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.
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
Oh dear - no, I'm not selling it! It's in my name and taxed as of yesterday, but I'm not getting it until tomorrow...
I thought I'd made clear in the original post that I'd borrowed the photo from eBay, but clearly not! [hangs head in shame]
I'll try the toothpaste or just some cutting compound on an applicator via a drill end, plus potentially the 6-CD solution.
I thought I'd made clear in the original post that I'd borrowed the photo from eBay, but clearly not! [hangs head in shame]
I'll try the toothpaste or just some cutting compound on an applicator via a drill end, plus potentially the 6-CD solution.
Following a final holiday for the summer - and with back-to-school diaries for the whole family looming - I took the train to the village I grew up in today; where the Clio was waiting for me.
I last lived here in 2004, when I helped with the process of buying the Clio and drove it intermittently for a few months, while my then 10-year-old Clio Williams was being maintained.
In the 12 years since that time, the Clio has picked-up a few scars (I suspect from my two younger brothers!):
I'm planning to have a word with a trusted local bodyshop, as the OSF bumper / wing and door certainly look like they could be improved for modest outlay. The OSR panel and bumper look a little more tricky and, although it's hard to see in photos, the paint is cracked a bit just as the rear bumper meets the NSR panel:
Some other things could be resolved quite easily, like the dulled front headlights...
...but I'll have to live with some other things, like the scratched windscreen:
Overall paint condition is summarised well by this snap:
...and there are some small blemishes such as corrosion around the top brake light in the rear spoiler (not pictured), which surprised me as I assumed it was made from plastic) and others various:
The interior needs a deep clean:
It comes with three keys for the two remaining wheel centre covers!!
...a mountain of paperwork:
...but I left this pile of stuff!
A "melted" steering wheel completes the interior:
In its defence, the car started first time...
...and pumped out cold air and my choice of late 1990s jazz-funk-soul:
I then took it to the local petrol station for £4.99's worth of car wash and to check tyre pressures. I'd wasted my money on both counts: the tyre pressures were spot-on and it's the first time I've used a car wash with a dryer that didn't do much drying (assumed due to lack of any wax for water to bead off):
As I mentioned before, the drive is really pleasant and I was happy to get an indicated 53.5mpg on my run back to Bristol. The gearing is very low, with 3,000rpm coming up at 60mph - but it's nice to drive a perky little N/A motor, with its snappy responses. I'm a modest 6ft in height, but feel massive sat in this car! It's really easy to place on the road and really shames some more modern cars for its airy cabin and great visibility.
I fitted the mats, Cabbasse head unit and 2 missing centre caps on returning home. I've also got some new "aero" wipers to fit and I've decided to fit my private plates, taking the total spend so far to £104.42.
The only other noteworthy drive impressions are the juddering under braking to standstill (last 5mph or so) and steering knocks at slow speeds. These are consistent with June's MoT advisories:
- offside front abs ring cracked
- nearside front slight play top mount
- nearside front pin hole in n/s/f outer cv joint
- offside front slight play ball joint
- offside front slight play o/s track arm
I'll book it into a local garage on Monday to get as many of these sorted as is economic.
I last lived here in 2004, when I helped with the process of buying the Clio and drove it intermittently for a few months, while my then 10-year-old Clio Williams was being maintained.
In the 12 years since that time, the Clio has picked-up a few scars (I suspect from my two younger brothers!):
I'm planning to have a word with a trusted local bodyshop, as the OSF bumper / wing and door certainly look like they could be improved for modest outlay. The OSR panel and bumper look a little more tricky and, although it's hard to see in photos, the paint is cracked a bit just as the rear bumper meets the NSR panel:
Some other things could be resolved quite easily, like the dulled front headlights...
...but I'll have to live with some other things, like the scratched windscreen:
Overall paint condition is summarised well by this snap:
...and there are some small blemishes such as corrosion around the top brake light in the rear spoiler (not pictured), which surprised me as I assumed it was made from plastic) and others various:
The interior needs a deep clean:
It comes with three keys for the two remaining wheel centre covers!!
...a mountain of paperwork:
...but I left this pile of stuff!
A "melted" steering wheel completes the interior:
In its defence, the car started first time...
...and pumped out cold air and my choice of late 1990s jazz-funk-soul:
I then took it to the local petrol station for £4.99's worth of car wash and to check tyre pressures. I'd wasted my money on both counts: the tyre pressures were spot-on and it's the first time I've used a car wash with a dryer that didn't do much drying (assumed due to lack of any wax for water to bead off):
As I mentioned before, the drive is really pleasant and I was happy to get an indicated 53.5mpg on my run back to Bristol. The gearing is very low, with 3,000rpm coming up at 60mph - but it's nice to drive a perky little N/A motor, with its snappy responses. I'm a modest 6ft in height, but feel massive sat in this car! It's really easy to place on the road and really shames some more modern cars for its airy cabin and great visibility.
I fitted the mats, Cabbasse head unit and 2 missing centre caps on returning home. I've also got some new "aero" wipers to fit and I've decided to fit my private plates, taking the total spend so far to £104.42.
The only other noteworthy drive impressions are the juddering under braking to standstill (last 5mph or so) and steering knocks at slow speeds. These are consistent with June's MoT advisories:
- offside front abs ring cracked
- nearside front slight play top mount
- nearside front pin hole in n/s/f outer cv joint
- offside front slight play ball joint
- offside front slight play o/s track arm
I'll book it into a local garage on Monday to get as many of these sorted as is economic.
Today, I hacked-off the old gearknob and replaced it with the new Dacia one. I've fitted my private plates, after taking ages to remove the old rusted-on screws (remember to use plastic caps, kids). Finally, I gave the seats a first pass with some cleaning product - with pretty impressive results.
Next on the cosmetic list will be some touching-up of the scratches and a session with a clay bar and polishes. I'll see how it's looking after that, before deciding on whether to do any paint. I keep noticing things like a minor ding to a wheel rim and imagine I could spend ages and £££ chasing these details to perfection... all on a car that's worth very little.
I'll persevere with the minor improvements, though, because - taken with things like the wheel centres and head unit - I feel it's worth the effort, if not lots of cost.
I also consulted my local garage, who cared for my old R32. The owner concurred that the ABS ring was available separately from the driveshaft and was sceptical that all the MoT advisories above would actually need doing - bearing in mind the car's value. I'll drop it off on Wednesday.
The Golf SV is going on Wednesday, so this will be our family wheels (with a couple of reasonably long day trips to be done) until the Campervan arrives in a fortnight!
If it's not too much of a step down, I might keep this for a while. Otherwise, I'll get looking into the likes of the Up / Twingo / 500 etc...
Next on the cosmetic list will be some touching-up of the scratches and a session with a clay bar and polishes. I'll see how it's looking after that, before deciding on whether to do any paint. I keep noticing things like a minor ding to a wheel rim and imagine I could spend ages and £££ chasing these details to perfection... all on a car that's worth very little.
I'll persevere with the minor improvements, though, because - taken with things like the wheel centres and head unit - I feel it's worth the effort, if not lots of cost.
I also consulted my local garage, who cared for my old R32. The owner concurred that the ABS ring was available separately from the driveshaft and was sceptical that all the MoT advisories above would actually need doing - bearing in mind the car's value. I'll drop it off on Wednesday.
The Golf SV is going on Wednesday, so this will be our family wheels (with a couple of reasonably long day trips to be done) until the Campervan arrives in a fortnight!
If it's not too much of a step down, I might keep this for a while. Otherwise, I'll get looking into the likes of the Up / Twingo / 500 etc...
Edited by Basil Hume on Monday 5th September 21:53
The ABS ring and OSF ball joint were replaced today, which made an instant improvement for the sum of £133.32. There's still some clicking when steering at slow speeds, but the garage didn't recommend doing any other work at this stage.
I also touched-up the scratches pictured above, which I think will suffice for now.
Total spend is £237.74.
I also touched-up the scratches pictured above, which I think will suffice for now.
Total spend is £237.74.
Yup - I get it; don't worry! Having spent some more time with it, I won't be spending any more on the car if it can be helped.
However, I do need to get some more photos; as I think the discretionary £92.44 on things like mats, wipers, centre caps and gearknob has made a big improvement. The other £150 wasn't optional, but I've decided that I won't be doing any more than this. Earlier ideas of new tyres and body repairs are out.
My dad is usually non-resident in the UK (can only be in UK 90 days p/a), so my mum and brother kept it going as an occasional 2nd car and just sent him the bills. There's no way I'd have spent what they did on it!
Sorry it's not an in-depth how-to guide to make up for the boringness of the car, but I don't think people would be especially more interested in this thread if it had a "how-to" section; detailing how I sawed-off the old gearknob or threaded in centre cap screws.
However, I do need to get some more photos; as I think the discretionary £92.44 on things like mats, wipers, centre caps and gearknob has made a big improvement. The other £150 wasn't optional, but I've decided that I won't be doing any more than this. Earlier ideas of new tyres and body repairs are out.
My dad is usually non-resident in the UK (can only be in UK 90 days p/a), so my mum and brother kept it going as an occasional 2nd car and just sent him the bills. There's no way I'd have spent what they did on it!
Sorry it's not an in-depth how-to guide to make up for the boringness of the car, but I don't think people would be especially more interested in this thread if it had a "how-to" section; detailing how I sawed-off the old gearknob or threaded in centre cap screws.
Edited by Basil Hume on Monday 12th September 21:29
Just a little update, now that it's been subject to a little elbow grease and TLC - around 90 minutes with a clay bar, wax and interior cleaner.
This is the "bad" side... from a few paces away, it looks like the £3.50 of touch-up paint was a decent investment:
...and the good side:
The wheels have come up well. It's surprising what a deep clean and some cutting paste will achieve:
The interior is transformed. I'm really glad with how this has come up - the headlining is literally night and day better:
Finally, here's the new Cabbasse head unit and gearknob in place.
I managed to sell the old head unit on eBay for a similar to the new one amount - meaning that the overall cost of the car to date has reduced to £217.74.
I don't feel confident enough to use this for my occasional (but long distance) business use, but it's proving ideal in its remit as an around town car. The tyres have definitely seen better days, but I can't imagine they'll worsen much soon - given an average of 100-150 miles per month use.
Overall, I'm very happy with how it's come up.
This is the "bad" side... from a few paces away, it looks like the £3.50 of touch-up paint was a decent investment:
...and the good side:
The wheels have come up well. It's surprising what a deep clean and some cutting paste will achieve:
The interior is transformed. I'm really glad with how this has come up - the headlining is literally night and day better:
Finally, here's the new Cabbasse head unit and gearknob in place.
I managed to sell the old head unit on eBay for a similar to the new one amount - meaning that the overall cost of the car to date has reduced to £217.74.
I don't feel confident enough to use this for my occasional (but long distance) business use, but it's proving ideal in its remit as an around town car. The tyres have definitely seen better days, but I can't imagine they'll worsen much soon - given an average of 100-150 miles per month use.
Overall, I'm very happy with how it's come up.
Edited by Basil Hume on Friday 16th September 13:15
It's nice to see the tone of the thread take a more positive turn.
We spent the weekend tootling around in the Clio and making light of the comically loud brake squeal that's developed in the last week and the loud "cracking" on steering at low speeds and engaging 1st gear (top mount?).
Neither are terminal for the car itself, but I don't really want to fix them either. We live in a terraced street on a steep hill and I have a very busy job and family life - so, unfortunately, home mechanics isn't practical for me.
The Clio's size and comfort are proving a great fit for the tight urban drives we do, so I'll definitely want to keep a 3.5-3.7m length car in the household - whether it's this one or not.
As someone has pointed out, there are some very competitive lease deals on city cars. £110ish per month is quite achievable, although matching this Clio's spec highlights would take it closer to £150pcm. My spreadsheets tell me that a base spec Fiat 500's overall costs would be c.£400 more per year than the Clio (assuming it lasts that long without a big bill). A potentially deciding factor is the business mileage I could do in a new car.
But - for now - I'm not making any decisions...and just enjoying trying to get my £217's worth from the car.
We spent the weekend tootling around in the Clio and making light of the comically loud brake squeal that's developed in the last week and the loud "cracking" on steering at low speeds and engaging 1st gear (top mount?).
Neither are terminal for the car itself, but I don't really want to fix them either. We live in a terraced street on a steep hill and I have a very busy job and family life - so, unfortunately, home mechanics isn't practical for me.
The Clio's size and comfort are proving a great fit for the tight urban drives we do, so I'll definitely want to keep a 3.5-3.7m length car in the household - whether it's this one or not.
As someone has pointed out, there are some very competitive lease deals on city cars. £110ish per month is quite achievable, although matching this Clio's spec highlights would take it closer to £150pcm. My spreadsheets tell me that a base spec Fiat 500's overall costs would be c.£400 more per year than the Clio (assuming it lasts that long without a big bill). A potentially deciding factor is the business mileage I could do in a new car.
But - for now - I'm not making any decisions...and just enjoying trying to get my £217's worth from the car.
To bring this thread to a close, I've sold the car.
Several of the car's mechanical issues built to the point where they needed doing and I didn't feel it was economic.
I put the £260 I got for the Clio towards another small, green car:
It's a 2012 Cooper with 15k on the clock. I suspect it's been smoked in, but otherwise it's a very sorted example with a decent spec.
Several of the car's mechanical issues built to the point where they needed doing and I didn't feel it was economic.
I put the £260 I got for the Clio towards another small, green car:
It's a 2012 Cooper with 15k on the clock. I suspect it's been smoked in, but otherwise it's a very sorted example with a decent spec.
In a strange unfolding of events, a colleague of mine asked if I'd ever owned a green Clio. It turns out that his daughter had bought the car from a local trader - and was initially thrilled. He couldn't believe the coincidence that I was the former owner on the V5.
Anyway, after 3 weeks' ownership, the car died spectacularly. The engine seized while his daughter was driving in the fast lane - presumed to be oil starvation - and it was uneconomical to repair.
Seems that I dodged a bullet!
Anyway, after 3 weeks' ownership, the car died spectacularly. The engine seized while his daughter was driving in the fast lane - presumed to be oil starvation - and it was uneconomical to repair.
Seems that I dodged a bullet!
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