RE: PH Blog: Clio is the unsung hero

RE: PH Blog: Clio is the unsung hero

Author
Discussion

AndyWoodall

2,624 posts

258 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
I've driven almost every generation of the modern RenaultSports with the exception of the latest RS 200 model. I think they are great, but I've never owned one.

The build quality in the brand new 197 I drove at launch seemed fine, although perhaps its a different story with many miles on.

Its a cliche, but they really are (dynamically) what would happen if Porsche made a hot hatch.

foxspeed

21 posts

188 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
jbi said:
having just changed the handbrake cable on a clio I can assure you the build quality is as bad as ever.

literately designed to last a few years and fall to pieces. Everything felt like it would snap in your hand.
so the whole range of renaults rests with the changing of a handbrake cable.......wake up!

LewisR

678 posts

214 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
Rs2oo said:
LewisR said:
It'll be a sad day when I desire a FWD hatchback*

  • That excludes the Saab 900 Turbo 16S.
You crack me up ! Fast in 1979 in a straight line. Fast forward to 2012 and I could probably lap one within five laps of the Indy circuit at Brands Hatch, come in for a scone and nice cup of tea, then go out and lap it again.
The Saab 900 Turbo 16S didn't exist in 1979. Either way, I won't be getting excited about a fast shopping car.

jbi

12,668 posts

203 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
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foxspeed said:
jbi said:
having just changed the handbrake cable on a clio I can assure you the build quality is as bad as ever.

literately designed to last a few years and fall to pieces. Everything felt like it would snap in your hand.
so the whole range of renaults rests with the changing of a handbrake cable.......wake up!
ever tried changing a bulb on a clio?

Ever looked at the paper machete suspension arms/subframe?

Cheap, badly designed tat is all they are.

ringweekends

616 posts

252 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
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Dan, the Clio wasn't the only French product to impress an American that event. I broke in a chap from California in a Megane 225.

He was suitably impressed, with the car anyway :-)

Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

264 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
BOBBY G said:
Ahh yes, I would much rather have a Saab 900 Turbo 1.6s over the likes of an R26R*








  • NOT!!!!!!!!!!!
I think that it's vital for future generations that we record cliched responses which fell out of use before the internet was invented.

gforceg

3,523 posts

178 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
jbi said:
Ever looked at the paper machete suspension arms/subframe?
You'd get a nasty cut from that.

tomv1to

144 posts

166 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
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James1972 said:
Excluding the Renaultsport ones are there any Renaults worth having ? Renault has just withdrawn most of its range from the UK as nobody is buying them.
Quality may be much improved from 20yrs ago but so is everybody elses my experience of middle range Megans etc. as hire cars is that they quickly develop that not properly engineered rattle unlike the boring stuff from Germany.
Whats the JD power rating for Renault - doubt if its top half of the list - bonnet catches and response to says it all.
Would love a play in any of the RS clio's but run one out of warranty ????
Although they no longer manufacturer it the Koleos was a reasonable affordable 4x4. The basic Twingo's are also quite fun. The sceneics are god awful though.

900T-R

20,403 posts

256 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
Rs2oo said:
LewisR said:
It'll be a sad day when I desire a FWD hatchback*

  • That excludes the Saab 900 Turbo 16S.
You crack me up ! Fast in 1979 in a straight line. Fast forward to 2012 and I could probably lap one within five laps of the Indy circuit at Brands Hatch, come in for a scone and nice cup of tea, then go out and lap it again.
Barring track width (or relative lack of it) a classic Saab 900 Turbo would be a better base for a fast FWD car than the last generation Renault Megane. Which says everything about the abilities of the Renaultsport bods. True alchemists. God knows what they'd come up with with a competitive hatchback to start with...

And yes, some sort of Clio RS would be top of my list if I was to get back into track events (did a handful of them in the Saab, great fun but ulitmately not sustainable what with the car being valued at 15,000 euro at some point...). 2 grand's worth of 172 Cup would probably be more able on track than its driver will ever be...

Butter Face

30,154 posts

159 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
tomv1to said:
James1972 said:
Excluding the Renaultsport ones are there any Renaults worth having ? Renault has just withdrawn most of its range from the UK as nobody is buying them.
Quality may be much improved from 20yrs ago but so is everybody elses my experience of middle range Megans etc. as hire cars is that they quickly develop that not properly engineered rattle unlike the boring stuff from Germany.
Whats the JD power rating for Renault - doubt if its top half of the list - bonnet catches and response to says it all.
Would love a play in any of the RS clio's but run one out of warranty ????
Although they no longer manufacturer it the Koleos was a reasonable affordable 4x4. The basic Twingo's are also quite fun. The sceneics are god awful though.
Koleos is still made, but not for the UK Market.

It's been proven that cutting the range is already making a difference, the quality of the range now is fantastic.

All cars come with 4 years warranty, 4 years free servicing too.

The Scenic is cracking, I can't see where you get 'god awful' from. You get a stunning range of equipment standard, the engines are fantastic (drive the 1.6 Diesel stop start for full effect) and they're one of the nicer looking cars in the segment.

New Clio due early next year, and Renault are pioneering Electric cars with some of the first (affordable) electric vehicles to market.

Reed Hitchcock

36 posts

148 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
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KMB said:
What's all this baloney about Renault still being rubbish, 'stick to Nissan'.

This is the most ill informed comment ever, Renault actually own (and learnt) a good proportion from Nissan.

He must be American.
I beg to differ. He must be a junior Nissan marketing hack. How about just a little credit for American motoring enthusiasts....?

Selrak

8 posts

205 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
Yeah, I was there for the two days at that event - GP Circuit + Nordschleife. I did 26 laps in my Clio 172 Cup and only scared myself twice! Well three times if you count the berk who went up the inside as I braked for the left hander that leads onto the Nordschleife - he then went straight on round the GP circuit!
Oh and maintenance - kicked the tyres a couple of times! No mechanical issue at all, Clio ran like a little well-sprung watch.

rtz62

3,333 posts

154 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
Personally I think it's way too lardy.
I think there room for a Clio with trick Ohlins suspension, bigger brakes, lightweight carbon seats, little sound deadening, thin carpets,no a/c (even as an option) basic stereo if at all, wind up windows, no rear wash wipe, plastic tailgate etc
No need to mess with engine.
Voila; a 'Ring ready giant killer.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
James1972 said:
Would love a play in any of the RS clio's but run one out of warranty ????
As said above, it's about maintenance. Buy one with a full service history and a load of receipts, and you stand a good change of having one that won't break all the time. I'm not saying it won't break but it's a good way to chop out all the ste out there. I did this. I paid above the going rate for my car and could've had one with lower miles for less money, but I went for it because it had been taken care of.

Renaultsport cars are made in a different factory, I don't have any specific detail but the RS cars are of a better quality.

It's getting harder to fine 172s/182s that haven't been ruined though.

Butter Face

30,154 posts

159 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
MSTRBKR said:
Renaultsport cars are made in a different factory, I don't have any specific detail but the RS cars are of a better quality.
They're made at Dieppe factory, they also make the Clip Cup racers. I wouldn't say 'better' quality but they are obviously built in a more 'hands on' fashion the standard Clio build quality is good, no worse than a ford fiesta, corsa etc.

You have to remember that this shape clio is 7 years old this year and is due to be replaced by an all new model next year.





Edited by Butter Face on Wednesday 25th April 16:41

philis

415 posts

216 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
FlavaDave said:
I once went from 172 cup TO Integra THEN BACK to 172 cup. Integra has had it's day IMO.
I did the same but i found it to be utter ste in comparrison to the Honda?

entropy

5,393 posts

202 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
Hmmmm. No mention of the Mini Cooper S and its derivatives considering its the better private buy as its a 1.6 turbo.

Saying that I do know someone who went straight for a Clio 200.

Butter Face

30,154 posts

159 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
entropy said:
Hmmmm. No mention of the Mini Cooper S and its derivatives considering its the better private buy as its a 1.6 turbo.

Saying that I do know someone who went straight for a Clio 200.
Why is it a better buy because it's a 1.6 Turbo? The 2.0 engine in the Clio is a cracker (when warm! hehe )

Mark Smith

164 posts

218 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
I own a Clio 172 Phase 1 that I bought three and a half years ago. I bought it without any service history from a trader. The car was covered in green pollen from the tree it was sat under but when I started the engine I just knew it felt right and in the end it was. The tyres were like driving on square wheels but once they were replaced the car transformed into a lovely car to drive. Over the past three and a half years I've done 15 track days in it and every one has got better than the last. The car now has 124,000 miles on it and still drives really well. the acceleration is as sharp as ever and the handling is sublime. I've fitted Ferodo DS2500 pads all round, Brembo HC front discs, braided brake lines and DOT 5.1 fluid. Green cotton air filter element in OE 172 airbox. K-TEC engine mountings, Powerflex dogbone bush. Toyo R1-R tyres and Scorpion catback stainless steel exhaust system. The engine is standard 172 and is as sharp now as when it was a lot newer.
The Renaultsport Clio's are all built in Dieppe at the Alpine factory as were the Williams models and all previous Gordini and R5 hot hatches. The only one thats built away from Dieppe is the Megane RS models which are built in Spain. The attention to detail during the build is second to none. They only build 18 cars a day at Dieppe so there's plenty of time for checking every stage of the construction. They also build all the motorsport cars there except F1.
I went on a factory tour there last year with Renaultsport and it was a real eye opener. The hospitality from Renaultsport was really good and they took us to lunch after the tour in a local restaurant where the food and wine flowed for a good couple of hours.
I'd buy another Renaultsport car any day whether its in or out of warranty. I've no intention of selling my car and hoipe to do many more trackdays and drives out over the coming years. I'm in my mid 50's now and owning this car makes me feel young again so it's definitely staying!
My wife and daughters all say its the best car I've ever owned so that does it for me.

Mark Smith

164 posts

218 months

Wednesday 25th April 2012
quotequote all
jbi said:
foxspeed said:
jbi said:
having just changed the handbrake cable on a clio I can assure you the build quality is as bad as ever.

literately designed to last a few years and fall to pieces. Everything felt like it would snap in your hand.
so the whole range of renaults rests with the changing of a handbrake cable.......wake up!
ever tried changing a bulb on a clio?

Ever looked at the paper machete suspension arms/subframe?

Cheap, badly designed tat is all they are.
Hello!! What planet are you on? Try changing a headlight bulb on a VW Passat! The entire front of the car has to be removed to do the job. The bulbs are just as difficult on practically any other make of car. The suspension on my X reg 172 is original and isn't rusty.