RE: Renault Clio Williams: PH Carpool
Discussion
In 95 I had a mint 1.9 gti with 24k on it. One of the later cars with pas and abs. It was quick and fun. I sold it to buy a Williams 3 new. I got some discount on it, no mean feet at the time. Paid £14k ish in 1996.
It was nice, brand new, quick and fun.
However it wasn't twice the car the 205 was and I resented it for that. I'd paid more than double than the 205 owed me hence it should have been twice the experience. The car mags at the time hailed it as being a sublime drivers car, better on a B road than a 512 TR I recall one headline proclaiming.
I sold it 6 months later, got back what I'd paid for it and bought an Mx 5.
Nice car but I never thought it as good as it was hyped up to be. The gear change on the Pug was tangibly better and despite giving 20bhp away the 205 felt as quick.
It was nice, brand new, quick and fun.
However it wasn't twice the car the 205 was and I resented it for that. I'd paid more than double than the 205 owed me hence it should have been twice the experience. The car mags at the time hailed it as being a sublime drivers car, better on a B road than a 512 TR I recall one headline proclaiming.
I sold it 6 months later, got back what I'd paid for it and bought an Mx 5.
Nice car but I never thought it as good as it was hyped up to be. The gear change on the Pug was tangibly better and despite giving 20bhp away the 205 felt as quick.
highway said:
In 95 I had a mint 1.9 gti with 24k on it. One of the later cars with pas and abs. It was quick and fun. I sold it to buy a Williams 3 new. I got some discount on it, no mean feet at the time. Paid £14k ish in 1996.
It was nice, brand new, quick and fun.
However it wasn't twice the car the 205 was and I resented it for that. I'd paid more than double than the 205 owed me hence it should have been twice the experience. The car mags at the time hailed it as being a sublime drivers car, better on a B road than a 512 TR I recall one headline proclaiming.
I sold it 6 months later, got back what I'd paid for it and bought an Mx 5.
Nice car but I never thought it as good as it was hyped up to be. The gear change on the Pug was tangibly better and despite giving 20bhp away the 205 felt as quick.
Interesting post - I know what you mean. A friend traded his 1.9 205 for a Williams and I was quite excited to see it and have a go in it. They were a much talked about hot hatch at the time. I had a 309 Gti and I think I ( and my friend who bought the Williams ) had 'built it up' mentally to be so much better than the Peugeots that we were bound to be disappointed.It was nice, brand new, quick and fun.
However it wasn't twice the car the 205 was and I resented it for that. I'd paid more than double than the 205 owed me hence it should have been twice the experience. The car mags at the time hailed it as being a sublime drivers car, better on a B road than a 512 TR I recall one headline proclaiming.
I sold it 6 months later, got back what I'd paid for it and bought an Mx 5.
Nice car but I never thought it as good as it was hyped up to be. The gear change on the Pug was tangibly better and despite giving 20bhp away the 205 felt as quick.
Still, a great hot hatch, and I hope the guy with this one enjoys his time with it when it's restored.
s m said:
highway said:
In 95 I had a mint 1.9 gti with 24k on it. One of the later cars with pas and abs. It was quick and fun. I sold it to buy a Williams 3 new. I got some discount on it, no mean feet at the time. Paid £14k ish in 1996.
It was nice, brand new, quick and fun.
However it wasn't twice the car the 205 was and I resented it for that. I'd paid more than double than the 205 owed me hence it should have been twice the experience. The car mags at the time hailed it as being a sublime drivers car, better on a B road than a 512 TR I recall one headline proclaiming.
I sold it 6 months later, got back what I'd paid for it and bought an Mx 5.
Nice car but I never thought it as good as it was hyped up to be. The gear change on the Pug was tangibly better and despite giving 20bhp away the 205 felt as quick.
Interesting post - I know what you mean. A friend traded his 1.9 205 for a Williams and I was quite excited to see it and have a go in it. They were a much talked about hot hatch at the time. I had a 309 Gti and I think I ( and my friend who bought the Williams ) had 'built it up' mentally to be so much better than the Peugeots that we were bound to be disappointed.It was nice, brand new, quick and fun.
However it wasn't twice the car the 205 was and I resented it for that. I'd paid more than double than the 205 owed me hence it should have been twice the experience. The car mags at the time hailed it as being a sublime drivers car, better on a B road than a 512 TR I recall one headline proclaiming.
I sold it 6 months later, got back what I'd paid for it and bought an Mx 5.
Nice car but I never thought it as good as it was hyped up to be. The gear change on the Pug was tangibly better and despite giving 20bhp away the 205 felt as quick.
Still, a great hot hatch, and I hope the guy with this one enjoys his time with it when it's restored.
I actually preferred my 1.8 16v to the Williams as I felt it a little more exciting and a little less composed than the wider front tracked Williams. Same for the engine - more fizz with the 1.8. I could still see myself with another actually, especially when people keep posting pics like the one above!
Great car and nice write-up. Know the feeling re the 11th hour 180 - did the same with my Quattro last year after 20 years of ownership and my wife says "what are you doing?!" Was the wake-up call I needed - chap on the Quattro forum was v understanding...We will be at LM Classic this year :-)
I had a 1.4rt followed by a 1.8 16v as a youth.
Great fun to drive and compared to their contemporaries, I always thought they looked and drove better as well as having much higher spec.
Considering they were both under 10 years old though the reliability was horrific.
The RT snapped 2 clutch cables and a clutch pedal. The coil amplifier went. The exhaust rusted and snapped off and to top the lot, the engine blew up. Luckily I got a used one fitted for £500 so it lived on.
The valver, unbeknown to me, was running on 3 cylinders for it's first couple of months. Turns out the clip for the electrical connector to an injector had broken off. I played a game in 18 months called "chase the bulb" where every exterior bulb at some point had gone pear shaped and at no point did they all ever work at the same time. Even the bulbs in the dash went, leading to speeding ticket!
The fuel pump packed up and as new, they cost a bomb and require the fuel tank to be dropped to change. Luckily I found a used one and a decent mechanic who did it all for £200
I would certainly look at them fondly from a far but never ever buy another one.
Great fun to drive and compared to their contemporaries, I always thought they looked and drove better as well as having much higher spec.
Considering they were both under 10 years old though the reliability was horrific.
The RT snapped 2 clutch cables and a clutch pedal. The coil amplifier went. The exhaust rusted and snapped off and to top the lot, the engine blew up. Luckily I got a used one fitted for £500 so it lived on.
The valver, unbeknown to me, was running on 3 cylinders for it's first couple of months. Turns out the clip for the electrical connector to an injector had broken off. I played a game in 18 months called "chase the bulb" where every exterior bulb at some point had gone pear shaped and at no point did they all ever work at the same time. Even the bulbs in the dash went, leading to speeding ticket!
The fuel pump packed up and as new, they cost a bomb and require the fuel tank to be dropped to change. Luckily I found a used one and a decent mechanic who did it all for £200
I would certainly look at them fondly from a far but never ever buy another one.
I had an R5 GT Turbo.
While I vaguely wanted a Clio williams, the design was always very bland and generic, compared to the, even then, "retro" 5 (Surely Renault are missing a new trick here to compete with Mini 500).
I liked them more in the metallic burgundy they came in later but it was never a car I lusted after. Then again, I am one of the few who never liked the 205GTi though I can see it's a classic design.
While I vaguely wanted a Clio williams, the design was always very bland and generic, compared to the, even then, "retro" 5 (Surely Renault are missing a new trick here to compete with Mini 500).
I liked them more in the metallic burgundy they came in later but it was never a car I lusted after. Then again, I am one of the few who never liked the 205GTi though I can see it's a classic design.
LuS1fer said:
I had an R5 GT Turbo.
While I vaguely wanted a Clio williams, the design was always very bland and generic, compared to the, even then, "retro" 5 (Surely Renault are missing a new trick here to compete with Mini 500).
I liked them more in the metallic burgundy they came in later but it was never a car I lusted after. Then again, I am one of the few who never liked the 205GTi though I can see it's a classic design.
They never came in anything other than Blue and Gold. The Blue changed from Sports Blue to Moncao and that was the only colour change.While I vaguely wanted a Clio williams, the design was always very bland and generic, compared to the, even then, "retro" 5 (Surely Renault are missing a new trick here to compete with Mini 500).
I liked them more in the metallic burgundy they came in later but it was never a car I lusted after. Then again, I am one of the few who never liked the 205GTi though I can see it's a classic design.
You're probably thinking of Naples Red that the 1.8 16v came in
As for looks - I always thought they had it all. Flared front and rear arches, bonnet bulge, naca duct.
These are fantastic little cars!
Years back I had a 1.8 16V and i absolutely loved it to pieces. It was such a great engine, absolutely no low down power but one it came onto cam it just sang to the redline...
I sold it after about 3 years and 40000 miles due to getting a company car. i always promised myself i would buy a willams and about 2 years back i did exactly that. Williams 3:
Sadly the ther half was not so keen so after doing quite a lot of work to it (original spec products replaced)it had to go...apparently the jump from the rolls royce to the renault was too much for her
Sold it to a guy in the forces who promised to love it and i hope he is as it was genuine little belter that car
Years back I had a 1.8 16V and i absolutely loved it to pieces. It was such a great engine, absolutely no low down power but one it came onto cam it just sang to the redline...
I sold it after about 3 years and 40000 miles due to getting a company car. i always promised myself i would buy a willams and about 2 years back i did exactly that. Williams 3:
Sadly the ther half was not so keen so after doing quite a lot of work to it (original spec products replaced)it had to go...apparently the jump from the rolls royce to the renault was too much for her
Sold it to a guy in the forces who promised to love it and i hope he is as it was genuine little belter that car
andymc said:
I had completely missed this thread (the PH Carpool one) until Dom9 pointed me in this direction. They are absolutely superb little cars. The more that are saved the better, they are certainly not going down in value and anyone wanting one as a little project (which inevitably, like mine, turns quickly into a major wallet-busting labour of love!) or a run about I can't speak highly enough of them.
They are twice the car the 205 GTI is/was.
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