alloy wheels
Toyo Proxes R888 Tyres (semi-slick)
AP295 brake disks (Rear)
Solid Toe Links
Nitron Disk bell kit front
Nitron Disk bell kit rear
Front Alcon 304mm vented discs
AP Racing 4-pot front caliper kit (OEM Lotus fitment)
Front Carbon Lorraine sintered pads (R5+ compound)
Rear Carbon Lorraine sintered pads (R5+ compound)
Titanium pad back plates X 4
Ultra high temperature racing R600 fluid
Braided brake lines



Lotus Sport '340R' seats (black carbon leather/dark red alcantera)
Willans 4 point harnesses (inertia reel belts retained for road use)

Eliseparts front splitter
Lotus 3 piece rear diffuser
Exige S2 sidepods

 

[MarkCup]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Duely avoided!!

Anything thats a fairly std mod to improve the cars handling without spending too much or is it pretty much good enough out the box?

They're genuinely good enough as they come.

Body roll aplenty, but on standard springs/dampers you'll have a blast on track, very provokable but very forgiving.

I'm on my 3rd set of standard suspenson now from new and that's after 120k miles and eleventy-million trackdays.

Brakes and rubber is all they need for the track but for the road, standard works very well.

 

[Martin_172]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

For road use Toyo T1-R's are fine, ive never priced 16" but in 15" im £29 a corner for the ph1 172, Anyone who says they are shite in the wet doesnt know how to drive in the wet (just like people who slate R888's for their wet/damp performance) anyone who has experianced the pace i can carry in the diesel in the wet on T1-R's will back me up on this!

my ph1 has PE2's on (came on it) and ill be replacing them with T1-R's i can get 3 T1-R's for 1 PE2 and their no better! (last longer though!, t1-R's are soft!)

 

[realnumber 1]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Full Spec

Honda 2.0 Litre K20a JDM Spec engine (302bhp @ hubs ~360 @ Flywheel)
Honda 6 speed close ratio gear box
Jackson Racing Super Charger
DC5 (ITR) Manifold
Charge Cooler
Motorsport Ally Radiator
Laminova Oil & Water Cooler (Largest available)
Limited slip differential
Light weight flywheel
Baffled sump
MSC Quicksilver sports exhaust
Sports Cat
ITG carbon induction system

Nitron 2 way 450/700lb (Randy spec)
Lotus Sport adjustable front anti roll bar
OZ Racing alloy wheels
Toyo Proxes R888 Tyres (semi-slick)
AP295 brake disks (Rear)
Solid Toe Links
Nitron Disk bell kit front
Nitron Disk bell kit rear
Front Alcon 304mm vented discs
AP Racing 4-pot front caliper kit (OEM Lotus fitment)
Front Carbon Lorraine sintered pads (R5+ compound)
Rear Carbon Lorraine sintered pads (R5+ compound)
Titanium pad back plates X 4
Ultra high temperature racing R600 fluid
Braided brake lines



Lotus Sport '340R' seats (black carbon leather/dark red alcantera)
Willans 4 point harnesses (inertia reel belts retained for road use)

Eliseparts front splitter
Lotus 3 piece rear diffuser
Exige S2 sidepods

That looks stunning tbh.

 

[R-Sport.]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

you may want to check the cambelt change on the car--- you dont want that snapping or a tensioner seizing-

S

 

[Muzzman]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

you may want to check the cambelt change on the car--- you dont want that snapping or a tensioner seizing-

S

Probably a stupid question but if it's had the timing belt changed would it have had the cambelt done at the same time or are they sometimes done seperately?

One other thing I noticed is there seemed to be a small amount of flaking of paint around the rear high level brake light, is this something that's known of?

Thanks for all your replies so far

 

[Porkie]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Nice clio and v cool Elise!

one word of advice...

DON'T get carried away with modding it!

4 months ago I drove an an already nicely modded 172cup at Bedford to show the owner some lines and give some tips etc etc.... I ended up buying the car as it was so much fun and I wanted something cheap and fwd as everything I had was pretty fast and crazy.

4 months later... I spent over £20k modding and fettling the little clio!

Looking at spec of Lotus, modding is in your blood! so be careful!

Do you know Sean Bicknell and John Shorrocks from the Lotus scene? is your car for sale? I am sure I was offered something similar the other day? Lovely things!

Get both belts changed if needed and enjoy the car

oh and for tyres, go for R888's they are fine on road, great on track and good in mild wet conditions. Be a bit careful with LOTS of standing water though.

 

[fUbAr]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Timing belt/cambelt are the same thing mate.

Usually the aux belt is replaced at the same time as the cambelt as it needs to come off for access.

 

[Muzzman]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Timing belt/cambelt are the same thing mate.

Usually the aux belt is replaced at the same time as the cambelt as it needs to come off for access.

Silly me..... i googled it and discovered exactly that!

 

[Muzzman]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Nice clio and v cool Elise!

one word of advice...

DON'T get carried away with modding it!

4 months ago I drove an an already nicely modded 172cup at Bedford to show the owner some lines and give some tips etc etc.... I ended up buying the car as it was so much fun and I wanted something cheap and fwd as everything I had was pretty fast and crazy.

4 months later... I spent over £20k modding and fettling the little clio!

Looking at spec of Lotus, modding is in your blood! so be careful!

Do you know Sean Bicknell and John Shorrocks from the Lotus scene? is your car for sale? I am sure I was offered something similar the other day? Lovely things!

Get both belts changed if needed and enjoy the car

oh and for tyres, go for R888's they are fine on road, great on track and good in mild wet conditions. Be a bit careful with LOTS of standing water though.

I know of Sean, he's got the monster Audi Elise hasn't he?

The car isn't for sale, but as they say everything's got its price

Ooooh, but modding is so much fun until you go to sell it!

 

[Porkie]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Yes, thats Sean. One of my best mates. I've driven that car in all its different guises from when it was bog std and orange upto true nutter spec. Its gonna be even faster now! he just sold the engine and box and is building a real mad one for it and converting it into a car from GT racing as it cant race in LOT any more.

as for modding... god yes. I don't regret spunking all the money on it.... you only live once and all that!

don't think I will ever sell it now. Its an awesome little reserve/rainy day track car that I can let anyone drive and stuff. Its just that people like Sean think its fooking hilarious to have spunked £25k in 5 months on a cheap 7 year old Reanult that is FWD and has 200bhp if I am lucky! and when you look at it like that... he is right!

BUT I love the little thing. and its had the living SH1T kicked out of it in the time I have had it! just going onto the 3rd set of brake discs for example! in probably less than 1500miles! and I have 4 pots! that should tell you how much its been on track!

Its very funny how differently people treat me when I am in the 172 to when I am driving other cars. That makes me laugh too!

Proper car the 172cup. LOVE IT.


In fact I am off next week with Sean doing some trackdays if you fancy any? Clio is coming as back up next week to Nurburgring on friday saturday and sunday. Monday we are doing Bedford and Tuesday we are doing Snetterton. Can you make any of those?

 

[cander08]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

not sure about the airbag light , as for the steering wheel mine is pretty cracked and worn with 65k on the clock so its pretty common. my gear lever wobbles abot a bit under power with the movement of the engine and as for the windows they do come electric on the cup. looks like a tidy example. some of the ones i looked at were rubbish..... welcome anyway and enjoy your new toy

 

[Porkie]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

any pics of melted steering wheels? never seen one? mine was fine before I took it off.

 

[Poopensharten]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

As per the melting steering wheel, there is a lad on here from ireland that does an absolute sterling job of re-trimming them for £100

His work is second to none!

 

[john.med]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

Im looking for tyres and cant find Evo 12s in Cup wheel fitment 195/45/16

205/45/16s will fit fine and you'll find the v12s in that size

 

[Porkie]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

As per the melting steering wheel, there is a lad on here from ireland that does an absolute sterling job of re-trimming them for £100

His work is second to none!

personally rather get the Renault sport wheel. Adds so much to driving experience and feel and is very cheap

 

[bigup7]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

For road use Toyo T1-R's are fine, ive never priced 16" but in 15" im £29 a corner for the ph1 172, Anyone who says they are shite in the wet doesnt know how to drive in the wet (just like people who slate R888's for their wet/damp performance) anyone who has experianced the pace i can carry in the diesel in the wet on T1-R's will back me up on this!

my ph1 has PE2's on (came on it) and ill be replacing them with T1-R's i can get 3 T1-R's for 1 PE2 and their no better! (last longer though!, t1-R's are soft!)

+1

i have t1r on my 172 and they are pretty good, i dont drive fast in the wet so for me they perform fantastically, for the price they are awesome!

 

[_WILL_]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

It's very important you check the belts have been done. One good thing you have going for you with the cup is that changing the cam belt is cheaper than on a standard 172. Not sure where you live but I advise taking it to one of the specialists on here. Just have a quick browse through the trader reviews on here.

 

[.Kev.]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

personally rather get the Renault sport wheel. Adds so much to driving experience and feel and is very cheap

Nice steering wheel, where did you get it if you dont mind me asking?

 

[Porkie]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

From Rsport. Was only £120 from memory

http://www.renault-retailers.co.uk/renault/dealership.php?dealer=220

 

[Muzzman]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

In fact I am off next week with Sean doing some trackdays if you fancy any? Clio is coming as back up next week to Nurburgring on friday saturday and sunday. Monday we are doing Bedford and Tuesday we are doing Snetterton. Can you make any of those?

I'd love to come along, problem is i've got 4 days holiday left this year, one of the downfalls of working for a company not myself. i need to find some weekend one's, so much racing most circuits are booked out. Definately come along at some point though so keep me in mind.

Myself and a mate are mulling over a ring trip this year, was going to take the Lotus but i'd probably kill myself in that so the Clio looks favourite. I've done it once before in one of the hire Clio 197 Cups.

BTW loving the cars in your profile!!

 

[Muzzman]

Re: New to Forum, just put deposit down on 172 Cup, please help with couple of questi

It's very important you check the belts have been done. One good thing you have going for you with the cup is that changing the cam belt is cheaper than on a standard 172. Not sure where you live but I advise taking it to one of the specialists on here. Just have a quick browse through the trader reviews on here.

I live in Billericay, Essex. I'll edit my profile