RE: Renault Clio 16v: PH Carpool
Discussion
Great write up on a great little car which is often over looked.
I remember finding a 16v Clio (may be it was an RSI), when I looking for my first car, for £3500.00 but insurance would have been more than the car was worth because I was only 19 (& those were the companies that would even look at quoting me).
Why are you letting it go this year? Sadly wouldn't it be close to shed of week money?
I remember finding a 16v Clio (may be it was an RSI), when I looking for my first car, for £3500.00 but insurance would have been more than the car was worth because I was only 19 (& those were the companies that would even look at quoting me).
Why are you letting it go this year? Sadly wouldn't it be close to shed of week money?
That caused a big deja vu moment here..., I had a J-plate in the same red colour- I had to re-read the plate a couple of times to make sure it wasn't the same one! A super little car- I really wanted a Williams but despite trying a few, I couldn't find one for sensible money. I fell upon a decent 16V and IMHO it had 95% of the capability of a Williams in any case without the price premium. It served me well chasing around the country (... at 
pre-GATSO speeds) following the (early 90's) BTCC and various Stage rallies. Happy Days!
I say 'served me well'..., it was undeniably French in that it had constant little niggles that needed sorting e.g. engine management chip (... continual fast idle speed), a fuel pump that went very noisy and an occasional tendency to jump out of 5th gear on the Motorway
. Luckily through a mate I got to know a local race team that ran a car in the Clio Cup (a BTCC support series in those days) and they invariably knew what the problems were, or what was going to go wrong next and knew how to go about sensibly (and cheaply) fixing the issues. Which was a good thing as the local Renault dealer was as much use as a chocolate tea pot.
pre-GATSO speeds) following the (early 90's) BTCC and various Stage rallies. Happy Days!I say 'served me well'..., it was undeniably French in that it had constant little niggles that needed sorting e.g. engine management chip (... continual fast idle speed), a fuel pump that went very noisy and an occasional tendency to jump out of 5th gear on the Motorway
. Luckily through a mate I got to know a local race team that ran a car in the Clio Cup (a BTCC support series in those days) and they invariably knew what the problems were, or what was going to go wrong next and knew how to go about sensibly (and cheaply) fixing the issues. Which was a good thing as the local Renault dealer was as much use as a chocolate tea pot. I have a mk1 Cup racer from the original 1990 UK Clio Cup series, which was based on the 16v (not the Williams). It's a proper little weapon at around 800kg and running at c.165 bhp (curiously on carbs in a bit of a retro step).
These cars are all about the engine - a proper little screamer that needs to be kept above 5k rpm. We had to get the car dynoed for the race series we were entering (Trackday Trophy) and discovered as it passed 9k rpm that it had no rev limiter ! We stripped it down to check for any damage and it looked brand new - a beautifully built, blue-printed, balanced race engine. We replaced the bearings as a precaution and put in new ARP rod bolts, and it has been bullet-proof ever since.
The transmission is the weak point on these - they're really not up to the abuse.
It's been a fun car to learn and develop and it owes me an absolute fortune !
Racing makes no financial sense whatsoever if anyone still had any doubts...........
These cars are all about the engine - a proper little screamer that needs to be kept above 5k rpm. We had to get the car dynoed for the race series we were entering (Trackday Trophy) and discovered as it passed 9k rpm that it had no rev limiter ! We stripped it down to check for any damage and it looked brand new - a beautifully built, blue-printed, balanced race engine. We replaced the bearings as a precaution and put in new ARP rod bolts, and it has been bullet-proof ever since.
The transmission is the weak point on these - they're really not up to the abuse.
It's been a fun car to learn and develop and it owes me an absolute fortune !
Racing makes no financial sense whatsoever if anyone still had any doubts...........
Nice! I remember these being really rated back in the day.
When I was a young naive lad at the bottom of the car ownership ladder, I had a Corsa GSi and thought I was quite the big man to be running a 1.6 16v with over 100 bhp at 19.
I remember one of the boys where I got my first job had a blue Valver and I was consumed by jealousy given how much more powerful it was and the fact it had a bonnet vent!
Its funny how certain old cars grab you like this and repeatedly make you empty your wallet for no rational reason. My aging 156 V6 does the same to me!
When I was a young naive lad at the bottom of the car ownership ladder, I had a Corsa GSi and thought I was quite the big man to be running a 1.6 16v with over 100 bhp at 19.
I remember one of the boys where I got my first job had a blue Valver and I was consumed by jealousy given how much more powerful it was and the fact it had a bonnet vent!
Its funny how certain old cars grab you like this and repeatedly make you empty your wallet for no rational reason. My aging 156 V6 does the same to me!
I had a dark grey 16v with the 'impossible to clean' turbine alloys, standard apart from a Magnex decat by the previous owner. I remember it feeling remarkably quick at the time, but looking back I may have been mistaken!
I loved that car, but it suffered a controversial ending. I went out at 5am to drive to work (on guard duty), and there was a space where I always used to park the car. Tired and a little taken aback, I looked about to see if it was in another spot. The broken glass and steering wheel rubber centre on the road should have given me all the info I required. Long story short, it was used in two armed robberies, the second was unsuccessful and they were chased by the law. When they popped the coolant hoses off at high speed they decided the steed was no longer required. I never even contemplated having it back; it had been touched inaproppriately by another man (of the wheeled house variety).
I bought a MkII 16V Golf with the payout; the wife cried!
I loved that car, but it suffered a controversial ending. I went out at 5am to drive to work (on guard duty), and there was a space where I always used to park the car. Tired and a little taken aback, I looked about to see if it was in another spot. The broken glass and steering wheel rubber centre on the road should have given me all the info I required. Long story short, it was used in two armed robberies, the second was unsuccessful and they were chased by the law. When they popped the coolant hoses off at high speed they decided the steed was no longer required. I never even contemplated having it back; it had been touched inaproppriately by another man (of the wheeled house variety).
I bought a MkII 16V Golf with the payout; the wife cried!
My memories are starting to come back again...
Heater matrix got blocked on mine I had to spend 3 days removing the dashboard (hey I didn't know what I was doing) to replace it. Leaky sunroof costs a fortune to replace just the seal.
Once I was in work and got a call saying I'd left my handbrake off. Went out into the carpark and my handbrake had popped off and my car had rolled about 70ft down a grass bank.
Also had Clifford remote start on it. Occasionally I'd forget to put the keys in and drive off with the steering lock on and then it'd cut out in the middle of the road. What a plonker I looked.
I really should never have got rid of it. It was one of the last cars I owned to actually fit in the garage!
Heater matrix got blocked on mine I had to spend 3 days removing the dashboard (hey I didn't know what I was doing) to replace it. Leaky sunroof costs a fortune to replace just the seal.
Once I was in work and got a call saying I'd left my handbrake off. Went out into the carpark and my handbrake had popped off and my car had rolled about 70ft down a grass bank.
Also had Clifford remote start on it. Occasionally I'd forget to put the keys in and drive off with the steering lock on and then it'd cut out in the middle of the road. What a plonker I looked.
I really should never have got rid of it. It was one of the last cars I owned to actually fit in the garage!
Through rose tinted glasses its one car I wish Id never got rid off, had a black L plate one. loved the way it would cock a wheel up when you took a corner at speed.
Amazingly comfy seats, had it over on the Continent for a while when working there and fast runs on the autobahns trying to keep up with more exotic machinery would lead to high pitched whistling from leaky sun roof, and windscreen wipers lifting off the windscreen. Much more fun on twisty B roads where hot-hatches belong. Some bugger stole the bonnet from it, no doubt so they could fit it to their diesel powered Williams lookalike.
Sensible head meant I got rid off it due to its ability to chew through wheel bearings at an alarming rate, and the lack of any space under the bonnet would often result in large labour bills if any work required.
Cracking wee car though, haven't seen one around for along time now, perhaps they all ended up in hedges when driver ability failed to meet ambition, know I had my fair share of scares and points in one.
Amazingly comfy seats, had it over on the Continent for a while when working there and fast runs on the autobahns trying to keep up with more exotic machinery would lead to high pitched whistling from leaky sun roof, and windscreen wipers lifting off the windscreen. Much more fun on twisty B roads where hot-hatches belong. Some bugger stole the bonnet from it, no doubt so they could fit it to their diesel powered Williams lookalike.
Sensible head meant I got rid off it due to its ability to chew through wheel bearings at an alarming rate, and the lack of any space under the bonnet would often result in large labour bills if any work required.
Cracking wee car though, haven't seen one around for along time now, perhaps they all ended up in hedges when driver ability failed to meet ambition, know I had my fair share of scares and points in one.
Nobby77 said:
My memories are starting to come back again...
Once I was in work and got a call saying I'd left my handbrake off. Went out into the carpark and my handbrake had popped off and my car had rolled about 70ft down a grass bank.
And here too (I LOLd)... Had the same when ours was still new (to us). Mrs F parked it up at the top of our sloping driveway on the handbrake only. After a few minutes the brake disks obviously cooled down and I watched in terror from the top garage as the little red 16V slooooowly rolled backwards down the driveway. Despite my desperate hot pursuit trying to unlock it and stop proceedings it rolled down the complete length of driveway (about 60'), out into and across the main street. Amazingly it lost just enough momentum to just ride up and bounce off the opposite kerb, which was directly outside the neighborhood mains electric transformer compound. Once I was in work and got a call saying I'd left my handbrake off. Went out into the carpark and my handbrake had popped off and my car had rolled about 70ft down a grass bank.
I had visions of cutting off the entire street's EL and then receiving a huge repair bill! For the privilege !It was a real have a good look round to see if anyway saw it happen (not, thankfully), then into the house to read the 'riot act' about "handbrake AND leave it in gear" (which from that day was always remembered!)
Had 2. J454pdj a white phase 1 with abs. And a grey phase 2 m510alw. Both super cars. Both nearly new.So had 5 years driving these , and good memories..
Both ok reliability wise , and enough room in the back for a bit of slap and tickle!
My brother had two also.
I now have a 200 2012 with cup pack
My brother has an r26 megane.
Weirdly I used to see a really cherished grey phase 2 on my commute until recently.
Makes me feel old...
Both ok reliability wise , and enough room in the back for a bit of slap and tickle!
My brother had two also.
I now have a 200 2012 with cup pack
My brother has an r26 megane.
Weirdly I used to see a really cherished grey phase 2 on my commute until recently.
Makes me feel old...
Had 2. J454pdj a white phase 1 with abs. And a grey phase 2 m510alw. Both super cars. Both nearly new.So had 5 years driving these , and good memories..
Both ok reliability wise , and enough room in the back for a bit of slap and tickle!
My brother had two also.
I now have a 200 2012 with cup pack
My brother has an r26 megane.
Weirdly I used to see a really cherished grey phase 2 on my commute until recently.
Makes me feel old...
Both ok reliability wise , and enough room in the back for a bit of slap and tickle!
My brother had two also.
I now have a 200 2012 with cup pack
My brother has an r26 megane.
Weirdly I used to see a really cherished grey phase 2 on my commute until recently.
Makes me feel old...
t first car but some chap in the village had one at college. This brings back memories, I had a white 91 model that I bought in 98 for my 18th birthday 
The insurance was probably as much as the car!!
I learnt a lot about driving, crashing her 3 times with the final time ending her life
My favourite memory was cruising down the motorway from Bristol to Exeter at 127mph the entire way whilst racing a Ducati.
If I had the spare garage space I'd have one in a heart beat.
Keep her, you'll regret it when she goes.
The insurance was probably as much as the car!! I learnt a lot about driving, crashing her 3 times with the final time ending her life
My favourite memory was cruising down the motorway from Bristol to Exeter at 127mph the entire way whilst racing a Ducati.
If I had the spare garage space I'd have one in a heart beat.
Keep her, you'll regret it when she goes.
Fun little cars. I've owned mine for over 17 years now. No problems with the rear arches on mine as it has been garaged all that time except when being used and still has less than 50k miles on it!
I was originally after a Williams but being young back then the insurance cost difference swung me in favour of the valver (group 12 versus group 17 back then was a big difference for not much extra in terms of performance).
I ran it in sprints and hillclimbs for a number of years and it managed to fare very well despite the rest of the class mainly having 2-litre lumps. More recently I stripped it for track use and installed an F7R 2-litre Williams engine with ITBs and am enjoying the new lease of life that 200 bhp in sub-800 kgs has given it!
I was originally after a Williams but being young back then the insurance cost difference swung me in favour of the valver (group 12 versus group 17 back then was a big difference for not much extra in terms of performance).
I ran it in sprints and hillclimbs for a number of years and it managed to fare very well despite the rest of the class mainly having 2-litre lumps. More recently I stripped it for track use and installed an F7R 2-litre Williams engine with ITBs and am enjoying the new lease of life that 200 bhp in sub-800 kgs has given it!
2stis said:
Fun little cars. I've owned mine for over 17 years now. No problems with the rear arches on mine as it has been garaged all that time except when being used and still has less than 50k miles on it!
I was originally after a Williams but being young back then the insurance cost difference swung me in favour of the valver (group 12 versus group 17 back then was a big difference for not much extra in terms of performance).
I ran it in sprints and hillclimbs for a number of years and it managed to fare very well despite the rest of the class mainly having 2-litre lumps. More recently I stripped it for track use and installed an F7R 2-litre Williams engine with ITBs and am enjoying the new lease of life that 200 bhp in sub-800 kgs has given it!
250bhp per ton = very niceI was originally after a Williams but being young back then the insurance cost difference swung me in favour of the valver (group 12 versus group 17 back then was a big difference for not much extra in terms of performance).
I ran it in sprints and hillclimbs for a number of years and it managed to fare very well despite the rest of the class mainly having 2-litre lumps. More recently I stripped it for track use and installed an F7R 2-litre Williams engine with ITBs and am enjoying the new lease of life that 200 bhp in sub-800 kgs has given it!
got any pics of the little beast ?
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff