Clio cup 172

[egor110]

dai1983 said:

Air bag light will be the connectors under the seat. I've had a non cup 172 for a couple of months as a daily driver. I enjoy driving it but it's a bit harsh, rattley, passenger seat it stuck and the clutch is heavy! Also needs belts etc doing so I'm contemplating selling it or buying the parts and Renault timing tools.

It's actually the airbag pretensioner, if you think yours is harsh the cup has thinner glass, less sound deadening and mine is on kw coilovers.

On the plus side it costs pennies in petrol and there aren't many corners I have to brake for.

[dai1983]

I initially looked for a cup but they were either in rubbish condition or quite a bit more than a regular 172.

If I do keep hold of it I'm contemplating fitting 15s and a smaller steering wheel.

[LordHaveMurci]

egor110, what happened with your gearbox in the end?

Can't quite believe I'm actually toying with the idea of moving mine on after 5.5yrs, not because I want to but because we're contemplating moiving from 3 cars to just 2 & not sure the 172 fits into that equation

[egor110]

LordHaveMurci said:

egor110, what happened with your gearbox in the end?

Can't quite believe I'm actually toying with the idea of moving mine on after 5.5yrs, not because I want to but because we're contemplating moiving from 3 cars to just 2 & not sure the 172 fits into that equation

I stuck in a stiff shift kit and changed the gearbox oil and all seems well again.

I keep thinking of trading mine in however id have to spend serious cash to get something quicker to 60.

I looked at boxsters but it would cost 5-6k for a car that's only .4 of a second quicker although the torque would be far more than the clio.

Likely candidates are z4 or nissan 350z as at least there 5.7 to 60 so at least its quicker than the clio or maybe go back to a subaru wrx.

[egor110]

dai1983 said:

I initially looked for a cup but they were either in rubbish condition or quite a bit more than a regular 172.

If I do keep hold of it I'm contemplating fitting 15s and a smaller steering wheel.

Mine was cheap and local , they are the only reasons I got it,I wasn't even looking for a new car!

I've spent a lot on it trying to get it sorted but my commute is 2 miles and a tank of petrol lasts me over a month so I'm really impressed by the mpg and the handling.

Whatever I get next is going to have a hard job because the cup is just so light nimble and chuckable.

[LordHaveMurci]

egor110 said:

LordHaveMurci said:

egor110, what happened with your gearbox in the end?

Can't quite believe I'm actually toying with the idea of moving mine on after 5.5yrs, not because I want to but because we're contemplating moiving from 3 cars to just 2 & not sure the 172 fits into that equation

I stuck in a stiff shift kit and changed the gearbox oil and all seems well again.

I keep thinking of trading mine in however id have to spend serious cash to get something quicker to 60.

I looked at boxsters but it would cost 5-6k for a car that's only .4 of a second quicker although the torque would be far more than the clio.

Likely candidates are z4 or nissan 350z as at least there 5.7 to 60 so at least its quicker than the clio or maybe go back to a subaru wrx.

I've run mine alongside a 996 for 5.5yrs, it's not performance it lacks but civilility! It's more FUN than the 996 without doubt but a drive of 30mins+ see's me reaching for the 996 key every time! This is partly why we may be changing it, my OH doesn't want it in place of her Focus as it's so much more, er, focussed lol!
Genuinely can't decide if I'd rather lose the Cup or the 996, love both of them but three cars is just unneccesary for us & none of them are practical for an active family of 4 with 2 dogs!

[egor110]

LordHaveMurci said:

egor110 said:

LordHaveMurci said:

egor110, what happened with your gearbox in the end?

Can't quite believe I'm actually toying with the idea of moving mine on after 5.5yrs, not because I want to but because we're contemplating moiving from 3 cars to just 2 & not sure the 172 fits into that equation

I stuck in a stiff shift kit and changed the gearbox oil and all seems well again.

I keep thinking of trading mine in however id have to spend serious cash to get something quicker to 60.

I looked at boxsters but it would cost 5-6k for a car that's only .4 of a second quicker although the torque would be far more than the clio.

Likely candidates are z4 or nissan 350z as at least there 5.7 to 60 so at least its quicker than the clio or maybe go back to a subaru wrx.

I've run mine alongside a 996 for 5.5yrs, it's not performance it lacks but civilility! It's more FUN than the 996 without doubt but a drive of 30mins+ see's me reaching for the 996 key every time! This is partly why we may be changing it, my OH doesn't want it in place of her Focus as it's so much more, er, focussed lol!
Genuinely can't decide if I'd rather lose the Cup or the 996, love both of them but three cars is just unneccesary for us & none of them are practical for an active family of 4 with 2 dogs!

Re your replacement, how about a subaru legacy gtb?

I used to have a jap import , twin turbo , 280 bhp , proper bilstein suspension.

The clios are light and nimble around corners the legacy was far heavier but very stable and fast.

It felt like it would just batter each corner into submission.

[dai1983]

egor110 said:

Mine was cheap and local , they are the only reasons I got it,I wasn't even looking for a new car!

I've spent a lot on it trying to get it sorted but my commute is 2 miles and a tank of petrol lasts me over a month so I'm really impressed by the mpg and the handling.

Whatever I get next is going to have a hard job because the cup is just so light nimble and chuckable.

I fancy a 924 (or wait longer and stretch to a 944) at the moment but I do change my mind often. I'll want a 205gti next week!

[egor110]

dai1983 said:

egor110 said:

Mine was cheap and local , they are the only reasons I got it,I wasn't even looking for a new car!

I've spent a lot on it trying to get it sorted but my commute is 2 miles and a tank of petrol lasts me over a month so I'm really impressed by the mpg and the handling.

Whatever I get next is going to have a hard job because the cup is just so light nimble and chuckable.

I fancy a 924 (or wait longer and stretch to a 944) at the moment but I do change my mind often. I'll want a 205gti next week!

I quite fancy a boxster but its only .3 of a second quicker to 60 and question if its worth it.

[LordHaveMurci]

egor110 said:

Re your replacement, how about a subaru legacy gtb?

I used to have a jap import , twin turbo , 280 bhp , proper bilstein suspension.

The clios are light and nimble around corners the legacy was far heavier but very stable and fast.

It felt like it would just batter each corner into submission.

I have considered a Spec-B, had an Impreza Turbo from 99-01 & loved it back then, would be too emabarassed to be seen in one nowadays so the Legacy makes a lot of sense.
Also considered loads of other stuff too, thing is I really love both my cars, probably end up spending more money & swapping the OH's old Focus hatch for a newer estate & keeping three cars!

I really wouldn't about performance figures when thinking about car swap, a Boxster will be so different to the Clio in every respect, test drive one & see what you prefer (or do what I did & have both lol!).

[egor110]

LordHaveMurci said:

egor110 said:

Re your replacement, how about a subaru legacy gtb?

I used to have a jap import , twin turbo , 280 bhp , proper bilstein suspension.

The clios are light and nimble around corners the legacy was far heavier but very stable and fast.

It felt like it would just batter each corner into submission.

I have considered a Spec-B, had an Impreza Turbo from 99-01 & loved it back then, would be too emabarassed to be seen in one nowadays so the Legacy makes a lot of sense.
Also considered loads of other stuff too, thing is I really love both my cars, probably end up spending more money & swapping the OH's old Focus hatch for a newer estate & keeping three cars!

I really wouldn't about performance figures when thinking about car swap, a Boxster will be so different to the Clio in every respect, test drive one & see what you prefer (or do what I did & have both lol!).

For me its all about engine noise .

I loved the legacy gtb burbling along, I like the Porsche sound but I think the 350z or the audi tt with the 3.2 v6 engine also sound nice.

I kind of gripe with spending 6k on a car that although it sounds nice isn't much faster than my French shed.

Are you doing any more hill climbs this year? I'll have to try and get down to one.

[LordHaveMurci]

egor110 said:

For me its all about engine noise .

I loved the legacy gtb burbling along, I like the Porsche sound but I think the 350z or the audi tt with the 3.2 v6 engine also sound nice.

I kind of gripe with spending 6k on a car that although it sounds nice isn't much faster than my French shed.

Are you doing any more hill climbs this year? I'll have to try and get down to one.

Hillclimbs all done 'til April 2016 now. If I still have the car I'll probably do a few next season.

A Boxster with sports exhaust is pretty intoxicating, even more than the 996 as you can have the roof down. At higher speeds it will be much more planted than the 172, on slower, twistier roads the Clio could hold it's own I'm sure.
I've often wondered if my 996 would be any quicker up a hillclimb than the Clio, not brave enough to find out though!
I think a TT would bore the pants off you, I considered a 350Z a few years ago, needed 4 seats which decided it but still not convinced anyway.

[SDavyy]

Nice motor. I've loved my 172 (non-cup), had it almost 3 years!

[egor110]

So this weekend the mighty clio had it's 1st long journey 121 miles down to cornwall.

at about 80 i was getting 38mpg and coming home doing 70 it was up to 42mpg, pretty decent figures for a revy engine, which could do with 2 extra gears.

[LordHaveMurci]

egor110 said:

So this weekend the mighty clio had it's 1st long journey 121 miles down to cornwall.

at about 80 i was getting 38mpg and coming home doing 70 it was up to 42mpg, pretty decent figures for a revy engine, which could do with 2 extra gears.

I've seen 43mog from mine on a slowish run before, not a nice place to be for 120mls though so well done!

[John D.]

Pah! I used to regularly do 100 miles before breakfast on a Sunday morning just for kicks in my Cup.

[egor110]

LordHaveMurci said:

egor110 said:

So this weekend the mighty clio had it's 1st long journey 121 miles down to cornwall.

at about 80 i was getting 38mpg and coming home doing 70 it was up to 42mpg, pretty decent figures for a revy engine, which could do with 2 extra gears.

I've seen 43mog from mine on a slowish run before, not a nice place to be for 120mls though so well done!

I find the seats pretty comfy, but 80mph and the revs are at 4000 so it gets pretty noisy.

The rides not too bad, going down the a30 there are fast sweeping bends and the tight right hander where the m5 merges onto a30 and the clio just turns like its on rails.

The steering wheel turns yet there's no body roll or feeling of turning.

In summary , a clio cup is not a relaxing mile muncher.

[LordHaveMurci]

John D. said:

Pah! I used to regularly do 100 miles before breakfast on a Sunday morning just for kicks in my Cup.

You're made of sterner stuff than me then - drove it approx an hour to get to a hillclimb once, never again!

Maybe I'm getting soft in my old(er) age?! Sure I drove far worse for many miles in my younger days (a BX GTi springs to mind right away).

Still, I enjoy the short trips I do in it immensely

[egor110]

LordHaveMurci said:

You're made of sterner stuff than me then - drove it approx an hour to get to a hillclimb once, never again!

Maybe I'm getting soft in my old(er) age?! Sure I drove far worse for many miles in my younger days (a BX GTi springs to mind right away).

Still, I enjoy the short trips I do in it immensely

I know what you mean, I miss just wafting around in my old grand Cherokee big lazy boy seats and auto gearbox.

I don't miss the fuel cost though.