RE: Renaultsport Clio 172 | Shed of the Week
Discussion
Always loved these. My mum walked into the local Evans Halshaw the day after her 63rd birthday and walked out with an Inferno Orange full-fat 182 and proceeded to drive the nuts off it until we lost her a few years later. This was after years of mundane cars and driving old Bedford horse lorries - it was like it was all pent up inside her!
wab172uk said:
Agree with trying to find a decent 106. I've searched for years to find a mint GTI example. Most have been modified, which I don't want. And the only ones I've ever found that are mint, are going for stupid money. Seen one for nearly £10,000
Buy a modded one and put it back how it was? The only bits that are hard to get hold of are the original steering wheels really, everything else is available off the shelf or cheapo 2nd-hand. A lot of the modded bits you could flog as well.wab172uk said:
I had one of these new when the MK II came out.
By far the worst car I've owned. From day one it squeaked and rattled along the road. The glove box didn't fit properly from collection. The car was back at the dealers more times than I care to remember. Nothing ever fixed when something (inevitably) went wrong with it.
The dealers were incompetent, rude, and would openly lie to your face, even after you showed then the evidence. Parts prices were ridiculous too.
The Air con was wheezy at best, and I didn't think it was that fast. I didn't even think the handling was that great either. I came from a 106 GTI to the Clio, so I guess it was never going to be as sharp as the 106.
Due to finance, I ended up keeping it for 18 months. 17 months longer than I wanted to.
Swore blind I'd never own another Renault again. But in 2014 I ended up buying a 2012 Twingo 133 RS. Still have it today. Great car. Handles more like the 106 than it does the Clio.
Interesting view, I remember choosing my first company car back in 2003 and visiting the Honda dealer and trying a Civic Type R then going over the road to Renault and having a go in the Clio. Chalk and cheese, the Clio felt like driving a tin of beans down the road with a wooden spoon for gear selection! The dealer was a spiv and seemed to think the car would sell itself, obvs didnt bank on someone trying a Type R first for comaprison.By far the worst car I've owned. From day one it squeaked and rattled along the road. The glove box didn't fit properly from collection. The car was back at the dealers more times than I care to remember. Nothing ever fixed when something (inevitably) went wrong with it.
The dealers were incompetent, rude, and would openly lie to your face, even after you showed then the evidence. Parts prices were ridiculous too.
The Air con was wheezy at best, and I didn't think it was that fast. I didn't even think the handling was that great either. I came from a 106 GTI to the Clio, so I guess it was never going to be as sharp as the 106.
Due to finance, I ended up keeping it for 18 months. 17 months longer than I wanted to.
Swore blind I'd never own another Renault again. But in 2014 I ended up buying a 2012 Twingo 133 RS. Still have it today. Great car. Handles more like the 106 than it does the Clio.
Edited by wab172uk on Friday 4th October 10:01
Cant imagine how a Clio feels now if it felt that bad brand new.
Suffice to say I got a CTR and loved my three years with it!
Never really seen a bad review of the Clio. At the time, I don't think there was a better equipped car for the money. There were some cheap plastics and fittings, but I found them a very nice place to sit. The 106 and Saxo were great drivers cars too, but the Clio was like an S Class in comparison.
The CTR was a better overall car in terms of fit and finish, but I couldn't get over the bread van looks. I remember it being significantly more to buy as well. One of the the worst rides I've experienced in a road car, but no doubt a great engine and gearbox.
As far I am concerned, the Clio is reliable, cheap to fix and to run. More importantly, they drive incredibly and there is no modern comparison. My garage ranges from Macan to Performante, and I don't see my Clio Trophy as a poor relation to any of them.
People also talk about the 'chocolate' gearboxes! Mines not great, but it has done 125,000 miles on the original so far. My issue is injectors; having to replace one again after just 6 months.
The CTR was a better overall car in terms of fit and finish, but I couldn't get over the bread van looks. I remember it being significantly more to buy as well. One of the the worst rides I've experienced in a road car, but no doubt a great engine and gearbox.
As far I am concerned, the Clio is reliable, cheap to fix and to run. More importantly, they drive incredibly and there is no modern comparison. My garage ranges from Macan to Performante, and I don't see my Clio Trophy as a poor relation to any of them.
People also talk about the 'chocolate' gearboxes! Mines not great, but it has done 125,000 miles on the original so far. My issue is injectors; having to replace one again after just 6 months.
WIfe has one, paid £850 for it back in 2016.
I've just regretfully looked at the last 3.5 years of costs. £8300...
This does however include replacement front bumper, bonnet and wings, and replacement doors. For when the wife rear ended someone and someone else decided to reverse into her door.
It also includes completely refreshed suspension, ABS sensor wire, retrofitting cruise control, and DAB stereo upgrade, and stainless exhaust, and a nice set of OZ Superleggeras with AD08s, so perhaps actually, not that expensive in the grand scheme of things.
She gets 32-35mpg with her driving.
Got it at about at 141k and is now at 186k. We're aiming for 200k by hook or by crook.
It's not as raucous as the 205 GTI, but it does aircon and quite a rust resilient shell.
Wouldn't get another though. Renault can't seem to design engines with maintenance in mind, the cambelt was not fun. Which I'll need to do April/May next year...
I've just regretfully looked at the last 3.5 years of costs. £8300...
This does however include replacement front bumper, bonnet and wings, and replacement doors. For when the wife rear ended someone and someone else decided to reverse into her door.
It also includes completely refreshed suspension, ABS sensor wire, retrofitting cruise control, and DAB stereo upgrade, and stainless exhaust, and a nice set of OZ Superleggeras with AD08s, so perhaps actually, not that expensive in the grand scheme of things.
She gets 32-35mpg with her driving.
Got it at about at 141k and is now at 186k. We're aiming for 200k by hook or by crook.
It's not as raucous as the 205 GTI, but it does aircon and quite a rust resilient shell.
Wouldn't get another though. Renault can't seem to design engines with maintenance in mind, the cambelt was not fun. Which I'll need to do April/May next year...
I had one of these, and a couple of 182s. They were great fun.
What wasn't so fun was when the second of the 182s randomly stalled one day whilst idling. I wasn't in the car at the time, but underneath it trying to smear paste over its rotten exhaust.
The car didn't restart.
Having checked everything over, including the timing belt, I handed it over to a mate to take a look at.
Having cut his finger on something he fished out of the inlet manifold, we removed the cylinder head to be greated with quite a sight. The top of one of the pistons and the underside of the cylinder head looked like it had been hit with a short range shot gun blast. One of the valves has snapped in two, writing off the engine and the car along with it. Upon closer inspection, it looked like the valves had been cast in two pieces before being fixed together. Random, but who knows...?
I enjoyed every minute behind the wheel of these and have often considered getting a cheap one just to tool around in, but the memory of the inexplicably self grenading 182 puts me off somewhat.
What wasn't so fun was when the second of the 182s randomly stalled one day whilst idling. I wasn't in the car at the time, but underneath it trying to smear paste over its rotten exhaust.
The car didn't restart.
Having checked everything over, including the timing belt, I handed it over to a mate to take a look at.
Having cut his finger on something he fished out of the inlet manifold, we removed the cylinder head to be greated with quite a sight. The top of one of the pistons and the underside of the cylinder head looked like it had been hit with a short range shot gun blast. One of the valves has snapped in two, writing off the engine and the car along with it. Upon closer inspection, it looked like the valves had been cast in two pieces before being fixed together. Random, but who knows...?
I enjoyed every minute behind the wheel of these and have often considered getting a cheap one just to tool around in, but the memory of the inexplicably self grenading 182 puts me off somewhat.
parabolica said:
Always loved these. My mum walked into the local Evans Halshaw the day after her 63rd birthday and walked out with an Inferno Orange full-fat 182 and proceeded to drive the nuts off it until we lost her a few years later. This was after years of mundane cars and driving old Bedford horse lorries - it was like it was all pent up inside her!
Excellent.commievid said:
WIfe has one, paid £850 for it back in 2016.
I've just regretfully looked at the last 3.5 years of costs. £8300...
This does however include replacement front bumper, bonnet and wings, and replacement doors. For when the wife rear ended someone and someone else decided to reverse into her door.
It also includes completely refreshed suspension, ABS sensor wire, retrofitting cruise control, and DAB stereo upgrade, and stainless exhaust, and a nice set of OZ Superleggeras with AD08s, so perhaps actually, not that expensive in the grand scheme of things.
She gets 32-35mpg with her driving.
Got it at about at 141k and is now at 186k. We're aiming for 200k by hook or by crook.
It's not as raucous as the 205 GTI, but it does aircon and quite a rust resilient shell.
Wouldn't get another though. Renault can't seem to design engines with maintenance in mind, the cambelt was not fun. Which I'll need to do April/May next year...
that's nuts, spending £8,300 in 3 years on a 141k clio ????I've just regretfully looked at the last 3.5 years of costs. £8300...
This does however include replacement front bumper, bonnet and wings, and replacement doors. For when the wife rear ended someone and someone else decided to reverse into her door.
It also includes completely refreshed suspension, ABS sensor wire, retrofitting cruise control, and DAB stereo upgrade, and stainless exhaust, and a nice set of OZ Superleggeras with AD08s, so perhaps actually, not that expensive in the grand scheme of things.
She gets 32-35mpg with her driving.
Got it at about at 141k and is now at 186k. We're aiming for 200k by hook or by crook.
It's not as raucous as the 205 GTI, but it does aircon and quite a rust resilient shell.
Wouldn't get another though. Renault can't seem to design engines with maintenance in mind, the cambelt was not fun. Which I'll need to do April/May next year...
you could have bought a low mileage trophy for that or two low mileage 182s!
UnderSteerD said:
One of the valves has snapped in two, writing off the engine and the car along with it. Upon closer inspection, it looked like the valves had been cast in two pieces before being fixed together. Random, but who knows...?
That's exactly how they're made and that's one of the main engine killing scenarios on the Clio F4R. Normally with a 'pops and bangs' map and a through ragging as a contributing factor though.p4cks said:
Foggy lights on this generation Clio is a TADTS but as I found this week, relatively easy to rectify with some sandpaper and polish.
Got a free knackered headlight from a scrappy to practice on before having a crack on my own Clio's
Anyway, great cars if you can get one and run it on shed budget. I agree with another poster above, the synchro in the gearboxes are a bit of a weak point and crunching can be heard going in to 3rd gear
We seem to follow each other around in terms of cars (A3 T Sport, VX220 and now the Clio) Got a free knackered headlight from a scrappy to practice on before having a crack on my own Clio's
Anyway, great cars if you can get one and run it on shed budget. I agree with another poster above, the synchro in the gearboxes are a bit of a weak point and crunching can be heard going in to 3rd gear
I inherited my 172 Cup from my dad - have had dephaser and water pump done, replaced the headlights, repainted the front and refurbed the wheels. It’s probably the most fun car I have ever owned, bar the VX - the TVR has been well and truly relegated to the garage.
Removed the UCH this week and sent it off to be looked at, as it makes a rather odd clicking noise sometimes and sends the lights all strobey if they are on
Just coming up to 37,000 on the clock, so way below average. Bloody fabulous car. Can’t see me selling it anytime soon.
Edited by pincher on Friday 4th October 14:17
I run a shed just like this to commute in and absolutely love it. I've since upgraded the tyres to semi slicks, Ferodo pads, cup shocks, eibach springs, catback exhaust, Ramair filter, remap etc and it's a hoot to drive. I sometimes think of changing it but can't think of many other cars with its combination of performance, handling, fuel economy and cheap parts
I daily drive a 182 with the cup packs and it’s superb. My second ownership of this car because it’s the only car I’ve ever sold and regretted.
Sits alongside my Cayman R and by no means it’s it a poor sibling in the handling stakes.
A proper setup Clio with fresh suspension is an absolute riot to drive.
One of the best hot hatches of all time imo.
Sits alongside my Cayman R and by no means it’s it a poor sibling in the handling stakes.
A proper setup Clio with fresh suspension is an absolute riot to drive.
One of the best hot hatches of all time imo.
pincher said:
We seem to follow each other around in terms of cars (A3 T Sport, VX220 and now the Clio)
I inherited my 172 Cup from my dad - have had dephaser and water pump done, replaced the headlights, repainted the front and refurbed the wheels. It’s probably the most fun car I have ever owned, bar the VX - the TVR has been well and truly relegated to the garage.
Removed the UCH this week and sent it off to be looked at, as it makes a rather odd clicking noise sometimes and sends the lights all strobey if they are on
Just coming up to 37,000 on the clock, so way below average. Bloody fabulous car. Can’t see me selling it anytime soon.
That looks gorgeous.I inherited my 172 Cup from my dad - have had dephaser and water pump done, replaced the headlights, repainted the front and refurbed the wheels. It’s probably the most fun car I have ever owned, bar the VX - the TVR has been well and truly relegated to the garage.
Removed the UCH this week and sent it off to be looked at, as it makes a rather odd clicking noise sometimes and sends the lights all strobey if they are on
Just coming up to 37,000 on the clock, so way below average. Bloody fabulous car. Can’t see me selling it anytime soon.
Edited by pincher on Friday 4th October 14:17
Mondial blue and silver speedlines just look so right.
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