Is the step up to a trophy worth it?

Wackojacko · Mar 28, 2021

Hi all sorry if this already discussed before but after a few views please on potential trophy ownership.

Background: for 12 years I’ve been the owner of a BG 182 FF with cup packs, only 1 previous owner and it’s now done 70k, much of that being by me. So a fairly ‘good one’ and seems to be getting to the point where it’s slightly sought after. Whilst I have the space to store it and use it just for fun etc, it doesn’t feel overly ‘special’ and if I was to do this feels like it would be with a trophy instead...

So, is making the switch worth it? I get I need to stump up more cash for the switch up - thinking mine might be worth 4K ish and won’t pretend I know lots about trophy prices but guessing I need to spend about 9k to get something half decent - albeit that will be in worse condition (ie more miles / more owners) than my FF.

So a case of sticking in an extra 5k for the pleasure. I’m thinking it’s not too much to itch the scratch and I’d probably get my money back (or most of it) if I ever came to sell, but if it’s just not worth it won’t bother (I could just spend £800 and get a pair of trendlines which would get me a step closer lol).

Any thoughts welcomed
Thanks ?

Oracle · Mar 28, 2021

Wackojacko said:
Hi all sorry if this already discussed before but after a few views please on potential trophy ownership.

Background: for 12 years I’ve been the owner of a BG 182 FF with cup packs, only 1 previous owner and it’s now done 70k, much of that being by me. So a fairly ‘good one’ and seems to be getting to the point where it’s slightly sought after. Whilst I have the space to store it and use it just for fun etc, it doesn’t feel overly ‘special’ and if I was to do this feels like it would be with a trophy instead...

So, is making the switch worth it? I get I need to stump up more cash for the switch up - thinking mine might be worth 4K ish and won’t pretend I know lots about trophy prices but guessing I need to spend about 9k to get something half decent - albeit that will be in worse condition (ie more miles / more owners) than my FF.

So a case of sticking in an extra 5k for the pleasure. I’m thinking it’s not too much to itch the scratch and I’d probably get my money back (or most of it) if I ever came to sell, but if it’s just not worth it won’t bother (I could just spend £800 and get a pair of trendlines which would get me a step closer lol).

Any thoughts welcomed
Thanks ?

Reading through this post may give you some inspiration as to what you could do with your lowish mileage 182.

Frayz’s Inferno orange 182 - Back in the old flame

Morning all, I dare say this topic has probably been done to death, however i cant help but want to ask for some feedback if you can. Im an ex Clio 182 FF owner, bought my last one with just 8k miles on the clock and enjoyed 4.5 years/84k miles of ownership. I sold it for what i thought was an...

cliotrophy.co.uk

hoolio · Mar 28, 2021

Probably asking in the wrong place because all of us are going to reply that they are an absolute hoot. Whether they are worth in financially is a different matter. £9k should get you a nice one and it will probably pay for itself but only if you don’t plan on putting too miles on it and will it give you more hoots per buck than Frayz’s above???

Wackojacko · Mar 28, 2021

Thanks for initial replies, appreciate it. I should’ve pointed out that I have no ability with spanners whatsoever and as a personal preference (not based on logic or driving dynamics) I also like to keep things standard where possible (only mod the FF has had is a scorpion when the stock exhaust fell off). Hence my question really - is the FF really worth hanging on to as is or do I switch now (having thought about it for 12.5 years).... interested to hear from thoughts of those who have driven both back to back

Wackojacko · Mar 28, 2021

Pps will not be getting big miles on it - probs 1k pa

Stuflac · Mar 28, 2021

I have a trophy, and had a 182 cup at the same time. Also had a FF in the past. The trophy does feel noticeably different. However, you could achieve the same/or better handling by upgrading your FF. For me, it was never fully about that though. It was more the mysticism of owning a trophy. First car I've owned that I always look forward to driving.

If it is an itch that needs scratching, now would be the best time to do it in my opinion. Prices are hard to pin down, but the mean will always be going in one direction.

Ashtons99 · Mar 28, 2021

At one point I had the Trophy, a 200 and a 182 Cup. (I sold the cup for some reason) out of the 3 the cup was the nicest drive and for me I couldn’t really split the cup and the trophy. You wouldn’t get into a trophy and think “wow I’m glad I threw that extra £5k in”
if you gave a nice low mileage 182 keep it.

frayz · Mar 29, 2021

My thought for what they’re worth.

If you had two identical cars side by side (mileage, condition, history) one a FF182 and the other a Trophy and you had no plans to modify either. Without question the Trophy will feel more special. It’s a slightly sharper drive, but IMO the bit that makes it feel special is it’s limited numbers and exclusivity. Other than the Sachs and Trendlines, they’re just a shiny Red 182 cup with bigger rear wing.
They drive better, yes, but not to the tune of the price difference.
The Sachs are expensive to service/replace and have a sporadic life cycle. Some last 5k, some last 50k+. They’re limited in their adjustability and frankly (imo) not worth the money next to a high quality coilover. The Trendlines look great but I and many others don’t find them particularly comfortable either. So whatever you choose, you need to drive and experience a few before making a decision.

In your car you have a car of known quantity. You know it’s history, and all of its condition inside and out. Trophy or not, these cars are knocking on 16 years old now and you could work easily be getting out of your lovely 182 in to a Trophy shaped bag of issues that will need some significant maintenance to get it back to where it needs to be. The best Trophies are now north of £10k and that means your car plus an minimum £6k outlay. Sorry to say, the Trophy simply isn’t a £6k better car, maybe a couple of grand, but not £6k.

Now wherever you personally values the ownership experience of a Trophy at £6k more is a different story and one that only you can decide.

It’s not for everyone, but a tastefully modified 182 has the potential to be significantly better to drive than a Trophy. But it will always be a breathed on 182 and not a bona fide Trophy

Personally I’d stick with your FF182 and continue to enjoy it, but it’s your call. There are plenty of great knowledgable folk here who will be more than willing to help you along the way.

Best wishes. ?

frayz · Mar 29, 2021

Oracle said:
Reading through this post may give you some inspiration as to what you could do with your lowish mileage 182.

Frayz’s Inferno orange 182 - Back in the old flame

Morning all, I dare say this topic has probably been done to death, however i cant help but want to ask for some feedback if you can. Im an ex Clio 182 FF owner, bought my last one with just 8k miles on the clock and enjoyed 4.5 years/84k miles of ownership. I sold it for what i thought was an...

cliotrophy.co.uk

Thanks for sharing ?

Wackojacko · Mar 29, 2021

Thank you for all your replies, really interesting reading. It sounds like I should probably stick with what I have, but have a close up look at a trophy to see if the magic/scarcity is really worth 6k to me or not. It will be for some, it won’t be for others - and that’s just a personal thing that I have to decide for myself (taking into account what other itches I could scratch with 6k....)

dablk · Mar 30, 2021

The prices now mean you actually need to want to have a trophy. The kudos, the mythology. . The looking at it as it sits in your garage. that’s really what your paying for. Plus the strong residuals. There’s no way a trophy is twice the car or more a standard 182 is.

If you want the best driving experience then throwing the cash difference at your 182 is probably a wiser move. However you wouldn’t see most of that cash value back if you went to sell.

fir me it’s personally why I struggle to look to get back in a trophy. I can’t do the kudos vs driving maths to justify the prices now.

Ashtons99 · Mar 30, 2021

I’ve owned mine 6 yrs now and done 3000 miles in my ownership. I’ve got to the point now where its become a bit of a decoration in the garage. Similar with my 200. I think I’ve got to the point with mine where i just see it as an alternative to having my money in the bank. It’s fairly secure investment wise but also it gives me a bit of enjoyment fettling it now and again. I have a run round the block in it now and again to keep things ticking over but that’s about as far as it goes

Scott_180 · Apr 1, 2021

I’d say keep the ff if you want to use it. Due to the values it’ll always be in the back of your mind to an average owner about decreasing the value. Or keep the ff aswell for how much you’d get for it if you can afford a lower mileage trophy , steering just feels abit ‘quicker’ I found the main difference

Wackojacko · Apr 2, 2021

Hmmm yes in the back of my mind is that the optimal route is to get the trophy and keep hold of the FF. Means I’m not left wondering what could’ve been trophy-wise but also have no regret risk either with the FF. Then sell one of them after knowing both. Looks like a few on here have done the same running both in parallel. It means tapping into cash reserves for a period but feel safe I won’t lose money on the trophy if I come to sell. I’ll keep an eye out on here and Facebook group for what comes up and if prices are just too high then just have to bin the idea off and accept that this ship has sailed.
Cheers all great to tap into some experienced views.