Goodbye Clio 172, hello Megane Trophy

[Alex_225]

...and hello RenaultSport Megane 225 number 2! :lol:

Basically I've been using my Clio 172 day to day and it's a lot of fun but I'm not finding it very practical, especially as I'll be putting my little girl in the back and it's just too harsh and noisy. Now you may be thinking what about my Twingo or other Megane, well the Twingo is too small and the Megane is my garage queen, not a dad wagon.

So I went on the prowl for another Megane 225 and during the process I just so happened to text a mate whom I knew used to have a Megane 225 Trophy. Well it turns out after he had it, his dad had it and it ended up with his brother. His brother had put it up for sale 2 days prior to me asking, RESULT!!

Anyway, I contacted him and got all the details. 40,000 miles from new, serviced yearly regardless of mileage, the OCD of the service history was up there to rival my Megane (almost ). Anyway here's some pictures....

When my mate had it .....

...and on my driveway now.

The car has had a few nice modifications. Under the bonnet we've got a K-Tec re-map so the car should in theory be making about 260bhp, certainly feels more aggressive than my other 225. There's Samco hoses and a Forge dump valve for good measure. Exterior wise, the bonnet is wrapped in 3D carbon vinyl and has custom RenaultSport decals down the side. Other than that, it's totally standard.

That's it so far, I doubt I'll be making any more changes to it for now other than itching to give it a good detail. One thing I am pleased with is that it's only ever been hand washed and detailed using Autoglym products so it had a good 8 years so far. :lol:

Now to sell the Clio!!

 

[AS_BO]

Awesome fella. I saw this on DW the other day. Looks really clean and well sorted, always good if you know the history of the car. Any plans or leaving it as it is?

 

[Alex_225]

Thank you mate, I am very happy with it.

I'll probably keep it as it is for now as I like the cosmetic modifications but we'll see if i get bored haha.

Only thing I'm not keen on is that number plate, it's a bit ostentatious I think. Don't get me wrong there's a fine line with registrations, they can finish a car off nice or make you look like a chopper. I think this one is the latter haha.

 

[Alex_225]

Little update on the Trophy.

Replaced the interior bulbs with some 20 LED bulbs, it's like daylight inside that damn thing, then again there are 8 interior bulbs in total so that works out at.......160 LEDs in total. Blimey!

Next up was my rather worn out knob, no one wants one of those.

I managed to get a hand made insert from a guy on RSMegane.com for £5!

Then last thing was giving it a proper once over inside and out along with Serious Detailing Super Seal on the paintwork.

 

[manofhow]

looks good alex

 

[Alex_225]

Thanks mate

Few updated pictures of the Trophy, since the sun was shining and the car was cleaned just the other day. Colour comes out nicely in the sun, not just boring old silver. ☺

 

[singlespeed]

not just boring old silver.

Yep, your right, its silver and grey :lol:

Looks mint as usual Alex

 

[Alex_225]

Haha seriously though, I've sent people pictures and they ask if it's gold or silver. Pictures don't do it justice. Still, more subtle as a daily driver than my other one lol

 

[singlespeed]

Understated but hard to overlook.

Seen a few big bum Megs recently, including an R26r and I think I prefer them to the later style which has blended in with the other makes.

 

[Brad133]

Understated but hard to overlook.

Seen a few big bum Megs recently, including an R26r and I think I prefer them to the later style which has blended in with the other makes.

Astra

 

[Alex_225]

Well I haven't been on here in a while, mainly because of family commitments I haven't done a lot with my cars in the last 18 months.

I have every plan to get the Twingo Gordini back on the road in the spring and have been using my Megane Trophy as my daily so have done a whole 5k since I bought it last year.

First big change on the Megane is the bonnet, it is no longer wrapped although what a total ball ache that turned out to be. The wrap was mint when I bought it but the car had been garaged pretty much since it was wrapped. I can only guess that it weathered really quick and perished to the point where it just wouldn't come off –

So after a trip to the body shop and one freshly sprayed bonnet this is how she looked –

So after the fun of that, one of the headlight bulbs decided to blow which as you may know is not a simple task. So with the assistance of a knowledgeable friend took the bumper off, swapped the bulbs and indicator bulbs whilst I was at it!

Blue/silver indicator bulbs fitted –

Ring Xenon Ultima bulbs are far brighter –

So after all that, fast forward a few months to December and I have the car detailed by my friend Ed at Divine Detail. After two days, claying, polishing, two layers of sealant, a coat of wax etc etc the finish was awesome and the car looked better than new at 9 years old! –

So, have my MOT done at the end of December but the car needs two new rear tyres so I have them fitted and the car passes the MOT. Apart from the fitter damaging one of the wheels in the process. Thanks for that f*ckwit! So with an outstanding wheel for repair, three weeks later I find this –

Yes that is a Stanley blade sticking out of a three week old tyre!!! So off I go and order another tyre to be fitted this weekend. Get my completely refurbished wheel back on Saturday so until then the car looks like this –

Hopefully as of Saturday she'll be back on the road and looking like new once again. Just a bit cold and sorry for itself just now.

 

[Chicken]

Looking good apart from missing a wheel. You didn't fancy using the very well planned holes in the wheel arch liner for the headlights then :lol:

 

[Alex_225]

Well it currently has two missing wheels as typically the damaged wheel requiring a refurb wasn't the one that got a puncture! lol

So one wheel is sitting in the conservatory with a new tyre next to it awaiting fitting. The other wheel is off for refurbishment so both will have to go on, at the weekend.

As for the headlights, f**k that haha. I have massive hands so don't fancy shredding them to pieces for something that should be so simple. At least with the bumper off I could upgrade both bulbs and do the indicators.

 

[manofhow]

i feel your pain with meganes and wheels.

i need one of my megane wheels refurbing now, so pissed off. the f**** locking wheel nut(which i never like) decided to snap. managed to eventually get it off with the maggi approach of large hammers, but the wheel got chipped.

 

[Alex_225]

So frustrating isn't it, I mean I was p!ssed about having to have a refurb then to knacker one of the brand new tyres was a kick in the plums!

Also, I knew the previous owner of the Trophy and knew the wheels had never been painted so were all original. So to have to have one done in the first year of ownership because a tyre fitter is incompetent is just annoying.

 

[Chicken]

Well it currently has two missing wheels as typically the damaged wheel requiring a refurb wasn't the one that got a puncture! lol

As for the headlights, f**k that haha. I have massive hands so don't fancy shredding them to pieces for something that should be so simple. At least with the bumper off I could upgrade both bulbs and do the indicators.

Sod's law that. I have attempted to do the bulbs once for someone, failed and I'm never trying again.

 

[Alex_225]

Yeah it's not a job for the feint hearted that's for sure!!

Thing is to take off the bumper you're talking bolts in the arches, under the bumper and under trim in the engine bay. Then after that there are clips that need pushing in and then it releases the entire front end of the car. To add to that you then need to unbolt the actual headlight so get to the back of them.

Yes the Megane was the first car in it's class to have a 5 star Ncap rating but I'd sacrifice a bit of safety for the ability to change the headlight bulbs easier haha.

 

[Chicken]

Yeah it's not a job for the feint hearted that's for sure!!

Thing is to take off the bumper you're talking bolts in the arches, under the bumper and under trim in the engine bay. Then after that there are clips that need pushing in and then it releases the entire front end of the car. To add to that you then need to unbolt the actual headlight so get to the back of them.

Yes the Megane was the first car in it's class to have a 5 star Ncap rating but I'd sacrifice a bit of safety for the ability to change the headlight bulbs easier haha.

You should get a newer megane, so much easier to do

 

[Alex_225]

I had considered the Megane 250 as I prefer the interior but I have such a soft spot for the Megane II.

I just think the latest Megane looks too normal, I mean it's lovely in the RS guise but doesn't look dissimilar to other hot hatches out there. The Megane II was always bold and still looks good today, front is one of my favourites of any car out there.

Plus, so many people forget that these fast Meganes exist so when some bint in her Astra GTC tries to give it the biggun (as happened recently), it's fun to open up 260bhp on someone in car 8 years it's junior! haha

 

[Alex_225]

Well thankfully the Megane is looking a hell of a lot happier now. My repaired wheel has been returned and looks perfect. Due to the damage being so minor and me wanting an entire refurb, the guys doing it knew I was going to be mega fussy. So rather than a full on refurb they repaired the marks and re-lacquered the entire wheel. Means that it's a perfect colour match and the wheel remains as original as possible, like the other three.....

Also had my other 225s spare wheel powder coated gloss black. I bought the wheel about 5 years ago with the intention of it being a spare for my inferno 225 but thought while the other wheel was off I'd have this one sorted and I'll get a budget tyre on it as a spare for the Trophy, looks spotless....

Also a proper shot of whatever the hell is in my tyre, I guess it's a Stanley blade. Did a proper job on that tyre though....