Been wanting an old school hatch for sometime, missed the boat with Peugeot 205 GTI's, all the nice ones to me are now 10k plus, which I deem to much on an old French shed, albeit much fun. So I was looking at Saxo VTS, but not much for those, really wanted a 106GTi but again cleaner unmolested examples are either none existent or vastly over priced, was so tempted to buy this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-Peu...446985?hash=item36379fb349:g:aaIAAOSwAOdbS00F
It is very over priced, got chatting with the owner who sold it them, they gave him £3500, he had it advertised at 4k, no takers, to be honest I said if I'd been browsing and seen it at 4k I'd have had it off him, contacted garage, they won't move and I feel at 6k its over priced, yes in another 2-3yr it would fetch that money all day long as they are going up. I still might go and buy it and just put it in the garage, but we shall see.
So as my criteria was ideally sub 1000kg, FWD, old school, by that I mean small and compact in size so you can fling it down a back lane and well something that is starting to move up in value. I started to look at Clio 172 cups (no ABS, no AC, thinner glass 1011kg model). Perfect condition average milers with no mods are going for 4-5k, higher mileage examples in average condition around 3k. Very high mileage or modded ones or track ones (no interior) were around 2-3k.
I then found a 1 owner 55k low miles car, owned by an older gentlemen, asking what seems like a great price (2k asking) for the fact it was such low miles and still the original owner. Went to view tonight, body and interior is good condition, some paint chips as to expected on 15yr old car. All the wheels need a refurb, ideally four good tyres and it needs a cambelt, dephaser, aux belt, pullies change as its never been done, owner was under impression was not due until 72k miles, at which point I informed him it should be also done every 5yr. Based on the fact car needs a lot of TLC, I got it for quite a bit off the asking price, I am certainly happy with what I paid.
Due to the dephaser making the car sound like a diesel, the drive home was in 5th at 60mph all the way, car picks up great though in 5th at 60mph, feels strong.
Brake pedal feel is pretty amazing, guess thats the no ABS setup, though it has got new pads and disc all round.
There is no knocks, clunks over bumps, in fact the car feels surprisingly tight and the ride is really quite good.
Shell is essentially rust/corrosion free.
I did throw it around some corners, not using power and it feels planted but feels oversteer, yet the rear does not slight, odd sensation, but it is on ditch finders, but the turn in is superb.
Also got 48mpg on trip home, it then promptly got its first tank of Vpower, I suspect the first in its life.
Car has service history, some Renault, some just regular garage, but its been on road since new, MOT every year, overall clean example in need of TLC.
Got it booked in with a specialist for:
Full service including plugs
Cambelt service
Aux belt service if it has one
Dephaser & accessory drive pulleys
Rocker cover reseal
New waterpump
New thermostat
I feel the dephaser and cambelt is a ticking time bomb, hence getting that sorted before its driven again, whilst its been done it makes sense to get all the above done.
Shall then get the wheels refurbed and throw on a sticky yet fun tyre like AD08R or other sticky semi slick. Touch up the paint chips and enjoy.
Throughout ownership I shall slowly restore it, no mods as idea is to keep it as close to standard as possible if I do any mods they shall be really only things Renault did themselves like maybe 182 manifold/cat and a panel filter, then remap to around 190HP, will be a proper pocket rocket for sure and fits in with my other two blue beast well.
Shame they only did these in blue and silver, was hoping for a different colour other than blue.
So fully restore it, get it properly serviced, enjoy it and try not to put more than 10k miles on it as in 5-10yr I am confident such a car with such low miles and low amount of owners will be worth quite a lot of money, one thing for sure I won't lose any money I could flip this now and make a grand, but I intend to enjoy it.
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