Associated Forum Post URL's ...

A list of posts which relate to information in this article and put some of the details into context ...

Window Etchings
Discussion on buying queries
Asking for Buying Advice
Plaque Information
More Plaque Information
Yet More Plaque Information
Discussion on Changing to a Vee

Associated Internet Articles ...

A small selection of reviews from the Internet ...

Timesonline Buyers Guide
Timesonline Review by Jeremy Clarkson
Carkey Road Test
Automobile Review
Autoexpress Review
EVO Review
TopGear Review and Footage 'Clarksons Top 10'

Technical Specification Articles ...

Some technical specs from the Internet ...

Renault Clio V6 Technical Specifications

Buying From A Dealer (may have some relevance to private also)...

Motor dealers obviously seem to have different ways of dealing with car sales ...

Some fettle the cars, sort all the issues out and make them presentable before offering them for sale - possibly at a premium price ... This is probably more common at main dealers, specialist or reputable dealers who rely on customer service and who have a narrorer range of cars ... In these cases you probably get the best feel for a car and don't they always look shiny ...

Some seem to offer cars for sale with little or no work done and expect the buyer to pick up on things which need doing and perhaps fall into the trap of not knowing what to look for. This can be the case for specialist cars where the dealer has no knowledge or the repairs may be expensive or where the car has come in at a high trade in price and the margins are tight ... These situations can be tricky if the buyer doesn't know what he is looking for or the car is a bit of a dog. Warranties on these cars becomes quite critical ... You can sometimes get a bargain if you know what to look for and costs to put things right but you can also get a 'pig-n-a-poke' ... You may have to beware of shiny example of these cars so we are thankful of them often not being presented in a valeted form ...

There of course is the in-between ...

Finally there is the 'trade-in' scenario which usually fits into a 'sold as seen' take it as it is at a cheaper price situation, Vees are rare in this category and still don't tend to be cheap - one had been on this forum ... I wonder where it is now ???

Essentially with any purchase especially cars and in the case of the Vee you have to get your ducks in a row and do the research into reliability and what goes wrong to know what you are looking for and be prepared to walk away.

Insurance

Apologies for stating the obvious but it won't be cheap ... (Need some information in here)

• Shop around, local brokers can sometimes give you a good deal.
• Elephant have provided some good quotes for people - this is not a recommendation by the way just an observation.
• Specialist brokers are not always the best.
• Do not insure 3rd Party.
• Repairs are VERY expensive so use a reputable company who won't try and wriggle out of responsibility, poor valuations or poor quality repairers.
• The more secure your car in terms of anti-theft, Tracker and garaging etc. the more likely you are to get a cheaper quote.
• Many owners have teh Vee as a second car so consider 2 car or family policies and mirrored no-claims deals.
• Age and the postcode lottery will have an impact so check this out also.
• Limited mileage policies can be cheaper.

Legal Protection & Warranties

With dealers you do get some legal protection (needs confirmation) and the option of warranties, private sales tend to be void of legal protection so again be careful. With private sales it os often more about determining the honesty and integrity of the owner and the enthusiasm and knowledge they have for the car.

Beware of warranties though as there is some weight of opinion that they are used as selling tools rather than for the benefit of the buyer. Check the small print and what is covered or not, the value of the claims you can make and any conditions which may or may not apply. Also make sure that the vihicle qualifies for the warranty at the point of purchase i.e. that the servicing is up-to-date and meets the warranty conditions, also the mileage thresholds etc.

As mentioned in the lists below, always do a HPI check as this also gives you useful information about the history of the car in terms of insurance issues and outstanding finance and offers you some protection if the information proves to be incorrect.

Tracker & Anti-theft

Car theft has been quite a common thing over the last 10-15 years or so and there are various anti-theft devices which can be fitted to cars and the Vee.

With regards to a Tracker, if the Vee was a UK supplied car from new, then it should have a tracker and the appropriate paper work that goes with it. If it was a non UK supplied car, then unless the previous owner/s have had an aftermarket tracker fitted, then no Tracker will have been fitted when new. It may have been done so by a subsequent owner, but this is unlikely due to cost.

UK Vees (not sure about import ones) are fitted with a Thatcham Categopry 1 alarm and imobiliser system (need to fully confirm this). UK supplied cars were all supplied with etched glass also (upto around September/October 2005).

The serial number information is located in 3 places ...

• In the entry of door right-sided, on the foot medium and visible open door.
• You can see it at the bottom of the window.
• Engraving of Number on the cross-piece before right seat, under the fitted carpet which has a pre-cutting: most important because related to the shell and very difficult to falsify.

Plaques

This information may need to be confirmed ...

• All UK supplied cars were fitted with a plaque in the UK.
• Some UK cars which were used for official duties i.e. press cars and safety cars, did not have a plaque.
• Imported cars do not typically have a plaque.

The following is reproduced as a quote from Jeremy Townsend of Renault

'The factory plates were all metal, both for the 230s and the 255s. However, for both versions that plates were changed when the cars came to the UK so that the genuine UK cars had a specific number.

The UK 230s were numbered in order of the person's position on the waiting list. As some people who ordered the car dropped out before taking delivery, the numbers aren't in sequential order. These replacement plates were metal and replaced the original number.

For the UK 255s, the numbering was done in order of arrival in the UK from the factory, therefore they are in sequential order for these. The replacement plates for these were in plastic.'

Important Considerations ...

• Carry out an HPI or Autodata check to determine if there is any record of accident damage or outstanding finance.
• Accident damage. There are a number of CAT D write-off cars due to the excessive cost of repairs. These are quite acceptable cars providing they have been repaired properly, expect to pay less for a CAT D car.
• Expect stone chips/scuffs, or the front end to have been resprayed.
• Check for tyre wear ... even wear is expeced on the rear whilst on the front inside edge wear is common due to camber settings. Tyre wear can indicate suspension damage or mis-alignment of tracking, which is actually quite common so make sure you can determine which it is.
• Cambelt on Mk1s. This is because the belt needs changing every 5 years or 72k miles and many Mk1's are at the 5 year age mark.
• Check for wheel damage, scuffing and flaking laquer - as this may require a wheel respray to protect the VERY expensive wheels.
• Check for service history, ideally Renault.

Simple Checks ...

• Check for fully working electrical systems.
• Check for working radio - ensure the code is available.
• Check for CD autochanger cartridge (under the passenger seat).
• Check for the locking wheel nut key.

More Comprehensive Check List (some of which are covered above) ...

• HPI check
• Service history and tieing in with mileage, HPI and MOT records ...
• v5 chassis number and if possible engine number validation ...
• Receipts for any work done in the past etc ...
• General chit chat with the owner to determine enthusiasm level and honesty ...
• Accident damage - lots of signs to pick up on here ...
• Expensive consumable items - tyres and exhaust etc ...
• Clutch wear and operation - biting point and feel ...
• Gearbox feel, smoothness of changing, notchiness on down-shifts etc ...
• Engine responsiveness, smoke on idle, oil colour and levels etc ...
• General external and interior condition - can tell you about the owner ...
• Suspension knocking and noises while driving ...
• Car pulling to one side or the other when driving - can indicate tracking, damage etc ...
• General handling ...
• Electrical - all working and operational ...
• Dash board warning lights and initialisation when ignition is started (sometimes diagnistic warning lights dont work or are removed !!)
• Diagnostics which are possible on many cars (check Knowledgebase for the Vee) or borrow an OBDII reader if the owner will let you use it ... Here is a simple diagnostic article Reading Engine Diagnostic Codes
• Air conditioning - working ...
• Brakes operation and stopping power ...
• Brake disk condition and pad wear (easy to see on the Vee through the wheels) ...
• Pipe corrosion and leaks (rear of the Vee underneath - common issue)