My 2001 Renault Sport Clio
Discussion
So after a lot of umming and arring, about fifty "What car" threads in GG. I decided on a Renault Sport Clio.
Why?
I wanted something that COULD do 40mpg, that was well specced, that was comfy and could rival my beloved VTS' performance but keep the reliablity.
I decided on a 182, the cruise control being the deciding factor. I'm really geeky about gadgets, and Cruise Control is one of them things I "need" in a car.
Unfortunately, buying a Clio Sport is not a simple matter. Of the cars I saw on the internet, the good ones were already sold or sold before I could see them, or they were hundreds of miles away. The local cars were overpriced or sheds. Things weren't going so smoothly. I spent around a month going to see various 182s and 172 Cups. For some reason, dealers don't want to sell a RS Clio to an 18 year old. I obviously appeared as a timewaster, f
k knows how, but it pissed me off. Anyway I was looking over the classifieds one day and found this PH1 172 in Blue. Something about the car jumped out to me, and the owner was giving all the right signals. Upon going to see the car that evening I knew it was the right car, but I struggled to convince my head. My heart was set 
2 days later I went to pick the car up.
It has been modified, but maturely.. The previous owner was late 20's and was quite the Clio enthusiast (it would seem).... I did intend to get the car detailed this weekend and get some professional pictures, but the weather has been a b1tch today. I did manage to get some springs fitted. Anyway.. pictures tell a thousand words...the first are from my first drive in the car the day after getting it.
+ what I've been up to today:
Bought some new tools
Got the springs fitted
Before:
After:
Only a slight drop, hopefully the handling will improve. The handling isn't a patch on the Primera!
The car makes a slight noise as the window drops on the drivers side, I figured out it was the 182 interior door cards which don't quite fit right and are knocking on the glass. Upon refitting the door cards, the wind took my door and smacked it against the wall.
Hello MR Dint.
I was gutted, and absolutely fuming about how stupid I had been. That was at about 4pm and I've just about got over it (with thanks to Peter Griffin)
I have a few mods planned for the car, I'm not too keen on the alloys but I know they are good ones (OZ Ultraleggera) - perhaps they will grow on me.
I want to get the car breathing a bit better, get it serviced and maybe get rid of the cat
Untitled by danny2107, on Flickr
Untitled by danny2107, on Flickr
Untitled by danny2107, on Flickr
Untitled by danny2107, on Flickr
Essay over.
Dan
Why?
I wanted something that COULD do 40mpg, that was well specced, that was comfy and could rival my beloved VTS' performance but keep the reliablity.
I decided on a 182, the cruise control being the deciding factor. I'm really geeky about gadgets, and Cruise Control is one of them things I "need" in a car.
Unfortunately, buying a Clio Sport is not a simple matter. Of the cars I saw on the internet, the good ones were already sold or sold before I could see them, or they were hundreds of miles away. The local cars were overpriced or sheds. Things weren't going so smoothly. I spent around a month going to see various 182s and 172 Cups. For some reason, dealers don't want to sell a RS Clio to an 18 year old. I obviously appeared as a timewaster, f
k knows how, but it pissed me off. Anyway I was looking over the classifieds one day and found this PH1 172 in Blue. Something about the car jumped out to me, and the owner was giving all the right signals. Upon going to see the car that evening I knew it was the right car, but I struggled to convince my head. My heart was set 2 days later I went to pick the car up.
It has been modified, but maturely.. The previous owner was late 20's and was quite the Clio enthusiast (it would seem).... I did intend to get the car detailed this weekend and get some professional pictures, but the weather has been a b1tch today. I did manage to get some springs fitted. Anyway.. pictures tell a thousand words...the first are from my first drive in the car the day after getting it.
+ what I've been up to today:
Bought some new tools
Got the springs fitted
Before:
After:
Only a slight drop, hopefully the handling will improve. The handling isn't a patch on the Primera!
The car makes a slight noise as the window drops on the drivers side, I figured out it was the 182 interior door cards which don't quite fit right and are knocking on the glass. Upon refitting the door cards, the wind took my door and smacked it against the wall.
Hello MR Dint.
I was gutted, and absolutely fuming about how stupid I had been. That was at about 4pm and I've just about got over it (with thanks to Peter Griffin)
I have a few mods planned for the car, I'm not too keen on the alloys but I know they are good ones (OZ Ultraleggera) - perhaps they will grow on me.
I want to get the car breathing a bit better, get it serviced and maybe get rid of the cat
Untitled by danny2107, on Flickr
Untitled by danny2107, on Flickr
Untitled by danny2107, on Flickr
Untitled by danny2107, on Flickr
Essay over.
Dan
Edited by DannyVTS on Saturday 14th May 22:03
Edited by DannyVTS on Saturday 14th May 22:06
I have considered both this and the primera as a TD car 5charlie46 said:
looks dead smart that, maybe a bit too much black for me but does look good! My friend has a 172 and he gets no where near 40mpg but I guess thats his driving lol
Pottering about to Barnsley today I got 36mpg :\ Not hard at all!Oh and the "detail" colour is a light graphite grey, my iPhone makes it look black though!
The wheels/engine cover/door badges/wing mirrors/interior door handles/speaker cover/badges are all the same colour
.... could tell you wern't enjoying the prim as much as the Saxo when it worked.
Looks like a good un - did I read wrong, this is a 172 isn't it? At least the last owner had the good sense to get a 182 style exhaust on it, it really "makes" the car imo, and if it's aftermarket then it's likely a good custom built stainless steel unit and not the st one RS supplied the cars with.
Has he removed the foglights and converted them to cold air feeds? Looks clean as under the engine bay, enjoy it!
t one RS supplied the cars with.Has he removed the foglights and converted them to cold air feeds? Looks clean as under the engine bay, enjoy it!
Mastodon2 said:
Looks like a good un - did I read wrong, this is a 172 isn't it? At least the last owner had the good sense to get a 182 style exhaust on it, it really "makes" the car imo, and if it's aftermarket then it's likely a good custom built stainless steel unit and not the st one RS supplied the cars with.
Has he removed the foglights and converted them to cold air feeds? Looks clean as under the engine bay, enjoy it!
The exhaust is a custom one and is a very good job. Made by Tony Banks in Leeds, when I was under the car yesterday I got really good vibes from the car just by seeing his workmanship!t one RS supplied the cars with.Has he removed the foglights and converted them to cold air feeds? Looks clean as under the engine bay, enjoy it!
and yes, the foglights have been removed and one of them is used as a cold air feed, not too sure on it myself but if it works it works... Don't fancy driving it like this in the Autumn though!
Odyssey blue is such an awesome colour, especially when the sun finally comes out. Great colour choice btw. I'm still undecided on the Ph1 172 front end and the 182 read end, still, I do rather like it. See if you can find some F1s, I think they suit they they really suit the Ph1.
The two below aren't mine:
Only 116 were sold in this colour in the UK,
http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/roadcars/heritage/De...
The two below aren't mine:
Only 116 were sold in this colour in the UK,
http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/roadcars/heritage/De...
Edited by Snails on Sunday 15th May 11:13
DannyVTS said:
The exhaust is a custom one and is a very good job. Made by Tony Banks in Leeds, when I was under the car yesterday I got really good vibes from the car just by seeing his workmanship!
and yes, the foglights have been removed and one of them is used as a cold air feed, not too sure on it myself but if it works it works... Don't fancy driving it like this in the Autumn though!
Yeah, could turn the car into a Garden-vac! Surely there must be a way to block them up with a bung or something when you don't want it there, or by simply disconnecting the feed closer to the block so there is no suction in the pipe. I've always wondered about driving in winter with one of these, my Fiesta had to nose through a few snow piles last winter and my LCR 225 is lower still, I wonder how other LCR owners with cold feeds drive theirs in winter without sucking up a load of snow!and yes, the foglights have been removed and one of them is used as a cold air feed, not too sure on it myself but if it works it works... Don't fancy driving it like this in the Autumn though!
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff