Track Car Options - Clio 172 V 205 Gti

[Davro 0 1 Cars]

Hi everyone,

 

I wanted to just get some peoples thoughts on this topic.

 

The idea

Have a nice little track car (not a money pit racing type) that I can do 4-5 track days a year in and have a bit of fun in on the country roads around where we live.

 

Let me give you some history;

 

I have a 1991 205 Gti 1.9 sat in my garage. Fairly original (bit lowered etc nothig much), that has a slightly tired, standard lump in it.

 

My wife's current car is 2002 black gold 60k mile, Full service history etc, 172 (not cup) that she has owned for nearly 7 years.

 

My wife would like a new car in the new year (megane sport 250, golf gti type), and I am thinking that the Clio isn't really worth trading in to a main dealer.

 

The dilemma;

Do i sell the 205 and look to turn the wife's, low mileage, fairly reliable, more modern 172 into my toy

 

Or

 

Do I sell the 172 and spend the money on getting the 205 fitted with a GTI 6/MI16 engine and enjoy the old school type.......

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am stuck which route to take.......please could you offer some advice..

 

Also if anyone can give me some hints on how to upload photos, I will post a pic of both cars if that helps?

 

Cheers

 

Dave

 

 

[welshpug 1,657]

6 engine in the 205 and sell the clio privately.

[MrMemzi 12]

First off. Use photobucket upload photos. Then click the little I with a circle around it. Then click on the image link with IMG next to it then copy and paste

 

My personal experience is the 205 is alot more fun. But at a cost of making it fun..being old and underpowered to alot on the tracks now days you either need a healthy 1.6/1.9 or as u say mi/gti6. But in my opinion much more worth it. Take into consideration in the future the 205 will only be going up in price.

 

As for the 172. You already have the base for power. Change the inlet manifold for one off of the 182. Set of coilies and your laughing. Then if you want to get some camber going.

 

Im a huge fan of both of the hot hatches!

[kyepan 291]

i'd say go for the 172, as parts are a bit more plentiful, and sell me the 205

 

no but joking aside, both would be very similar, i see the dilema.

 

Get an indication of how much it would cost to put the 172 on coilovers and cage it, for example Kev (batfink) runs Kam racing, who do loads of clio track day bits. then do the same with the 205!

[stu8v 68 1 Cars]

I would probs go for the clio.

 

Its a better base without the aggro of engine swaps and the inevitable rear beam issues or rust....

 

 

Thats from someone who has a lot of £££. Invested in his pug!!!

[welshpug 1,657]

clio, no rust?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sorry.

 

I fell off my chair.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

I've a 205 GTi6 and a 172 Cup.

 

I remember when the 205 was off the road I said the Clio was probably worth spending the money on as a capable £1000 car out of the box. I then drove the 205 again and it's a completely different animal tbh.

 

I'm currently breaking a 172 and soon realised a Peugeot is much more pleasureable to work on than a Renault. My Cup needs a cambelt again shortly and I'm weighing up whether it's worth spending out ~ £400 on it being done.

 

I'd say a 172 is good value for what you want if it's up together. But then if your 205 engine is tired it's a bloody good excuse to bung a larger unit in.

[Davro 0 1 Cars]

 

 

 

Hopefully these worked.....

[MrMemzi 12]

That clio is lovely!

[dcc 855]

no its not. its a clio.

[MrMemzi 12]

no its not. its a clio.

Oh stop trying to flirt with me you!

[Davro 0 1 Cars]

The plan for the Clio was going to be;

 

strip out the interior

Bucket seat

Rear cage

182 manifold

Matched inlets

Better discs and pads all round

15 inch wheels with sticky tyres

Set of coilovers

Decent exhaust

And maybe look at the espace air filter box with a better filter in it.

 

So all real standard sort of stuff, nothing to major or expensive but should result in a decent little track car.....

 

Plan for the Pug is;

 

GTI6 lump

Coilovers

Rear cage

Stripped interior

GTI6 brakes with better discs and pads all round

 

That was about it, as the few bits on the exterior I can live with as it will be a toy. Granted I did spend a few hours the other day machine polishing it up but I was bored.....

 

Think cost wise, the pug is going to be the expensive option.

 

Plus the pug won't have power steering, ABS, air bags etc but then that would make the track stuff more authentic i suppose.

[MrMemzi 12]

Depends how much money you want to spend and how much effort you want to put into it really then!

[Batfink 201]

A 205 with a 16v engine is a step above the Clio as a trackday car

[jackherer 543]

Rear cage

 

Why do so many Clios have cages only in the rear? I've seen so many trackday Clios for sale with half a cage fitted but it's much rarer in other cars, the only 205s you see with half cages are Dimmas on the whole.

[MrMemzi 12]

 

Why do so many Clios have cages only in the rear? I've seen so many trackday Clios for sale with half a cage fitted but it's much rarer in other cars, the only 205s you see with half cages are Dimmas on the whole.

I noticed that. All I can think is they don't want to modify the dashboard to get a full cage in it.

[starky5 18]

Not got any track experience but since I put the mi16 lump in my 205 I have a massive smile on my face every time I drive it an I imagine the gti6 lump will have the same effect. Every time in drive something else and get back in my car I prefer mine, even with the rattles and noises! For driving thrill I don't think you can beat the 205

[Rich_p 23]

Sell both and buy something that has already had the work done?

 

[welshpug 1,657]

Good call, especially if the 205 is original/fairly standard, plenty of unwanted track cars about going cheap.

[Davro 0 1 Cars]

This is why I am torn.....the pug is cool and I know would be a great drivers car, but would need a fair amount of money spending on it (engine change etc, suspension etc) to get it near where I want, whereas the Clio already has a good bit of grunt going for it, so wouldn't need too much.

 

I'm sure as I get further into the track day world, I will start switching cars to other types as you start seeing more options, so ideally don't really want to spunk to much away at the start, but i keep thinking how much fun the little 205 pocket rocket would be with the right set up.

 

If anyone wants to make my mind up for me and buy the pug or the Clio let me know...... ​

[Davro 0 1 Cars]

What would you guys say roughly the cars are worth if sold privately?

[MrMemzi 12]

Ill give you a nice shiny bottlecap for the clio?

[MrMemzi 12]

The clios go for between 1200/2.5k depending on overall condition.

 

No idea about 205

[GLPoomobile 958]

Personally I think that at the stage we're at now with the 205 - parts becoming difficult to source, and prices for good condition original GTIs increasing - that anyone would be a bit mental to start turning a 205 in to a track car now. Not such an issue if the mods are fairly low key and/or fully reversable, but otherwise your spending money to devalue the car.

 

So for me, I'm afraid to say that if you are dead set on having a dedicated track toy then sell the 205 and either a) use the Clio, b} sell both and get something else, c) sell the 205 and replace it with another 205 that has already been "ruined"

 

Otherwise, compromise. Spend money on the 205 on carefully chosen mods and restoration that can actually improve it's overall condition, potentially add future value as 205 GTI values increase, whilst still providing some track day thrills. Remember it doesn't NEED to be stripped out, caged and have xyz mods to be fun on track. And most of all, don't bloody stack it!

Edited October 25, 2013 by GLPoomobile

[Edp 67 3 Cars]

Agree with above. Sell both and buy a 205 already converted for the track.

 

Too many 205s are being stripped and going down this route.