Diesel Clios

[renaultgeek]

Hi,
I'm currently downgrading my daily driver, (GT line grand megane) as my girlfriend is learning to drive and a)I don't trust her with an unscratched car and b) something smaller.

Also allows me to fund other man maths related projects...

This brings me to my next question. Has anyone experience with mk2 or pre facelift mk3 clios, specifically the 1.5dci

I've owned mk2 petrol clios which seem to go forever (170k miles on my first when it was sold) and post facelift mk3 which I thought was nicely spec'd but wallowy.

I didn't own the mk3 when it was old enough for things to go wrong, so what should I be expecting?

[Rupert Rigsby]

and c) you don't want a Megane.

Can't speak for the Mk3 dci's but we have a Mk2 dci 80 that has shock horror been fantastically reliable. We've owned for 7 years and in that time the only problems have been, starting trouble due to the glow plug relay giving it and the auxiliary belt tensioner bearing giving up, which cost £5 and £46 respectively to sort. Sunroof's leak and need resealing and the alloy wheels are made of tin foil and buckle so easily.

It has an oil change every 4,500 miles instead of 9,000 and every 9,000 the fuel and air filter are changed, maybe a little excessive I admit. Its also had a wheel bearing, a set of glow plugs and new condenser for the air con. Removing the egr valve has made a big difference, and it also had the innards from that cat removed.

The fact that is does upper 60's to the gallon and £20 a year road tax is why its not been replaced. Been looking at Mk3 dci's but we have not found one in the spec we want.

[GrumpyTwig]

Had a mk3 Dci 80, was a pretty good car tbh and nothing went wrong rattled or fell off at all in the couple of years I had.

Nissan engine and gearbox so you'd hope it was reliable.

Edited by GrumpyTwig on Friday 31st May 18:40

[renaultgeek]

cheers guys, now just to find one. GrumpyTwig, it's a renault engine, K9K, no?

Is the 65bhp one underpowered or ok?

[Rupert Rigsby]

It is a Renault engine, (K9K) that is used in some Nissan Models. I would have thought a 65 should be more than fast enough, the 80 has a different blower and an intercooler, and is more tunable if that's your thing.

[GrumpyTwig]

renaultgeek said:

cheers guys, now just to find one. GrumpyTwig, it's a renault engine, K9K, no?

Is the 65bhp one underpowered or ok?

Co-developed between the pair of companies somehow according to what I can find.

[renaultgeek]

Rupert Rigsby said:

It is a Renault engine, (K9K) that is used in some Nissan Models. I would have thought a 65 should be more than fast enough, the 80 has a different blower and an intercooler, and is more tunable if that's your thing.

Cool. Tuneability doesn't bother me, economy and reliability and an easy drive for herself to learn.

Just saw a 106bhp model mk for sale, I didn't think these engines were available until the GT clio, am I wrong?

[renorti]

the K9K {1.5dci} does suffer with the delphi injectors {£600 a set plus coding to car ...£££}
they fail frequently , as does the bottom end bearings, and later 106bhp/110bhp like in the nissan qashkai and newer megane's
the variable vane turbo is't very good and that's £500 plus fitting.
can't complain as that's why I break these cars, for parts because they go wrong a lot so great for me.

[renaultgeek]

cheers, do all 3 engines have the same injectors? I've seen a few of them being sold needing new injectors alright and I guessed as much.

[uuf361]

My Mother has a 1.5 DCi 106 fully loaded (leather, nav etc) and at just over 2 years old with 15K miles it has been nothing but reliable, not a thing has broken, it doesn't rattle, and given the size of the car performance is reasonable too.....

[renaultgeek]

uuf361 said:

My Mother has a 1.5 DCi 106 fully loaded (leather, nav etc) and at just over 2 years old with 15K miles it has been nothing but reliable, not a thing has broken, it doesn't rattle, and given the size of the car performance is reasonable too.....

Unfortunately that one I was going to see had a turbo leaking oil, and a dodgy crash repair. So the hunt continues.

[BREMBOV6]

I had to throw a fair bit of money at mine when I had my Mk2 but its very very cheap to run.

[renaultgeek]

Do all the diesel mk3s come with a/c? Went to see an expression model last night and even though it didn't have alloys it had a/c. Thought that was strange.

[HereBeMonsters]

BREMBOV6 said:

I had to throw a fair bit of money at mine when I had my Mk2 but its very very cheap to run.

...he contradicted himself.

[renaultgeek]

I think my search has come to an end in that the only diesel clios in ireland are dodgy should be insurance write offs imported from the UK(the diesel wasn't popular here until recently). Luckily I've gotten a great deal with my pick of a bunch of 1.2s returning from lease in a week or so. I didn't want a petrol one, owned one a few years back and found it wallowy and weak, but I do have my mx5 for hooning and I've grown up a bit since my days of rallying around after college.

[sb-1]

renaultgeek said:

Do all the diesel mk3s come with a/c? Went to see an expression model last night and even though it didn't have alloys it had a/c. Thought that was strange.

I think they do.I have just bought(2 weeks ago) an Expression A/C steel wheels...
The trims are not bad looking though!

[bearman68]

renorti said:

the K9K {1.5dci} does suffer with the delphi injectors {£600 a set plus coding to car ...£££}
they fail frequently , as does the bottom end bearings, and later 106bhp/110bhp like in the nissan qashkai and newer megane's
the variable vane turbo is't very good and that's £500 plus fitting.
can't complain as that's why I break these cars, for parts because they go wrong a lot so great for me.

In fairness, the injectors only fail because they are being filled with metallic crap from the degrading fuel pump. (you know that chocolate thing on the front of the engine)

[HereBeMonsters]

So if I were to buy a 1.5 DCi Clio I should replace the fuel pump straight away?