High mileage Clio 182
Discussion
Thought I would start documenting the journey of my 150,000 mile Clio 182 in Arctic Blue.
Back in August 2025 I sold my 197 Cup (Non A/C) with Recaros and Speedlines. With the exception of the sprint spoiler it was a totally standard, like many cars before it, I shouldn't have sold this one!
The R53 Cooper S was on the list as a replacement but I could never find the car right car, roll on November a car popped up locally for £2k that had been off the road for some time and the rest is history.
Pic of the one that got away!
The worthy successor
Back in August 2025 I sold my 197 Cup (Non A/C) with Recaros and Speedlines. With the exception of the sprint spoiler it was a totally standard, like many cars before it, I shouldn't have sold this one!
The R53 Cooper S was on the list as a replacement but I could never find the car right car, roll on November a car popped up locally for £2k that had been off the road for some time and the rest is history.
Pic of the one that got away!
The worthy successor
Nov 2025
So the car had apparently gone through it's MOT the previous year and was then parked up in a unit.
It had clearly had some money spent to get through the last MOT, new OEM shocks and Eibach springs, new discs and pads (crappy drilled discs by the looks of it), new Hankook tyres in 205/45/16, new Miltek exhaust and the Turinis all freshly refurbed.
I stuck it through an MOT not expecting it to pass, few stone chips on the windscreen, blowing exhaust and a minor oil leak were all that was reported. Happy days!
First stop, my usual guy Andy Turner in Leeds.(she was in good company)
Asked him to run through the car and change anything he felt needed doing.
- Fuel Filer
- Oil/Filter
- New OEM plugs
- Brake fluid change (RBF660)
- Checked alignment and all ok (may look at this in the future)
- Check the exhaust blow
- Checked the K&N air filter and that was pretty much new
- Investigate Oil leak
Got her back and all was well, slight leak but nothing to be concerned about and felt confident to actually get out in the car and drive it properly.
So the car had apparently gone through it's MOT the previous year and was then parked up in a unit.
It had clearly had some money spent to get through the last MOT, new OEM shocks and Eibach springs, new discs and pads (crappy drilled discs by the looks of it), new Hankook tyres in 205/45/16, new Miltek exhaust and the Turinis all freshly refurbed.
I stuck it through an MOT not expecting it to pass, few stone chips on the windscreen, blowing exhaust and a minor oil leak were all that was reported. Happy days!
First stop, my usual guy Andy Turner in Leeds.(she was in good company)
Asked him to run through the car and change anything he felt needed doing.
- Fuel Filer
- Oil/Filter
- New OEM plugs
- Brake fluid change (RBF660)
- Checked alignment and all ok (may look at this in the future)
- Check the exhaust blow
- Checked the K&N air filter and that was pretty much new
- Investigate Oil leak
Got her back and all was well, slight leak but nothing to be concerned about and felt confident to actually get out in the car and drive it properly.
Update from Feb
What appeared to be a good buy.............................wasn't quite.
Under heavy load I would get the battery symbol flickering on and off occasionally, no impact with how the car drove but given it's a weekend toy and I'm usually in the middle of nowhere I wanted to know it was reliable.
First attempt was a new earth strap and renewing all the connections but no joy.
Booked it back in for an alternator and here is where it got interesting!
Alternator only secured with one bolt, alternator arrives but doesn't fit. A bit more digging and it appears the car has had a replacement engine at some point and the alternator was made to fit. Upon starting the work I get the call advising the belts on it's way out and needs doing.
I had planned on doing the belt, just not at the same time.
So two weeks off the road it's had a cambelt, water pump, dephaser, alternator, tensioner, aux belt and fresh coolant along with a nice big bill.
Hopefully that's the only spend for a while.
What appeared to be a good buy.............................wasn't quite.
Under heavy load I would get the battery symbol flickering on and off occasionally, no impact with how the car drove but given it's a weekend toy and I'm usually in the middle of nowhere I wanted to know it was reliable.
First attempt was a new earth strap and renewing all the connections but no joy.
Booked it back in for an alternator and here is where it got interesting!
Alternator only secured with one bolt, alternator arrives but doesn't fit. A bit more digging and it appears the car has had a replacement engine at some point and the alternator was made to fit. Upon starting the work I get the call advising the belts on it's way out and needs doing.
I had planned on doing the belt, just not at the same time.
So two weeks off the road it's had a cambelt, water pump, dephaser, alternator, tensioner, aux belt and fresh coolant along with a nice big bill.
Hopefully that's the only spend for a while.
March update.
Removed the faulty aftermarket stereo that came with the car and replaced it with an OEM looking Blaupunkt Madrid.
Fitted an OMP Targa wheel, totally transforms how the cars feel but it's hard work when you need a shoulder replacement.
As with all my Clio, a fresh set of RS mats.
The interior looks a little fresher and hides it's 150k miles well.
Removed the faulty aftermarket stereo that came with the car and replaced it with an OEM looking Blaupunkt Madrid.
Fitted an OMP Targa wheel, totally transforms how the cars feel but it's hard work when you need a shoulder replacement.
As with all my Clio, a fresh set of RS mats.
The interior looks a little fresher and hides it's 150k miles well.
MonkeyBusiness said:
Off topic but I used to work on the industrial estate where Andy has his workshop.
Nice to see him still going - I had plenty work done there.
Think he is winding down a little and spends a lot of time at his greyhound rescue centre.Nice to see him still going - I had plenty work done there.
I'm back in with him on Monday for discs, pads and a dogbone mount fitting
May update
Always wanted to do the Harewood Hillclimb given it's on my doorstep.
They run a driver academy where you get some driver tuition and runs up the hill, ended up doing 11 runs and it was a cracking day.
The car ran well but on a few occasions when letting off the throttle going into a bend it would jump out of gear, the brakes (as expected) were not up to the job either.
I have some Brembo discs, PBS Prorace pads and an evol engineering dogbone mount waiting to get fitted.
Definitely got the bug! Would to do 2/3 track days this year and enter Harewood in the standard class next year.
Always wanted to do the Harewood Hillclimb given it's on my doorstep.
They run a driver academy where you get some driver tuition and runs up the hill, ended up doing 11 runs and it was a cracking day.
The car ran well but on a few occasions when letting off the throttle going into a bend it would jump out of gear, the brakes (as expected) were not up to the job either.
I have some Brembo discs, PBS Prorace pads and an evol engineering dogbone mount waiting to get fitted.
Definitely got the bug! Would to do 2/3 track days this year and enter Harewood in the standard class next year.
Nice updates, shame to learn about the engine, but they are so cheap, people just replace them rather than chase issues. I don't think I'll throw an other £1000 at a cam belt when it's due and risk it, thats if I've not sold it.
I read lots about brakes and learnt the standard setup is fine as long as you get good discs (brembos are good) and pads, I run DS2500's. Saying that, cheap 225 brakes came up so I jumped on them and fitted, they are grand and look better, but don't stop it much better...
Nice to see it being used in anger too, keep it up!
I read lots about brakes and learnt the standard setup is fine as long as you get good discs (brembos are good) and pads, I run DS2500's. Saying that, cheap 225 brakes came up so I jumped on them and fitted, they are grand and look better, but don't stop it much better...
Nice to see it being used in anger too, keep it up!
illmonkey said:
Nice updates, shame to learn about the engine, but they are so cheap, people just replace them rather than chase issues. I don't think I'll throw an other £1000 at a cam belt when it's due and risk it, thats if I've not sold it.
I read lots about brakes and learnt the standard setup is fine as long as you get good discs (brembos are good) and pads, I run DS2500's. Saying that, cheap 225 brakes came up so I jumped on them and fitted, they are grand and look better, but don't stop it much better...
Nice to see it being used in anger too, keep it up!
Cheers!I read lots about brakes and learnt the standard setup is fine as long as you get good discs (brembos are good) and pads, I run DS2500's. Saying that, cheap 225 brakes came up so I jumped on them and fitted, they are grand and look better, but don't stop it much better...
Nice to see it being used in anger too, keep it up!
I had the same thought process, the reality is it's not worth what I've spent on it!
There was a cheap Brembo kit which tempted me but as you say, standard brakes are good (I had a 172 years ago on carbon lorraines and that thing stopped)
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff