RE: PH Blog: the Clio that became a kettle
Wednesday 11th April 2012
This is my new kettle. Smart, eh? Why am I showing you a picture of my new kettle? Well, it's linked to my old car. Which is why I insisted on having this blue one - the display model - and not any of the other boxed ones in various other appealing shades.
Not a perfect colour match but near enough!Basically this is the story of a Clio 172 Cup that became a kitchen. When exactly I passed that milestone in life where the latter becomes more important than the former I'm not entirely sure - must've been snoozing at that point or something. And before anyone weighs in with the 'she made you sell your car to buy a kitchen?' misogynist outrage it's only fair to point out that only half the Clio was actually mine and, effectively, the other half was subsidised for my pleasure. A great deal of which I had at the wheel before I gallantly (I can say that now) declared it wasn't really fair to be exploiting the deal like that. And went and bought my Eunos instead.
Rare facing right way on track momentIt was a cracking little car too - properly fierce and unforgiving and brutally fast for a hot hatch. For my money that was the perfect meeting point in the hot hatch evolution where proper performance met a half decent chassis before things got too civilised and computer assisted. The Cup is new enough to feel like a 'modern' car but much more raw and involved than anything on the market today, 200 Cup included. I remember reading about it when it launched and thinking 'that's my kind of car' and, sure enough, it proved itself exactly that. And now whenever I make a cup of tea I get a little chance to celebrate its part in my life.
Steve's Clio outpaced Caterhams in the wetMaybe I should feel sad that my Clio has morphed into a kettle. But it was the right time to part and I feel no bitterness. And the new owner looked chuffed to bits with it when he drove off. Not that it stops me browsing the classifieds from time to time of course... I'm still loyal and, weirdly, felt a surge of pride at 172 Cup owner Steve McMaster putting one over the Caterhams at the Goodwood sprint at the weekend too. Well done that man!
PH Blog: the Clio that became a kettle
So, how was your bank holiday? Dan went out and bought a kettle...
Not a perfect colour match but near enough!
Still, if the Clio was to become a kitchen my one rule was that there should be something there to commemorate its sacrifice. Some feature, some flash of Mondial Blue or something relevant to my ownership. One mate, who witnessed the Cup's ability to bite the unwary (ie, me), commented I should perhaps have a small gravel trap in the corner. Very funny. But I thought the kettle would do the job, so there it is. And every time I go to make a brew I can reminisce about OV52 OVM and the fun (and fear) we shared together.
Rare facing right way on track moment
Steve's Clio outpaced Caterhams in the wet
So, anyone else got a little shrine to a long-lost automotive love? Share! You're among friends here...
Dan
Discussion
Luckily I still have my Mustang because I carefully paid for that over a long period to stop me selling it. Now it's paid for I get the urge to sell but understand that a sale will turn the cash into something like a holiday or as soon as the garage becomes vacant, I will suddenly see the sense of a garage conversion providing the much needed bedroom and even more space for my wife to fill with sh*t.
We are getting to the end of a loan to pay for a conservatory that is too cold to use in winter and too hot to use in summer and which I still resent. the trick is to keep a toy, however small, as a consolation.
We are getting to the end of a loan to pay for a conservatory that is too cold to use in winter and too hot to use in summer and which I still resent. the trick is to keep a toy, however small, as a consolation.
I had a mug as tribute to my old Fiesta ST.
It was one of those hand drawn pictures of the car (with the same blue stripes as my own), with the actual number plate printed on it.
Sadly the car had to go as it was a constant attraction for local yobs who felt it necessary to steal from it at any opportunity. Unfortunately one morning I came into the garage to find it missing it's whole front bumper and rear spoiler. It was too much hassle and it had to go.
Even sadder is that the mug finally joined it last month when it was victim to a terrible dish-washing incident. Still, I've got a lot of fond memories of that car!
It was one of those hand drawn pictures of the car (with the same blue stripes as my own), with the actual number plate printed on it.
Sadly the car had to go as it was a constant attraction for local yobs who felt it necessary to steal from it at any opportunity. Unfortunately one morning I came into the garage to find it missing it's whole front bumper and rear spoiler. It was too much hassle and it had to go.
Even sadder is that the mug finally joined it last month when it was victim to a terrible dish-washing incident. Still, I've got a lot of fond memories of that car!
Here's me thinking that in true Renault form your little Clio was boiling over and whistling a painful tune while blowing a load of steam out of it's spout. Just like one of mine did! Having had 4 of them I don't feel your sadness though, granted mine where all made in the early 90's, I will be happy to never drive another again as long as I live.
I had a Vectra GSi that morphed just like your Clio. Mine turned into an engagement ring, I miss that car!
I had a Vectra GSi that morphed just like your Clio. Mine turned into an engagement ring, I miss that car!
Oddly enough, my Clio 172 Cup...sold to put towards my house deposit. S25 CUP was my pride and joy and it was an utter wrench to get rid of it. I bought a nice TV as a kind of replacement. Every cloud though, the £1500 Hyundai Coupe that replaced it was sold two years later for £100 less than I paid for it, and I'm now the proud owner of a Ph1 172, which, incidentally, is even more raw and involving than the Cup.
In about 1990 I sold a MK1 Astra to pay for a kitchen in my first house. To be fair the Astra was a dog + the kitchen much more reliable + cheaper to run 
More recently I sold my eight year old, tuned (engine not body!) Elise to pay for some landscaping...that hurt.
Still, as of last year, the Lotus key fob now has an E92 M3 key on it so balance is once again restored to the universe...
More recently I sold my eight year old, tuned (engine not body!) Elise to pay for some landscaping...that hurt.
Still, as of last year, the Lotus key fob now has an E92 M3 key on it so balance is once again restored to the universe...
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