To change or not to change

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Ev0

Ev0

Ev0

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I've got a slight dilemma and not entirely sure what to do :(

My Clio is due a few bits, needs a new set of tyres and a belt change, so that's about £700.

Now my dilemma is I'm planning on getting something else this year, but not towards the very end of the year.

However I've seen an Impreza WRX (2005 model) up for a decent price and it's got me thinking..

Should I sell the Clio now, take a small hit as it needs those things doing, however getting them done would not add £700 of value immediately, and get the Impreza as a stop gap until the end of the year? Doubt I'd lose much on the Impreza in that time.

Or do I just wait, pay the money now and change in December when I'd planned.

Ideally I was planning on an Impreza anyway, but an STi of some description, which is out of budget until end of the year.

The WRX wouldn't be hugely faster than the Clio I think, but even if it offers the same performance I'd still be getting a bigger comfier car out of it. And I could use something with a little bit more room to be honest.

Plus the car I've seen isn't in my first choice of colour, black, but it still looks good.

My heart just doesn't really feel like I want to do it, yet I've always wanted one, how weird.

Decisions decisions..
 
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I've been in a similar situation and it hurts having to pay £700 to fix a car which you plan to get rid of but I'd agree with the earlier posters - wait for the STi

If you go for the WRX then you'll always have a nagging thought in the back of your mind and you'll regret not waiting. Fix the Clio, save up for another year and get the car you really want :)
 
700 sounds like a lot for a belt change and some tyres.. even decent tyres and a cambelt shouldnt be that much, surely
 
iaind said:
700 sounds like a lot for a belt change and some tyres.. even decent tyres and a cambelt shouldnt be that much, surely
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yp, it's the belt change that's a killer, costs a fortune on them! Tyres are relatively cheap :)
 
[FnG]magnolia;16326846 said:
Wait. If you buy the WRX you'll always have that nagging thought at the back of your head, "THis is a good car ... but it's not an Sti."
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But that's the thing, I'd still be getting the car I want, maybe a few months later than planned, but my dilemma was in the mean time do I stick with the Clio or chop it in for a WRX to tide me over.

This wouldn't be a case of getting a WRX instead of an STi, it'd be do I stick with the Clio before getting one or do I go for the WRX.

The plan would still be to get something around December, STi or one of the other cars on my ever changing list.

Need to have a good think about it.
 
I think there's a lot of people not quite getting what you want to do, but it's not a completely daft idea.

I dont know anything about Imprezas, but I'm going to assume the STi is better!

It sounds like the main reason for change is financial, although you say you could use a bit of extra space (not so sure about the comfy bit though!!). You need to make sure firstly that you're not going to loose more than the £700 in changing: this means selling privately and buying privately so you're not paying the dealers margin. Unfortunately this means you're unlikely to get a warranty, which brings me onto the second point...

You need to make sure that the new car isnt going to cost you the same again in a few months time. A comprehensive warranty for the year you plan to keep it would be ideal, perhaps worth looking at buying privately. Also look at what maintenance is going to need doing in that year.

It's obviously not a clear cut choice - but you're certainly not going to be spending all your time wishing you had got the better car, as that's what you're ultimately working towards anyway
 
Is there not someone on a Clio forum that does everyone's belt changes far cheaper than a garage would?

There's a guy on the ITR-DC2 forum that does an all fluids service + cam clearances + belt change + waterpump change for about £120 + parts
 
iaind said:
I think there's a lot of people not quite getting what you want to do, but it's not a completely daft idea.

I dont know anything about Imprezas, but I'm going to assume the STi is better!

It sounds like the main reason for change is financial, although you say you could use a bit of extra space (not so sure about the comfy bit though!!). You need to make sure firstly that you're not going to loose more than the £700 in changing: this means selling privately and buying privately so you're not paying the dealers margin. Unfortunately this means you're unlikely to get a warranty, which brings me onto the second point...

You need to make sure that the new car isnt going to cost you the same again in a few months time. A comprehensive warranty for the year you plan to keep it would be ideal, perhaps worth looking at buying privately. Also look at what maintenance is going to need doing in that year.

It's obviously not a clear cut choice - but you're certainly not going to be spending all your time wishing you had got the better car, as that's what you're ultimately working towards anyway
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Pretty much sums it up, yeah you take a gamble changing car, something could go wrong, it's not that the money isn't there to fix it though but obviously it's not waht you want :p

And the thinking is from a financial pov, basically is that £700 better off being spent on the current car, or put towards something else.

Got someone who would buy my Clio if I needed to sell, and the car I've seen is a private sale anyway.

As for getting the belts done cheaper, not really, most of the people on CS all do it for the same kind of price. It's about £475 I think parts and labour.

It's looking more likely I'll just keep the Clio and wait as I'm lazy :)
 
I'd keep the Clio for the time being, £700 for 8 months more motoring isn't tooo bad really, because as has been said, there's then no guarrantees that this new car might drop something similar in that time.

You've said aswell that the WRX for sale isn't in the ideal colour you'd like either, so sounds like change for changes sake. I'd imagine that the WRX to STi is quite significant, but won't be as significant as 172 to STi and would think that going from Impreza to Impreza might make the STi not feel as much of a special an upgrade
 
hmm went out in the Clio tonight and weirdly found it so much fun, more than usual.

Now swinging totally the other way again and want to make it nicer again lol. Some new pads and discs on their way as well and tempted by a wheel refurb.
 
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