A free car - Clio 1.2 16V Dynamique
Discussion
After selling my supercharged Golf R32 to si_xsi of this forum last November, I settled into life with a very sensible and comfortable Golf SV 1.4 TSI DSG with leathers, xenons, audio upgrade, nav etc.
The fact that I haven't done a thread on the SV probably tells you all you need know about it: it's not interesting. Nor is it meant to be... It's been a really great family car and I'd strongly recommend one if a standard Golf is just a little too small for you.
Fast forward 10 months and we've just bought a VW T5-based Danbury campervan. It's been my wife's dream of over 10+ years to own one of these, but I'd never seen the sense it. However, when it became possible for us to buy one, I finally capitulated - and the resultant campervan arrives in September:
Having committed to the Danbury, I realised that it wouldn't make sense to keep the Golf SV. The last 10 months has proven to me that I don't miss performance cars at this stage in my life; all my driving is with the family on board (I commute by bike and business trips are now seldom by car). I figured that we could use the Danbury for all driving, except for a few of my wife's town trips, where a 4.9m-long van wouldn't be a good idea.
I'll be making arrangements to sell the Golf SV - but only after the holiday season and another 2,000 miles of family driving, so that I can extract some value before it goes.
To make me feel a little better, I've accepted my parents' offer of their 2004 Clio 1.2 16V Dynamique - for free [edited to say that this is a pic borrowed from an identical car on eBay]:
It was bought new, with my input, back in June 2004 - and has been their second car since that time. To put things in perspective, I have since that time had: Clio Williams, Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo, Clio 172, Clio 1.2 8V, Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo (modified), Fiat Grande Punto MultiJet Sporting, Clio 197, A3 2.0T quattro, Audi S3, Volvo V60 D5, Clio 1.2, Golf R32 (supercharged) and the Golf SV!
It's in a rather fetching Nordic Green metallic and has the Cool Pack: adding an electric sunroof and climate control to an already good-for-2004 spec; including auto lights & wipers, electric windows & mirrors, Isofix points, airbags all over the place and air con.
To my (rather sad) pleasure, I went through the folder of receipts in my dad's office over the weekend; finding that every receipt since new was present:
Having seen that lot - clutch, cambelt, servicing, common faults and MoT all done - it seemed crazy to pass up on this offer. However, there are some items that need attention:
To drive & mechanical: Really pleasant, but it pulls to the left and the ABS kicks in when braking to a standstill. June's MoT advisories point to the common worn ABS reluctor ring / driveshaft problem and the need for some other bits like a CV boot, top mounts etc. I suspect a cost of £500-600 to make it perfect and add 4 new tyres.
Cosmetic: I doubt it's been waxed since June 2004, when I did it last! The whole car is covered in scratches and some minor parking scrapes and bumps - the driver's side is in far better nick than the passenger's. The interior is intact, but the seats are stained and it needs a deep clean. Headlamps are very heavily glazed and I found some gravel in the spare wheel well!
The crux of the matter is that, compared to the cost of the SV over the next, say, 3 years - I calculate that the Clio will save about £7,000...which isn't to be sniffed at when all it'll be used for is occasional town driving. Given this and the above history, I had the wife take a good look at it this weekend and we agreed it was perfect for her needs (perfect for not caring about where to park, scuffs, kerbing wheels etc).
Having made the decision, I couldn't help myself from restoring one panel on the passenger's side using just cutting compounds and waxes. It's not going to look perfect, but I'll try to do the whole car once it's in our possession. I also preemptively spent some pocket money on:
- 2 new new wheel centre caps (missing on passenger side);
- new gear knob;
- Renault interior mats;
- and some touch-up paint.
I was mulling a £30 eBay replacement for the scratched rear bumper, but I think I'll leave it at the above for now. As mentioned above, it'll need some mechanical attention and probably 4 tyres to the tune of £5-600 - although it's perfectly adequate and does have the balance of June's MoT, when it was also serviced at a Renault main dealer.
I'll update this with some more photos, once I get it - likely in early September. Roll on bangernomics!
The fact that I haven't done a thread on the SV probably tells you all you need know about it: it's not interesting. Nor is it meant to be... It's been a really great family car and I'd strongly recommend one if a standard Golf is just a little too small for you.
Fast forward 10 months and we've just bought a VW T5-based Danbury campervan. It's been my wife's dream of over 10+ years to own one of these, but I'd never seen the sense it. However, when it became possible for us to buy one, I finally capitulated - and the resultant campervan arrives in September:
Having committed to the Danbury, I realised that it wouldn't make sense to keep the Golf SV. The last 10 months has proven to me that I don't miss performance cars at this stage in my life; all my driving is with the family on board (I commute by bike and business trips are now seldom by car). I figured that we could use the Danbury for all driving, except for a few of my wife's town trips, where a 4.9m-long van wouldn't be a good idea.
I'll be making arrangements to sell the Golf SV - but only after the holiday season and another 2,000 miles of family driving, so that I can extract some value before it goes.
To make me feel a little better, I've accepted my parents' offer of their 2004 Clio 1.2 16V Dynamique - for free [edited to say that this is a pic borrowed from an identical car on eBay]:
It was bought new, with my input, back in June 2004 - and has been their second car since that time. To put things in perspective, I have since that time had: Clio Williams, Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo, Clio 172, Clio 1.2 8V, Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo (modified), Fiat Grande Punto MultiJet Sporting, Clio 197, A3 2.0T quattro, Audi S3, Volvo V60 D5, Clio 1.2, Golf R32 (supercharged) and the Golf SV!
It's in a rather fetching Nordic Green metallic and has the Cool Pack: adding an electric sunroof and climate control to an already good-for-2004 spec; including auto lights & wipers, electric windows & mirrors, Isofix points, airbags all over the place and air con.
To my (rather sad) pleasure, I went through the folder of receipts in my dad's office over the weekend; finding that every receipt since new was present:
Having seen that lot - clutch, cambelt, servicing, common faults and MoT all done - it seemed crazy to pass up on this offer. However, there are some items that need attention:
To drive & mechanical: Really pleasant, but it pulls to the left and the ABS kicks in when braking to a standstill. June's MoT advisories point to the common worn ABS reluctor ring / driveshaft problem and the need for some other bits like a CV boot, top mounts etc. I suspect a cost of £500-600 to make it perfect and add 4 new tyres.
Cosmetic: I doubt it's been waxed since June 2004, when I did it last! The whole car is covered in scratches and some minor parking scrapes and bumps - the driver's side is in far better nick than the passenger's. The interior is intact, but the seats are stained and it needs a deep clean. Headlamps are very heavily glazed and I found some gravel in the spare wheel well!
The crux of the matter is that, compared to the cost of the SV over the next, say, 3 years - I calculate that the Clio will save about £7,000...which isn't to be sniffed at when all it'll be used for is occasional town driving. Given this and the above history, I had the wife take a good look at it this weekend and we agreed it was perfect for her needs (perfect for not caring about where to park, scuffs, kerbing wheels etc).
Having made the decision, I couldn't help myself from restoring one panel on the passenger's side using just cutting compounds and waxes. It's not going to look perfect, but I'll try to do the whole car once it's in our possession. I also preemptively spent some pocket money on:
- 2 new new wheel centre caps (missing on passenger side);
- new gear knob;
- Renault interior mats;
- and some touch-up paint.
I was mulling a £30 eBay replacement for the scratched rear bumper, but I think I'll leave it at the above for now. As mentioned above, it'll need some mechanical attention and probably 4 tyres to the tune of £5-600 - although it's perfectly adequate and does have the balance of June's MoT, when it was also serviced at a Renault main dealer.
I'll update this with some more photos, once I get it - likely in early September. Roll on bangernomics!
Edited by Basil Hume on Wednesday 24th August 10:24
I've not picked the Clio up yet, but my dad is clearly keen to get the ball rolling and has already sent me this:
We'll be taking a last holiday in the Golf SV during the next fornight, before I sell it and then collect the Clio. It's been fabulous during the previous week's family holiday and I will miss it:
The Clio isn't directly replacing the SV; that's the Campervan. However, I've re-done the sums and calculated that I'll save around £7k if I'm able to get 2 years' use from the Clio (even allowing £1k for Clio repair and renovation). That puts what some may consider to be "extravagant" expenditure on a 2004 Clio into context - not to mention the fact that it's a free car that typically goes for £750-£1,500 on eBay.
In preparation for getting it, I've therefore bought a few bits and bobs to tidy it up:
I'm finding that the long production run of the Clio Mk2 and continued use of parts in current Dacias gives a ready supply of new and lightly used parts for renovation. The above comprises:
- OEM gearknob (as still used in new Dacias), £7.99;
- OEM Renault mats, £26.90;
- Touch-up paint, £3.50;
- 2 x Alium centre caps, £11.30;
- Number plate fixings (to tidy front plate), £0.99.
I also picked-up an OEM upgrade Cabasse Auditorium head unit for £26, as I do like my in-car audio:
I'm also mulling a replacement steering wheel due to the "melted" plastic, at around £25 and a new driver's door seal at around £16.
I'll book the car in for the aforementioned mechanical work later in September and potentially some tyres thereafter. I also can't help but consider some light bodywork repairs to the nearside, as I do think this could transform its looks.
So, real Bangernomics has already gone out of the window - but at this stage the total spend is £76.67. It's worth remembering that all the while I have a car capable of 50mpg+ on a run, with working climate control, sunroof, electric wipers / lights and a decent stereo.
As I say, I'm prepared to throw £1k at it if I get 2 years' use from it... not to mention that it would be a nice feeling to restore my parents' old car to a modest level of glory!
We'll be taking a last holiday in the Golf SV during the next fornight, before I sell it and then collect the Clio. It's been fabulous during the previous week's family holiday and I will miss it:
The Clio isn't directly replacing the SV; that's the Campervan. However, I've re-done the sums and calculated that I'll save around £7k if I'm able to get 2 years' use from the Clio (even allowing £1k for Clio repair and renovation). That puts what some may consider to be "extravagant" expenditure on a 2004 Clio into context - not to mention the fact that it's a free car that typically goes for £750-£1,500 on eBay.
In preparation for getting it, I've therefore bought a few bits and bobs to tidy it up:
I'm finding that the long production run of the Clio Mk2 and continued use of parts in current Dacias gives a ready supply of new and lightly used parts for renovation. The above comprises:
- OEM gearknob (as still used in new Dacias), £7.99;
- OEM Renault mats, £26.90;
- Touch-up paint, £3.50;
- 2 x Alium centre caps, £11.30;
- Number plate fixings (to tidy front plate), £0.99.
I also picked-up an OEM upgrade Cabasse Auditorium head unit for £26, as I do like my in-car audio:
I'm also mulling a replacement steering wheel due to the "melted" plastic, at around £25 and a new driver's door seal at around £16.
I'll book the car in for the aforementioned mechanical work later in September and potentially some tyres thereafter. I also can't help but consider some light bodywork repairs to the nearside, as I do think this could transform its looks.
So, real Bangernomics has already gone out of the window - but at this stage the total spend is £76.67. It's worth remembering that all the while I have a car capable of 50mpg+ on a run, with working climate control, sunroof, electric wipers / lights and a decent stereo.
As I say, I'm prepared to throw £1k at it if I get 2 years' use from it... not to mention that it would be a nice feeling to restore my parents' old car to a modest level of glory!
Edited by Basil Hume on Sunday 21st August 10:15
Yes, 2014's expenditure is probably the main reason my parents hadn't already moved the Clio on!
I haven't collected and, therefore, driven the Campervan extensively yet - but it basically drives like a loaded van. It's the rather weedy 84PS / detuned version of the venerable 2.0TDI, which thankfully shares the same internals as all the more powerful versions and therefore safely remaps to at least 130PS The only thing I'll need to watch is the torque mapping, as the 140 & 180PS versions get a stronger 6-speed transmission than the 5-speed used on the 84 & 102PS engines; Pendle seem to have a good reputation in this regard.
I haven't collected and, therefore, driven the Campervan extensively yet - but it basically drives like a loaded van. It's the rather weedy 84PS / detuned version of the venerable 2.0TDI, which thankfully shares the same internals as all the more powerful versions and therefore safely remaps to at least 130PS The only thing I'll need to watch is the torque mapping, as the 140 & 180PS versions get a stronger 6-speed transmission than the 5-speed used on the 84 & 102PS engines; Pendle seem to have a good reputation in this regard.
Monospace said:
Are you going to fit an aux-in while you're there? Usually can do in the Cd changer input. Makes bangernomics much more acceptable when you've got modern connectivity . Alternatively I guess a parrot will do similar with a screen and Bluetooth thrown in.
Just a thought for you.
They have a plug for aux in on the back side on the standard units with a hidden setting to enable it . Alternatively I guess a parrot will do similar with a screen and Bluetooth thrown in.Just a thought for you.
I've looked into aux-in cables, but I'm not really concerned about it at this stage.
This will primarily be an urban runabout, although I may use it for occasional long business journeys if it seems reliable - and that's where I want good sound quality, for playing my rather sad old collection of 90s/00s CDs.
The Golf Sportsvan (to give it its European market name) is essentially a fattened, slidey-seated Golf. At the time of purchase, its rivals were the Skoda Yeti and Ford C-Max - it's essentially a 5-seat, shortened Touran. It's a 150PS 1.4 TSI with 7-speed DSG and, unbelievably, I've managed to get 65mpg out of it when cruising solo on long work trips.
If it hadn't been for the Campervan, the Golf SV would have been staying for a long while.
This will primarily be an urban runabout, although I may use it for occasional long business journeys if it seems reliable - and that's where I want good sound quality, for playing my rather sad old collection of 90s/00s CDs.
The Golf Sportsvan (to give it its European market name) is essentially a fattened, slidey-seated Golf. At the time of purchase, its rivals were the Skoda Yeti and Ford C-Max - it's essentially a 5-seat, shortened Touran. It's a 150PS 1.4 TSI with 7-speed DSG and, unbelievably, I've managed to get 65mpg out of it when cruising solo on long work trips.
If it hadn't been for the Campervan, the Golf SV would have been staying for a long while.
Edited by Basil Hume on Monday 22 August 08:32
Krikkit said:
You should be able to get a 6-disc changer for it cheaply enough, sits under the passenger seat. Easier than faffing with an Aux cable.
I'd recommend one of the 3M headlight restoration kits too - an hour with a power drill and my lights look almost like new again.
Twenty quid buys a lot of toothpaste.. I'd recommend one of the 3M headlight restoration kits too - an hour with a power drill and my lights look almost like new again.
BlueHave said:
Wonder why it has dealer plates on it 
Perhaps used those pictures as OP doesn't have any of his own.
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