Renault Clio's - talk to me
Discussion
We need a run around for the good ladywife and junior_t. We've found a Clio just round the corner which looks pretty good value - under £1k, 2002 plate, 1.6, 4 door, 90k miles. It looks clean enough, but I don't know much about them.
Anyone have much experience of them? Should I be expecting major bills soon with 90k on a french car? Any known issues?
Anyone have much experience of them? Should I be expecting major bills soon with 90k on a french car? Any known issues?
As with any mass-produced car, it's all about chance. Some of them will be hard work, throwing up awkward bills, others will run flawlessly forever.
What's the condition like at the moment? Recent work?
Usual things apply, nothing particularly wrong with these models. Make sure timing belt is done, 4 good tyres and no weird noises/knocks from the suspension.
ETA: Clios.
What's the condition like at the moment? Recent work?
Usual things apply, nothing particularly wrong with these models. Make sure timing belt is done, 4 good tyres and no weird noises/knocks from the suspension.
ETA: Clios.
3/4 of my mates have them (most from around that year) and I've heard nothing but good things and I think one of the Clio's is one of the first ones ('98 or '99) and its still going strong with big miles on it.
From what they say they're cheap and reliable, easy to insure and don't drive terribly. The only problem I've heard about was the one with a lot of miles had the ignition barrel changed because it was worn out from heavy use!
From what they say they're cheap and reliable, easy to insure and don't drive terribly. The only problem I've heard about was the one with a lot of miles had the ignition barrel changed because it was worn out from heavy use!
If it has a sunroof check it isnt leaking - the headlining and a pillars will be wet to the touch plus stains on the seat.
Check for various fun electrical issues such as the rear fog lamp light on the dash coming on briefly when you select reverse, water coming out of the front window washers when you ask it to wash the rear window.
If its coming up to cambelt change time - 67k or so - check that its been done or factor the cost in as its a pig of a job to do and costs in the region of £800. Also admire how the plugs face the firewall and the engine is at a slight angle which makes it so much fun to work on...
The driving position is odd as well but, as above, women dont seem to notice it at all.
Check for various fun electrical issues such as the rear fog lamp light on the dash coming on briefly when you select reverse, water coming out of the front window washers when you ask it to wash the rear window.
If its coming up to cambelt change time - 67k or so - check that its been done or factor the cost in as its a pig of a job to do and costs in the region of £800. Also admire how the plugs face the firewall and the engine is at a slight angle which makes it so much fun to work on...
The driving position is odd as well but, as above, women dont seem to notice it at all.
SeanyD said:
Check the bonnet catch, I think that's the model that had issues with the bonnet popping open unexpectedly, as happened to my lovely wife doing 70+ on the motorway, smashing the windscreen and crumpling front of the roof.
Google it, it even made watchdog a couple of times.
Google it, it even made watchdog a couple of times.
KTF said:
If it has a sunroof check it isnt leaking - the headlining and a pillars will be wet to the touch plus stains on the seat.
If it has a sunroof it WILL leak. They all do. Other than that they are pretty decent cars. Timing belts will need doing I suspect, and the steering wheel will have suffered from the sun. Again, they all do.
eybic said:
Renault will replace the bonnet catch at no cost but wont accept its a defect despite the catches corroding again within 12 months.
They don't replace them free, they will check it and make sure it is ok. If I needs replacing there is a cost attached.TBH they're great cars, no major issues. The central locking can be a bit dicky and I've seen a couple with intermittent immobiliser issues but nothing that can't be fixed easily and quite cheaply.
SeanyD said:
Check the bonnet catch, I think that's the model that had issues with the bonnet popping open unexpectedly, as happened to my lovely wife doing 70+ on the motorway, smashing the windscreen and crumpling front of the roof.
Google it, it even made watchdog a couple of times.
Happened to me on a dark rush hour M3 in the outside lane at 70+ as well. Autoglass had changed the windscreen the day before and hadn't let the bonnet drop enough and it wasn't properly closed in spite of there being no light on the dash. Properly shook me up! I had to get to the hard shoulder looking through a 1 inch gap under the bonnet. Luckily for me Autoglass acknowledged responsibility and had it repaired. Needed a new roof, bonnet, bonnet catches and hinges. All in all about £3.5K damage. Google it, it even made watchdog a couple of times.
eybic said:
Renault will replace the bonnet catch at no cost but wont accept its a defect despite the catches corroding again within 12 months.
... and the bonnet problem is still happening .. here's one I saw last Saturday (it's the red one on the hatched chevrons), sorry not a brilliant photo due to the angle, but the bonnet is smashed up against the windscreen:-
Butter Face said:
eybic said:
Renault will replace the bonnet catch at no cost but wont accept its a defect despite the catches corroding again within 12 months.
They don't replace them free, they will check it and make sure it is ok. If I needs replacing there is a cost attached.eybic said:
Butter Face said:
eybic said:
Renault will replace the bonnet catch at no cost but wont accept its a defect despite the catches corroding again within 12 months.
They don't replace them free, they will check it and make sure it is ok. If I needs replacing there is a cost attached.I will check and confirm tomorrow.
Butter Face said:
eybic said:
Butter Face said:
eybic said:
Renault will replace the bonnet catch at no cost but wont accept its a defect despite the catches corroding again within 12 months.
They don't replace them free, they will check it and make sure it is ok. If I needs replacing there is a cost attached.I will check and confirm tomorrow.
I've just had mine done free as it never had it done. Others I know were stung for it as there's had been replaced previously.
Hope this clears it up
We have a facelift Clio B, driven 90% by my GF in city traffic, the rest is me overland and on holidays.
It's a 1.4 16V with all options, bought used at 80,000km, now at 160,000.
I really, really like that car, Renault just knows how to build small cars. Technically, it's quite OK. Took some time to figure out a broken starter relay (2 indies couldn't figure it out, the Renault tech just tapped the relay and it started again, "they all do that"). Water pump failed once. No electrical problems so far although the car lives outside all year and gets driven in harsh winter conditions.
Oh, and even after owning proper 4x4 offroaders, this is the best snow car I have ever driven. Something about the weight distribution makes it climb up driveways with snow high enough to rip off the bumper lip.
It's a 1.4 16V with all options, bought used at 80,000km, now at 160,000.
I really, really like that car, Renault just knows how to build small cars. Technically, it's quite OK. Took some time to figure out a broken starter relay (2 indies couldn't figure it out, the Renault tech just tapped the relay and it started again, "they all do that"). Water pump failed once. No electrical problems so far although the car lives outside all year and gets driven in harsh winter conditions.
Oh, and even after owning proper 4x4 offroaders, this is the best snow car I have ever driven. Something about the weight distribution makes it climb up driveways with snow high enough to rip off the bumper lip.
doogz said:
Jonboy_t said:
We need a run around for the good ladywife and junior_t. We've found a Clio just round the corner which looks pretty good value - under £1k, 2002 plate, 1.6, 4 door, 90k miles. It looks clean enough, but I don't know much about them.
Anyone have much experience of them? Should I be expecting major bills soon with 90k on a french car? Any known issues?
Someone that knows more than me will no doubt be along shortly.Anyone have much experience of them? Should I be expecting major bills soon with 90k on a french car? Any known issues?
But at that price, you probably can't go far wrong.
Make sure the electric windows (if it has them) work, and if they don't, don't believe anyone that tells you it's probably a fuse, it's the motors, and they're expensive. You could probably find some in a scrap yard, well, it'd be up to you how to deal with it, just, make sure to check them. My brother had problems with his, seemingly it's not uncommon
Mine was a couple of years newer than that, my brake servo snuffed it, but that's a very unusual fault, the exhaust and rear dampers didn't last long, but as mine was the 2.0, they'll be different units from the one you're looking at.
If she's happy with the awful driving position (seems to be built for your stereotypical woman, sits very close to the wheel, and upright) go for it. What's the worst than can happen?
d of a job. In the end I wedged it up with a piece of wood inside the door.The power steering needed constantly topping up on mine and was noisy. It also didn't seem to work for the first 30 seconds of driving sometimes.
I'd echo the comments about the driving position. You CAN get comfy but you need to fiddle about a lot to get there.
Oh, the sunroofs leak.
Also, and this is the most unforgivable thing, the sump plug is some sort of stupid square allen key affair, clearly designed to make it an a
hole to service yourself without the special tool so you have to take it to the dealers.You can get an adaptor but when you're lying in the street trying to service the thing it'll barely reach the sump plug because of the stupid undertray so you end up with a 12-point plug spanner to grip the other (also square) end of the adaptor on an extension to your ratchet, scraping your knuckles in the process.
I've had to service the girlfriend's clio recently - can you tell?
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