Thinking about changing cars

[skiptontweed]

I currently have a 2010 200 Cup on a 2-year PCP which is up in October.

I'm thinking about ditching the 200 early and buying a 10 year old Civic Type-R or DC2 Integra. I need some moral support, either way.

My reasons being:

1) I only use my car at weekends - I walk to work.

2) I want to do lots of trackdays. As good as Renault are with the Warranty, I can only see this leading to trouble.

3) Read 1&2 - I want a cage, buckets, harnesses, coilovers etc for trackdays - day to day comfort is a non-issue.

3) I want to fiddle with things. I'm a tinkerer at heart and not being able to work on my own car for fear of voiding the warranty makes me die inside a little each time I pay a garage to do something.

4) I don't own the car outright (I owe something like £9k) so I have to get trackday insurance (personal choice).......this makes trackdays £140 more expensive. I wouldn't track insure a £5k civic/integra that I owned outright.

I love the Clio, I really do. Handles brilliantly and goes like stink. Lifestyle considerations were different when I bought the car back in October 2010.

Am I being silly? Just keep the Clio?

Can of worms opened?

 

[N0ddie]

Its up to you really buy why cant you tinker with a car thats still under warrenty?

 

[Roy]

If you ain't using it get rid because you are only loosing money the are depreciating every day

 

[skiptontweed]

Its up to you really buy why cant you tinker with a car thats still under warrenty?

I guess you can really - I just have this daft fear of being turned down for a warranty claim because of racing brake pads or sticky tyres. I just don't want the hassle.

Its a fair point tho Noddie, maybe I shouldn't worry so much.

 

[Paul]

Buy a 172 and be done, probably be better than the Hondas for cost and tinkering.

I am the same and walk to work, don't want to get rid of the Clio though as I like having something quick and comfortable for the weekends.

 

[N0ddie]

I guess you can really - I just have this daft fear of being turned down for a warranty claim because of racing brake pads or sticky tyres. I just don't want the hassle.

Its a fair point tho Noddie, maybe I shouldn't worry so much.

Our 200 went in for a new gearbox a couple of weeks ago with the Akrapovic exhaust, coilovers and R888s and no questions asked honoured the warranty :thumbup:.

Also depends if you can live with having all that money sitting in a car that spends most of its time on your driveway. We decided (When we bought our 200) to keep it until we kill it so depreciation isnt going to affect us because we have no intention of selling.

You owe 9 grand on the car to make it yours which is a lot of money. So you either pay the 9 grand to keep the car or give it back and spend 5 grand on one of the Hondas?

You'll modify both to be track cars so essentially you'll be paying 4 grand to have a newer car that you know has been looked after for the first 2 years of its life, if you choose to keep the Clio.

 

[Paul]

TBH I think that Renault are exceptional when it comes to honouring the warranty of the RS cars all of the experiences I have had have been positive. The only time you are likely to have issue if it the changed part i.e. coilovers, directly affects the part you you want replacing i.e. topmount. Aside from that you should be fine.

 

[gazb197]

It sounds like you've already made up your mind mate! The main reason for me selling mine was I couldn't justify having 10k in a car losing loads of money when I only drive 60 miles on a weekend. I ended up buying a cat d mondeo st tdci for just over 2k, still nippy, does 55mpg, cheaper insurance ect ect

I loved my Clio though and I do miss it....

 

[930Tech]

I think with Renault aiming the 197/200 at the petrolhead/enthusiast market it would not look good for them to argue many cases for warranty claims with stuff like that.

I have a brochure for the 197 cup and it's basically saying what the car is marketed as and then in the back they are activly encouraging you to take it on one of their track days.

:thumbup:

 

[930Tech]

Plus you could pick up a 5 year old 197 for £5k now.

 

[Giles]

Plus you could pick up a 5 year old 197 for £5k now.

hear that too - shocking! lol

 

[skiptontweed]

thanks for the views fellas.

I'm not in a rush and I guess knowing the cars history from birth is a distinct advantage.

Maybe I'd be silly to change, maybe a DC2 Integra R would be awesome, we'll see!

Cheers.

 

[RalphyBMW]

Part of the reason I sold mine was because I was concerned about durability. I think if you have a low mileage car with full Ren history then they will probably make a reasonable contribution outside of warranty and do seem excellent within warranty.

If you don't have a full Ren history then you are much less likely to get a contribution, and running a 197 gets expensive.

 

[trailerparktrev]

Buy the Honda.

 

[Mark83]

I'm about to do the same. I got mine when I worked locally. I'm now working in London and only drive at the weekends. I want something less sensible; M3, Cayman S.

I had both a Civic Type R and a track DC2 in the past, both good cars.