Phase 1 RenaultSport Clio 172
Discussion
Following from this thread;
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I placed a few cheeky bids on phase 1 172's. I've always had a soft spot for them above all of the others, probably stemming from the fact that I loved my 1.2 16v 'Extreme' at 21 years old, until I wrote it off in a harsh lesson about lift off oversteer 18 months later.
Anyway, I found this on eBay under the 'Vehicle Parts & Accessories>Car Parts>Other Car Parts' section of the site rather than the proper place for it. I suspected I might be the winner from the outset, especially with these photo's;
Yeah, not great are they?
The ad did mention some some recent work to the rear brakes and it had a full ticket, i'll be honest, I did have hope to buy it, take some better photo's and try and sell it on again immediately for a small profit. Unfortunately it's slightly ropier than the photo's might suggest.
The Bad
Front end has clearly been in a bump, one headlight is set back, both wings are cracked and the bonnet appears to be attached by bluetack and good will. The alloys are full barry as is the exhaust. Tyres (Falkens) are either buggered or just rubbish as the car struggles with any grip in corners or under acceleration until you're travelling over 20mph.
There's also a little tappety sound from the engine, this is either full blown engine aids or it just needs an oil change, which is irrelevant because it came with zero paperwork save the MOT cert so it'll need a safety cambelt change, may aswell dick about with the internals while it's in pieces eh?
Oh, the clutch is holding on by the slimmest tether too.
The Good
Despite the quality photo's from the seller, the interior is actually half decent, it'll be a pleasant place to be once it's been desanitised. Everything works, all electrics (I know!), A/C the lot. Despite aforementioned engine issues, it pulls well once you get grip and get it higher up the rev range. Bodywork other than the front end is decent, well basically front the A-pillars back it looks very tidy and underneath seems to be very clean and showing only surface rust. No creamy oil filler cap and it holds temperature well.
It seems my hopes of flipping it for a small profit may have been naive, but after driving it for 30ish miles this afternoon and tonight it's grown on me massively. I might just keep it and put it back to standard in the hopes it becomes a future classic.
More photo's and progress will be added, in the meantime if any of you can point me in the direction of a decent parts supplier i'd be very appreciative.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I placed a few cheeky bids on phase 1 172's. I've always had a soft spot for them above all of the others, probably stemming from the fact that I loved my 1.2 16v 'Extreme' at 21 years old, until I wrote it off in a harsh lesson about lift off oversteer 18 months later.
Anyway, I found this on eBay under the 'Vehicle Parts & Accessories>Car Parts>Other Car Parts' section of the site rather than the proper place for it. I suspected I might be the winner from the outset, especially with these photo's;
Yeah, not great are they?
The ad did mention some some recent work to the rear brakes and it had a full ticket, i'll be honest, I did have hope to buy it, take some better photo's and try and sell it on again immediately for a small profit. Unfortunately it's slightly ropier than the photo's might suggest.
The Bad
Front end has clearly been in a bump, one headlight is set back, both wings are cracked and the bonnet appears to be attached by bluetack and good will. The alloys are full barry as is the exhaust. Tyres (Falkens) are either buggered or just rubbish as the car struggles with any grip in corners or under acceleration until you're travelling over 20mph.
There's also a little tappety sound from the engine, this is either full blown engine aids or it just needs an oil change, which is irrelevant because it came with zero paperwork save the MOT cert so it'll need a safety cambelt change, may aswell dick about with the internals while it's in pieces eh?
Oh, the clutch is holding on by the slimmest tether too.
The Good
Despite the quality photo's from the seller, the interior is actually half decent, it'll be a pleasant place to be once it's been desanitised. Everything works, all electrics (I know!), A/C the lot. Despite aforementioned engine issues, it pulls well once you get grip and get it higher up the rev range. Bodywork other than the front end is decent, well basically front the A-pillars back it looks very tidy and underneath seems to be very clean and showing only surface rust. No creamy oil filler cap and it holds temperature well.
It seems my hopes of flipping it for a small profit may have been naive, but after driving it for 30ish miles this afternoon and tonight it's grown on me massively. I might just keep it and put it back to standard in the hopes it becomes a future classic.
More photo's and progress will be added, in the meantime if any of you can point me in the direction of a decent parts supplier i'd be very appreciative.
It'll be a nice car once you've sorted the issues, fun and good on petrol.
I get better mpg thrashing it over the b roads of exmoor in 3rd-4th gear than on the motorway doing 70, it seems these pocket rockets do not reward steady driving.
For parts try k-tech or renparts_ltd on ebay for used parts.
I get better mpg thrashing it over the b roads of exmoor in 3rd-4th gear than on the motorway doing 70, it seems these pocket rockets do not reward steady driving.
For parts try k-tech or renparts_ltd on ebay for used parts.
Edited by egor110 on Monday 16th February 23:01
I was driving it carefully until this evening, when I thought nuts to it. They shift higher in the rev range don't they? The engine is a very different character to what i'm used to in my Saab. It's like i've got to learn how to drive properly all over again instead of relying on the torque all the time.
Great choice. Hugely fun to take down a challenging b-road and a great antidote to the current crop of FI hot hatches - makes you really work.
I've found the best place for OEM parts are Renault Parts Direct and Endon parts.
Cliosport is a comprehensive information resource, but can be a bit shouty at times.
Only other thing to be aware of is these have a cable throttle. The mechanism degrades over time. Symptoms are holding revs - sort of like a French version of cruise control!! You can attempt a regrease but it seems to have mixed results. OEM replacement is c£300.
I've found the best place for OEM parts are Renault Parts Direct and Endon parts.
Cliosport is a comprehensive information resource, but can be a bit shouty at times.
Only other thing to be aware of is these have a cable throttle. The mechanism degrades over time. Symptoms are holding revs - sort of like a French version of cruise control!! You can attempt a regrease but it seems to have mixed results. OEM replacement is c£300.
grkify said:
I have been looking at these as I prefer the look of the phase 1 but I cant find one near me that are in decent nick. All the ones round here have been messed around with or have 0 history think I am just going to have to take a chance on it at some point.
Buy cheap then and use the money you saved for repairs.^That's what I did/am doing.
Thanks for the comments chaps, i've registered and paid my membership on ClioSport. I've also had a conversation with Mick at Diamond Motors about a full service, Cambelt, Dephaser and Clutch change. He seems a nice chap. I will however speak to my local Saab indy to see what they say, they've always done outstanding work on my Saabs.
Well, the Mrs has driven it off to work today, stalling three times pulling off the drive. I'm hoping she comes home tonight with as big a grin on her face as I have had on mine, it'll certainly make spending money on it alot easier.
Thanks for the comments chaps, i've registered and paid my membership on ClioSport. I've also had a conversation with Mick at Diamond Motors about a full service, Cambelt, Dephaser and Clutch change. He seems a nice chap. I will however speak to my local Saab indy to see what they say, they've always done outstanding work on my Saabs.
Well, the Mrs has driven it off to work today, stalling three times pulling off the drive. I'm hoping she comes home tonight with as big a grin on her face as I have had on mine, it'll certainly make spending money on it alot easier.
I had one ages back, bought it on 20k at 3 years old and sold it on 46k about 12 months later. Great great car when it ran right, but mine was extremely unreliable. 2 gearboxes imploded, spark plugs shot out the head, sheared bolts holding the inlet on, rear dampers leaked at 30k, etc etc etc. I did do 2 trackdays in it though and each gearbox destroyed itself a few weeks after track work. I did love the damn thing though.
WildCards said:
^That's what I did/am doing.
Thanks for the comments chaps, i've registered and paid my membership on ClioSport. I've also had a conversation with Mick at Diamond Motors about a full service, Cambelt, Dephaser and Clutch change. He seems a nice chap. I will however speak to my local Saab indy to see what they say, they've always done outstanding work on my Saabs.
Well, the Mrs has driven it off to work today, stalling three times pulling off the drive. I'm hoping she comes home tonight with as big a grin on her face as I have had on mine, it'll certainly make spending money on it alot easier.
Don't bother, just go to Mick. He's brilliant, only one of two people who I trust my .R with. Thanks for the comments chaps, i've registered and paid my membership on ClioSport. I've also had a conversation with Mick at Diamond Motors about a full service, Cambelt, Dephaser and Clutch change. He seems a nice chap. I will however speak to my local Saab indy to see what they say, they've always done outstanding work on my Saabs.
Well, the Mrs has driven it off to work today, stalling three times pulling off the drive. I'm hoping she comes home tonight with as big a grin on her face as I have had on mine, it'll certainly make spending money on it alot easier.
WildCards said:
^That's what I did/am doing.
Thanks for the comments chaps, i've registered and paid my membership on ClioSport. I've also had a conversation with Mick at Diamond Motors about a full service, Cambelt, Dephaser and Clutch change. He seems a nice chap. I will however speak to my local Saab indy to see what they say, they've always done outstanding work on my Saabs.
Well, the Mrs has driven it off to work today, stalling three times pulling off the drive. I'm hoping she comes home tonight with as big a grin on her face as I have had on mine, it'll certainly make spending money on it alot easier.
Thanks for the comments chaps, i've registered and paid my membership on ClioSport. I've also had a conversation with Mick at Diamond Motors about a full service, Cambelt, Dephaser and Clutch change. He seems a nice chap. I will however speak to my local Saab indy to see what they say, they've always done outstanding work on my Saabs.
Well, the Mrs has driven it off to work today, stalling three times pulling off the drive. I'm hoping she comes home tonight with as big a grin on her face as I have had on mine, it'll certainly make spending money on it alot easier.
AGK said:
I doubt your local saab indie will have the correct tools for timing an F4R engine(I could be wrong though 
). The process is somewhat tricky and very easy to get wrong if you've never done one before and don't have the correct locking tools.
This, just take it to Mick. I drive to Mick to work on my Megane from Doncaster and he's sound, I trust him implicitly. ). The process is somewhat tricky and very easy to get wrong if you've never done one before and don't have the correct locking tools.Ginger goblin said:
Just noticed you're in East Mids. Another one to consider is 519 Automotive. They're about half way between Milton Keynesy and St Neots.
It's been alluded to above, but can't emphasise enough how important using the correct locking tools are when changing the belts on these cars.
Danny isn't working anymore is he? He sold everything he owned garage wise last year.It's been alluded to above, but can't emphasise enough how important using the correct locking tools are when changing the belts on these cars.
I'm not sure. I saw a flurry of activity late last year about new premises and a Monaro being rolling roaded (?). I used him last summer and it looks like he has divested since then as the website just links to a Google login (just me?).
Shame, as he was really good and only about 10 mins down the road from me.
Shame, as he was really good and only about 10 mins down the road from me.
WildCards said:
I was driving it carefully until this evening, when I thought nuts to it. They shift higher in the rev range don't they? The engine is a very different character to what i'm used to in my Saab. It's like i've got to learn how to drive properly all over again instead of relying on the torque all the time.
I have a 182 and I often go a few weeks without going above 3.5k rpm, and completely forget it's a 2 litre engine in a 1.1 ton car... and then I take it for a drive and it makes me giggle like a girl every time, and then I get to a corner and the grin makes my face ache. I added Cook Sport springs and a Whiteline ARB and it makes the back end much more planted.
This is the place to go. http://btmperformance.com/
He is moving to Australia in about 3 months time so get in quick before Fred shuts up shop. He was very honest about my clio, loads of broken bits and wrong parts fitted. Plenty of dodgy repairs by mechanics in the past.
PS we both have the same cars, sort of.
He is moving to Australia in about 3 months time so get in quick before Fred shuts up shop. He was very honest about my clio, loads of broken bits and wrong parts fitted. Plenty of dodgy repairs by mechanics in the past.
PS we both have the same cars, sort of.
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