Nicole ? Papa ! - Clio 197 F1
Discussion
Hi all,
So as with all readers car posts this one has a little story.
Prologue
At the tender age of 17 my Dad purchased a Nimbus grey R27, bloody lovely car! With the Recaro seats and the cup pack it was a little pocket rocket and was a car 17 year old me could only dream of.
Some years later...
The ratty MX5 i owned suddenly became a liability, eating through alternators regularly, rusting everywhere and the final straw where it left me broken down after 5 laps of Oulton Park.
I had my fun in the MX5 game and decided it was time to move on, they really are great little cars but i was ready for a change.
So whats next?
The list of replacements was varied and odd, ranging from E46 M3, to TVR to Fiat Panda 100hp. All i wanted was a car that had that special something, it needed to be a little bit mad and not bankrupt me.
The list was finalized to a Clio 197 and a Megane R26.
After talking to a few people, including dad it was decided a 197 would be the next best step leaving the door open to upgrade to the R26 a few years down the line.
The search was on
My only requirements for the Clio was it had to have the Cup chassis and the Recaro seats. After searching through a whole heap of cars and a number of viewings i couldn't find a decent car.
Most had hugely inflated prices or were in a shocking condition.
There was one car however on eBay, a blue F1. It has a few niggly issue and was a high miler but...
Cup pack? Check
Recaros? Check
Good history? Check
Price? Bang on budget
Whats the catch? Its over 3 hours away
After speaking with the owner via the Clio forum i had a decision to make.
Do i let it slip through my fingers?
Do i have a mad dash down their as soon as i can and buy it?
You know where this goes!
Dad? I've bought car, fancy a trip to Gloucester?
So off we went. Viewed the car and all seemed well, a test drove revealed the car was a good runner. Need i say more? It was bought there and then and i drove it back to mum and dad's house.
Obligatory picture of car on driveway:
Look at those seats!!!!!!
Now to shift that rotbox Mx5
After dealing with a few idiots and hilarious low ball offers a chap and his son came and bought the car for a decent price with no hassle. Off it went to be pressed straight back into track duties. The Mrs was more sad to see it go than me!
Obligatory picture of car being driven away:
It's clio time!
Will be collecting the car from mum and dad's tonight. I shall follow this up with some more thoughts on the car and the plans i have!
So as with all readers car posts this one has a little story.
Prologue
At the tender age of 17 my Dad purchased a Nimbus grey R27, bloody lovely car! With the Recaro seats and the cup pack it was a little pocket rocket and was a car 17 year old me could only dream of.
Some years later...
The ratty MX5 i owned suddenly became a liability, eating through alternators regularly, rusting everywhere and the final straw where it left me broken down after 5 laps of Oulton Park.
I had my fun in the MX5 game and decided it was time to move on, they really are great little cars but i was ready for a change.
So whats next?
The list of replacements was varied and odd, ranging from E46 M3, to TVR to Fiat Panda 100hp. All i wanted was a car that had that special something, it needed to be a little bit mad and not bankrupt me.
The list was finalized to a Clio 197 and a Megane R26.
After talking to a few people, including dad it was decided a 197 would be the next best step leaving the door open to upgrade to the R26 a few years down the line.
The search was on
My only requirements for the Clio was it had to have the Cup chassis and the Recaro seats. After searching through a whole heap of cars and a number of viewings i couldn't find a decent car.
Most had hugely inflated prices or were in a shocking condition.
There was one car however on eBay, a blue F1. It has a few niggly issue and was a high miler but...
Cup pack? Check
Recaros? Check
Good history? Check
Price? Bang on budget
Whats the catch? Its over 3 hours away
After speaking with the owner via the Clio forum i had a decision to make.
Do i let it slip through my fingers?
Do i have a mad dash down their as soon as i can and buy it?
You know where this goes!
Dad? I've bought car, fancy a trip to Gloucester?
So off we went. Viewed the car and all seemed well, a test drove revealed the car was a good runner. Need i say more? It was bought there and then and i drove it back to mum and dad's house.
Obligatory picture of car on driveway:
Look at those seats!!!!!!
Now to shift that rotbox Mx5
After dealing with a few idiots and hilarious low ball offers a chap and his son came and bought the car for a decent price with no hassle. Off it went to be pressed straight back into track duties. The Mrs was more sad to see it go than me!
Obligatory picture of car being driven away:
It's clio time!
Will be collecting the car from mum and dad's tonight. I shall follow this up with some more thoughts on the car and the plans i have!
Edited by AmosMoses on Tuesday 22 August 10:33
I briefly considered one of these a few months back, but reliability issues put me off. I had a mk1 172 when they were nearly new and it liked to munch its way through gearboxes, amoungst other things. Cracking mini hot hatch though, fizzy little things. Not sure what's going on with those wheels though, presumably they'll be changed!
So, yesterday was collection day.
Beep beep beep
Turns out when a clio has 0 fuel it's turns into an 80s alarm clock. £60 of Tesco 99 momentum sorted that right out.
Quick nighttime blast?
A friend popped over so we nipped out to see what the clio could do on some twisty roads. Turns out it's brilliant, but as it was dark we couldn't go too mad.
Working nine to fiiiiiive
Morning came and I don't think I have ever been this excited to drive to the office, was pretty short lived when I realized it was raining and had been all night.
Home time!!
After struggling to concentrate all day due to the new car I rushed out the door at 5 ready for a blast home.
What can I say?
Car is fantastic, short ratio box doesn't work at all on a dc or m way. But get it on a country road and it's always in the power band, which is handy when you have to overtake 3 lorries and various tractors.
On a twisty bit of road I found it very composed and hugely grippy. Chassis is nice and taught on the open road but a little crashy in town.
Cars back home safe and I can now draw up a list of things to do:
Wheels - I hate them, these gordini wheels are tacky imo so I will be spraying them grey at some point. I'm also missing a center cap but I've already ordered some spare.
Electrics - With it being French it has some electrical niggles, lights on the center console don't work and neither does the blower on 4. Most likely loose wires or blown fuses/bulbs
Air con - I'm pretty sure it just needs gas, it blows slightly cooler but is pretty crap
Engine mounts - The seller said they were on the way out, ill keep an eye on them and maybe go to powerflex mounts.
Other than that I plan to learn the car over the next few weeks, then book my first trackday!
So, yesterday was collection day.
Beep beep beep
Turns out when a clio has 0 fuel it's turns into an 80s alarm clock. £60 of Tesco 99 momentum sorted that right out.
Quick nighttime blast?
A friend popped over so we nipped out to see what the clio could do on some twisty roads. Turns out it's brilliant, but as it was dark we couldn't go too mad.
Working nine to fiiiiiive
Morning came and I don't think I have ever been this excited to drive to the office, was pretty short lived when I realized it was raining and had been all night.
Home time!!
After struggling to concentrate all day due to the new car I rushed out the door at 5 ready for a blast home.
What can I say?
Car is fantastic, short ratio box doesn't work at all on a dc or m way. But get it on a country road and it's always in the power band, which is handy when you have to overtake 3 lorries and various tractors.
On a twisty bit of road I found it very composed and hugely grippy. Chassis is nice and taught on the open road but a little crashy in town.
Cars back home safe and I can now draw up a list of things to do:
Wheels - I hate them, these gordini wheels are tacky imo so I will be spraying them grey at some point. I'm also missing a center cap but I've already ordered some spare.
Electrics - With it being French it has some electrical niggles, lights on the center console don't work and neither does the blower on 4. Most likely loose wires or blown fuses/bulbs
Air con - I'm pretty sure it just needs gas, it blows slightly cooler but is pretty crap
Engine mounts - The seller said they were on the way out, ill keep an eye on them and maybe go to powerflex mounts.
Other than that I plan to learn the car over the next few weeks, then book my first trackday!
Had an R27 for about 3 years, loved it! Very capable cars, and a hoot on track.
One thing to watch on the recaros is the side bolster, if you slide in and out, you'll soon wear a hole in them, was a problem most of the suffered at some point. Never had a seat that quite lives up them, and looking at getting a pair for current car!
One thing to watch on the recaros is the side bolster, if you slide in and out, you'll soon wear a hole in them, was a problem most of the suffered at some point. Never had a seat that quite lives up them, and looking at getting a pair for current car!
Love the colour! I so wish that I hadn't gone with a black one!
I've only had to replace one of my engine mounts, and got a garage to do it.
My blower doesn't work on 3 so would be keen to see if this is a simple fix, but got a feeling its a big job.
I don't think the lights on my central console light up either, but I will check this evening.
They are flippin awesome to drive, such a good chassis especially on a good B road. I still have a long list of bits and pieces I want to do to mine. But there are some really good uprated parts for them especially brakes and suspension parts.
I've only had to replace one of my engine mounts, and got a garage to do it.
My blower doesn't work on 3 so would be keen to see if this is a simple fix, but got a feeling its a big job.
I don't think the lights on my central console light up either, but I will check this evening.
They are flippin awesome to drive, such a good chassis especially on a good B road. I still have a long list of bits and pieces I want to do to mine. But there are some really good uprated parts for them especially brakes and suspension parts.
Thanks for the kind comments all, safe to say I'm very much in the honeymoon period. Love this car!
Fancy going for a drive?
Mrs called up saying she was on her way home, she suggested I took her out for a spin! You don't have to ask me twice
. We live a stones throw from Saddleworth moor so a quick hoon to the top and back was all that was needed.
Car really is fantastic, I know this road well and it holds up so much better than my MX5. Suspension really flows out here and it's handling is pin sharp. One thing I am finding though, the chassis is so composed I find myself driving a lot faster than I could in the MX5 which means making progress really does require the road to yourself!
Unfortunately for us an old boy spun his MX5 backwards into a fence just as we hit the good part of the road. So a gentle jaunt to the top for a few pics then we came home.
Car is booked into to have the tracking done tomorrow as it have a slight pull to the left. Hopefully I can get this sorted with just a geo!
Spare center caps also turned up today, which means the car looks right again.
Fancy going for a drive?
Mrs called up saying she was on her way home, she suggested I took her out for a spin! You don't have to ask me twice
. We live a stones throw from Saddleworth moor so a quick hoon to the top and back was all that was needed.Car really is fantastic, I know this road well and it holds up so much better than my MX5. Suspension really flows out here and it's handling is pin sharp. One thing I am finding though, the chassis is so composed I find myself driving a lot faster than I could in the MX5 which means making progress really does require the road to yourself!
Unfortunately for us an old boy spun his MX5 backwards into a fence just as we hit the good part of the road. So a gentle jaunt to the top for a few pics then we came home.
Car is booked into to have the tracking done tomorrow as it have a slight pull to the left. Hopefully I can get this sorted with just a geo!
Spare center caps also turned up today, which means the car looks right again.
Edited by AmosMoses on Tuesday 22 August 10:41
Best colour for a fantastic car!! Have the same in a very similar spec to yours - Had it 4 years now and I have no plans on ever getting rid. Doesn't get driven as much these days but whenever I do it's just so much fun!
Saw an albi blue R27 on the Gordinis in Cheltenham a few weeks ago.. I wonder if it was the same car..
Few tips, I always have spare track rod ends and anti-roll bar linkages - mine gets through them quite quickly so if you see a good deal on decent parts, always best to stock up!
Also look out for cracked front springs, especially if it's really pulling to one side.
Rear discs have the bearing included so they are really expensive compared to most cars, again look out for a good deal if you're replacing for original Brembos when they get close to the end of their life
Has the gearbox been replaced at all? Mine is crunchy changing down into 4th from 5th or 6th gear but not up from 3rd yet - started to go at about 55k miles and I've just not changed down into 4th... now at 66k! Always on the look out for a well priced gearbox
Saw an albi blue R27 on the Gordinis in Cheltenham a few weeks ago.. I wonder if it was the same car..
Few tips, I always have spare track rod ends and anti-roll bar linkages - mine gets through them quite quickly so if you see a good deal on decent parts, always best to stock up!
Also look out for cracked front springs, especially if it's really pulling to one side.
Rear discs have the bearing included so they are really expensive compared to most cars, again look out for a good deal if you're replacing for original Brembos when they get close to the end of their life
Has the gearbox been replaced at all? Mine is crunchy changing down into 4th from 5th or 6th gear but not up from 3rd yet - started to go at about 55k miles and I've just not changed down into 4th... now at 66k! Always on the look out for a well priced gearbox
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