RE: PH buying guide: Clio 172/182
Discussion
Have not long bought an '05 182. Just about to tick over 110k miles, not the best history before it, but had the all important belt/dephaser etc. Did a quick fluid and filter service and replaced the shocking tyres that were on it. Been a 100% reliable, 100% fun last 5k miles for me. And I only paid £1700 for it! Probably the best all rounder i've owned, if it ever goes pop, I can see myself spending the money and getting a mint trophy.
I ended up getting rid of mine, but not before spending almost £2K putting it back to standard, getting new cambelt and dephaser etc (cambelt had been done but dephaser had not, and it failed on me, so had to get the whole lot done).
Final straw was the radiator blowing on me on the A1, got that fixed, still leaking, took it back, and told that it was possible the head gasket had gone. Had to draw a line under it then.
Expensive money pit of a car. Although I was probably unlucky, these cars are not built to last. I had a 182 beforehand which had numerous niggles, thankfully all under warranty. When you get into a high quality car, you can instantly feel how much better they are built. I went from a 2 year old 182 to a nearly 10 year old DC2 which felt a hell of a lot tighter despite having 4x as many miles on it.
These cars are cheap for a reason. There's no doubt they are drivers cars, and as such, should hold their value better than they do but the reason they don't is because they go through wear and tear items like they're going out of fashion, and jobs like the cambelt / dephaser are very expensive and most owners aren't keen to shell out the cash.
Problem is as well, they encourage you to drive like a hooligan, because the engines are peaky, and they just feel dull at ordinary speeds. This is fun for a while, but I'm getting too old for driving like that constantly.
All in all, I wish I'd never clapped eyes on mine TBQH.
Final straw was the radiator blowing on me on the A1, got that fixed, still leaking, took it back, and told that it was possible the head gasket had gone. Had to draw a line under it then.
Expensive money pit of a car. Although I was probably unlucky, these cars are not built to last. I had a 182 beforehand which had numerous niggles, thankfully all under warranty. When you get into a high quality car, you can instantly feel how much better they are built. I went from a 2 year old 182 to a nearly 10 year old DC2 which felt a hell of a lot tighter despite having 4x as many miles on it.
These cars are cheap for a reason. There's no doubt they are drivers cars, and as such, should hold their value better than they do but the reason they don't is because they go through wear and tear items like they're going out of fashion, and jobs like the cambelt / dephaser are very expensive and most owners aren't keen to shell out the cash.
Problem is as well, they encourage you to drive like a hooligan, because the engines are peaky, and they just feel dull at ordinary speeds. This is fun for a while, but I'm getting too old for driving like that constantly.
All in all, I wish I'd never clapped eyes on mine TBQH.
TameRacingDriver said:
Problem is as well, they encourage you to drive like a hooligan, because the engines are peaky, and they just feel dull at ordinary speeds. This is fun for a while, but I'm getting too old for driving like that constantly.
Obviously this is the feeling now, not the case when you bought the DC2 eh?kayzee said:
I'm on my second 182 now and it's going great guns! Just over 113k atm... and the car's performed so well since I bought it a year ago that I'm treating it to some shiny things at K-Tec next month 
Ooh, what shiny things? Just bought some matched inlets & a whiteline rear ARB for mine 
C2james said:
this is qiute good as i may be looking at a 172 cup soon.
Sadly they've reached the price point where young lads are breaking them if a big bill crops up 
The good news is, this can only increase rarity & therefore prices in the longer term so get in quick & hang on to it
LordHaveMurci said:
C2james said:
this is qiute good as i may be looking at a 172 cup soon.
Sadly they've reached the price point where young lads are breaking them if a big bill crops up The good news is, this can only increase rarity & therefore prices in the longer term so get in quick & hang on to it
LordHaveMurci said:
Sadly they've reached the price point where young lads are breaking them if a big bill crops up
The good news is, this can only increase rarity & therefore prices in the longer term so get in quick & hang on to it
Hardly an investment though, it'll take a hell of a long time before the prices rise, and when they do, it won't be by a huge amount. It doesn't help that people on forums like cliosport are always talking down the values of these cars.The good news is, this can only increase rarity & therefore prices in the longer term so get in quick & hang on to it
The Cup models are cheaper to maintain anyway (non AC models anyway), the cambelt job is half the price of the normal model so maybe they won't get broken as much (I get the impression many don't want to do the cambelt job, or don't do it properly).
And I agree with wackojacko. In fact, for me, it wouldn't even have to have a "quality" interior. It would just have to not be French
TameRacingDriver said:
Hardly an investment though, it'll take a hell of a long time before the prices rise, and when they do, it won't be by a huge amount. It doesn't help that people on forums like cliosport are always talking down the values of these cars.
The Cup models are cheaper to maintain anyway (non AC models anyway), the cambelt job is half the price of the normal model so maybe they won't get broken as much (I get the impression many don't want to do the cambelt job, or don't do it properly).
And I agree with wackojacko. In fact, for me, it wouldn't even have to have a "quality" interior. It would just have to not be French
But why? If you buy a good one they are reliable enough.The Cup models are cheaper to maintain anyway (non AC models anyway), the cambelt job is half the price of the normal model so maybe they won't get broken as much (I get the impression many don't want to do the cambelt job, or don't do it properly).
And I agree with wackojacko. In fact, for me, it wouldn't even have to have a "quality" interior. It would just have to not be French
They might not be a good investment, but £450-£600 for a cam belt, aux belt and dephaser pulley is cheaper than buying another car. I think people forget that part. They sell a car that needs a bit of preventative maintenance but then spend £5k on a car (say, a 197) that needs the same preventative maintenance in a couple of years.
MSTRBKR said:
But why? If you buy a good one they are reliable enough.
They might not be a good investment, but £450-£600 for a cam belt, aux belt and dephaser pulley is cheaper than buying another car. I think people forget that part. They sell a car that needs a bit of preventative maintenance but then spend £5k on a car (say, a 197) that needs the same preventative maintenance in a couple of years.
I'm not lucky enough to find those elusive reliable clios (I had two).They might not be a good investment, but £450-£600 for a cam belt, aux belt and dephaser pulley is cheaper than buying another car. I think people forget that part. They sell a car that needs a bit of preventative maintenance but then spend £5k on a car (say, a 197) that needs the same preventative maintenance in a couple of years.
I happily shelled out that, and more for preventative maintenance for my 172 only for it to thank me by blowing its radiator and head gasket. I'm afraid any positivity I had about French cars was obliterated with that car.
I now run a 350Z which so far, has been infinitely cheaper to run (early days I know, but then I only had that french POS a few months before I realised what a terrible mistake I'd made).
But hey, I don't deny these reliable clios exist, but I'll just never be lucky enough to find them.
I've currently got a Clio 182 and have previously owned a phase 1 172. I love them. Sometimes I wish it was a tad more refined. Around town it's a bit rattly and loud (my fault for adding a SS exhaust) but it cruises well on the motorway and is a riot when being driven at 8+ tenths.
I owened a MK1 MX5 between my Clio's. I loved it and I learned so much about driving from it, but ultimately I wanted to get back in another Clio.
I owened a MK1 MX5 between my Clio's. I loved it and I learned so much about driving from it, but ultimately I wanted to get back in another Clio.
I can say that i am a proud owner of a Phase 1 Clio 172 Exclusive...
She is a limited edition run of 172 made.. I have number 172 registered 19th may 2001, just before the phase 2 was release in the june.
Since owning the car i have had only had a problem with the passenger side window failing to go up but was repaired with a new plastic clip for £4.95
My car has only 41300 miles from new verified by all the past MOT`s and have had the pleasure of meeting the last 2 owners.. First one in Bury St Edmunds and the second Ely.
My car has from the factory a few swap over parts.
Mainly the fuel system and also the rear light clusters.
I am driving the car daily and had no problems as yet
Performance is really addictive, drive her sensibly and i average 34 -36 mpg mixed driving, on longer drives mototway speeds this can rise closer to 40 -42 mpg/. City Driving still good at around 28 mpg/.
On the B roads the car drives well, plenty of grip and if you push her a little harder she stays in the groove..
Over all a really good car..
She is a limited edition run of 172 made.. I have number 172 registered 19th may 2001, just before the phase 2 was release in the june.
Since owning the car i have had only had a problem with the passenger side window failing to go up but was repaired with a new plastic clip for £4.95
My car has only 41300 miles from new verified by all the past MOT`s and have had the pleasure of meeting the last 2 owners.. First one in Bury St Edmunds and the second Ely.
My car has from the factory a few swap over parts.
Mainly the fuel system and also the rear light clusters.
I am driving the car daily and had no problems as yet
Performance is really addictive, drive her sensibly and i average 34 -36 mpg mixed driving, on longer drives mototway speeds this can rise closer to 40 -42 mpg/. City Driving still good at around 28 mpg/.
On the B roads the car drives well, plenty of grip and if you push her a little harder she stays in the groove..
Over all a really good car..
I have a 2003 53plate172 Cup for sale on eBay and Autotrader.
It has got air conditioning which has got a lot of potential buyers puzzled and because I'm a little ignorant on some of this model's specification, I'm struggling to answer some of the questions put forward by potential buyers.
It's the very low mileage (33785) one and is in stunning condition but I would welcome any help in moving this car on. It will owe me a lot more than I've spent on it as I've had to replace a lot of consumable parts - alternator, battery, cambelt, tensioners, plugs, filters, oil, etc. I'm hoping to buy a BMW 535d to replace it with, for the expanding family.
It has got air conditioning which has got a lot of potential buyers puzzled and because I'm a little ignorant on some of this model's specification, I'm struggling to answer some of the questions put forward by potential buyers.
It's the very low mileage (33785) one and is in stunning condition but I would welcome any help in moving this car on. It will owe me a lot more than I've spent on it as I've had to replace a lot of consumable parts - alternator, battery, cambelt, tensioners, plugs, filters, oil, etc. I'm hoping to buy a BMW 535d to replace it with, for the expanding family.
Some did come with climate, although it is pretty rare - look in sales date & colour range: http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/roadcars/heritage/17...
Having just viewed your advert, most people will no doubt be asking who did the cambelt. Essentially, unless its been done by a specialist/Renault who know what they are doing, with the correct locking tools, you might as well have not done it unfortunately. Perhaps try signing up to cliosport and listing it for sale, it does look like a very nice example!!
Having just viewed your advert, most people will no doubt be asking who did the cambelt. Essentially, unless its been done by a specialist/Renault who know what they are doing, with the correct locking tools, you might as well have not done it unfortunately. Perhaps try signing up to cliosport and listing it for sale, it does look like a very nice example!!
Edited by Sir_Dave on Tuesday 16th April 10:55
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