Planning Project Clio

[Ian]

I've got a long summer coming up (the wonders of a uni timetable!), so I'm going to spend my hard earned cash doing up a clio. The aim is to keep it smart and not boy racer. Looking to start off with a 2001 1.4-1.6ltr 16v dynamique or something of that level, in the region of £2000. Just wondering about a few things..

1) Where is the best place to buy and for how much?
- a replacement front bumper (ph 3 or 172/182)
- Eibach Pro coils (..any good?)
- 16" 182 alloys
- get the bumpers colour-coded.

2) Is it worth replacing the back bumper and exhaust, along the lines of a 182, and will it cost the Earth to do it?!

3) Will a K-tec CF Splitter fit a ph3 bumper or just a 1*2?

I'm open to suggestions really with this one, so let me know what tends to work and what doesn't. I'm sure there will be some threads with the info I'm looking for, but they're just a bit awkward to find.

Also if anyone is looking to sell their Clio and it's a similar spec to what I'm looking for feel free to drop me a pm. (Preferably a shade of black or silver :approve

I know it's quite specific, but any suggestions welcome, cheers
Ian

 

[scott7912]

1. You can get a X plate 172 2000 model for £2000, yes quite high miles but if it got a FSH and been looked afer then it will be fine. Pistonheads, there is quite a few.
2.Stick some recaro seats in, try ebay.
3. Get a maxogen induction, get it remapped. £450ish new. K-tec, RSTuning.
4. Im not sure if a 182 front and rear bumber would fit? Again ebay.
5. If you go down the 182 exhaust road you would have to fit the 182 manifold also, plus you would loose the spare wheel as the exhaust runs through it. E-bay for both, (plus i have a 182 exhaust u could have for £20 but it needs a sleve making to joing the two sections together as i cut it off my old 182, also i have 182 springs).
6. A K-tec CF splitter will fit a 182 front bumper.
7. You can get better looking alloys then the 182 ones but im sure you could pick a 182 set up for about £300 on ebay.
8. Coilovers, Yes, look about for these as there is quite a few good ones kicking about, starting point look on K-tec website.
I would say you could buy the car and do all the above for approx £4000, including the car, if you did the work yourself.

 

[Ian]

Thanks for a decent reply. Taking on board the 172 suggestion, how much of a hit would the insurance take for that, in comparison to say a 1.6ltr, which for me on Tesco is looking to be just the wrong side of £1,000, standard issue.

In regards to the alloys, I just want a set that look decent for the ol' photoshoot, but won't attract the greasy fingers of the local thieves guild.

Think the exhaust will have to wait a bit, sounds quite fiddly. Although, I am doing an Automotive Eng degree so disemboweling a car could come in useful.

Also, the Recaros do look good, but just not sure how practical they are? As much as I would love to go fully fledged on this I think it's gotta start fairly simple!

 

[scott7912]

Just did a quote for insurance with direct line, for the 1.6 it came up with £440, for the 172 it was £480, thats with 4 years no claims and £250 excess. Well worth it for £40 extra.

 

[Ian]

Cheers for putting the effort in, Scott. Definitely worth looking at a 172 then. Am I right in thinking day-to-day running costs aren't massively different, either?

I've seen a few on Pistonheads that could probably be haggled down to £2,000. I suppose that way I could spend more money on mechanical rather than cosmetic.

Does anybody know of any going for sale on here?

 

[scott7912]

I have a 182 trophy and door to door i get about 34mpg, motorway get about 48mpg.
Services may be a bit more expensive, like cam belt change. Most of the other stuff like plugs, filter, oil + filter, brake pads & disks, all fluids, you could do yourself.
Check the for sale section.

 

[scott7912]

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=323015 , check this out.
Looks & sounds like quite a good appart from the scratches. Obviously best to go and check / test drive.

 

[Ian_182]

^^^ bargain

 

[Ian]

Yeah it does look like a well kept car, shame about the scratches. Would almost turn my summer project into a one day purchase!

Has anybody had any experience fixing the AC radiator, not really something I could live without.

 

[theduck]

Ian if a 1.6 is the wrong side of £1k then a 172 will be knock on £2k!

 

[Ian]

Hmm would appear there's a discrepancy!

Well am I getting ripped off with Tesco then? Just re-done the quote. For a 2001, 1.6ltr, 3door Dynamique+ they've quoted £1232. That's with 2 years no claims / convictions and job occupation: Student.

Does worry me slightly that they'll quote me a 1.6ltr, but want me to ring them for a 172?!

 

[theduck]

I am guessing your about 19/20? Your age and lack of NCB go against you. Will be the same story everywhere.

 

[Ian]

Correct, just turned 20. Ok so leaving dreams of having a 172 aside for a minute, is £2,000 a sensible price for a 2001 1.6ltr Clio? Athough, surely by doing what the insurance companies deem to be modifications to the car, won't that push up the £1,232 to in the region of £1.5-2,000 anyway? In which case there wouldn't be much difference between a modified 1.6ltr and a standard 172?

It was your Clioguide that inspired me to go for the 1.6ltr to be honest lol.

 

[theduck]

Try some mod friendly insurers, adrain flux etc. They might get the premium down.

Personally if I was you I would be looking for a mk ph1 rsi (1.6 16v) and the making it a 172 replica

 

[Ian_182]

Frightening insurance quotes your geting

 

[Ian]

Mm money down the drain eh. Might be worth getting a 1.6ltr and leaving it for a year til I do anything with it, what do you think?

I know this is a much debated topic, but how much would the suspension, alloys and colour-coding add to an insurance quote?

 

[Ian_182]

Depends on the insurer really,some hate any mods full stop.

1.6 sounds like a good idea and just add small things for the time being and make it look how you want.There are some very good 172 reps on here for you to look at and get ideas

 

[Ian]

Ok cheers for the help fellas, much appreciated. I shall leave it at that for now. Will try and find a cheap 1.6 ph2 and go from there, will of course post some pics once I get round to it.

If anyone knows of, or has, a bargain 1.6 please leave me a pm.
Cheers, Ian.

 

[nathanH]

Oh thats my car!

Yes Ive priced it to sell, other than the scratches the car good for its age.

blatent plug there sorry

 

[Ian]

Haha no worries Nathan. I would love to take it, but I'm just a bit worried about the insurance.. as mentioned above I'm looking at £1,200 (which is ok) for a 1.6ltr so do you think I would be right in thinking that a 172 would set me back by about £2,000 (which is stretching the budget quite a bit)?

Are the panels dented or is it just cosmetic and what's the deal with the AC radiator, will it need replacing?

I'm also guessing it's Titanium, not the Iceberg Silver?

 

[theduck]

NathanH, p/ex it against a punto

 

[Ian]

Oi lol, I'm taking first refusal on this one :rasp:

Unless Nathan has a soft spot for a Punto, in which case, well, I guess I'll just have to sit here and feel sorry for myself!

 

[theduck]

You cant afford the insurance so shush :rasp:

Guarantee he wont p/ex anyway Really need to put my car on Auto Trader

back on topic, get a 1.6

 

[Ian]

Bah, what's £800 between bailiffs! Can afford it, just don't want to have to. It's an expensive hobby.

Why you selling your Punto?

If this doesn't work out then yeah it's back to the 1.6. Did see this on Autotrader, suspiciously cheap:

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...T&model=CLIO&min_pr=&max_pr=3000&max_mileage=

 

[theduck]

Selling the punto because I want to buy a ph1 172 Who needs 60+mpg anyway

EDIT: not seen that 172 before now, looks good buy if its genuine which it could be as it needs work etc.

 

[Ian]

It is from some form of dealer, so they'd be slightly less likely to disappear off into the sunset, laughing all the way to the bank. How about buy the two between us and split the cost. :clown: I suppose that only works for the person getting Nathan's 172.

Got a mate that lives in Stourport, must be quite near?

 

[Ian]

Adrian Flux, for a standard 172. "From the details provided we can provisionally offer a price of £3573.14."

Surely not?

 

[theduck]

oh dear... Want my advice? Dont get a 172 yet!

 

[Ian]

aye, guess so. Officially back to the 1.6ltr for now then.

http://39thieves.exofire.net/clio.html, will try and keep it updated until there's something worth showing on this forum.

 

[scott7912]

Ian try getting a few quotes, i tried lots of places for my Trophy and a few of them came back at £1500, 3 yr no claims, 28yrs old, no convictions. Elephant was about the cheapest at £800 but then direct line did the same cover, full comp, for £700.
Also i think if you did declare the mods to a 1.6ltr it would boost you insurance up a bit so it may be worth just buying the 172.

 

[scott7912]

I just did a quote for a yr2000 clio 172 with direct line based on your age and no claims with £350 excess, but based on where i live, Newcastle, £956 without legal protection, £1000 with legal protection. Do it, you know you want to.

 

[theduck]

He lives in Mancs though, and that has a high risk area!

 

[Ian]

Am I doing something wrong then? How much more of a risk is living in Manchester than Necastle?! So far I have..

Tesco - Won't quote online, but a 1.6 is £1,200
Direct Line - Seem to use the same system, so ditto
Adrian Flux - £3,500
Elephant - £5925.39

Which is a tad higher than £1,000! :S

Cover: Comprehensive
License: Full, 1yr 5mth (Test passed Nov/Dec 06)
No Claims: 1yr (Insured since Apr 06)
Kept: Driveway
Mileage: 5,000
Occupation: Student.

Even if I put it up to 2 years no claims and license, kept in a garage, it only drops to £3,500. I'm actually already on 2 years no claims because I was insured before I passed my test, but I don't think they can count. I can't see it being viable for a least a few years.. and by the time it is, there'll be very few 172s left on the roads. :dapprove:

It's annoying, because I'm in no way a stupid driver, I just happen to fall into the high risk category.

 

[nathanH]

I'd partex for a trophy

no bumpers are fine, they are just scratched, some down to plastic.

im 22, 5yrs NCB, i pay £400 FC.

 

[Ian]

Ok guys help me out here then, how come I'm getting such poor insurance quotes? Living in Manchester can't double the quote can it?

If, like Scott says, I could get insurance for around the £1-1,500 mark I'd be happy to go for it.

 

[theduck]

Living in manchester could well double the quote tbh

 

[Ian]

Wow, well I would say I'll insure it for my term time address, but erm, ahem, it's Liverpool lol.

If that's true it sucks, Manchester is awesome and I'm in a good area. Sounds like time for a move to Newcastle, just need to convince the parents first. Can't believe it makes that much difference. Are there any insurance gurus on the forum?

Would stick with the 1.6ltr, but there's such an appeal to having a 172. Starting to feel like a yo-yo.

 

[Ian_182]

Jesus 3.5k to insure a clio,thats scandelous.No wonder people try and avoid paying it