RE: SOTW: Renault Clio Renaultsport

[Mr Will]

rgracin said:

DannyVTS said:

matthewg said:

Sceptical too - seems like an 'advertised' £500-800 too cheap?

Some people just don't understand the value of their cars.

Mr Average would probably think £1k is too much for a 10 year old French Hatchback with nearly 120k - but yes good examples with the same mileage can be seen advertised for up to 2k

Yes, but "Mr Average" wouldn't:
i bought the car 4 months ago with a snapped timing belt.
fitted
x16 new valves
x16 valve oil seals
full head gasket set
new head bolts
new timing belt
oil and filter
anti freeze
water pump
alternater belt
2nd hand alternater.

If he's done all that himslef, he's knows his stuff, and may well have found other issues. If he doesn't know his stuff, would you buy a car from someone who's done all of the above? (unless, of course they got a garage to do it)

Bought it, fixed it, discovered he can't afford to insure it?

Someone please buy it (mainly because I want to find out if it does go bang or not )

[britsportscars]

Looks like a really fun car for the money. I looked at getting a 172 for a while, and I actually prefer the goggle eyed look of the earlier clios...

[900T-R]

I would've been on its case if it weren't for the mortgage people still not having got back to me about the mortgage for a second home in the eifel region where it would have its permanent residence.

I sold two of my four cars a couple of years ago, just before the start of paid parking in my street... (the events were unrelated though as I wass blissfully unaware of this before I spotted the parking ticket machine in front of the apartment building one fateful day)

[Vic Cooper]

mik_jg said:

was thinking there would be a simple explaination for the whine. don't know too much about these as they're fairly rare in ni. this one advertised over here seems cheap tho:

http://www.usedcarsni.com/64027030

would anyone recommend one for a bit of back-road blasting?

And it hasn't got the NI reg, so a bit suspicious.

[ninos]

[/quote]

The Renaultsports are more reliable.
[/quote]

I agree, mechanically I never had any issues with mine and my diesel meganne was bullet proof but electrics were rubbish.

[theturbs]

Nice idea, but I'm sceptical about this particular example...

[MagicalTrevor]

ninos said:

MagicalTrevor said:

ninos said:

Nice find, great little hot hatch, just a shame its French and will almost certainly be suffering or will suffer from dodgy electricals. Good for 6 months hooning or track car though then move it on

Shame, you obviously know nothing about these cars. Electrics are certainly not on the list of 'known problems'

Are you having a laugh?? I know enough that I will never buy another one. I've owned 3 Renaults, a Laguna, Meganne & a Clio although not the 172, but the 1.2 on a 05 plate. All had electrical issues, window switches, light internals melting dodgy rear lights so can't just be bad luck on my part......

Unfortunately you're comparing the 'RenaultSport' model with a Laguna, Megane and the newer '05 non-sport Clio. Was your 1.2 '05 also something like the 'Campus' model (old shape given a facelift)?
So, alas, not really a good comparison to give I'm afraid. Sounds like you've jumped on the 'all French cars are rubbish' bandwagon?

I'm certainly not suggesting the 'Clios' don't have electrical problems, just that the RenaultSport 172ph1 (Phase 1 = Early) don't tend to suffer with dodgy electrics, at least it's not on the list of things to look out for

[johnhenry]

spent £££ on the car, owned it 4 months, does rather sound like a 'cutting your losses' sale
gear boxes for these cant be too bad right? would make a decent car if it went to someone with decent mechanical knowledge.

[mik_jg]

Vic Cooper said:

mik_jg said:

was thinking there would be a simple explaination for the whine. don't know too much about these as they're fairly rare in ni. this one advertised over here seems cheap tho:

http://www.usedcarsni.com/64027030

would anyone recommend one for a bit of back-road blasting?

And it hasn't got the NI reg, so a bit suspicious.

lotta second-hand cars in ni come from england and many new owners keep the english plate so that wouldn't be a prob

[da_murphster]

Great great cars - reckon I could coax one down a backroad quicker than my Elise/TVR.

Used to get 35mpg as well.

I personally would rather pay a bit extra to get one with 'known' cambelt change (ie someone reputable) as they are easy to bodge.

Pity they are noisy on the m'way or I would still have mine.

Will buy a trophy when my daily commute drops.

[ninos]

MagicalTrevor said:

ninos said:

MagicalTrevor said:

ninos said:

Nice find, great little hot hatch, just a shame its French and will almost certainly be suffering or will suffer from dodgy electricals. Good for 6 months hooning or track car though then move it on

Shame, you obviously know nothing about these cars. Electrics are certainly not on the list of 'known problems'

Are you having a laugh?? I know enough that I will never buy another one. I've owned 3 Renaults, a Laguna, Meganne & a Clio although not the 172, but the 1.2 on a 05 plate. All had electrical issues, window switches, light internals melting dodgy rear lights so can't just be bad luck on my part......

Unfortunately you're comparing the 'RenaultSport' model with a Laguna, Megane and the newer '05 non-sport Clio. Was your 1.2 '05 also something like the 'Campus' model (old shape given a facelift)?
So, alas, not really a good comparison to give I'm afraid. Sounds like you've jumped on the 'all French cars are rubbish' bandwagon?

I'm certainly not suggesting the 'Clios' don't have electrical problems, just that the RenaultSport 172ph1 (Phase 1 = Early) don't tend to suffer with dodgy electrics, at least it's not on the list of things to look out for

I can't remmber off the top of my head, it was a 1.2 16V, pretty well specked and yes it was a facelifted version. I am certainly not jumping on any bandwagon as you suggest. I don't mean to cause offence to anyone owning one of these cars however I am just expressing my opinion and experience.

Why would electrics on the Reanulsport be any different to the standard model and can you honsetly say that NO Reanualsport Clio PH1 & PH2 has NEVER suffered from the electrical gremlins???

[EDLT]

It seems too cheap to me, and after three years in a 306 I've had my fill of cheap french cars.

[D18OCK]

£1000 for a French car with 110,000 miles and an unidentified whine?!

Sounds like money down the drain to me.

Isn't this model (believe it is called to MkII a) known for destroying wheel bearings faster than it consumes fuel too? I think I am right in saying that SKF originally supplied them and can no longer do so.

[MagicalTrevor]

ninos said:

I can't remmber off the top of my head, it was a 1.2 16V, pretty well specked and yes it was a facelifted version. I am certainly not jumping on any bandwagon as you suggest. I don't mean to cause offence to anyone owning one of these cars however I am just expressing my opinion and experience.

Why would electrics on the Reanulsport be any different to the standard model and can you honsetly say that NO Reanualsport Clio PH1 & PH2 has NEVER suffered from the electrical gremlins???

But unfortunately, you have no experience with this car so how can you comment so 'factually' that they have electric problems...!

I'm not offended, just irritated that you're spouting such nonsense. IIRC RenaultSports are built in a completely different factory to 'non-sports'. I think it's Dieppe. This may explain the difference in the reliability, plus they may use different parts.

[J4CKO]

Buy it, break it, make some money !

[V88Dicky]

iirc Renaultsport handbuild their cars in Dieppe, a few hundred miles from where the main Renault factory is (nearer Paris).

Different quality control?

[matt1269]

I've owned 3 Renaults and currently have a 172 cup, and haven't experienced an electrical fault

I think i'll be sticking to the renaultsport range for a good while as they are such good value for money and have reasonable running costs.

[angusc43]

MagicalTrevor said:

ninos said:

Nice find, great little hot hatch, just a shame its French and will almost certainly be suffering or will suffer from dodgy electricals. Good for 6 months hooning or track car though then move it on

Shame, you obviously know nothing about these cars. Electrics are certainly not on the list of 'known problems'

My wife's got a 2000 1.6 16V. The interior lights are random. The alarm is random (sometimes works, sometimes not, sometimes sets itself off for no reason). The passenger side window switch or relay is random. Bulbs keep blowing in the dash. The front indicator failed the other day. I spent 30 mins skinning my knuckles replacing the bulb just find it mysteriously started working again. Aand the sunroof has a mysterious on/off rattle which would cost more than the car's worth to fix. Everything else works fine but electrics are certainly dodgy on the non-RenaultSport cars.

Despite all that, great shed. If my wife didn't insist on a 4 door for the kids I'd deffo swap for one of these as a city run about. Small, light, punchy, cheap to run, great image.

Edited by angusc43 on Friday 7th January 13:12

[eltax91]

aka_kerrly said:

My bet is the current owner gave £3-500 for it an spent £2-300 on the head boshed it back together and now wants rid. Most likely he bought it off a mate who killed the engine and couldn't afford to repair it.

[MagicalTrevor]

angusc43 said:

MagicalTrevor said:

ninos said:

Nice find, great little hot hatch, just a shame its French and will almost certainly be suffering or will suffer from dodgy electricals. Good for 6 months hooning or track car though then move it on

Shame, you obviously know nothing about these cars. Electrics are certainly not on the list of 'known problems'

Eh? My wife's got a 2000 1.6 16V. The interior lights are random. I disconnected them all at one point as they would turn themselves on and drain the battery. The alarm is random (sometimes works, sometimes not, sometimes sets itself off for no reason). The passenger side window switch or relay is random. Bulbs keep blowing in the dash. The front indicator failed the other day. I spent 30 mins skinning my knuckles replacing the bulb just find it mysteriously started working again. Oh and the sunroof has a mysterious on/off rattle which would cost more than the car's worth to fix.

Everything else works fine but electrics are CERTAINLY dodgy on these cars.

Despite all that, great shed. If my wife didn't insist on a 4 door for the kids I'd deffo swap for one of these as a city run about.

Oh FFS, now you're not reading what I'm saying!!!

RenaultSport does not equal Renault. You can't say 'RenaultSport 172s have rubbish electrics because my Non-Sport 1.6 16v had dodgy electrics'.