Hi there - after a very very long sales process, I am from last Wednesday the proud owner of Trophy #478.
The register has more details, but quick summary is got the car, found a number of issues I should have spotted myself - the dealer agreed to take them on and the whole thing took 7 weeks.
I paid a little over market price, but also got a very generous p/x on a car that would have taken ages to sell, so overall decent deal. The 7 week wait was maddening, but the car has new cambelt, new aux belt, plugs, leads, coil pack, TPS sensor and throttle body as part of the work done by the dealer, plus he put new Yoko AD08Rs on as well - plus added an additional 6 month warranty. All in all, happy.
It's good bodywork wise, but has had a couple of whacks and needs tidying. Going to keep a track of gradual upgrades here if OK with you lot!
Mods on the car as purchased are:
1. Janspeed exhaust, looks like put on by a previous owner T7PHY
2. Wiper stalk upgrade
So far changes made are:
1. New Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades (excellent, and worth the money IMO)
2. Replacement gearknob cover plate, as original faded.
In progress (ordered or booked)
1. Contacted SNAPPY for a much needed wheel refurb
2. Wheels booked in for a restoration at the excellent DMC in Newbury. Brake calipers to be painted (black or grey, not red) at the same time.
3. Interior detail booked in at DMC
4. Shock refurb booked at BG Motorsports for Friday 31st. Going to get the struts painted too
5. Replacement Parrot CK3000 contol unit ordered (current one missing a button, which annoys me)
6. Headlight refurb kit arrived Saturday, to be done when the rain stops
7. Tasteful little "Clio Trophy #478" sticker ordered from this forum, to go under the Clio badge
To be planned in the near future:
1. KTR induction kit and remap
2. Maybe a replacement for that exhaust, if research says things can be improved by a more premium version
3. Various dings to be sorted. Have used shinesmartrepair in the past, and results have been perfect
4. Driver's door creaks on it's catch, so need to work out why that is
5. Front carbon splitter from KTR. Dealer replaced the missing one, but looks like the Fabia version
6. Alarm beeping once at lock, twice at unlock. That's a bit annoying, but sure it can be changed somehow.
Where next depends on what I want to do with it. Was originally a purchase for a daily driver and fun car to keep miles off my other car (BMW 1M) which is helpfully appreciating, and doesn't need to commute 1.5k miles per month. I'll either restore it to greatness and improve on it (Alcantara interior for example), or will become more of a focused track/hillclimb car so will add some lightness and maybe ITBs in time. Either way - some money is going into it and it'll be much better than it is now!
So far, love the car- but think the shocks badly in need of a refurb are holding it back a little (you can push the offside down easily; drivers side is fine). One immediate question though: All of my previous performance cars have been turbos, this is the first powerful NA car i've had (well, a hilarious V8 Lexus LS400 aside - but hardly counts!) - am very surprised at how the engine feels after 5k when the power comes in, almost feels turbo-like in how it surges. Is this normal, or should things me more progressive through the rev band?
http://thumbsnap.com/SA83TTKh
http://thumbsnap.com/xxLCXBWN
http://thumbsnap.com/PL7V3mrr
The register has more details, but quick summary is got the car, found a number of issues I should have spotted myself - the dealer agreed to take them on and the whole thing took 7 weeks.
I paid a little over market price, but also got a very generous p/x on a car that would have taken ages to sell, so overall decent deal. The 7 week wait was maddening, but the car has new cambelt, new aux belt, plugs, leads, coil pack, TPS sensor and throttle body as part of the work done by the dealer, plus he put new Yoko AD08Rs on as well - plus added an additional 6 month warranty. All in all, happy.
It's good bodywork wise, but has had a couple of whacks and needs tidying. Going to keep a track of gradual upgrades here if OK with you lot!
Mods on the car as purchased are:
1. Janspeed exhaust, looks like put on by a previous owner T7PHY
2. Wiper stalk upgrade
So far changes made are:
1. New Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades (excellent, and worth the money IMO)
2. Replacement gearknob cover plate, as original faded.
In progress (ordered or booked)
1. Contacted SNAPPY for a much needed wheel refurb
2. Wheels booked in for a restoration at the excellent DMC in Newbury. Brake calipers to be painted (black or grey, not red) at the same time.
3. Interior detail booked in at DMC
4. Shock refurb booked at BG Motorsports for Friday 31st. Going to get the struts painted too
5. Replacement Parrot CK3000 contol unit ordered (current one missing a button, which annoys me)
6. Headlight refurb kit arrived Saturday, to be done when the rain stops
7. Tasteful little "Clio Trophy #478" sticker ordered from this forum, to go under the Clio badge
To be planned in the near future:
1. KTR induction kit and remap
2. Maybe a replacement for that exhaust, if research says things can be improved by a more premium version
3. Various dings to be sorted. Have used shinesmartrepair in the past, and results have been perfect
4. Driver's door creaks on it's catch, so need to work out why that is
5. Front carbon splitter from KTR. Dealer replaced the missing one, but looks like the Fabia version
6. Alarm beeping once at lock, twice at unlock. That's a bit annoying, but sure it can be changed somehow.
Where next depends on what I want to do with it. Was originally a purchase for a daily driver and fun car to keep miles off my other car (BMW 1M) which is helpfully appreciating, and doesn't need to commute 1.5k miles per month. I'll either restore it to greatness and improve on it (Alcantara interior for example), or will become more of a focused track/hillclimb car so will add some lightness and maybe ITBs in time. Either way - some money is going into it and it'll be much better than it is now!
So far, love the car- but think the shocks badly in need of a refurb are holding it back a little (you can push the offside down easily; drivers side is fine). One immediate question though: All of my previous performance cars have been turbos, this is the first powerful NA car i've had (well, a hilarious V8 Lexus LS400 aside - but hardly counts!) - am very surprised at how the engine feels after 5k when the power comes in, almost feels turbo-like in how it surges. Is this normal, or should things me more progressive through the rev band?
http://thumbsnap.com/SA83TTKh
http://thumbsnap.com/xxLCXBWN
http://thumbsnap.com/PL7V3mrr
hope you enjoy it, would not bother with an induction kit, just get a uprated filter 
