My Black Gold 182 & new Mini Cooper D
Discussion
Hi PH'ers
I'm 34 and live in the south of France. I've been reading a lot on this forum (incidentally I didn't realize how big was the community until CH left evo for PH !) and wanted to share about my first performance car. I previously owned a Clio 1.2 (which I crashed but it was fixed and sold), a E21 316 which I crashed after two weeks (!) and a 2.4TD Range Rover which I absolutely loved and kept for 5 years, although I put only 2,000 dirty miles on it.
Anyway, due to my poor driving skills and studying across the world, I decided to wait before buying a performance car. I then owned a Ford C-Max for four years as a company car and apparently I was ready for more because I could keep it full lock sideways on wet roundabouts (which was slow but fun). Anyway, the girl offered me a track driving experience with two of my favorite cars at the time : Lotus Elise and Porsche 911. I ended up driving an Exige and a Gen1 997 Carrera 4S (you don’t know which version you’ll get until it’s your turn). I was a bit disappointed by the Lotus, it proved intimidating and with not enough roll on the suspensions, I found it difficult to drive it fast (and I was learning the lines). Did I mentionned it sounded dull (sorry for all fellow Lotus owners). With the circuit lines learned and much nicer interior, I felt completely at home in the Porker and went to pass all the other cars on track. Big Fun.
After that, it took me ages to choose the right car, my main inspiration being evo mag. With a 6,000£ budget, I considered, in no particular order and for various reasons that I'm not fully able to recall : Z3 2.8 and 3.0, Alfa Romeo GT, Touring 330d, original 1.6 MX-5, new MR2, MG-TF, 306 Rallye, E36 323ti, Gen1 Cooper S, Clio 172 & Williams, E34 M5. In the end it was all down between the Rallye, 172, 323ti and Cooper S. The Cooper was slightly out of budget, the girl clearly said no to the BMW so it was a french hot hatch final. I was keener on the 306 look and practicability, unfortunately it was almost impossible to find a good example. And then there was the Clio… I quickly realized they were cheaper than expected and that I could get a late 182 with good mileage. I also thought that the added security of ABS and ESP would be great for the miss - and perhaps myself
.
I read a lot about them, and was keen for a Liquid Yellow, Riviera Blue or Black Gold. And so I went 2 hours from home to try a 50,000 miles BG which looked very clean and the deal was done (who said never buy the first car you see ? oh well). It had both Cup pack and chassis and has been well cared after. Some pics :
The car is still a joy to use after 3 years and 10,000 miles, more of this later
I'm 34 and live in the south of France. I've been reading a lot on this forum (incidentally I didn't realize how big was the community until CH left evo for PH !) and wanted to share about my first performance car. I previously owned a Clio 1.2 (which I crashed but it was fixed and sold), a E21 316 which I crashed after two weeks (!) and a 2.4TD Range Rover which I absolutely loved and kept for 5 years, although I put only 2,000 dirty miles on it.
Anyway, due to my poor driving skills and studying across the world, I decided to wait before buying a performance car. I then owned a Ford C-Max for four years as a company car and apparently I was ready for more because I could keep it full lock sideways on wet roundabouts (which was slow but fun). Anyway, the girl offered me a track driving experience with two of my favorite cars at the time : Lotus Elise and Porsche 911. I ended up driving an Exige and a Gen1 997 Carrera 4S (you don’t know which version you’ll get until it’s your turn). I was a bit disappointed by the Lotus, it proved intimidating and with not enough roll on the suspensions, I found it difficult to drive it fast (and I was learning the lines). Did I mentionned it sounded dull (sorry for all fellow Lotus owners). With the circuit lines learned and much nicer interior, I felt completely at home in the Porker and went to pass all the other cars on track. Big Fun.
After that, it took me ages to choose the right car, my main inspiration being evo mag. With a 6,000£ budget, I considered, in no particular order and for various reasons that I'm not fully able to recall : Z3 2.8 and 3.0, Alfa Romeo GT, Touring 330d, original 1.6 MX-5, new MR2, MG-TF, 306 Rallye, E36 323ti, Gen1 Cooper S, Clio 172 & Williams, E34 M5. In the end it was all down between the Rallye, 172, 323ti and Cooper S. The Cooper was slightly out of budget, the girl clearly said no to the BMW so it was a french hot hatch final. I was keener on the 306 look and practicability, unfortunately it was almost impossible to find a good example. And then there was the Clio… I quickly realized they were cheaper than expected and that I could get a late 182 with good mileage. I also thought that the added security of ABS and ESP would be great for the miss - and perhaps myself
.I read a lot about them, and was keen for a Liquid Yellow, Riviera Blue or Black Gold. And so I went 2 hours from home to try a 50,000 miles BG which looked very clean and the deal was done (who said never buy the first car you see ? oh well). It had both Cup pack and chassis and has been well cared after. Some pics :
The car is still a joy to use after 3 years and 10,000 miles, more of this later
thanks mate, looks ok but there are a few things to sort out to make it perfect : some dings, swirls and the headlights need care too. I'm on a budget and I've already blown a few quids on 4 new tyres and a new front splitter.
There's a new inox silencer waiting to be fitted as the original one is rattling. The exhaust hangers also need changing.
Well, where do I start lol ?
There's a new inox silencer waiting to be fitted as the original one is rattling. The exhaust hangers also need changing.
Well, where do I start lol ?
I plan to keep the car as OEM as possible. However I'm longing for a pair of Recaros (the ones available in the Trophy and most Megane RS), just for the look (they weight only 1kg less than the stanndard seats). Yesterday there was a pair available 1h away from home. I planned a meeting but unfortunately the guy sold the whole car with the seats... gutted. A bit of patience and they will eventually come off !
yes I'm on CS but I live in France. most of the Recaros available around here are from Megane RS so you need to buy subframe mounts for the Clio. So i'm waiting for : Recaros in good shape (preferably black/alcantara), Clio subframe mounts, all for a good price and near home, that might explain why i'm still waiting
it's been a busy week-end, spend the saturday harvo under the car, fitting new rear exhaust mounts as they were shot and a new silencer straight center section.
old and new rear exhaust mounts
the left one was in even worst condition
looking underneath, I saw one of the silencer is becoming rusty and will need replacement at some point
and then the new silencer center section, ready to be fitted
much later in the day...
actually it was a pretty easy job but my mechanic skills being very limited, it proved a bit of pita to me.
Anyway, very happy with the new center silencer, it's much lighter than the original one. at first i found the car much quieter but it's because the OEM one use to rattle with small metallic noises even on light throttle. It really feels different to me.
then on sunday the sky finally opened after a cloudy day, so took the miss and the car out in the hill:
I absolutely love driving it under the rain, with 4 new Michelin PS3 it's really progressive when it breaks away. on some 3rd gear corners, the car was drifting from all four wheels without any ESP intervention, staying very balanced and predictable.
When I bought the car it was still on originals PS2 Exalto and they were much better in the dry: harder and with more grip. The PS3 are somehow softer and longer to heat but in the wet they really stand out. that's why i'm taking the car out when it's raining !
old and new rear exhaust mounts
the left one was in even worst condition
looking underneath, I saw one of the silencer is becoming rusty and will need replacement at some point
and then the new silencer center section, ready to be fitted
much later in the day...
actually it was a pretty easy job but my mechanic skills being very limited, it proved a bit of pita to me.
Anyway, very happy with the new center silencer, it's much lighter than the original one. at first i found the car much quieter but it's because the OEM one use to rattle with small metallic noises even on light throttle. It really feels different to me.
then on sunday the sky finally opened after a cloudy day, so took the miss and the car out in the hill:
I absolutely love driving it under the rain, with 4 new Michelin PS3 it's really progressive when it breaks away. on some 3rd gear corners, the car was drifting from all four wheels without any ESP intervention, staying very balanced and predictable.
When I bought the car it was still on originals PS2 Exalto and they were much better in the dry: harder and with more grip. The PS3 are somehow softer and longer to heat but in the wet they really stand out. that's why i'm taking the car out when it's raining !
charltjr said:
Looking good
Mine would be going the same way with the rear seats, except I can't get one of the bolts for the ISOFIX bar out...... grrr.....
Oups, that's not good ! Have you tried putting some WD40 over it before unlocking ?Mine would be going the same way with the rear seats, except I can't get one of the bolts for the ISOFIX bar out...... grrr.....
I think I'll get a rear anti-roll bar because you can't put a bag behind now...
Geekman said:
I live in the south of france as well, and love a good hoon around Verdon. The DN8 and surrounding roads near Circuit Paul Ricard are great as well, as is the D955 going out of Verdon. Seems like paradise after living in London all my life!
This shot was on the D71 (which is opposite to te D955/D952). It's treacherous with blind corners, fallen rocks, large camping-cars, so it's a perfect match for the Clio ! Last time I definitely shot the brakes though, that's why I bought the new ones.The Verdon and Mt Ventoux are definitely two of my favourite places to go for, next time I plan to go around Castellane where evo mag held previous ecoty (with the 991 GT3).
Brakes fitted : much better. No squeaking, pedal feels a bit soft but ok for road driving, excellent under the rain. Much more ABS friendly that OEM discs / Ferodo DS2500.
Sport cat fitted : horrible vibration between 2.5k and 3.5k rpm. Apparently the OEM silencers can't take the air flow created by the sport cat and the straight pipe. As a temporary measure, I'll have to refit the OEM centre pipe.
New inox silencers or silenced center pipe ? Mmmmhhh...
Sport cat fitted : horrible vibration between 2.5k and 3.5k rpm. Apparently the OEM silencers can't take the air flow created by the sport cat and the straight pipe. As a temporary measure, I'll have to refit the OEM centre pipe.
New inox silencers or silenced center pipe ? Mmmmhhh...
L9 GTE said:
I had a low mile 2004 Liquid Yellow 182 FF + both cup packs. It to date is one of my favourite cars (3 x ///M cars and many hatches etc) They are stupidly addictive and beg you to drive like a maniac.
That is a stonkingly clean example, I have been toying with the idea of getting another, worried they haven#t aged well though. The removal of the seats & that mat is a lovely little touch.
Keep the updates coming. I have a spare exhaust hanger and the steering wheel controls for an Alpine stereo if the OP is interested.
Liquid Yellow is pretty much the best color IMO. Black is great and has nice reflections but makes the car very stealth, even to enthusiasts. You can get another one for cheap money now but I'll suggest no mods, new belts, new shocks and you should be all set. Unfortunately some parts are pretty s**t and it's cheaper to get performance parts (like brakes and exhaust in my case) than OEM ones. That is a stonkingly clean example, I have been toying with the idea of getting another, worried they haven#t aged well though. The removal of the seats & that mat is a lovely little touch.
Keep the updates coming. I have a spare exhaust hanger and the steering wheel controls for an Alpine stereo if the OP is interested.
Many thanks for the parts but I live in France
heisthegaffer said:
I had a black gold 182 with both cup packs from 8,500 to circa 52,000 miles over a period of around 7 years and it was fantastic. Pretty reliable too other than a burst rear damper in the early days and towards the end the climate control was a little eratic.
It was a great car irrespective of the journey, great fun caning it but I found it surprisingly relaxing on the motorway, cruise on etc. Only thing I disliked was the clutch during heavy traffic.
It's my "first performance car" and I couldn't be happier. As you mentioned, it's easy to live with and it all wakes up on a narrow twisting road. Main concern to me are annoying squeaks and rattles from inside. And yeah, I think my A/C compressor is dead too ! It was a great car irrespective of the journey, great fun caning it but I found it surprisingly relaxing on the motorway, cruise on etc. Only thing I disliked was the clutch during heavy traffic.
L9 GTE said:
All in though, fantastic truly small car!
I think that's one of the Clio 2 strongest point : it's big enough for two + weekend bags but it's still a small car - with a big engine, wheels and brakes S3_Graham said:
I know shipping would probably be more but I found the parts from cliosport through wolverhampton renault were dirt cheap! well... apart from the exhaust. I got 2 rear disc's with the bearings for £90 delivered!
Thanks Graham, will give a try if needed !went to a local rally last weekend. There were loads of hot hatches (205/206/207/AX/Clio 2 and 3...) but the best for me was the sound of that engine !
charltjr said:
Not sure about whether the Exalto is going to be the best choice, but that's certainly my experience so far of dropping down to the 15" wheels.
The car feels even better, more responsive, less tramlining, nippier.
I've taken my back seats out too, and now I need earplugs
When I first bought the car it was sitting on Exaltos (205/45/16) and it was just brilliant. Turn in was crisp and the grip on less than smooth road was excellent. Then I got the PS3 and was mildly disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it's an excellent tire (even better in the wet) but not sporty enough. Feedback through the wheel is more subtle too with more information but less detail. So i'm expecting a lot but the tires are pretty old and show some cracks so I don't think i'll keep them for long. Anyway a new set will be 25% less expensive than the 16" PS3 (part reason for the swap).The car feels even better, more responsive, less tramlining, nippier.
I've taken my back seats out too, and now I need earplugs
Also I weighted one OZ F1 wheel with tire at 15kg, I'll check but I believe it's 2.5kg lighter a corner than a standard wheel and tire (another good reason then).
Removing the back seats is a great thing (much so than it seems in fact), especially for the noise. Which catback are you using ?
just went shopping, the car feels very different. it sits a fraction lower, there's less road noise, the ride is better and the turn in felt much better. I've ordered two new Exalto's because the previous ones were from 2006, should have checked better yesterday when I bought them ! It gives the car a phase 1 look, love it. the wheels are pretty much ragged except one but they were the cheapest available so can't complain too much.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff