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G'day! :-)


tomvale13

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Hi guys n gals,

 

I'm Tom - always been into Toyotas (grew up with them) but am seriously considering moving into a 172 clio.

 

I've noticed they're seemingly quite cheap for what you get, yet my research on this, and other sites indicates that you must be diligent when buying cheaply, otherwise you'll potentially be quite seriously out of pocket in the long run.

 

 

I'm looking at a few 172's - I was offered one by a friend of my parents for relatively cheap and am waiting for more info there, but am also keeping an eye on the classifieds too, here and carsales namely.

 

 

So far I'm looking for:

RSC 172 (I like phase 1 more from a styling perspective, but am happy with either)

Service history - A must

Belts done - if it's within 20-30,000km's from being due then I'll want it done, or if not - worked into the price I guess

 

I'll be checking the following when inspecting:

Rear struts/coils - especially if the car hasn't been garaged/undercover much, i.e; been out in the rain heaps.

Exhaust system - looking for rust/looseness

CV's & Driveshafts - mainly CV's I guess, boot integrity and full lock turns while listening

Brakes - Check the discs for wear, pads I can deal with

Fluids - Check the oil, radiator (+ hoses)

Check the tyres

Check the front subframe - specifically the lower control arm mounting holes if possible, dunno how hard that is to check without dismantling though..? Might have to take a wheel off..?

Check under carpets for dampness - boot and footwells

 

 

And whatever else comes up in my pre-buying research.

 

Now, I'm happy to continue reading to educate myself on the quirks of RSC ownership - I gather you've had in between 50 and several thousand first timer threads all asking "How do I tell if my Clio is not a shytebox" in one way or another, and don't want to add to that noise - but I do have a quick question that my initial googlings have not yet been able to answer;

 

- Reputable Renault mechanics in Brisbane? Do they exist? Who are they?

 

I live in the CBD, so I'm nice and central - I just want to be able to take the car to a place where it gets the best care, by someone who knows the model.

 

And one last sneaky question!

 

- I am keen to do basic work on the car if required, is UK ebay the place to get parts at a more reasonable rate than here in Aus? If not, where's a good place to buy from?

 

 

Thanks so much for your help/advice here, looking forward to learning more and hopefully one day lifting a leg on the track.

 

:)

 

Tom

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Welcome mate!

 

Sounds like you've got most bases covered. I'd check the engine mounts too.

 

eBay UK is pretty good, if you can find someone to post. The alternative a lot of us use here is through a forum member called Wolf (check the traders section) who imports parts from the UK on your behalf at very reasonable prices. He's based in Brisbane too 8)

 

Good luck with your hunt!

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Welcome.

 

You mentioned that you'd want the belts done (I assume by the current owner) otherwise work it into the price ... one common comment here is that it may be preferable to seek the discount and get them done yourself. It's a job you want done by the right person rather than the possibility that the seller just goes for the cheapest option they can find.

 

Good luck.

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Dont know the specific car, but it looks like a nice car, low km's and very cheap for a Ph1

 

Just remember that these are now 13years. Belts should have been changed every 4 years (just as important as km's) so hopefully it should have been done last year...

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I'm in Brissie, so am asking a lot about the car via email - including the belts.

 

If it sounds good, I'll have to start looking into the total cost of getting someone to inspect it for me and shipping, to see if it I can work out a reasonable price.

 

For some reason I kind of prefer the phase 1 styling.. not sure why. I used to have a little Starlet GT turbo and I think the phase 1 is a better looking car.

 

:)

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Okay so I have a response;

 

- Genuine 2 owner car

- Garaged

- Not drive all that much (hence low kays)

- Always serviced at Renault dealerships (good! :) )

 

Issues - Cosmetic

- Very small dent in rear bumper

- Slight tear in driver seat (meh, it's an old car)

- Worn gearknob (don't really care much about that)

- Paint fading on the top of the drivers side front quarter panel

 

Issues - Mechanical

- Exhaust Mount was fixed 'a couple of years ago'

- Engine mount done in 2009

- Requires CV Boots (not sure if this means whole new CV's? don't know if boots are replaceable..)

- Timing belt was done @ 100,000km's (car now @ 143,000) but this was in 2008.. so I guess that'll have to be done

- Needs a new battery terminal

- No oil leaks

 

 

So I guess my approach now is to ring around Brisbane, ask for approximate quotes for that work (CV's, Timing Belt, Battery terminal) - look into car transporting and see how much this will all cost at this stage.

 

Might be cheaper to source the parts myself and pay for labour..

 

:)

 

Cheers

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Hi Dan :)

 

Thanks so much for the offer, that's one of the things I was most unsure about and probably the most important part of me doing this.

 

I would happily shout a a couple of six packs to whoever could lend a hand as it would be really useful for me. Plus, you guys know what to look for!

 

I'm about to call the following workshops for approximate quotes on the work listed above:

 

- Spring Hill car care (listed as a renault repairer)

- French Car Care

- Bryan Burt Renault

- Metro Renault

 

I'm not aware of anyone in Bris with a rep like Paul V, so am kind of shopping this around.

 

:)

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So there is no history of the car when the VIN is run through the Renault dealers network system, this could just mean that there have been no warranty repairs done.

 

The labour for the work it needs could run anywhere from $1500-$2200, depending on who you ask and how severe the CV work is. (i.e;, inner and outer boots on both sides.. that'll add up..)

 

I've asked about logbooks now, as I'll need some evidence of servicing and repairs before I can commit any further.

 

In any case at this point any offer I make is going to be well below the price he is asking, due to the cost of repairs and potential risk of other issues.

 

 

Ahh buying second hand performance cars - how I haven't missed thee.

 

:)

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Yeah that's understandable.

 

I'm going to take the weekend to think it over, no point rushing into the sale - there'll be other cars if this one doesn't work out.

 

I'm not expecting to snag an absolute bargain, just trying too be pragmatic when factoring in risk and the expense attached to getting the thing ready for daily driving duties.

 

Thanks for the advise received so far.

 

:)

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Bryan byrt have a special on timing belt changes. $995. They won't stuff it up.

 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

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