Mike Rotch's RenaultSport Clio 200T

[axletramp]

Nice one MR. 👍

You guys in Aus really know how to rack those miles/kms up! It's a good indication of the differences in scale when you live in a country measured in 1,000s rather than 100s of miles... and in my case single figures!

 

[1241Penguin]

Awesome car!

If you drive it well, that is, with some mechanical sympathy, it should last you forever (unless the previous owner kept racing BMWs and Ferraris). My old family car, a 1992 Toyota Camry (with a 2.2L, no less), would have lasted a lot longer, had it not been in a car accident.

 

[Mike Rotch]

Thanks guys! I'll pop some news on the mechanic's inspection when it gets to me hopefully early in the week.

Funny you mention Ferraris 1241Pengiun....After I had checked the car out we walked to the salesman's desk out front, by winding through the service area and showroom (it's the largest Honda outlet in Australia apparently). It's a very big complex and on the way, I see what looks like a recessed stacker garage i.e. 3 cars on the bottom and 3 cars above then, accessed by rotating the levels the cars are parked on.

Those car's happen to be the dealership owners private collection - a Diablo Jota, a F430, a R8 V12, a Bentley Continental, a V8 Vantage and a M6. .

You guys in Aus really know how to rack those miles/kms up!

Apparently 20,000km a year on a car is seen as normal - so just over 10,000 per year on this is a bonus. I'm guessing the same applies in the US, but the UK is probably less?

 

[Shaun]

Nice to see you got a car sorted Brad. 👍
Yeah 10,000k a year is next to nothing. Should last a long time yet.

I always thought 30,000 a year was about average for a car here, I could be wrong though. When I used to drive to work I would do 35,000k a year just going to work and back.
A few of the guys I work with do double that for work.

Cheers Shaun.

 

[dhandeh]

As long as he didn't get the 2.2L he should be fine.

I was going to say the same thing!👍

 

[homeforsummer]

Apparently 20,000km a year on a car is seen as normal - so just over 10,000 per year on this is a bonus. I'm guessing the same applies in the US, but the UK is probably less?

UK average varies, but generally accepted to be around 12k miles a year for larger cars, 8-10k miles a year for smaller stuff.

 

[Mike Rotch]

Thanks Shaun 👍

I was going to say the same thing!👍

I got the 3.0, but still curious as to why the 2.2l has a bad rep?

 

[1241Penguin]

Because him.

He disgraced Camry owners. Boo!!!

 

[Moglet]

Thanks Shaun 👍



I got the 3.0, but still curious as to why the 2.2l has a bad rep?

Some noob posted a brilliant thread in The Rumble Strip about racing his 2.2l and beating everything. I believe that's the only reason!
EDIT: Tree'd. Phone browsing.

 

[Mike Rotch]

I gotcha.

 

[Small_Fryz]

Funny innit

 

[TB]

Apparently 20,000km a year on a car is seen as normal - so just over 10,000 per year on this is a bonus. I'm guessing the same applies in the US, but the UK is probably less?

I fully understand that I'm nowhere near normal () but my 2005 Honda Pilot has a staggering 44,000 miles. When we were looking for a vehicle for my wife, we asked one dealer about an '05 Pilot they had on the lot. He looked it up and, rather proudly, announced that it had "very low mileage. Only 136,000!"

I laughed in his face.

 

[E28]

Apparently 20,000km a year on a car is seen as normal - so just over 10,000 per year on this is a bonus. I'm guessing the same applies in the US, but the UK is probably less?

Depends, my Dad for example did 120,000 miles in about 3 and a half years with a company car, and it's quite common to see certain cars quite new but with high mileage.

 

[Dan_]

I've done 65,000km in a year and a half in my car, and I know people who have done almost twice as much. Car is still in pretty good shape, though.

Granted the aroma is mixed with tons of cheddar that I keep dropping at it.

 

[analog]

Granted the aroma is mixed with tons of cheddar that I keep dropping at it.

"Here's your 'new car smell' spraycan, would you like cheese with that?"

 

[Mike Rotch]

Update on mechanic: thumbs up.

'Reckons it all checks out, apart from recommending the dealer replace the dealer replace the front tyres. He said he noticed some oily patches on the car's undertray that might be worth investigating at the next service, but said it was a small enough amount to not stress about now.

Handily, it was a free inspection too, saving me $250. One of the insurance websites had a promotion where they were giving away 800 free inspections. Win.

I'll sort insurance and e-tag's this week and collect it this weekend 👍

 

[TheBook]

If the V6 you got was the same as the V6 we got, that might just be from oil changes that weren't properly cleaned up. When the filter is changed, oil can run down the front of the engine and get all over the place. Just something to think about. 👍 Nice car, too; mileage is even a bit low for the age. Good find.

 

[Sureboss]

e-tags?

 

[Mike Rotch]

If the V6 you got was the same as the V6 we got, that might just be from oil changes that weren't properly cleaned up. When the filter is changed, oil can run down the front of the engine and get all over the place. Just something to think about. 👍 Nice car, too; mileage is even a bit low for the age. Good find.

Thanks for the heads-up on that TheBook- it makes sense and the guy said it looked like old residue 👍

e-tags?

Sydney is blighted by toll roads - one cant drive very far without encountering one and the e-tag just means instead of getting a snotty letter in the post demanding you pay your outstanding toll, its gets added to your monthly account.

Edit: Comprehensive insurance sorted and etags paid for 👍. I phoned the dealer up and he has put two new tyres on the front and also replaced a wheel bearing as he thought it was due. Bonus, he could have just as easily left that and I'd have been none the wiser 👍. Nice one Honda.

 

[Mike Rotch]

Brief update - car collected from dealer this morning.

All went very smoothly, and they didn't faff with paperwork more then they had too. They had replaced the two front tyres with new ones (albeit with locally made brands - still a $200 saving for me), given the inside a nice detail and thrown in a free Honda teddy bear and golf umbrella too. 👍

I sorted out transferring rego too this morning, so after checking fluid levels (all ok), giving the owners manual a once over, throwing in some new car mats and playing around with a few things as chaps do, I took it for its first proper run.

I am really chuffed with it, I must admit. I never thought I'd get excited about a Camry, but as a luxuried up appliance car, its brilliant. There are a few groans going over large humps in the road (suspension bushing I am guessing) and the alignment is slightly out (pulls to the right a bit) but otherwise it's tight as a drum. It fairly picks up its skirt and moves when you give it horns for an overtake, I was pleasantly surprised at how much. I supposed it is 141kw, but I didnt think it would be as enjoyable to use as it is.

Anyway, some pics:

 

[Small_Fryz]

Solid purchase mate 👍

 

[Sharky.]

Is that just your camera's white balance or is the interior really that blue? It almost matches the exterior paintwork!

 

[Mike Rotch]

Nah, that's the camera. It's Toyota grey inside .

 

[SRV2LOW4ME]

Not bad, should be a decent car as long as nothing from its hidden past comes up and bites ya in the butt. 👍

 

[1241Penguin]

When you go vroom vroom, does it scare all the BMWs away?

Edit: Never mind, didn't spot the "V6" badge on the rear.

You should put an exhaust on it! V6 Camrys sound great, like this one I just found off of YouTube:

 

[Mike Rotch]

Update:

So with registration renewal right around the corner, I booked it in for a dealer service to kill two birds with one stone; get the registration inspection done and get the large items replaced (eg timing belt) as they are due anyway, but at least so I know the service history of the car.

Mr dealer man has crushed my budget handsomely though . So far:

1) Rear disks are essentially worn out (rego check fail item)- need replacing
2) Rear control arm bushings are split (rego check fail item) - they cant be replaced, the whole control arm needs replacing with it
3) Leaking power steering pump - replace
4) Alternator belt - replace

This is before they even quote for replacing the timing belt and water pump . So, at the moment its looking like around $3k all up .

On the bright side, the engine itself is solid and gaskets are all good.

I got the car for less then I was expecting to pay, so with all this, it brings it up to what I might have paid for something newer. Free lunch, there is none.

C'est le vie. No car for the weekend to 👎.

 

[Shaun]

3k sounds pretty expensive even if it includes the timing belt. Can you do some of it yourself?

I don't know fully about the NSW rego and car sale rules but wouldn't the dealer have to supplied a roadworthy certificate when you bought the car? If so how did it pass if it was done correctly, assuming the dealer doesn't have a mechanic mate who does them on the sly.

Cheers Shaun.

 

[Mike Rotch]

3k sounds pretty expensive even if it includes the timing belt. Can you do some of it yourself?

I don't know fully about the NSW rego and car sale rules but wouldn't the dealer have to supplied a roadworthy certificate when you bought the car? If so how did it pass if it was done correctly, assuming the dealer doesn't have a mechanic mate who does them on the sly.

Cheers Shaun.

Steering arms x2, fitted = ~$900
Brakes, fitted = ~$200
Steering pump, fitted = ~$700
Timing belt, fitted = ~$800

Plus the other bits n bobs.

The dealer (Honda) where I got it probably got their garage monkeys to pass the rego test, and then they gave it a 3 month rego.

I don't have any tools/ knowledge to do this myself, so that's not an option sadly.

 

[Shaun]

I don't have any tools/ knowledge to do this myself, so that's not an option sadly.

The only thing I pay someone to do is gasfitting, and that's only for insurance purposes.

Don't have any mates who could help out?

Cheers Shaun.

 

[opelgt1969]

Steering arms x2, fitted = ~$900
Brakes, fitted = ~$200
Steering pump, fitted = ~$700
Timing belt, fitted = ~$800

Plus the other bits n bobs.

The dealer (Honda) where I got it probably got their garage monkeys to pass the rego test, and then they gave it a 3 month rego.

I don't have any tools/ knowledge to do this myself, so that's not an option sadly.

I would find someone else to do the work not sure about prices there but this should be more real:

Steering arm 400 max
Brakes max 150 max
Steering pump 200 max
Timing Belt 150 max

Unless the exchange rate is really different than in the USA.