Renault Clio NCT failure - is it worth fixing and re-testing?

Andy From Sligo

wife's renault clio mk2 2003 1.2 16v failed the NCT test the other day (to what she says "spectacularly failed!")

I have scanned the NCT sheet, wondered if anyone has any ideas would it even be worth throwing money at it considered age/mileage .. or would we be better off calling it a day? - not really in a position of buying a new car even by getting a CU loan and definately not eligible for a bank loan so it would have to be another old banger again if this clio is not wort repairing

Andy From Sligo

thanks - I forgot to add the scan eejit that i am

Interslice

Doesn't look too bad. New wishbones will sort the ball joint. Tie rods ends need replaced so wheel alignment will be needed anyway. Brakes might just need to be bled.

All the work at the front end so that not a big job. Labour shouldnt be massive.

Should be able to get it sorted for 250 euro. Car will be 100% nicer to drive afterwards.

Andy From Sligo

Interslice wrote: »

Doesn't look too bad. New wishbones will sort the ball joint. Tie rods ends need replaced so wheel alignment will be needed anyway. Brakes might just need to be bled.

All the work at the front end so that not a big job. Labour shouldnt be massive.

Should be able to get it sorted for 250 euro. Car will be 100% nicer to drive afterwards.

oh right , thanks for your input thats interesting then - forgot to add the car needs 3 tyres @70eur a piece as well - €210 so we are up to nearly 500quid and she has seen a 2002 Clio for 700eur or near offer .. NCT up to feb 2019 on that one and they said 4 good tyres and good running car .. hard to know what to do

Interslice

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

oh right , thanks for your input thats interesting then - forgot to add the car needs 3 tyres @70eur a piece as well - €210 so we are up to nearly 500quid and she has seen a 2002 Clio for 700eur or near offer .. NCT up to feb 2019 on that one and they said 4 good tyres and good running car .. hard to know what to do

Wouldnt buy another clio if money is tight. Extra tax and insurance on the 1.2 compared to a 1 litre plus theyre not the most reliable.

jhud

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

oh right , thanks for your input thats interesting then - forgot to add the car needs 3 tyres @70eur a piece as well - €210 so we are up to nearly 500quid and she has seen a 2002 Clio for 700eur or near offer .. NCT up to feb 2019 on that one and they said 4 good tyres and good running car .. hard to know what to do

I wouldn't buy another clio as the insurance will be loaded as its old car and you would need to have owned it for a year or more for the loading not to apply plus having to tax it and anything else that needs doing for next nct could be in worse state then your current one.

Tyres price you have seems a lot what size tyres are on the car? For €70 what brand where they giving you as i would expect a premium tyre for this mid range tyres should be better price.

Toyotafanboi

Am I looking at the same list as the rest of you? Front suspension imbalance, front and rear brake imbalance, numerous suspension issues.

You'll want 2x front shocks, at least 1x front brake caliper (possibly front pads and discs), rear brake shoes and cylinders, 2x complete front wishbones, a set of track rod ends, 3 tyres and a 4 wheel alignment.

The car is a write off IMO. You've easily got the guts of €500 In parts there before any labour even if you buy bargain basement stuff. Buy another bangernomics yoke with a years test and move on.

Andy From Sligo

jhud wrote: »

I wouldn't buy another clio as the insurance will be loaded as its old car and you would need to have owned it for a year or more for the loading not to apply plus having to tax it and anything else that needs doing for next nct could be in worse state then your current one.

Tyres price you have seems a lot what size tyres are on the car? For €70 what brand where they giving you as i would expect a premium tyre for this mid range tyres should be better price.

185 55 x15 i think - they alloy wheels on this clio, as they are on most if not all of the clio's mk2 i think. most probably buy them cheaper online

Andy From Sligo

just got word back from her, she just asked a mechanic and has said same - needs 2 front shockers at 80eur each , bushes arent a bad price, he dont know about brakes until he had wheels off but said about calipers/pads .. so yeah best part of 500 quid to fix and he said the car isnt worth it (thank god for his honesty others would just be thinking about how much they could make rather than being honest)

jhud

Just get insurance quote if getting an older car as they may load it and it may cost more then you think. Good luck with your decision its a hard one

Under His Eye

I would say fix the car and keep it.

ei9go

If you spend 500 and get another year or two out of it, it's cheap motoring

Andy From Sligo

trying to be optimistic but its hard - its 2003 , and even after getting all that done it could cost over 500 quid .... and then something major could still go and need fixing and then still need scrapping we caught between a rock and hard place cant afford to get a loan on a new car so it might have to be old car yet again but could be buying worse than what we got - its tough, just another one of those things when you need a reliable car but havent got thousands of expendable cash in the bank. - i suppose we will have to do what thousands of other people do in our circumstance ... keep the car and keep our fingers crossed or second option buy another banger with a few months NCT on it .. and keep our fingers crossed!
third option sell a kidney

Andy From Sligo

re front shock absorbers that have failed , the wife has pulled up in the car and i done my own (not very scientific) test on the front shockers - on each side, one hand on top of the wing, one hand under the wheel arch and shook like mad! - absolutely rock solid and didnt carry on bouncing, I cant argue with an NCT machine that costs thousands I suppose but still.

also when i used to fit tyres and exhausts years ago (over 30 years now mind you) when shocks had gone there where spots of bald areas on the tyres.. but the wifes tire is just worn on one side the rest full of tread , which more likely due to the track rod/tie rod end bushes being worn - but shocks, naw they feel absolutely rock solid on her car

Andy From Sligo

when cars are put in through the NCT test does all this shaking what the test equipment do to the cars and the shaking the NCT inspectors do to it and pulling the steering wheel fiercely what damage could it cause thats what i am wondering they are pretty fierce with them even on the old motor's

my wife is convinced that there is a knock now when she turns the steering that wasnt there before the NCT test

The machines in NCT are less taxing than Irish roads, for example from Rathangan to Edenderry. I was following a newish Audi on motorbike and though it was odd observing an Audi driver under the speed limit. Just after overtaking him I hit the boreen bit and the bike was literally in the air at times driving at 80 km/h. NCT could well use that road for spotting bad suspension.

rex-x

The nct is very gentle compared to the roads. Anything damaged during it was already dead and unfortunately your shock test and bald tyre hypothesis doesn't work in reality

Andy From Sligo

samih wrote: »

The machines in NCT are less taxing than Irish roads, for example from Rathangan to Edenderry. I was following a newish Audi on motorbike and though it was odd observing an Audi driver under the speed limit. Just after overtaking him I hit the boreen bit and the bike was literally in the air at times driving at 80 km/h. NCT could well use that road for spotting bad suspension.

i've never thought about that before actually, do motorbikes have to have tests like the nct? - i'm just thinking like they would still need to be checked for road worthiness surely? re brakes and tyres etc?

Under His Eye

Nope. They are exempt. The only tests that happen is if an insurance company wanted an inspection prior to providing insurance cover.

Stallingrad

I'd get it fixed OP. You could drop a couple of grand on another car that might have the same or worse issues. Nothing there is major (engine/gearbox) just wear and tear so once fixed should be good for a year or two at least. The Clio has always been a good car.

endacl

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

when cars are put in through the NCT test does all this shaking what the test equipment do to the cars and the shaking the NCT inspectors do to it and pulling the steering wheel fiercely what damage could it cause thats what i am wondering they are pretty fierce with them even on the old motor's

my wife is convinced that there is a knock now when she turns the steering that wasnt there before the NCT test

If your car can’t handle the NCT, west of Ireland roads probably isn’t the place for it.

Put a bullet in the Clio. It’d be a kindness.

Interslice

Stallingrad wrote: »

I'd get it fixed OP. You could drop a couple of grand on another car that might have the same or worse issues. Nothing there is major (engine/gearbox) just wear and tear so once fixed should be good for a year or two at least. The Clio has always been a good car.

Agree. Emissions look good.
Once the engine box and chassis are sound, Id spend the 500 on the devil I know rather than 1500 on the devil i dont.

Toyotafanboi

I think the devil you know arguement is true of a car worth a couple of grand, say €2-5k or so. I think when the value of a comparable car with a new NCT is less than or equal to repairs, you may as well jump ship and treat them as disposable cars. Buy it for €6-700, drive until the years test is up, scrap it, rinse and repeat.

Andy From Sligo

Stallingrad wrote: »

I'd get it fixed OP. You could drop a couple of grand on another car that might have the same or worse issues. Nothing there is major (engine/gearbox) just wear and tear so once fixed should be good for a year or two at least. The Clio has always been a good car.

we in no financial position to shell out a couple of grand on another car at the moment, and cannot get a loan for a brand new car either - stuck between rock and hard place.

2 ways out I can see is throw money at this one and fix it and send it to retest which i personally wouldnt look forward to just in case they find something else wrong with it on retest .... or spend 500quid on another banger but with some nct left on it until feb/march 2019 if possible ... but i keep going though phases of changing mind but i think thats the way we might go ... i hate putting cars through the test, especially old cars, so if we can get another one for a few hundred with a test already on it, it appeals to me personally better than sending this one for the re-test... thats my frame of mind at this present moment

Patrick2010

I was in a similar position, looking at 500 plus repairs on an 01 honda. Ended up buying a one owner avensis with NCT until June 2019 and seven months tax for 500 euro. Theres bargains out there if you look for them.

Andy From Sligo

Patrick2010 wrote: »

I was in a similar position, looking at 500 plus repairs on an 01 honda. Ended up buying a one owner avensis with NCT until June 2019 and seven months tax for 500 euro. Theres bargains out there if you look for them.

and if your anywhere near to Dublin etc where the cars are cheaper/better value/ driven on better roads (by better drivers- maybe?)...

almostover

You need to assess the rest of your car before making a decision. From the NCT sheet your engine appears to be very healthy. If the gearbox and clutch are good too I would say stick with your own car and get it repaired. €500 will get you a year's NCT and a year's motoring which is cheap. A new car bought for 6-700 quid with 8 months NCT may need €500 worth of work in a year's time. This €500 on your own car could be a new lease of life and keep it on the road another few years. Plus there will be big hassle and expense involve in getting insurance on another older car. If you get the work done your car will be more or less brand new at the front and would have plenty of rubber under it too. The devil you know is often better than the devil you don't know!

Andy From Sligo

almostover wrote: »

You need to assess the rest of your car before making a decision. From the NCT sheet your engine appears to be very healthy. If the gearbox and clutch are good too I would say stick with your own car and get it repaired. €500 will get you a year's NCT and a year's motoring which is cheap. A new car bought for 6-700 quid with 8 months NCT may need €500 worth of work in a year's time. This €500 on your own car could be a new lease of life and keep it on the road another few years. Plus there will be big hassle and expense involve in getting insurance on another older car. If you get the work done your car will be more or less brand new at the front and would have plenty of rubber under it too. The devil you know is often better than the devil you don't know!

thanks i will factor that in - i must admit i was impressed it passed on the emissions, that was good and sometimes i think can smell unburnt fuel so i was surprised i must say - so its around 500eur for parts, and labour, 26eur retest fee, and then 3 tyres i would say it needs at 70 a pop locally but might be able them cheaper online

Did you spend much money putting in through in previous years?

If not, I would be inclined to stick with it. Assuming you don't do crazy miles, you should not have the same issues next year.

So looking at it over a few years, e500 could be cheap enough on a yearly basis.

Andy From Sligo

salonfire wrote: »

Did you spend much money putting in through in previous years?

If not, I would be inclined to stick with it. Assuming you don't do crazy miles, you should not have the same issues next year.

So looking at it over a few years, e500 could be cheap enough on a yearly basis.

this is first test we have put it through, bought it for 550 last august I think it were, of course the guy (who screamed some kind of dealer to us , even though he was trying to make out it was his sons car) said "it will pass with flying colours next test no problem at all!"

kermitpwee

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

this is first test we have put it through, bought it for 550 last august I think it were, of course the guy (who screamed some kind of dealer to us , even though he was trying to make out it was his sons car) said "it will pass with flying colours next test no problem at all!"

If it was mine i wouldn't get 2 new shocks.i would get one strut out of a breakers and get your mechanic to put it in. It will in all probability pass as you are @ 58mm on the other shock.
Tyres i would get part worn or breakers @ 30 a pop. This won't suit the motor heads here but it's how you run a banger on a budget.

Andy From Sligo

kermitpwee wrote: »

If it was mine i wouldn't get 2 new shocks.i would get one strut out of a breakers and get your mechanic to put it in. It will in all probability pass as you are @ 58mm on the other shock.
Tyres i would get part worn or breakers @ 30 a pop. This won't suit the motor heads here but it's how you run a banger on a budget.

and then what about the brakes then , they would have to be done as well - i wonder whats wrong with them. - to me I am pretty impressed at how the car brakes ... but the NCT machines say different , mind you as someone said earlier on in the thread maybe all they need is bleeding

kermitpwee

Well get him to look at the brakes, perhaps it's not a big job.
I understand money is tight but you nearly have the car 12 months. It cost you 550 to buy. I am presuming it hasn't previously needed any repairs in the time you have had it.
550 euro for a years motoring is so cheap tbh. It's hard to beat that tbh.
Spending 5-700 on the car to get a years Nct is the same as buying a car for 5-700 with a yrs test but you have less risk with your own car.
You know the gearbox and engine are fine. Even if it does have a problem in the future a new car could as well.
People say your car is a write off. Realistically there is not a lot wrong with it. It's wear and tear.
Talk to your mechanic and explain you need it tested in the most cost effective way. He may have cheaper suggestions.

Andy From Sligo

kermitpwee wrote: »

Well get him to look at the brakes, perhaps it's not a big job.
I understand money is tight but you nearly have the car 12 months. It cost you 550 to buy. I am presuming it hasn't previously needed any repairs in the time you have had it.
550 euro for a years motoring is so cheap tbh. It's hard to beat that tbh.
Spending 5-700 on the car to get a years Nct is the same as buying a car for 5-700 with a yrs test but you have less risk with your own car.
You know the gearbox and engine are fine. Even if it does have a problem in the future a new car could as well.
People say your car is a write off. Realistically there is not a lot wrong with it. It's wear and tear.
Talk to your mechanic and explain you need it tested in the most cost effective way. He may have cheaper suggestions.

well, nothing too major - rear wheel bearing about a month ago - new plugs air filter when we first got car and had to get a front lambda sensor.

our mechanic reckons he dont know what is involved until he digs in, but after looking at NCT sheet and the age of the car reckoned it wasnt worth it (but i think he hates renault anyway because a friend of ours had a renault megane and he said to her renaults are a pile of crap and hard to work on)

jhud

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

well, nothing too major - rear wheel bearing about a month ago - new plugs air filter when we first got car and had to get a front lambda sensor.

our mechanic reckons he dont know what is involved until he digs in, but after looking at NCT sheet and the age of the car reckoned it wasnt worth it (but i think he hates renault anyway because a friend of ours had a renault megane and he said to her renaults are a pile of crap and hard to work on)

Yes most mechanics dont like renault as they cram lots of things into small space and its takes longer to do the jobs. That with some issues they find hard to diagnose without the correct knowledge or diagnostic equipment.

bluelamp

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-yaris-03/19263726

I'd scrap the Clio and buy something like this OP. Lower mileage, a years test, over 100 quid less a year on tax than the clio.

The yaris is about as reliable as you can get in an older car, you'd probably pick that one up for 800 quid - just check your insurance is alright with the age of it.

Andy From Sligo

jhud wrote: »

Yes most mechanics dont like renault as they cram lots of things into small space and its takes longer to do the jobs. That with some issues they find hard to diagnose without the correct knowledge or diagnostic equipment.

im not a fan in some ways - i mean, i like the fact the clios its 4cylinder engine, got a decent size boot for a mini hatchback , find it has a good turning circle , good to park , i like the little added extra's like the interior light turning off a minute after getting in closing the doors, the rear wiper coming on automatically when reversing in the rain , the front windscreen wipers getting faster as you drive , the onbaord computer ... but then again I am into gadgety things , and there are not too many cars of around the 2003 mark with those features on.

But the things I have found a pain to do on this particular car at the moment is:

taking out the whole complete dashboard just to replace 2 bulbs that light up the centre console info panel with the time/outside temp display

Getting to the lambda sensor to replace it (was tight to get to)

Replacing bulbs in the headlights (its tight)

Taking off the whole plastic inlet manifold just to get to the throttle body to clean it

havent done it , but if i had to, having to remove whole front bumper just to replace a headlight

Spark plugs tucked right down into the engine (had to buy a special bar and long reach socket

Having to tighten up front seat mounting bolts from underneath the car

the seal for the ECU plug is deteriorated on ours and had been letting in water into the conector - and instead of renault placing the connectors for the ECU at the bottom they put them right under the bonnet at the back of the inlet manifold so water runs off bonnet right onto the ECU connectors (especially if the box is missing abovethe ECU connectors when 9 times out of 10 they are missing because they chaffed the ecu wiring)

I am sure looking at the car there are other things a pain to do on this car and not straight forward ... but I still like the Clio 2 at the end of the day.

Every car needs servicing and tyres and unfortunately a 500 yoyo car is not an exception. At the same time the whole cost the same as many people pay for their car finance per month and even after spending 1000 in total you are still winning by about 5000 and after successful year two this has risen to maybe 10500.

The issues your car have are routine for an older car. Don't go to change the vehicle, just fix it. Maybe even learn to do some jobs yourself to save money.

Andy From Sligo

samih wrote: »

Every car needs servicing and tyres and unfortunately a 500 yoyo car is not an exception. At the same time the whole cost the same as many people pay for their car finance per month and even after spending 1000 in total you are still winning by about 5000 and after successful year two this has risen to maybe 10500.

The issues your car have are routine for an older car. Don't go to change the vehicle, just fix it. Maybe even learn to do some jobs yourself to save money.

i love trying to fix things myself first - i'm only a tinkerer though, haven't got the correct tools most of the time . if something too big a job , or looks like its too rusted/seized (which it normally is on these old cars) then i dont attempt it and leave it to our mechanic.

I have replaced lambda sensor on it and i have had the inlet manifold off a couple of times on it and changed the oil and plugs myself

i in no way would attempt to replace the struts and bushes myself which is a shame ... I might be very tempted if i had trolley jacks , axle stands, coil spring compressors, bearing pullers, correct spanners/sockets etc and if the bolts and all that wasnt seized / rusty

pearcider

I wouldn't bother OP. French cars are scrap. Get a Ford or a Toyota and move on.

Andy From Sligo

pearcider wrote: »

I wouldn't bother OP. French cars are scrap. Get a Ford or a Toyota and move on.

what do you reckon to Ford Fiesta 2002/3 vintage?

pearcider

To be honest, You should get a 2007 Ford Fiesta or Focus for 600 or 700. The Japanese cars have a bit of a premium for some reason so it would be Ford all day for me on that budget. Just put the alerts up on done deal. You'll get something decent for 700.

Andy From Sligo

pearcider wrote: »

To be honest, You should get a 2007 Ford Fiesta or Focus for 600 or 700. The Japanese cars have a bit of a premium for some reason so it would be Ford all day for me on that budget. Just put the alerts up on done deal. You'll get something decent for 700.

seriously ? - a 2007 year motor for 700euro? with NCT? - that doesnt seem possible... but I will have a look

Andy From Sligo

Just an update as to where we are now. We went to see a year 2002 Clio 2 1.2 8v yesterday for 500euro and its NCT'd until feb 2019 ... so that gives us a bit of breathing space to think what we are going to do when next feb is up (maybe will win the lotto by then LOL) -

our present insurer will insure the car ... just be an extra charge of 20-30eur on top of our normal insurance per year.

so for our sins , and even though our present clio has had its fair share of problems we are still going for another one! - must be mad!

Present Car 2003 Renault Clio 2:

1.2ltr 16v

5 door

handbrake only has about 3 clicks and its applied

NCT out

On-Board Computer

needed 3 tyres

Alloy wheels - low profile tyres are expensive for it



Car we getting 2002 Renault Clio 2:

1.2ltr 8v (seems quieter running/idling ... but a bit less responsive than our 16v)

5 Door

Handbrake has lots of clicks (most probably just needs adjustment hopefully, but does hold the rear wheels tight when its applied)

NCT until FEB 2019

No onboard computer - shame

Electric sunroof (great i love cars with sunroofs especially in this warmth ... except for it doesnt work/open and never worked for present owner)

4 good tyres with lot of tread left

steel wheels - (replacement tyres should be cheaper for it)

bonnet badly chipped and surface rust (lets the appearance down because rest of car paintwork not bad on the car , maybe I will pick up a bonnet from scrappy cheap enough one day?)

TallGlass

Under His Eye wrote: »

Nope. They are exempt. The only tests that happen is if an insurance company wanted an inspection prior to providing insurance cover.

As much as I detest the NCT, it isn't the worst service. I used to get offended when my car failed for some reason or another. Mainly I think it was cause I used to try find faults and pass it on the first go. Now I don't bother just run it thru as is, if the car is bollixed then it's bollixed. Have no problem with it since I took this approach.



I would happily pay for one for the bike, to know of any issues that might be there and most importantly is it roadworthy.


I suppose the NCT on a motorcycle is yourself, if the bike is not up to scratch you'll come off it and maybe pay with your life.


In the UK there are MOT's for motorcycles.

Andy From Sligo

TallGlass wrote: »

As much as I detest the NCT, it isn't the worst service. I used to get offended when my car failed for some reason or another. Mainly I think it was cause I used to try find faults and pass it on the first go. Now I don't bother just run it thru as is, if the car is bollixed then it's bollixed. Have no problem with it since I took this approach.



I would happily pay for one for the bike, to know of any issues that might be there and most importantly is it roadworthy.


I suppose the NCT on a motorcycle is yourself, if the bike is not up to scratch you'll come off it and maybe pay with your life.


In the UK there are MOT's for motorcycles.

I can see good points/argument for NCT on motorbikes - check tyre tread, Check brakes are working as should, check lights are all working as should, check shock absorbers, check speedo, check welding on bike frame, check for rust ect .. am sure there are more roadworthy checks could be done on them too to make sure they are safe .. oh and independant check as well, sure you could say its in the interest of the bike rider to check the bike themselves for road worthyness but just like if you did that to a car owner and left them to check/remedy faults themselves they can be lapsydaisycal about getting round to it / fixing it

noelf

My daughter has a 03 Clio 8V has been very reliable over the years . First job I had done on it was to replace timing belt mechanic showed me the state of it .. well cracked . We had the front brakes refurbished next after another year the rear brakes were sorted . It failed the NCT once due to a broken spring . The only other big job that needed doing was a replacement clutch . So clutch and timing belt are the expensive jobs to watch out for on replacement car Andy .. all the best

Andy From Sligo

noelf wrote: »

My daughter has a 03 Clio 8V has been very reliable over the years . First job I had done on it was to replace timing belt mechanic showed me the state of it .. well cracked . We had the front brakes refurbished next after another year the rear brakes were sorted . It failed the NCT once due to a broken spring . The only other big job that needed doing was a replacement clutch . So clutch and timing belt are the expensive jobs to watch out for on replacement car Andy .. all the best

Thanks. - the guy said it had clutch replaced not so long ago . - there was something I dont know whether I should have been concerned about , and that was when i flipped the bonnet and looked at the clutch arm (where the clutch cable attaches to it) was flapping around a little bit as the engine was idling . but when i took the car for a test run it was lovely and smooth clutch , not stiff pedal, no judder as i was taking my foot off the pedal when it was in gear , no whine frome the clutch bearing .... so i hope its OK . might be just better off not seeing the clutch arm flapping like that, the black rubber boot on the clutch arm looks like it needs putting back in its place on the bell housing as well. - wehn i first saw the clutch arm vibrating and flapping like that I went "OH! " and then thewife is like "is that bad?" ... lets hope its not a bad sign it flapping like that - end of the day its old the car but its only 500euro. am sure I will find more things wrong with the car once i get it because there is only so much you can check when you take it out for test drive.

red sean

Before you buy, check when the timing belt and pump kit was done. If possible see receipts for the job.

Andy From Sligo

red sean wrote: »

Before you buy, check when the timing belt and pump kit was done. If possible see receipts for the job.

Thanks sean , 98 thou was tippexed onto the top mount (mind u anyone could do that) and the mileage is at 158,000m - and i couldnt see any steering fluid chamber so i am presuming its EPS on it and no steering pump . but thanks will double check.

Andy From Sligo

guy phoned - only got one key for the car , he never had 2 keys for it ... is it any worries - its a remote control central locking. They used to be fierce expensive to get them keys cut years ago I know