EP3 Facelift or not?

[Lewisvtec]

Hi all, im looking at a CTR this weekend and its a 53 plate, very late 2003. It is a facelift with all the bits and pieces but ive seen a couple things online saying the facelift didnt start until 2004.
Can anyone help? The car completly standard and owned by a middle aged guy for the last 4 years.

 

[Hazz]

Do you know the main differences to look out for?

Red seat centres, red door cards, no indicators in the wings - instead part of the wing mirror, front splitter with fog light holes looks different.... they're the main ones. The easiest tell tail is the indicators in the wings, a lot of pre-facelift cars were given the facelift treatment but very few people filled in the hole in the wing & left the indicator there.

 

[Lewisvtec]

Hi, thanks mate, yeah has all the parts, no holes in the wings or extra indicators, just the mirrors as it should be. It was register 10th Dec 2003 so wonder if it was one that made it into the later 2003 plates.

 

[hothatch]

There are some 53 plate facelifts. Looks like you've found one

 

[Lewisvtec]

cool cheers, anyone know any small details that people might miss that could be a give away? any ideas how to ensure if the facelift engine?
thanks

 

[mkb90]

A small detail is the chrome trim on the air vents in the middle. I doubt someone would go to the trouble of changing these. Or even think about them.

 

[hothatch]

cool cheers, anyone know any small details that people might miss that could be a give away? any ideas how to ensure if the facelift engine?
thanks

Both pre and facelift engines are the same. The only difference is the lighter flywheel in facelift. But to confirm which one you have would mean gearbox out

 

[Lewisvtec]

I see. Thanks, well went to look at it and didnt even bother to test drive it, got told it had one dent (a nasty one) .... but it was like someone had used it to play golf against :/