what to do? opinions please

[TNT Tricky Nicky]

afternoon peeps,

right this is my dilemma, i currently own a 1988 5 gt turbo and a 2003 clio 172 cup.

recently had a half arsed attempt to sell the clio, put it on piston heads, had a bit of interest but no takers. this i didn't mind as i knew i wouldn't get a car as good to replace it, the replacement would have to be a "52" plate as i have a private plate. The clio is in better than average condition, 56k on the clocks with fsh.

the idea behind selling it would be to get a car that is cheaper to run, tax and insure and maybe a couple of £k back in the bank.

The 5 hasn't been on the road for a long time, it's undergoing a bit of a restoration/rust treatment by myself (very slowly ). it owes me nothing and cost me nothing just sitting there, waiting to be loved again.

now what is best, should i scrap the 5 as it's gonna cost me about 3.5k to do what i want, keep the cup and do the 225 conversion, change suspension and make that my project or carry on with the 5?

i've not got the monies to do this all in one go so it's as and when i have the money to spend, also the cup is my daily so can not have it off the road for prolonged periods of time.

if i go along the 225 route it won't be for another 3 years as that is when the cam belt needs doing again, but i would be changing the suspension and making the most out of the car until i need more power

or do i stick with the 5, finish it and hope that in 3 years i can sell it for the money i've put in it to get it done, an investment if you will?

sorry for the essay but this is keeping awake at nights now, do i listen to my heart and keep with the 5 or use my broken head and make the wrong decision?

what would you do?

[philg]

Either car is going to loose you cash, simple. I tend to go with my gut feeling on most things in life.

If it were me i would restore the gt, 172s are never going to attract attention like a gt, even in 15 years.

Nice 52 plate diesel vectra or something and build the gt

I have put in 9-10 month on my gt rebuilding so also factor in the time it may take, thats just my opinion.

[TNT Tricky Nicky]

indeed which ever way i go i will lose money.

the thing which i'm worried about is i spent £3000+ on sorting the bodywork about 5 years ago, now the car is in a worse state then before i got it sorted so i'm back to square -1.

i really want to keep the gtt forever as it has a sentimental value but i kno it won't last that long so where do i draw the line?

the clio should last me longer and i think it really is under rated but then i could end up throwing endless amount at that as well!

[jesus in the seat of a 5]

nick, i just sold my clio172...id never sell my 5`s..., seriously though as good ole phil says buy yourself a low tax bracket diesel for the commute etc and sort the 5 and enjoy the driving of it , as and when ya like and when youre getting it to the standard you wish, with all the help on here with advice and actual favours i bet you could save money too.., i dont miss the clio one bit but id miss the 5`s so much it would be unhealthy.. "you know it makes sense rodders!"

[philg]

re shell it with a campus, and spend the 3k on other things


Where has it gone bad again?

[TNT Tricky Nicky]

sorry but i'm gonna be a weirdo and say if i reshell it, it won't be my car.

well, the front end consists of turrets and chassis legs. cills need work so would do the whole thing both sides (already got 2 replacements). would replace the boot lid, maybe doors. other than that just surface rust here and there

[TNT Tricky Nicky]

oh and it will need a full respray, mainly due to the numpty who changed the windscreen and scrapped the paint off the surround so it needs the roof spraying. personally i think the paint wasn't applied correctly as there isn't a panel that hasnt got rust or a scrap

[jimmy_b]

sounds like yours needs what mine has just been through. it will be well worth it in the end and like you said the 5 has sentimental value. i would either keep the clio or sell it to me and just do the 5 as and when you can to keep the cost down.

how comes it needs 3k on bodywork? ive been quoted 1500-1600 for my full respray inc new doors

[djinuk]

my personal advice.. send this geezer some photos for a quote. Hes based in the midlands (burton to be exact) however his work is fantastic, no cut corners, and im just down the road and always popping in so will be happy to take pics (status updates)

tym refinishers 07812 540730.. tell him dj sent you and you want a good quote

[5alldaway]

id personally sell the clio and go and buy a toyota aygo

£40 a year tax

60+mpg

group 1 insurance

and if you get itchy feet for another clio then buy another in a few years time, they aint exactly expensive these days, you can pick up 172s for not much over 2k

[Mr Raider]

Bit of difficult one to call really fella, need a reliable dailydriver for work etc and the clio cup ticks the boxes, just running costs could be lower and money in bank is always handy. Hold onto the 5gt as it has sentimental value and think you know if you got rid you would defo regret it, just a case of slowly getting it sorted when ya can, and as long as she's solid and half tidy then jobsa good'un. Love my clio cup, although if it was a choice between that or the raider had to go, reckon it would be the clio cup as defo more attached to the raider after nearly 7 years and cups are readily available. Gonna do my best to keep what ive got, but now got a lil'un probably wont be easy, decisions... decisions...

[TNT Tricky Nicky]

matt, cheers for the input, you're right, it does makes sense

dj, cheers, he looks like he's done a great job on yours, really is a case of finding a good body shop which you can trust. i thought i had but it's only after time you can tell the real quality. i may take you up on the offer

alex, sound advise, thanks, i was thinking more along the lines of a fiesta zetec s tdci but then i'm not gonna get much back from selling the clio, but it's swings and round abouts! i could pick another clio up but i worry it won't be as nice as mine, but i guess then i could justify modifying it

karl, congratulations again, i see a photo, she's beautiful (Liz's words ). i'll probably see if i can keep them both, as well. we'll see

james, that's what i'll do but if someone offered me the money for the clio i'd let it go. yes, it's looking like the same sort of thing you went through so i guess you understand where i'm coming from.

it's not 3.5k on just body work, that's including new suspension, engine rebuild and interior. i've been doing it in stages since i've owned the car and never got it all done.

first i sorted out the engine, then the body work and wanted to tidy up the bodywork but blew the engine so had to get a replacement and interior never got finished, now i'm back on bodywork. will it ever get finished

if anybody is interested i'm going to start a project thread so you can see the state it's in now and how slowing i'm progressing it with

[TNT Tricky Nicky]

Incase you've not seen I've started the project thread, I would put a link in but I don't kno how

[royz]

tricky this is the link
https://www.rtoc.org/boards/showthread.php?t=17990

[TNT Tricky Nicky]

thanks roy