Frustrated with former owner and mods now needed.......................

[neilc]

Well as some of you will know I have just got my new trophy last week (no 451) and thought I would take it to Cit-Ren in Norwich for a checkover and to get some little jobs doing , door switch failed etc etc.

Well I got a nasty surprise , the former keeper has replaced the front Sachs dampers with standard 182 dampers but left the sachs ones on the rear Now TBH I feel a bit miffed really as it would have taken 1 minute to search this forum or Cliosport.net and see the stickies about Sachs rebuilds !!

Another frustration is the car was sold to me with a full service history and their is no sign of a cambelt change.

The guys at Cit-Ren advised me of an issue with the auxiliary tensioner as it's squealing and maybe seized.

I already knew the car was on cheap chinese tyres ( God knows why ) but I now feel as if the former keeper ran this car on the cheap which you just cant do with a car like this.

So I am going to have to spend a little more than expected. I had a few conversations with Andy at KTR Racing this week and was intrigued to discuss with him a Suspension development they are working on with Nitron ( A leading race car suspension company ) This kit is being designed specifically to replace the troublesome sachs damper set-up.

So I will be looking into getting this kit when it's ready early next year.

But to start with the car is booked back in with Cit-ren on the 9th of January for a new cambelt kit , aux tensioner and belt too. As well as a new KTR cat back sports exhaust and KTR induction kit too.

Tyre wise I have ordered 4 x new Yokohama Advan Neova AD08 tyres.

So we are on the road to getting this Trophy back to fine fettle. Just going to cost me a bit more than expected.

But hey no pain no gain as they say !

Neil

 

[felix]

Oh dear. The main selling point of the T is the front Sachs dampers. This is the first thing a prospective owner should check. Followed by cambelt kit changed or not. I'm surprised someone in your line of work missed the 2 most important things!

Cambelt kit & aux belt kit mustbe genuine Renault parts fitted with Renault tools and have the knowledge on how to use tools correctly. Most people also change the water pump at the same time and some people also change the dephaser pulley too.


Re dampers. Refurbs are quite reasonably priced now at Cornering Force. Your T isn't a T without the Sachs front dampers.

 

[neilc]

Hey felix , well I bought the car unseen as a part exchange from a BMW dealer and the correct questions were asked too !! So you can probably understand I am miffed TBH.

Cit-Ren are using all genuine parts and are doing the waterpump and dephaser pulley too. makes sense whilst there.

My intention is to use the car as my trackday toy so actually the Nitron race dampers appeal but as you say it's a massive shame that the car does not have the sachs dampers fitted.

Bit gutted really

 

[Badgerman85]

I wouldnt mind betting the KTR kit is gonna be a heck of alot more than buying a set of knackered sachs fronts and getting them refurbed!

 

[neilc]

I wouldnt mind betting the KTR kit is gonna be a heck of alot more than buying a set of knackered sachs fronts and getting them refurbed!

Well you are not wrong the Nitron kit will be the wrong side of £1000. Where would you suggest getting some old Sachs dampers though ?? Seem pretty rare to me.

 

[felix]

Sorry. Didn't realise you bought the car unseen. Seller should have been honest.

 

[neilc]

Sorry. Didn't realise you bought the car unseen. Seller should have been honest.

That's the thing in the trade Felix , you have to have faith but sometimes with specialist cars like a Trophy and many other cars that I sell , the average dealer just hasn't got a clue.

 

[son of solo]

Sounds like your beef is with the BMW dealers - not like a dealer to tell you what you want to hear to secure a sale.
have you spoke to them about it?

 

[neilc]

Sounds like your beef is with the BMW dealers - not like a dealer to tell you what you want to hear to secure a sale.
have you spoke to them about it?

Yes I have and I got the standard big main dealer response ​" READ THE SMALL PRINT"

 

[felix]

Re dampers. I'm sure I've seen cit-ren on eBay breaking Trophys for spares now and again. They may have some dampers, if not now, in the near future. If a T has been rear ended the front dampers may be fine.

 

[neilc]

Re dampers. I'm sure I've seen cit-ren on eBay breaking Trophys for spares now and again. They may have some dampers, if not now, in the near future. If a T has been rear ended the front dampers may be fine.

Yes I did ask that question , and they haven't had one in a while but yes worth hanging on just in case.

 

[Badgerman85]

I believe bigdave has a set in need of a refurb, whether or not he'd sell them, if not ask around on here or cliosport!

 

[neilc]

Sent him a PM thanks for the help

 

[Jon.G]

Sorry, But I don't understand why you wouldn't check for all of those. I hope you didn't pay too much for it. Things like this annoy me, people buy these cars that haven't been looked after, and things are wrong.

All in all, I feel your pain. But I hope this is a lesson learnt and you get the car back to a decent standard.

 

[neilc]

Sorry, But I don't understand why you wouldn't check for all of those. I hope you didn't pay too much for it. Things like this annoy me, people buy these cars that haven't been looked after, and things are wrong.

All in all, I feel your pain. But I hope this is a lesson learnt and you get the car back to a decent standard.

As mentioned earlier in the thread , I am in the trade and bought the car unseen from a BMW dealer and I asked all the pertinent questions and was assured the car was as it should be. But it's not and I have to accept that and move on.

I will now as you say get this car back to it's former glory and start enjoying it. which is why I bought it in the first place.

 

[Jon.G]

Sorry, I miss read something.

Fingers crossed that you can get hold of some dampers for it and get it up to scratch.

 

[jjames]

If you are annoyed with the former owner about the shocks (as you should be), why are you putting Yokohama on a french car, You will need Michelin PE2s/PS3s, They are correct, standard and French

 

[BigDave]

If you are annoyed with the former owner about the shocks (as you should be), why are you putting Yokohama on a french car, You will need Michelin PE2s/PS3s, They are correct, standard and French

I didn't realise you had to base the choice of tyres on the nationality of the car haha

 

[jjames]

And check the oil is ELF

 

[neilc]

If you are annoyed with the former owner about the shocks (as you should be), why are you putting Yokohama on a french car, You will need Michelin PE2s/PS3s, They are correct, standard and French

I intend to track the car on a regular basis so the Michelin just wouldn't be up to the job. The yoko AD08 is super sticky and can take lots of track work in it's stride too.