RE: Renault Clio 182 Trophy: PH Hero

[RT7500]

neutral 3 said:

Wheel spacers - my one has been fitted with front and rear, with longer wheel
Bolts, are they worth keeping on ?

If you’re not getting any rubbing then no harm in keeping them on. The only benefit you’ll get is looks though, as it won’t improve handling.

I took my spacers off when I swapped to et38 wheels with semi slicks as it would rub on tighter corners.

[thelostboy]

Interesting reading about the DC2 comparison. I am a Honda fan, with three NSXs in various states but the only other Honda I have driven was an EP3 Civic which I didn't particularly like.

The issue I have with the DC2 is that, other than being comparably quite expensive versus a 182, they are a quite big. The Clio is just so easy to place - you can take it down any lane and have fun. On a more practical level, you can also park it anywhere, which is certainly a novelty compared to modern cars now.

I bought my Trophy as I felt sorry for it; really scruffy, over 100k miles and a patchy service history. I have been an idiot and probably spent more than I paid for it now, but it's such a brilliant car. I drive so many cars that the steering position and gearbox throw aren't an issue; I wouldn't even think about it if people didn't keep bleedin' going on about it.

As said, it's so chuckable, and disagree with what another poster said - it has loads of torque and the gearing means it always has a sense of urgency. Yet I will still do 35mpg with ease, which is comparable with my Macan Diesel.

I won't bore everyone with the stereotypes, but they are as good as is written, and I can't see myself every parting with mine. They are so good, I am really tempted by a 172 up for sale with some cracking mods - 182 exhaust, cams and a tune, B12 Bilsteins, Brembos, Turinis, Recaros, all for less than £4k. Silly.

I'll leave you with a funny post I saw on Facebook:

Go Kart For Sale
Handles just like a Clio 182
£420.

[RT7500]

thelostboy said:

Interesting reading about the DC2 comparison. I am a Honda fan, with three NSXs in various states but the only other Honda I have driven was an EP3 Civic which I didn't particularly like.

The issue I have with the DC2 is that, other than being comparably quite expensive versus a 182, they are a quite big. The Clio is just so easy to place - you can take it down any lane and have fun. On a more practical level, you can also park it anywhere, which is certainly a novelty compared to modern cars now.

I bought my Trophy as I felt sorry for it; really scruffy, over 100k miles and a patchy service history. I have been an idiot and probably spent more than I paid for it now, but it's such a brilliant car. I drive so many cars that the steering position and gearbox throw aren't an issue; I wouldn't even think about it if people didn't keep bleedin' going on about it.

As said, it's so chuckable, and disagree with what another poster said - it has loads of torque and the gearing means it always has a sense of urgency. Yet I will still do 35mpg with ease, which is comparable with my Macan Diesel.

I won't bore everyone with the stereotypes, but they are as good as is written, and I can't see myself every parting with mine. They are so good, I am really tempted by a 172 up for sale with some cracking mods - 182 exhaust, cams and a tune, B12 Bilsteins, Brembos, Turinis, Recaros, all for less than £4k. Silly.

I'll leave you with a funny post I saw on Facebook:

Go Kart For Sale
Handles just like a Clio 182
£420.

I was lucky enough to drive a mate's imported Integra DC2 Type R once and it did leave a lasting impression on me. The chassis felt sharper and more nimble than any Clio 172/182 I've driven. I also preferred the engine performance and sound from the B18C engine.

This is coming from someone who has owned six Renault Sport Clios (172, 172 cup, 182 with cup packs etc). Neither the DC2 nor RS Clios feel felt torquey to me though, partly because they both come alive much higher up the rev range so anything before that feels like a flat spot. My current Clio has an RS tuner remap on it though, which helped smooth out the power curve.

As much as I like the 182 Trophy, I'd rather buy a regular 182, add decent coilovers and recaros and save several thousand in the process.

[Johnnytheboy]

thelostboy said:

Interesting reading about the DC2 comparison. I am a Honda fan, with three NSXs in various states but the only other Honda I have driven was an EP3 Civic which I didn't particularly like.

The issue I have with the DC2 is that, other than being comparably quite expensive versus a 182, they are a quite big. The Clio is just so easy to place - you can take it down any lane and have fun. On a more practical level, you can also park it anywhere, which is certainly a novelty compared to modern cars now.

I sold my Trophy to a lovely chap from Bristol who was a real Honda fanboy and turned up in the first shape of Integra (before the DC2?). He only kept the Trophy about six months and then went back to a DC2.

He sent me a very apologetic email to say so

[davyvee]

I too have also owned a Trophy and DC2.

The DC2 is a finer piece of engineering no doubt, but it was quite 'serious' if you know what I mean. Dare I say lacking a bit of character.

The Clio on the other hand was just hilarious everywhere.

[neutral 3]

These don't have low or mid range torque ( the same as my much missed R19 16Valve didn't ) they thrive on revs....

[lord trumpton]

This looks a Billy bargain! Very tempted for a bit of weekend fun

What do you guys think?

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

[Bonefish Blues]

lord trumpton said:

This looks a Billy bargain! Very tempted for a bit of weekend fun

What do you guys think?

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

I never understand comments like this: "This car with minor cosmetics sorted is a 7k, maybe 8k car all day"

Why not sort them and sell for that...unless it isn't, of course

[Trophy Husband]

Bonefish Blues said:

lord trumpton said:

This looks a Billy bargain! Very tempted for a bit of weekend fun

What do you guys think?

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

I never understand comments like this: "This car with minor cosmetics sorted is a 7k, maybe 8k car all day"

Why not sort them and sell for that...unless it isn't, of course

I had a cup from new in 2003 and put 150k on it. It was a fantastic car to drive, every mile. Sold it to my brother and bought a Trophy in 2009 which I still have. The cup was more fun and I'd love another!

[Bonefish Blues]

I tried 182s before I bought a Trophy and they did seem more tail-happy, so the Cups are even further down that continuum, I guess?

[Trophy Husband]

Bonefish Blues said:

I tried 182s before I bought a Trophy and they did seem more tail-happy, so the Cups are even further down that continuum, I guess?

The Cup would tripod around tight corners. I would have my mirrors pointed down enough to see the wheels on spirited drives and the lift you could get on the inside rear was hilarious! At the extremes, 4 to 5 inches as the front dug in! The Trophy is far more composed and flat through corners with the Sachs RR shocks keeping everything together. The Sachs are stupendously good. BTCC quality but expensive
IIRC, £1400 a corner for the fronts with a service from £450 to £650 each! I still feel that I could go quicker in the Cup but to do that you would be flirting right on the ragged edge in comparison to the Trophy. 10 tenths in the Cup is 9.5 tenths in the Trophy but the feel in the Cup was better and thus the drive more rewarding especially with no ABS and ESP. Both great cars and both justifiably increasing in value. The last of the organic, NA hot hatches.

[anonymous-user]

I tried everything to get out of my old ITR, I preferred the DC2 to both Puma and Trophy. The engine in the Puma especially was just not a nice thing to rev hard. As for the Clio, always felt it was a bit of weird driving position, might have to revisit those at some point.

[anonymous-user]

davyvee said:

I too have also owned a Trophy and DC2.

The DC2 is a finer piece of engineering no doubt, but it was quite 'serious' if you know what I mean. Dare I say lacking a bit of character.

The Clio on the other hand was just hilarious everywhere.

I’ve never heard that.

The way the front end of a dc2 tightens and how mobile the rear is, combined with the engine, which makes a Clio feel flat (not that they are)? I know the Integra was also mass produced in cooking trim but it just always felt more special.

[Gibbo205]

I've just got myself one of these to add to the collection and I prefer it over my GR Yaris, it is that good, also got 125,000 miles on the clock and drives brilliantly, dampers were rebuilt this year and I've just had all the belts, dephaser done etc for peace of mind.




They don't make them like they used too, this thing is huge fun without breaking speed limits.

[rathur]

rathur said:

just bought one last week, mega things

Just bought it back again haha

[greenarrow]

Just rebooting this thread to ask the question "Why are these still so cheap". I know its a 2000s Renault which had an awful rep for general quality and reliability but thought the Renaultsport ones were better. Also, they don't suffer from rust as much as say the Civic Type R. I keep seeing them for sale at the £3K level or below and they just seem very cheap for what is another french hot hatch icon.

I was looking for another 205 GTI 1.9 the other day as my wife misses hers and couldn't find a decent one for sale below £10K. Ditto my other 80s, or 90s, hot hatch hero, the big bumper 16 valve GTI Mk2. Seems the ship has sailed for good on those two. So based on that, is the Clio 182 the one to go for now? Even my favourite 90s hot hatch, the 306 GTI-6 is quite a bit more expensive.....

[AlexGSi2000]

Was offered a 172 by a mate in work about 10 years ago for £1,500.
Missed that one, what a plonker.

[greenarrow]

AlexGSi2000 said:

Was offered a 172 by a mate in work about 10 years ago for £1,500.
Missed that one, what a plonker.

We can all recall something like that! Thing is, 10 years ago, all these modern classics were cheap. My wife sold her 1.9 GTI in late 2014 for £2200. Seemed decent at the time as she paid £1100 for it so doubled her money, but obviously now it seems like we gave the damned thing away!!! Oh for a time machine....

The Clio 182 however hasn't really appreciated much. A bit like the R53 Mini Cooper S featured in last weeks SOTW, it remains in the bargain basement territory. Q is, for how much longer??

[PaulJC84]

I think part of the problem now is finding a decent 172/182 cup. Up until a couple of years ago I would have seen dozens of these at local trackdays, stripped out and pretty rough generally.

Mad to think a clean Trophy sold for £40k a year or so ago too.

[Networkgeek]

While I don't have an 182, I do own an RS200 Cup. I bought this car just after lockdown, as I fell out of love with my E46 330ci and for years I wanted to be back into a Clio.

I've now owned the Clio for 3 years, which if you know me, is unheard of.

Last year I decided it was time to buy an M2. The plan was to sell the Clio and daily the M2. This was the case for a few months, but I'm back to daily driving the Clio and the M2 will go later this year.

The M2 is fantastic, and its performance is on another level compared to the Clio. However, I will always reach for the Clio key in the morning.

This year I'm going to refresh the aging Cup suspension, sort out some lacquer peel and finally remap out the flat spots.