ClioSport.net

Register a free account today to become a member!
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

Are these typical 172 running costs over 3 years?



  Lotus Elise 111R
Ok, I have owned my 172 for 3 years and have covered almost exactly 30,000 miles in that time so thought it maybe interesting to discuss the actual running costs, as I keep all receipts even a petrol book, sad I know, but it does give you an idea both for existing owners and potential new ones...

So....bought it at 18 months old with 10,500 miles on the clock, the first service having been completed. Absolutely mint, lady owner and totally standard.

The only mods I have done since then are cliosport and Nurburgring stickers, a cat back K-Tec SS recessed exhaust (following 2 standard replacements under warranty ), Nokia car kit, personal plate and Alpine iPod head unit. All undoable if wanted in the future, but I feel a subtle combo.

Petrol -

30,000 miles - £3765 equting to 35mpg over the 3 years

Servicing -

The 24k was done at Renault whilst in warranty - £213
The 36k was done at 35k by Rentech inc cambelt and aux, also included new front discs and pads - £775

Sundries -

6 new conti's, new to the back each time - £420
Wiper blades - £30, Renault - doh!
Tax - £180 per annum, to £205 this year
MOT - 2 so far, £27 each, sailed through both.
Battery - £55 following the trip resetting saga - fixed that!

All in all, I cannot fault this car, I have owned cheaper and more expensive cars (by purchase price), and they have all cost me more than this car costs to run!

Add in the pleasure of this forum, the subtly of the car, and not massive depreciation, only another Lotus Elise will get me out of this one I reckon.

Anyway, hope this is of use to people.

Piers
 
Last edited:
  Lotus Elise 111R
^^ It would appear so. I could have got a cheaper one at the time but do believe in paying a bit more for a top quality one, and hopefully you will pay less as you go along.
 
  172 Race Car
Good thread. good to see there not all heaps. hopefully mine will start to cost less now its all up together.

Ive had new rear wheel bearings, two tyres, full cambelt and aux belt change, pulgs and oil change, wipers, battery and an exhaust. Had it since april and done about 4,500 miles
 

Fletcher

ClioSport Club Member
I found my 52 plate 172 started costing me money when she reached the 60-72k mark. I've had the following new parts.

Two new driveshafts
Alternator
Washer pumps
72k service
Cambelt change
Spark plugs
Brembo discs
Ebc greenstuff pads
New rear brake pads.


Now on just under 80k and running well [touches wood] just passed her mot with no probs.
 
  53 Clio's & counting
fair play mate,nice to see if there looked after there still good,mines coming up on 113k now,iv done coming up 15k and iv had to spend out on new engine mounts,a icv,4 tyres and yesterday i ordered 2 top mounts and 2 new steering arms,now that may sound like a bit but i only payed 2k for the car in march,and its got full history,still on 1st clutch! (and gearbox lol) its never had any major work,and doesnt burn any oil so keep looking after yours and she will have a good long while in her yet!
 

DrR

ClioSport Club Member
  VW Golf GTD
Seriously anyone wanna know how much mines cost me? Bet mine wins.
 

DrR

ClioSport Club Member
  VW Golf GTD
Yeah give me a few mins, getting my folder of paperwork out.
 
  Tangoed Works
thats what i was thinking about mine. the only things it actually costs are;

fuel
servicing
pair of pe2's a year

everything still in warranty until next october which is handy, so should be okay for many more to come.

deprecation is not too bad either. will prob keep now till the end of her life. no need to keep wasting money on a new car every couple of years imo.
 

DrR

ClioSport Club Member
  VW Golf GTD
Bought the car for £4895 FSH Mint condition, 44k 51 plate on 28th Sept 2006

Ok here it goes, i've done roughly 20k in the year i've owned it.

So 2/3rds of £3765 is £2510 in fuel


First Thing i had done was cambelt aux belt at 44k etc
£416

Car was running well, till it hit christmas, lower radiator hose decided to split on bank holiday weekend
Renault charged £89- Fitted it myself.
Coolant £20

Then came tax and MOT
£205 + £35 = £240
Passed ok thank god, but advised exhaust was s**t, (had a new one 1.5 years ago)

At this point gearbox then started to crunch bigstyle in 3rd, but worked ok so left it for now (more on this later)

First thing to fail was the rear wheel bearing, so put all new disks + pads on as needed em soonish
Bought from yozzasport for
£175- Fitted myself
Decided to try new oil in the gearbox
£40ish

Fronts needed doing to
£120

Service at yozzapsort £200

Now the proper problems started:
Not in any perticular order

Car would not start when warm, turned out to be a TDC sensor
Sensor + new loom= £57.69

Gearbox cable creaked and became "sticky"
Bought new one £21

182 wheels with new tyres £450

Decided to get gearbox fitted at Rentech (300 odd mile drive):
Turned out to be 3 new gearbox in the end:
They had one in stock, was second hand but mine was a freak car with a ph1/ph2 (or something) box, so they tried to make a working out of the 2, but didn't work sadly.
So decided on a new box direct from renault. All put in, car was fine, drove about 500 miles and it started making a awful whinning noise, so back to Rentech for another one.

Total cost £1049
+ say £100+ in fuel.

New rear exhaust bracket as they are made from cheese
£20.99

2 new rear shocks
£106.93

Passenger wheel arch decided to fall out
£30.66

Yozzasport exhaust as was about to fall off
£500

Now the recent biggy

Phaser pully decided to sheer off, so had same effect as cambelt snapping Luckily car was only ticking over.
Labour
Cylinder head removed- Investigate damage
  • Replaced Exhaust camshaft pulley
  • All 8 exhaust valves bent, replaced re-seated
  • All 8 inlet valves re-seated
  • Valve stem oil seals replaced
  • Cylinder head skimmed & crack tested
  • Replace Cambelt, aux belt tensioner & guide pully (AGAIN)
Parts:
  • Engine oil
  • Caps for back of cylinder head
  • Cambelt kit
  • Exhaust cam pulley
  • Aux belt
  • Head bolts
  • Oil Filter
  • Coolant
Total £950

So in total it's cost me £7096.27 since end of sept 06

£3120.27 of that being in parts that have failed, and i'm sure there some i've forgot about.
Bearing mine i also did quite abit of this work myself so would have cost more alot more if i took to a garage.
 
Last edited:

Ad

  MK2 FRS
yours is a horror story DrRollo.

my MK2 had nearly as much done under warranty, but then i didnt pay for it.

My ph quick has been near perfect!:)
 
  Lotus Elise 111R
Bloody hell DrRollo, it looks like we have 2 extremities of 172 ownership here then. I am seriously touching wood here I can tell you.
 
  172 Credit crunch edition
Jesus DrRollo you have had some serious bad luck!
I bought my 172 Cup; 53 plate (jan 04) in november 2006 had done 26k miles when i got it off Subway on here has got 30k on clock now.
Had all engine mounts changed under warrenty £0
Service £260.00
Power steering pipe and sensor replaced £300.00
Wheels re-furbished and new tyres all round £500.00
New HT leads and plugs £80.00
Oil change £20.00
New front brakes £265.00
Rear bearings and rear shocks £350.00
Lambda sensor £60.00
Fuel about £550.00
Tax 205.00
Insurance £680.00
Mot £50.00

So for a years ownership of my 172 cup it has cost £3277.07
Hmmm seems a lot for 4000 miles thats 80p per mile jesus christ!!!!
 
  Suzuki Swift Sport
Ive had mine 3 months and in 4000 miles ive spent...

£170 discs and pads (front)
£70 Bosch high capacity battery
£500 wheels and tires
£200 Eibach pro kit springs
£130 Gaz replacement rear struts (originals were knackered)

Luckily mine has already had cam belt and auxilary belt done before i bought it!
 


Top