Clio 172 Cup As A Daily Driver?
Discussion
Doniger said:
Squirrelofwoe said:
Chris71 said:
Interesting, I assumed the load area would be quite a lot bigger in the ITR once the seats had been folded?
The load carrying is down to the shape of the rear hatch. The ITR is more 'coupe shaped' and has a high lip. Not to mention the strut brace across the middle of the boot. With the seats folded, it is spacious though (I can get a bike in there). The Clio however, is more of a hatch with no real lip - we've had washing machines etc in my housemate's 172 cup!A strut brace across the middle of the boot isn't standard - you can get optional ones that are similar to the one in the engine bay, or aftermarket ones, but you don't have to have one if it's in the way.
As far as DC2 vs 172cup goes, Honda every day of the week for me. I worked at Renault while I had my ITR and drove pretty much every version of hot clio available to compare - the only one that even came close for smiles:miles was the 182 Trophy but even that still has that ridiculous steering wheel, vile gearbox, wonky pedals and compared to the B18 in an ITR, a soulless engine. (IMO).
As far as the OP goes, yes a 172 cup is fine as a daily driver...honestly, a bit of missing trim/sound deadening isn't anything to fuss about. It doesn't make it too noisy or even remotely hardcore. It's still a hatchback suitable for teenage girls, not an Ariel Atom.
Yep I missed that point regarding the space- it's also worth noting that the rear seats fold down more 'flush' in my ITR than my mates Clio.
As has been said, for the OP a Clio in any 172/182 Cup/Trophy guise is not going to be a significant hardship as a daily driver unless you are used to luxo-barge levels of toys. Or you really hate french interior plastic
The lighter sound insulation is not an issue imho. I used to run mine without the rear parcel shelf as I liked to hear the exhaust even more! (no spare wheel means there is even less to deaden the noise). But then I never used mine for any distance daily. Did plenty of long trips though.
Lack of ac and a fairly heavy clutch pedal, the latter not exclusive to 172 Cup, would put me off slightly if likely to be spending a lot of time on hot stop/start roads. The clutch isn't horrendous but did give my calf a workout after a hard day sometimes. Holding the brake pedal against the autobox on my current daily driver is just as tiring/annoying though.
I wish I never sold mine now. Prices seem to have hardened against normal 172 such that they are not far off what I got in Dec '09. At the time I could not justify a second car but a change of job 5 months later meant I could. Doh! Toying with the idea of getting a 182 in a year or so currently
Every time I see one I remember what fun it was and cheap to run. Smiles per pounds is off the clock! 
Lack of ac and a fairly heavy clutch pedal, the latter not exclusive to 172 Cup, would put me off slightly if likely to be spending a lot of time on hot stop/start roads. The clutch isn't horrendous but did give my calf a workout after a hard day sometimes. Holding the brake pedal against the autobox on my current daily driver is just as tiring/annoying though.
I wish I never sold mine now. Prices seem to have hardened against normal 172 such that they are not far off what I got in Dec '09. At the time I could not justify a second car but a change of job 5 months later meant I could. Doh! Toying with the idea of getting a 182 in a year or so currently
Every time I see one I remember what fun it was and cheap to run. Smiles per pounds is off the clock! John D. said:
jimbo2728 said:
900T-R said:
172 horses meet 955 kg... that's like saying a Focus RS is a 'lukewarm' hatchback.
Agreed!Try 170 horses meets 1050kg (IIRC
) I have driven my Clio Cup as a daily for about 5 months and have no problem. Im 6ft4 and not exactly "trim", not sure if thats of any use to the "French hatch + fast = cramped pedals/cabin" brigade. Have also owned a Saxo VTS and never had a problem with my size 13's.
Cock Womble 7 said:
ceebmoj said:
Cock Womble 7 said:
It's not very practical for a daily driver though, is it?
lol, just the person I was thinking of when the question of sensible daly came up .I have an early 2001 172 and I do a 70 mile a day commute (35 each way). It's alright but the seating position could be a bit better. I removed some spacers from underneath the seats which helped, I'm 6ft BTW.
I can get 40mpg if I'm careful but generally around the 35mpg mark, performance (for a small hatch) is swift with 0-60 taking around <7s mark.
Most 172s tend to have an aftermarket exhaust as the original Renault one rots aways quickly, so don't be put off by replacement exhausts.
The cambelt MUST be done before 72k or 5 years, every 172 should have had this changed by now DESPITE MILEAGE. Ideally this should be done before this around 60k or 4 years. This involves the replacement of the cambelt, 3 tensioners/rollers the aux belt and the tensioner. This is a very expensive job (£500-600 independent £600-£900 Renault). Some garages wont touch them and special tools are required. Check the service history.
Aux belt, the aux belt is the belt you can see on the drivers side of the engine. This is what drives the alternator water, power steering and air-conditioning pumps. This must be changed every 36k, again check the service history, this is also done again at 72k with the cambelt and again at 108K. Along with the aux belt the tensioner should be replaced and the idler ought to be done too.
I can get 40mpg if I'm careful but generally around the 35mpg mark, performance (for a small hatch) is swift with 0-60 taking around <7s mark.
Most 172s tend to have an aftermarket exhaust as the original Renault one rots aways quickly, so don't be put off by replacement exhausts.
The cambelt MUST be done before 72k or 5 years, every 172 should have had this changed by now DESPITE MILEAGE. Ideally this should be done before this around 60k or 4 years. This involves the replacement of the cambelt, 3 tensioners/rollers the aux belt and the tensioner. This is a very expensive job (£500-600 independent £600-£900 Renault). Some garages wont touch them and special tools are required. Check the service history.
Aux belt, the aux belt is the belt you can see on the drivers side of the engine. This is what drives the alternator water, power steering and air-conditioning pumps. This must be changed every 36k, again check the service history, this is also done again at 72k with the cambelt and again at 108K. Along with the aux belt the tensioner should be replaced and the idler ought to be done too.
I have to chime in and ask to anyone who complains about their engine noise being "too much" or "getting annoying", do you realise that PH is a car enthusiast website? A lad I work with has a big exhaust on his Fiesta ST and says the pops and bangs get annoying and it's "a pain in the arse when the bangs are louder than the radio". Key error here, the radio should not be on!
Revel in the engine noise, because one day it will all be silent electrics!
Revel in the engine noise, because one day it will all be silent electrics!
Gwagon111 said:
It's a luke warm French hatchback. It will be fine as a daily driver. They're reasonable on fuel around town, and their small size makes them easy to park. The ride of the cup version is a little harsher, and there is no air con. So if you like your creature comforts, especially on hot summer days, you'd be better off with a stock 172.
Stock question - but have you ever driven one? Because I am guessing that anyone who can describe a 172 Cup as 'luke warm' is not basing that opinion on personal experience.
OP, I owned a 172 Cup for a few years (mildly fettled). Personally speaking, I am of the opinion that the 172 Cups are one of the top performance car bargains out there. Fine as a daily driver and I never had any issues with the lack of aircon because I simply put the window down. It's very basic inside (no sports seats or much in the way of kit), but that would be missing the point of opting for the Cup as opposed to the Full Fat version. A raw, beaming smile driving experience and with some subtle modifications (I wanted to keep the car looking as 'stock' as possible) you can easily get sub 6 second times to 60). All in a small hatch back package - what's not to like? Just make sure you find a good example, because they are getting on for 8 years old now and plenty have been mullered.
Mastodon2 said:
I have to chime in and ask to anyone who complains about their engine noise being "too much" or "getting annoying", do you realise that PH is a car enthusiast website?
Have you heard the sort of noise that modern four cylinder production cars make? A washing machine is fruity in comparison to most. Plus, there's a time and a place ... I like my engines to be as loud and dramatic as possible if I'm going out for a ten tenths hoon, but the morning commute is a very different matter.
Stuck in traffic or plodding along a congested motorway I'd not only sacrifice the noise, but control of the whole car if there was an autopilot button. To me that sort of car travel simply isn't driving, and if I have to suffer it I want as many toys (and as much refinement) as possible. And I say that as the owner of a very loud TVR who'll happily set his alarm clock to get up early on a Sunday morning and spend a couple of hours driving around for the hell of it.
Edited by Chris71 on Thursday 3rd February 18:06
Im pretty sure if im living with my mk1 mx5 as a daily driver then a 172 will be luxurious in comparison.
In the mornings i cant see anything out the rear window, the exhaust has been majorly repaired so its loud as hell beyond 4k, its got no electronics, no air con, no abs and no power steering. What it does do is turn an exceptionally dull commute into a bit of a laugh, something i expect a 172 could also help with a little!
In the mornings i cant see anything out the rear window, the exhaust has been majorly repaired so its loud as hell beyond 4k, its got no electronics, no air con, no abs and no power steering. What it does do is turn an exceptionally dull commute into a bit of a laugh, something i expect a 172 could also help with a little!
Mastodon2 said:
I have to chime in and ask to anyone who complains about their engine noise being "too much" or "getting annoying", do you realise that PH is a car enthusiast website? A lad I work with has a big exhaust on his Fiesta ST and says the pops and bangs get annoying and it's "a pain in the arse when the bangs are louder than the radio". Key error here, the radio should not be on!
Revel in the engine noise, because one day it will all be silent electrics!
Thing is, the Clio 172/182/Fiesta ST do NOT make a nice noise really; they both sound like hoovers compared to the likes of the Integra Type-R, Celica T-Sport / Elise R, let alone anything with 5 or more cylinders TBH.Revel in the engine noise, because one day it will all be silent electrics!
I had a Eunos RS Ltd with decat, sports exhaust, and drilled airbox. The noise got old REAL quick. My 328i is quieter but it sounds much, MUCH nicer, I actually want to listen to that engine. Just because something is loud doesn't make it good. A lad round ours has the loudest scooter known to man... frankly I want to blow the thing up with a bazooka every time it goes past.
Chris71 said:
Have you heard the sort of noise that modern four cylinder production cars make? A washing machine is fruity in comparison to most.
Plus, there's a time and a place ... I like my engines to be as loud and dramatic as possible if I'm going out for a ten tenths hoon, but the morning commute is a very different matter.
Stuck in traffic or plodding along a congested motorway I'd not only sacrifice the noise, but control of the whole car if there was an autopilot button. To me that sort of car travel simply isn't driving, and if I have to suffer it I want as many toys (and as much refinement) as possible. And I say that as the owner of a very loud TVR who'll happily set his alarm clock to get up early on a Sunday morning and spend a couple of hours driving around for the hell of it.
Sorry, this does not compute with me at all. A car does not need to sound like a Ferrari V8 to be worth hearing, a good exhaust system even on a 4 cylinder is a joy to listen to. Besides on the car in question, it's a 2.0L engine tuned to deliver 172bhp, it's going to have a bit of a zing to it, it's not a 1.0L Corsa wheezing out 50bhp!Plus, there's a time and a place ... I like my engines to be as loud and dramatic as possible if I'm going out for a ten tenths hoon, but the morning commute is a very different matter.
Stuck in traffic or plodding along a congested motorway I'd not only sacrifice the noise, but control of the whole car if there was an autopilot button. To me that sort of car travel simply isn't driving, and if I have to suffer it I want as many toys (and as much refinement) as possible. And I say that as the owner of a very loud TVR who'll happily set his alarm clock to get up early on a Sunday morning and spend a couple of hours driving around for the hell of it.
Edited by Chris71 on Thursday 3rd February 18:06
TameRacingDriver said:
Mastodon2 said:
I have to chime in and ask to anyone who complains about their engine noise being "too much" or "getting annoying", do you realise that PH is a car enthusiast website? A lad I work with has a big exhaust on his Fiesta ST and says the pops and bangs get annoying and it's "a pain in the arse when the bangs are louder than the radio". Key error here, the radio should not be on!
Revel in the engine noise, because one day it will all be silent electrics!
Thing is, the Clio 172/182/Fiesta ST do NOT make a nice noise really; they both sound like hoovers compared to the likes of the Integra Type-R, Celica T-Sport / Elise R, let alone anything with 5 or more cylinders TBH.Revel in the engine noise, because one day it will all be silent electrics!
I had a Eunos RS Ltd with decat, sports exhaust, and drilled airbox. The noise got old REAL quick. My 328i is quieter but it sounds much, MUCH nicer, I actually want to listen to that engine. Just because something is loud doesn't make it good. A lad round ours has the loudest scooter known to man... frankly I want to blow the thing up with a bazooka every time it goes past.
Think you are all missing the point as far as day to day refinement (or lack there of) with regards the Clio. Its the road noise, wind noise, and 'alert' ride that will be more likely to grate/tire you out.
That and the irresistable urge to spank it absolutely everywhere you go! They do encourage you to drive like a loon
John D. said:
Not with you there at all. The 172/182 is not that bad for a 4-pot at all. Elise R/ Type R do not sound that great in comparison.
Think you are all missing the point as far as day to day refinement (or lack there of) with regards the Clio. Its the road noise, wind noise, and 'alert' ride that will be more likely to grate/tire you out.
That and the irresistable urge to spank it absolutely everywhere you go! They do encourage you to drive like a loon
100% in agreement there.Think you are all missing the point as far as day to day refinement (or lack there of) with regards the Clio. Its the road noise, wind noise, and 'alert' ride that will be more likely to grate/tire you out.
That and the irresistable urge to spank it absolutely everywhere you go! They do encourage you to drive like a loon
I currently have a 172 cup and I'm using it as my daily at the moment. It's absolutely fine as a daily car. I had a 182 Trophy a couple of years ago and yes it was slightly
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