Seen a 172, but is it worth the money?

[dt2703]

I've seen an 03 reg 172 Cup, got service history (stamped every 12k), currently done 69k but not had Cam belt done.

Comes with a years MOT, but no tax.
Got the dealer down to £2500, but he won't go any more.
Looks nice and tidy, but at 8 years old and approaching 72k, the major service is looming (I mean really the previous owner should have had the cam done already).

I guess i'll be looking at £500-600 for the cam service, and it's going to need doing real soon right?

What do you think guys, is it worth it?

 

[Arran_182]

Main Stealer will charge circa £800.00, specialists normaly £450 upwards. Tax will be £240ish for 12 months.

Have a look in the for sale section or pistonheads for other cars. Cups seem to retain their money better than the standard 172.

 

[dt2703]

Been monitoring pistonheads, autotrader and ebay for last week or so. Most people want silly money for older models, sort of got my heart set on a cup 172 now.
2.5k is about the limit of my available cash this month, could buy the motor and have the service done next month, so I guess the question really is:

(a) would I be taking a risk driving this round for a month (as I say, not had cam done, 8 years old, 69k onthe clock)
(b) would it be worth the price to give 2.5k for it then spend 500 odd quid on the cam service (total 3300) - tax is a given, so not really factoring that in.

Cheers for reply

 

[harribo66]

The cambelt will Need doing straight away mate, but still seems quite expensive for no cambelt/tax :dapprove:

 

[MarkCup]

Yup, that cambelt should have been changed 3 years ago - the dealer should do that before he sells it...it might be worth what he wants for it then! There's a bargaining point for you.

 

[la21t]

To give an alternative view, I bought a 73k 53plate Monaco with cruise, it'd had 4 tyres, coil pack, leads and plugs and an ALL belt service in January. Oh and a poorly fitted KTEC stealth system in November.

I paid £2200 private.

 

[B16DOE]

Think the tax has gone up again for them. Car seems the right money to me

 

[Edd]

If it has been serviced every 12k and a stamp to prove, I can't believe the belts havn't been done. However the belts are less expensive on a Cup.

For a dealer I don't think the price is too bad, £600 would probably see 12 months tax and the belts done. If it's HPI clear and in very good condition it wouldn't be a bad buy.

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...mbelt-amp-Auxiliary-Belt-Prices-(Clio-172-182)

 

[Iain C]

Go halves with the dealer on cam belt. Cam belt on the cup is cheeper cos its has no ac. Look about £300 iirc.
Id go for it. Least you know its been done.

 

[leewxm]

i'd buy it before someone else does...even if it means not using it for a month whilst you save up to get the cambelt done

 

[jack_kemp]

To putit in perspective, I paid £2350 for mine in October, had FSH, virtually perfect condition, also needed belts doing. I paid £2350.

On that basis, I'd say that price is about what I'd expect to pay for a good one, from a dealer. Tell him if he'll pay for the cambelt to be done then you'll buy it.... Perhaps try and blag the 'it's not fit for sale unless the cambelt has been done' card? Might work....

 

[Matt W]

The cups usually go for £3000-£4000.

/trying to keep the prices up.

 

[jack_kemp]

The cups usually go for £3000-£4000.

/trying to keep the prices up.

£10,000 at least.

But they really have gone up a lot over the last few months.... people must be finding their hero capes ready for the summer.

 

[Arran_182]

I guess cars are only worth what people are willing to pay for them, as an earlier post said if its been serviced every 12k it might of had the belts done. check the service book out and call the garages where it was serviced to see if its been done and tbh for 2.5k its alot of car for very little money. Buy the car and leave it off the road for a month. If you drive it sods law will guarante the belt will snap at which point your looking at cambelt, valves, top end bolt and gasket set = alot of moneys.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

OP .. where are you based and are you 100% after a Cup ?

 

[dt2703]

Hi all, thanks for the views.
I offered to split the cost of the belt with him, offered various solutions, which all basically involved him coming down in price, or putting cash in from his own pocket.
Everything was met with "I simply cannot make less than 2.5k from this deal, as with the vat I have to pay on it, that is my bottom line"
I made it quite clear that I wanted the car, but nothing seemed to make any difference with him.
I'm based in Hampshire.
There's several equally as good or better deals to be had if I travel 100+ miles (or pay delivery, but then of course I forfeit a test drive, which I'm not really prepared to do).
I would say i'm pretty sold on the cup, but I couldn't say that if a mint non-cup came up at the right price that I wouldn't take it. Shame they didn't do the standard 172 in mondial blue, love that colour! (albeit thats not the sole reason for wanting one).

 

[dt2703]

Just to pick up the point about the service history, yes I was also surprised that with such a heavily stamped book it hadn't had its belts done. I guess this was the difference between first and second owners.
I also pointed out to the dealer that I was surprised he'd paid so much for a motor that clearly had this major job well overdue. I've not seen the car in the flesh, but he assured me the timing belt has not been done....

Seems to be a mixed bag here, some people thinking not worth it, others thinking definately worth it.

 

[Freeman13]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2002-RENAULT-...6947144?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cb6ebd748

Apart from the exhaust surely this is a better buy?

 

[littlelise]

VAT is irrelevant, the VAT is included in the price so you pay the VAT for him, and if he sells it for less he pays less VAT to the revenue, he's talking :quiet: !!
/geek

If you really want it then go for it but be prepared for a scary month before the cam belt is done, I drove like a granny until I could afford to get mine changed! It does sound like you really want it so if you're willing to part with £2,500 for that specific one then why not, you're buying it for the owndership, not for minimising resale losses, no? :rasp:

 

[Struggler]

surely if it had been serviced correctly throught its life, then the cambelt would have been done long ago?? 3 years ago!!

which implies to me that it has NOT been looked after for at LEAST the last 3 years!!
if it had been looked after it would have had the belt done!!

personally id ask the dealer why the belt is not done, as its clearly not in a sellable condition??
then slap an offer on the table and ask him to call you if he reconsiders/gets the belt done. Most people buying cars from stealers dont want to have to fork out loads as soon as they buy it, implying the car might not sell for a bit!

And call the garages that serviced the car, because service histories are suprisingly easy to fabricate, and ask them what work was carried out, and why the cambelt wasnt done at the 5 year service??

because as it stands, its not a 2.5k car,
its more like a 3k car!!

 

[highwolf]

Stay well away. Forecourt price would be at least £3.6K for a decent example. The trader knows something's very wrong and the fact that the original belt's still on at 72K (!!!!!!) confirms that there is. It hasn't been properly looked after. If I were you I'd look for a private sale with about 70-80K for £3K - £3.2K. You might feel like you've got a good deal saving a few quid up front but when you're faced with an £xxxxx bill you'll realise it's false economy.

 

[Rob]

Keep in mind that the cambelt change etc is cheaper on the cup, I'm sure some of the specialists on here have had some brilliant prices for the cup lately...

 

[MarkCup]

I paid £265 to Rentech for mine...but that was a limited offer. £300 all in should cover it as has been said.

 

[Rob]

Personally for me, buying a car without it done is better, at least you can get it done properly.

As Dave has said in a couple of other threads, buy a bit of a nail for very little money, spend a bit of money making it great and enjoy.

That way you know what's been done and when, winner.

 

[aldo_87]

Ive just bought a FF 182 thats nearly two years overdue its cambelt. Its got 55k on the clock and in rather good condition. Told the owner what my limit was for a car without belts and i wasnt intending on paying any more. Ive booked it in for thursday this week to get the belts done at renault.

From my recent searches i'd say thats a little steep for not having belts done, I'd be expecting to pay a fraction more but for the belts to have already been done and stamped.

My best quote was arnold clarke stirling at £660. Everywhere else was £774-£794. (renault dealers)

 

[daddycool]

tough call that one.
if the belts haven't been done, can you rely on the service history? has it had a major service or has it always been interim services?
if it's mint, and you're happy with the service history, go for it and take it straight to rentech or jms (depending which part of hampshire you're in) and pay the £300 to get the belt done. £2800 for an 03, 69k miles and seemingly fsh is good.

for reference, i picked my '52 plate up last july for £1950 private, belts done in 2008, 70k, ktec recessed, new front discs and pads. it needed rear shocks and rear discs and pads which i did myself. it was by no means a minter (couple of dinks and scrape on the front bumper) but engine is sweet as a nut. (i did kill the gearbox in october, but that was me rather than the car)

 

[Addicted]

as others have said, it strikes me as being a bit odd that it has full service history but they haven't bothered to do the belts!
i'd personally look elsewhere, you'd be guaruntee'd to find another car at least as good but most likely better for the same money youll be spending (the car + belt change + service)

 

[cpcrampton]

PM'd mate, mines coming up for sale very soon 50k miles full sevice history 2003, will mot and tax for you 3k ono
can come supplied with full yozza supersport system, itg panel filter and omp design 2 buckets on runners if requested by the buyer.

search my user name you will find history and pictures. owned this for 2 years.

Regards
Chris Crampton

 

[Soot1e]

No 2002 Cup is worth more than £3k. Don't let the dealer change the cambelt they'll probably not know how they should be done, if they do it all, take it to a Renault specilist mentioned in the Traders forum, I don't think any off them would charge more than £300 for both belts. At least you know it will be done and properly.

 

[dt2703]

Wow, this thread's been busy since I last looked!
Well, story so far, I offered the guy £2200, said I could get the belts done at Rentech for £300 (which they qouted me) and I'd swallow the 240 tax.
He knocked me back, and I've just seen it's back in AT for £2900, lol. I can only assume he's now offering it with the belts done, but i've had enough of this guy now.

A guy near me has a 2002 standard with 65k, last serviced 20k ago but had plugs and leads done 8 months ago. I quizzed him on whether he had a stamp in the book around the time the plugs were changed (thought it odd they would have been done without a service at the same time) but he says no stamp. It also needs its belts changed, tax runs out end of this month and MOT in July (although he assures me it's tip top and will sail through). He's offered me to go round to his garage where he has a pit, and check it out, he's that confident in it. He bought it for his mrs, but they've had a kid and need a bigger motor, and as he owns a bmw 330Ci cabby the clio gets sacrificed. He said the local merc garage offered him 1800 PX on a 10 grand merc, and basically told me if I give him 1800 its mine. With tax, belts, mot and 1st months insurance it works out to about 2600.

I've got a similar offer from another guy, 2500 and comes with 12 mot, 6 tax, and belts done last year. Similar age and miles.

Both are standard 172's in black. Probably bottom of my wishlist. Dont know what it is about the black ones, but i'm pretty sure i'd regret getting one, even if it was a cracking deal....

I've seen an 03 standard in silver, with 55k on the clock. Belts done and a decent mot left on it. Dead local to me, I popped down after work but he'd closed already. Looked in pretty good nick, although the alloys were a bit battered, all of them kerbed, some all the way round, and there were a few scuffs and scrapes on the bumpers. He had it up for 3995!!! I left a message saying i'd give him 3k for it. Waiting to hear back on that.

You wouldn't believe the amount of 172s i've seen over the last week, I can't find a cup deal i'm happy with and I feel like i'm considering standard 172's as a compromise. I don't know. Maybe I should just go on the lash for the weekend, stop thinking about it and come back to it next week. :S

 

[Daniel]

Never compromise. Every time you drive it you will regret not buying what you 'really' want.

In my experience anyway.

 

[dt2703]

I'm coming round to the standard 172, seem some lovely looking silver ones, and the monaco blue is quite nice as well. Obviously the seats are a lot nicer than the cup ones, and I know the mrs likes the idea of climate control (dunno why, fat chance i'll ever let her drive it, lol).
I'll probably take the standard for a spin in the next couple of days, but haven't found a cup anywhere near me (nearest one 35 miles away) except the one mentioned. When i've driven both, i'm sure I'll have a better idea of what I really want, cos to be honest, i'm really not sure anymore.
What a messer! Like I say, maybe take some time off and clear my head... I've spent every night this week sifting through car websites looking for the perfect deal.
I appreciate all the help and advice from everyone though.

 

[Daniel]

35 miles??? I'd drive further than that for a kebab!

If you want the right car mate you've got to travel.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

^ Ha !

My last 3 cars have been ~300 mile round trips. Two of them I saw once, and came back for another day.

 

[Daniel]

I drove Bristol>Cumbria<Bristol for a toolbox!

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Burn it.

 

[dt2703]

whoa...

In my defence though, many of these have been dealers, and I don't finish work until 6pm most nights, so regardless of 30 miles or 300, there'd be no point...

 

[dt2703]

I drove 2.5 hours through some horrendous traffic to go and see a car that the dealer had described as not only having full service history and recent mot with no advisories, but mint condition inside and out. When I got there, I straight away noticed the fact it had been quite severely keyed and badly touched up, there was a big dent in the door from a sharpish object that had damaged the paintwork, the stereo had been savagely screwdriver'd out at some point, the air con panel moved back an inch or so when you pressed the buttons,a dn the steering wheel was falling apart. There were several really poor touch up jobs as well. The front windows had different codes on them, and there was overspray on the nearside headlamp washer. I asked the dealer if it had been in a crash, to which he said no, I asked him if it had been HPId he said yes, all clear. I HPI'd it anyway, it came back as being stolen and recovered a couple of years ago (explains the window code mismatch, the centre console damage, and the exterior damage). Closer inspection showed what we assumed was damage to the cross member, as there were differing distances between body and tyre on the front near and offside wheels. The bonnet was also damaged, which at first we assumed was from somebody closing it too violent, but when we noticed different sized gaps between bonnet and light unit on left and right, we put the whole lot down to crash damage (probably pranged when stolen). Dealer of course denied all knowledge of any of this...
On site MOT, as it turned out, had clearly failed to pick up on the back discs which were virtually non existant (either that or they were swapped out and back again) and the fact the hazard lights didn't even work.
Drove the two hours back home, throughly p'd off.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

That's not nice.

Can't go HPI'ing every car you're considering buying, but that's seriously not on form the dealer is it !!

A small car park ding or scuff you might not notice is one thing .. a clear as day deathtrap cut/shut stolen/recovered vehicle is quite another.

Hope you find one soon.

 

[dt2703]

Oh, and to top it off, he didn't have ANY service history (said he'd probably got it at home and would forward it on), along with proof of the cambelt change.... what a joke