RE: PH Fleet: Renaultsport Clio 182

RE: PH Fleet: Renaultsport Clio 182

Author
Discussion

Sam Sheehan

71 posts

137 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
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treeroy said:
I just googled clio 182 and found the exact same article by the same person on Autocar, what's up with that? Is pistonheads and autocar the same company?
Same publisher. I was senior staff writer at Autocar until last month. I'm now production editor at PH beer

sideways man

1,319 posts

137 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
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More love here for the Elan in the second pic. If ever there was a story in rwd vs fwd, these two must play starring roles.

MRobbins1987

509 posts

130 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
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frayz said:
Has there been a more involving a pure FWD hot hatch since the 182? I honestly think there hasnt.
Small, light, super chuckable and well driven will hassle almost anything on a B road.

I drive a Cayman R these days and i still wouldnt pick a fight with a well driven 182 on the road.biggrin
I don’t think there’s been anything like it and it’s a reason why I’ve returned to one after having an EP3 for a couple of years, the Civic was a good hot hatch the Clio is a great one.

My first RB



My current BG



The last of the old school hot hatches.

treeroy

564 posts

85 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
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Sam Sheehan said:
Same publisher. I was senior staff writer at Autocar until last month. I'm now production editor at PH beer
Didn't know that, thanks. And Congrats smile

CarlosSainz100

496 posts

120 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
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Sam Sheehan said:
That's one thing I plan to do very soon...
I'm 6ft 4 and very long in the leg. What chance do I have fitting in a clio with standard seats?

Sam Sheehan

71 posts

137 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
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Robert-lhcbq said:
JMF894 said:
An exhaust, a remap and an induction kit for 7bhp? How much did that lot cost? I know N/A engines don't give much with remaps but couldn't that cost have gone towards something that would have improved the car in other areas?
Ktech have a generous rolling road. You'd at the very least need polished and ported inlets to see that much.

What spring rates did you go for on the coilovers?
I'm unsure of numbers, but the rears are wound almost down to the very bottom (there's a thread left) while the fronts are probably only halfway down. I think it sits nicely now, with the slightest hint of positive rake.

Sam Sheehan

71 posts

137 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
quotequote all
CarlosSainz100 said:
Sam Sheehan said:
That's one thing I plan to do very soon...
I'm 6ft 4 and very long in the leg. What chance do I have fitting in a clio with standard seats?
You'll fit, but you'll forever want to be sat much, much lower. Almost everyone who intends on using them properly opts for an aftermarket solution, but it's very much worth the hassle - it can transform the way the car feels

Sam Sheehan

71 posts

137 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
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sideways man said:
More love here for the Elan in the second pic. If ever there was a story in rwd vs fwd, these two must play starring roles.
I like this idea

Sam Sheehan

71 posts

137 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
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Dale487 said:
Did you ever get to the bottom of the miss fire problem?

My Peugeot 106 had one from time to time which seemed to a have a weather cause, I only found out after selling it that the problem was cracked HT leads - moisture gets in the cracks and affects their performance.
A dodgy injector, but by that point I'd already changed the plugs, leads and coil pack mad

CABC

5,582 posts

101 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
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Sam Sheehan said:
sideways man said:
More love here for the Elan in the second pic. If ever there was a story in rwd vs fwd, these two must play starring roles.
I like this idea
but the Elan never gets driven.
exemplary mot history though.

Batfink

1,032 posts

258 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
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Robert-lhcbq said:
Ktech have a generous rolling road. You'd at the very least need polished and ported inlets to see that much.

What spring rates did you go for on the coilovers?
Only one springrate available. Off the top of my head 400lb fronts and 285lb rear

Tickle

4,922 posts

204 months

Friday 3rd August 2018
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I loved my old Trophy, the Racing Blue is a much better colour though (I later got a 200 Cup in RB).

Great little cars, I would love a 182 project at some point in the future.

... nice Lotus too!

Squoz

5 posts

85 months

Monday 13th August 2018
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I've now had my second FF 182 for 3 year (my first wasn't a goodun) and really don't think I could sell it either.

It's a car I thought I'd love straight away but it really didn't match my expectation for a while. It initially felt loose, soft and a bit scary when it was pushed. But since then I've replaced all of the steering components and the cup shocks. I've added Eibach Pro-line springs, a Fatty's induction kit, a slightly smaller steering wheel from a Clio 197, a Polybushed Dogbone mount, Turini wheels and some front Ferodo DS2500 brake pads. It's also had its tracking set up, a stainless steel exhaust fitted by a previous owner and is on some Continental Sport 2s. Now it's the car I always hoped it would be, only better!

I really can't think how anything else could deliver the smiles and excitement a well sorted Clio 182 can. It's so involving and confidence inspiring, it rides country roads really well, never feels like you need more power, sounds nice and raw, can use all of it's performance and feels light and compact.
It's also been mostly reliable, only just developed a couple of rattles, is pretty economical (given its performance) and I find it fine for longer journeys. I used to do 70 miles a day in it!

Every time I enjoy a country road I arrive at my destination loving the thing even more. And it leaves me thinking I couldn't possibly sell it for quite some time.


Future plans are to put a Whiteline ARB on it, replace the two engine mounts and I'd would love to put some Bilstein coilovers on it at some point! Then I'm sure selling it would be even more difficult.

Billy.RS

82 posts

69 months

Monday 13th August 2018
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Was only watching the CT video on this 182 just yesterday! I really want one now as a daily driver, and to do 1/2 trackdays a year in wink

25yr Hot Hatcher

1 posts

67 months

Friday 14th September 2018
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Mr Sheehan, where did you get your Bilstein B14's please? I'm thinking about some for my non-Cup 182FF, so far £800 delivered but that's a lot of cash.... Great ongoing account of your RB182, which was partly to blame for my purchase of a 26k cotton-wooled completely standard silver one a month ago. Back in a hot hatch many years since my last one, a 205Gti 1.6, but it's turning me into a grey-haired hooligan. I haven't driven like this since GATSO's were a novel sight....