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  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
I find there's near enough zero idiots on TF at the 'ring these days mate, so please don't let that put you off. Even driving round the 'ring at slow speeds is enjoyable. That way you get to experience the sheer pace at which some cars come past you and disappear off into the distance! It still takes me by surprise now and I've been going there for the past 10 years!

I think that with the constant price hikes the majority of idiots have been priced out of it too. When I started going it was circa €8 per lap - for 2014 it's €27! Try and avoid German and Uk bank holidays as well if you go as it's always stupidly busy at those times.

Not just the ring itself that is dearer too, when I started going about 10 years ago it was 5 euros for the pizza I like in pinnochios, at something like 1.5 to a pound at the time that mean it was only about 3 and a bit quid, now its 9 euros which is more like 8 quid, so more than double the price in pounds compared to then.
Similar increases most places to eat over there, although still great value if you are used to london!
 
  Megane r26
Not just the ring itself that is dearer too, when I started going about 10 years ago it was 5 euros for the pizza I like in pinnochios, at something like 1.5 to a pound at the time that mean it was only about 3 and a bit quid, now its 9 euros which is more like 8 quid, so more than double the price in pounds compared to then.
Similar increases most places to eat over there, although still great value if you are used to london!

I went back in 2012 and aim to go at least once, maybe twice this year. I must say it wasn't as expensive as I thought though, even came back with a little money.

But I was surprised with the lack of morons there, like northloopcup says the price hikes must keep the idiots away. Also I found many other drivers were quite considerate on there, it was my first time at the ring and apart from a few track sessions I consider myself a novice but I'd defiantly do more TF days in the future I found it added to the experience.
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
It's encouraging to hear that the idiots are fewer and far between :) I was planning on heading over this year but not so sure at the moment as I've committed to a couple of holidays for the year including quite a few drives. I might go over as a passenger, share the costs and hoon someone else's car round. :p Chip-mk1 makes a fair point though. Prices in other areas have increased a fair bit since becoming more popular. Even in the eateries within a dozen miles or so of the circuit that used to be dirt cheap (but for good grub and beverages). Cheers for the posts chaps.
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
Be careful in terms of your liability, thats something else that has changed, I put a claim in on my normal road insurance for a crash there in 2005, you'd have no chance now.

Insurers are very thorough with their ring related exclusions these days.
 
  Megane r26
Be careful in terms of your liability, thats something else that has changed, I put a claim in on my normal road insurance for a crash there in 2005, you'd have no chance now.

Insurers are very thorough with their ring related exclusions these days.

What's the score now days regarding with obtaining insurance for the ring? chip. Last time I never bothered as we took a 7.5 ton car transporter but may take it out this year.
 

-Jamie-

ClioSport Club Member
You will struggle big time to get any form of cover for TF days from UK insurers, the few that did have stopped doing it.

There is a couple that still offer but good luck finding out who they are as it's all very hush hush
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
What's the score now days regarding with obtaining insurance for the ring? @chip . Last time I never bothered as we took a 7.5 ton car transporter but may take it out this year.

Sorry mate didnt see this as you put chip instead of chip-mk1.

Keith Michaels offer it, but you have to be insured with them for the year as a road policy.

Thats who we use for my mrs RB182

It costs us 60 pounds per day at the ring, with a 2K excess, so basically we get naff all for the car if we crash but they pick up all the 3rd party liability.
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
Sounded like you had a nice drive in the V6. Still trying to work how I can afford one :(
I certainly did, Matt. Perfect weather and hardly any traffic. It just all came together today and the V6 was spot on. It was definitely one of the best drives I've had in a long time! :cool: Fancy going halves on one? :)
 

Tim.

ClioSport Club Member
No news is good news!

I know you'll be made up when you get your car back, Andy, I'm just not sure whether you'll be constantly posting about it - pictures, videos, reviews of how it drives, comparison to how it was before etc.

Or whether we won't hear from you for weeks cos you'll just be out enjoying it on the Welsh roads.

Either way, the anticipation to get back behind the wheel must be almost overwhelming. Not long now hopefully...
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
Any news???
Yes mate. I had a good chat with Fred today and the result should see the car being sorted in around 5 weeks or so time. Obviously he's still struggling with his arm but alternative plans have been discussed should there be any problems. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If we'd waited until all the bits had been ordered and had arrived (i.e. the bits that weren't faulty!) then I wouldn't have lost 4 months or so at the beginning of the build! Obviously this wasn't envisaged so Fred had my car stripped down almost instantly from when I dropped it off. Oh well, as said - hindsight is a wonderful thing!

No news is good news!

I know you'll be made up when you get your car back, Andy, I'm just not sure whether you'll be constantly posting about it - pictures, videos, reviews of how it drives, comparison to how it was before etc.

Or whether we won't hear from you for weeks cos you'll just be out enjoying it on the Welsh roads.

Either way, the anticipation to get back behind the wheel must be almost overwhelming. Not long now hopefully...
I'll probably be out driving it mate! :D Plus a few bombar- postis, pics and updates I'm sure. Of course there'll also be a review once I've had some time behind the wheel. :) Lots of Welsh roads to enjoy for sure. You should give some of them a try mate... ;) Talking of which, I haven't forgotten. I just need a bit of time as I've literally just sat down after a long day and I've still got other shizzle to sort through! But, rest assured, I'll be on it. Promise!

Optimist eh?
:rofl: Eternally! I think your Cup and my T should get together (along with Marc?) once I have it back.
 
  A4 DTM/iceberg cup
Just so i can have the slowest. I've heard about people like you..........glad you've heard something back from Fred.
 

neil a

ClioSport Club Member
Really hope this car lives up to all your expectations,when you get it back. I was in the same position with a escort cosworth years ago ,and once I got the car back after almost a year it lasted 4 months before being broken for parts.
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
Really hope this car lives up to all your expectations,when you get it back. I was in the same position with a escort cosworth years ago ,and once I got the car back after almost a year it lasted 4 months before being broken for parts.
Thanks mate. I'm confident it will be up to my expectations. I went into it with realistic expectations and I'm not expecting to be chasing down Lambo's :) The bottom line is that I wanted an engine that I knew was healthy; hence a new engine build and a few quid extra into the pot as well (for a few upgrades along the way). Basically it has all been thrown away apart from the block and the crank. I won't be getting rid or breaking it. But I will be making sure I get some enjoyable miles out of it!

Genuine question mate, whats taking the build so long? More of a cost thing to spread it out?
Oh mate... it's a long story. It's all in the thread and I can't be bothered to go through it all again in detail! LOL! :eek: In a nutshell, it's been a comedy of mishaps. Delays on waiting for parts (in the order of months), parts arriving that turned up faulty and had to be returned, changes to the specification where we've not been happy with parts being used, parts that have required additional machining, injuries resulting in no work being able to be carried out, ... the list goes on :) It's not a money thing; that's been ready and waiting since day one (otherwise I wouldn't have made a start on it). I'm a bit old-fashioned when it comes to the pennies and don't like debts or owing people, hence prefer to save up and have the money to hand.
 

Chi

  Z4, VW172, R26
So all the parts are in and just require assembling? Freds broken arm must be costing him a fortune :( hope it heels soon. ..
 

davo172

ClioSport Club Member
  TCR'd 172
So... today I said goodbye to the Trophy...

But thankfully it's only temporary whilst Fred and the BTM Performance crew do their stuff to it. :D

After a snowy drive up to Birmginham it was (as always) great to have a chat with Fred and Zoltan (my new Hungarian friend!) and to go over the work I'm having done. Basically I gave Fred a specification, a budget and will leave the rest to him. I know it's in good hands and I have a feeling this will be third time lucky. Following a brief walk around the car he already noticed a few issues with it and he also got a bit of a surprise when the bonnet was popped. But then again, so did I! I knew I had an oil leak or two but it had actually got even worse between the time I last popped the bonnet and by the time I dropped it off at BTM! It is a bit of a mess. But it's bloody annoying more than anything as this problem was supposedly fixed before. Twice. However, as I say, I feel a lot happier now that it will be fixed properly this time around.

With a bit of luck (and time) Fred said he might be able to send over photos as the work is carried out so hopefully I'll be able to provide a few updates along the way.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Andy !! Over 12 months now you are the worlds most patient man! ;)


Seriously thou Really hope this is worth it mate you so deserve it after all the stuff you've been thru with this car !

What stage is it at now then any pics ? Is It all built up just awaiting mapping now still ?
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
Ahh right, what a nightmare mate! Hopefully you get it finished soon, look forward to the update!
Cheers fella. It's been 'interesting' :)

So all the parts are in and just require assembling? Freds broken arm must be costing him a fortune :( hope it heels soon. ..
See below :) And yes, it's not helping his business at all. And I hear that physio is not exactly cheap either! :(

It's a shame the tour of Scotland isn't sooner mate. It'd be a blast in the VEE :))
The Vee wouldn't be suited to some of the roads I don't think mate... the turning circle would mean 3 point turns on a lot of the hairpins! (Or a quick squirt on the loud pedal to bring the back end round).

dont worry he's got feet too!
Well... I didn't want to be cheeky and suggest it. :) Although I believe he's probably more capable with his feet than some places are with their hands!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Andy !! Over 12 months now you are the worlds most patient man! ;)

Seriously thou Really hope this is worth it mate you so deserve it after all the stuff you've been thru with this car !

What stage is it at now then any pics ? Is It all built up just awaiting mapping now still ?
Wahey! Cheers mate! Yes, it's been a long time and - being honest - my patience is starting to wear down a bit now. But thankfully I am a patient / laid back sort of person and there's not a lot that could have been done to prevent the delays anyway. No point in flying off the handle because it won't solve anything, nor will it make things happen any quicker. It will get there :)

In terms of where it's at... yep, it is basically 'there'. The new engine is assembled (along woth the gearbox) and they are literally hanging from an engine crane ready to be plumbed in. A day or two of work and it will be ready to go for mapping. The current plan is to have it ready for mapping and hopefully up to RS Tuning in 4-5 weeks time (if he can fit it in).
 

Stefan.

ClioSport Club Member
Good news that it won't be long now!

What power are you looking to achieve, or is it more how the power is delivered and overall driving experience?

This is got to be a keeper after all of this :approve:
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
Good news that it won't be long now!

What power are you looking to achieve, or is it more how the power is delivered and overall driving experience?

This is got to be a keeper after all of this :approve:
Yes, definitely a keeper mate. Since day one of ownership I've always maintained it's a keeper; and - despite the odd hiccup here and there(!) - that's not changed my mind in any way. I've spent a lot on it and it's dead money; money I'll never get back if I sell it. But, that said, I have spent the money to get it how I want it and always with the view that it's not going to be sold on. Otherwise I wouldn't have persisted through all the troubles and then spent a couple of hundred quid on the rebuild. LOL! :)

Power / torque... ? I don't really know mate. I'll be disappointed if I don't see a genuine 210bhp / 170lbft with the level of mod's I've had installed / fitted. Hopefully I should see a little more than that though. We'll see. :) Importantly I didn't choose these mods to chase figures though. Obviously that's a game for the forced induction guys, which is a route that doesn't hold any interest for me as far as the Trophy is concerned. Sure, I love a well-specced and prepared boosted Clio (was blown away with Chip's for example) but I just prefer the wheezy and asthmatic NA character ;) To sum it up, yes... I was after a little more oomph but mainly wanted a healthy engine and to improve the driving experience; both for trackday use and 'fast road' (I hate that term as it makes me sound like a damn streetracer when it's not the case!)

One owner from new IIRC I doubt Andy would ever part with it.
I can't remember off the top of my head how many owners it had before me. All I know now is that it looks increasingly likely that it wasn't in the best of health when I bought it all those years ago (in terms of engine health). If only I knew back then what I know now. It's certainly been looked after whilst in my ownership!
 

Chris205

ClioSport Club Member
  Many Things
Think I'll drop my car off with fred and ask for a wild engine spec like yours, then I'll get the Vee on longterm loan haha.

Good luck with the next 2-3 months with it mate I hope it all goes to plan.
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
GODDAMN STREET RACERS. x
Such a sore loser... :p

Think I'll drop my car off with fred and ask for a wild engine spec like yours, then I'll get the Vee on longterm loan haha.

Good luck with the next 2-3 months with it mate I hope it all goes to plan.
Thanks mate - fingers crossed it's all straightforward from here. :) As for the Vee as a long-termer... I'm not sure Fred would ever let it out of his possession again now! I can understand why he's missing it.
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
:lolup: Hahahaha! Don't worry peeps, it's on the way. I didn't have time to give much of a reply earlier and, in hindsight, a smiley was probably not the best update! The perils of trying to catch a quick browse on here whilst attempting to look 'busy' during a technical review meeting... :eek: Nothing much more to add right at this moment in time but plans are in place and still on track.
 


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