Sikora's Trophy #456

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Thought I'd knock up a little thread detailing the life of #456.
I don't have big plans for the car really, just wanted to make a timeline of things and give the car a bit of extra history.

I bought #456 in March 2014 from JohnnyE. I wasn't originally looking for a Trophy, but after a weekend filled with disappointment viewing other 182's, When I saw this up for sale and knew I had to have it!

The short drive home from Liverpool:

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Few photos taken when back home:

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#456 was on 85k at the time with belts done by Fred@BTM on 80k. It was also fitted with GT cams and remapped by RS Tuning giving 184bhp.
Johnny had fitted some brand new Sachs dampers front and rear at around 80k too, which was another massive plus side to buying this car.

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Photo courtesy of JohhnyE



Summer 2014

I decided to add a few little touches to the interior first. First up were a set of Renault Sport mats from Adam at Renault Wolverhampton, followed by one of Snappy's retrimmed steering wheels. I debated for a while what design to go with on the steering wheel and despite seeing a few Trophy wheels ones on here, I didn't want to detract from the black/dark grey and silver theme the car originally came with.

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Few photos taken while out on a drive up Moel Fammau:

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Next up was my first ever mechanical issue. (I'd been warned several times before I'd bought the car to expect these often!)
An ABS fault, which was quickly diagnosed in work on the diagnostics machine as being the rear N/S sensor.
After a bit of messing round with Euro Car Parts who supplied me with the wrong part, I got to work swapping the sensor over.
While the hub was apart, I got some 15mm aluminium spacers made up in work and sourced some 20mm ones for the front.

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February 2015

Finally time to put my private plate on the Clio. I'd had this on retention for the past 12 months and the renewal was up, so thought why not!

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Next up was to tidy up the top bumper grille. This had been painted by a previous owner and was starting to look a little tired.
Unfortunately due to several broken clips, the grille had been glued to the bumper, preventing me from removing it from the car.
a bit of news paper and masking tape later, it was ready for paint. For a quick afternoon job, I'm pretty happy with the results.

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March 2015

One thing that always bugged me about the Trophy was the basic cup rear seats. They just don't go with the Recaros at all. Short of an expensive retrim, the only other option are some non cup leather/alcantara ones. I opted for some 172 versions which I picked up from Pauleds, as I didn't think the white dots on the 182 versions would match as well.
Obviously the rear seat mounting bolt was playing tough, so I had to take advantage of my skills as a welder and weld a nut on top so I could remove it.

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I'll have to get some fitted photos.

Well that's where the car is up to. It's nothing special, but I wanted to keep a record of the cars time during my ownership.

As for what the future holds. I'd like to get the map looked at sometime. It's very grumpy when it's started up sometimes. Something I'd expect on a cammed engine, but not just occasionally surely? It also has a tendency to really drop down through the revs to almost stalling point when slowing down from speed, especially when the steering wheel is turned at the same time. It also hates car park manoeuvres. Again though it picks it's moments. Can go weeks without a problem.
Secondly, I'd like to possibly get the paint on the front end freshened up. It's getting quite stone chipped now, which is a shame as the rest of the paint on the car is really good.

 
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February 2016

Well not a huge to update for the rest of 2015 and beginning of this year really. I moved house during the summer and I'm closer to work. With the Trophy being my daily, this has meant the milage hasn't clocked up too much. I've also not had to do too much to the car either. Doesn't make interesting reading I know, but other than a handbrake cable and a driveshaft (Had clicked on full lock since I bought it), it's really behaved.

I mentioned earlier that the idle can be a little funny sometimes and I'd always planned on getting this looked at. Both BTM and Birchwood suggested taking it back to RS Tuning seeing as they did the map. I was a little put off by the trip there, and after recently discovering a nearby Renault Specialist near Chester, I thought it was worth a £20 diagnostics.

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Turns out there were 2 faults with the acoustic valve. I run a V6 airbox anyway, so out that came.

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There is a definate improvement. Revs don't seem to "hang" when I start the car now. Although it was an intermittent problem, so I'll see how it is over the next week.
I'll also have to get some arch liners for the back of the front bumper now, as the acoustic valve had kind of acted as a makeshift mud guard.

Well thats it for now. Nothing majorly exciting, but an update nonetheless. I hope to actually enjoy the car a little more this year, as I literally just drove it to work and back last year. Should have a few more interesting updates in the coming weeks

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Had a little paintwork done early this summer. The front end was always an area that let the car down. It had seen paint earlier in it's life, but I was never happy with the quality or colour match. Booked it in at a local paint shop for a front end respray and a machine polish over the rest of the car. I also fitted some 172 xenons prior to paint

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New splitter fitted. Didn't turn up in time for the paint shop to fit, so did it myself:

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I'll also have this to fit this weekend:

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Got the engine cover fitted, along with repainting the inlet and injector cover. Need the rest of the engine bay tidying up, but it's a start

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Also fitted a new rear number plate light housing, with an LED bulb


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I noticed my exhaust was blowing recently. So I got it up on the ramp and found that the flange on the cat had corroded pretty badly. I make catalytic converters for a living, so this was an easy fix for me. Sourced a matching flange and refitted using a new fitting kit

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And here starts a run of bad luck with the car. Firstly my car got hit by an exploding aerosol can in work, hitting the drivers front wing and bonnet. Then not long after getting this sorted, someone drove down the side of the front bumper in the works car park. So it's now gone back into the paintshop.

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I've decided now I'm no longer using the car as my daily and I now car share :tearsofjoy:


In another bit of bad news, I've noticed my n/s front damper is starting to leak. Pretty gutted about this, as they've only done 20k in 4 years

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Well that's the car up to date now. Just need to decide what to do with the dampers. MOT is in 2 weeks, so might pick up some cup dampers to put on over winter and get them serviced early next year.

Thanks for reading

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Sachs dampers can be a strange beast... I managed well over 80k miles before the first refurb and then only around 10k before they needed doing again. I would recommend giving @Rik Perry a shout as he may well be able to help you with your damper refurb...
 
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Spoken to Rik in great lengths about these already :tearsofjoy: I'm just weighing up whether to just get this problem sorted now, or look at getting them stripped and powder coated in the new year.
 
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Well it's a sad day for #456 :cry:

While turning into a junction last week. A Range Rover waiting to turn right, failed to see me and drove straight into the drivers side.

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The door closes fine and still lines up. But after taking it for an assessment last Friday, the insurers are deeming it a total loss

I cannot begin to describe how I'm feeling about it right now
 
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Sad indeed :( hope you are ok, Are they writing it off because the think its a normal 182? need to be careful, what they valued the repairs at?
 
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How awful.

However maybe you could buy it back from them as 'scrap' after they've given you the insurance settlement and be quids in if you hold out for a decent payout. Don't take their first offer whatever you do.
 
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Sad indeed :worried: hope you are ok, Are they writing it off because the think its a normal 182? need to be careful, what they valued the repairs at?

I've only had confirmation from the body shop at this point. Having rang my insurance tonight, they're still waiting for this confirmation themselves.
 
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I have a friend that might be able to sort that without a body shop trip..

And there was a door for sale from that written off trophy on the facebook group .. I think it was drivers side ..

And man I'm sooo sorry to see a good car like yours damaged..
 
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I have a friend that might be able to sort that without a body shop trip..
I've had it looked at by my local body shop, who recently did the front end respray, and Lookers, who the insurers booked it with. Both have said it needs a new rear quarter
 
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Has anyone gone through proving a cars value to an insurer? While they've not given me a figure yet, they've told me they use the likes of Parkers and Glass's for valuations. Parkers list a good one at £1810...
 
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So sorry to see this. I hope you can save it some way. Just have to battle the insurance company but yours should stand up for you.
 
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Has anyone gone through proving a cars value to an insurer? While they've not given me a figure yet, they've told me they use the likes of Parkers and Glass's for valuations. Parkers list a good one at £1810...

That old bullshit again .. I had mine done by greenlite at agreed value .. but thats of no help to you right now ..
Might be worth talking to the guy off the facebook group that was in the same position ..
 
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The other thing you can do is take copies and notes on all the ones for sale or have just been sold. Then send it to you insurance company
 
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Crikey....you must have shot a robin, can't believe you've had so much bad look. That looks shocking, I bet it was a scary moment seeing 3 ton of Landy coming at you. I think that's 2 cars gone in the last 2 months.
 
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