A 1998 reg clio... 467 miles... Will i make it...?
Discussion
Afternoon
On Sunday i will be driving from the wonderful seaside county of West Sussex, all the way up to the north. Glasgow. Now, everybody i have spoken to has said "You'll never make it" etc etc blah blah blah. This has concerned me a short deal. The cars got 85k on it, had an MOT service and repairs in October. It cost me £200 from work as im in the trade. I drive 30 miles per day, 6 days a week not including social miles. The furthest i've driven too in it was Gatwick. Will it be able to handle the harsh length of the journey?!
On Sunday i will be driving from the wonderful seaside county of West Sussex, all the way up to the north. Glasgow. Now, everybody i have spoken to has said "You'll never make it" etc etc blah blah blah. This has concerned me a short deal. The cars got 85k on it, had an MOT service and repairs in October. It cost me £200 from work as im in the trade. I drive 30 miles per day, 6 days a week not including social miles. The furthest i've driven too in it was Gatwick. Will it be able to handle the harsh length of the journey?!
trickywoo said:
If its running OK now there is no reason to think the length of journey will make any difference.
Indeed not, so long as the car's able to cool itself properly at motorway speeds then it's not bothered whether it does 10 or 1,000 miles at a time. One big long journey is certainly far kinder to it than the same distance in many short ones!Just make sure the tyre pressures are OK and all fluids topped up. If you're really worried, bring a litre of oil just in case it needs a top-up.
There's no particular reason why a single long journey is any worse than doing 400 miles in the course of a week - as many have said, it may even be "kinder" to the car.
I would do it any day of the week. In fact I'd do it in any one of the various old sheds I've owned over the years (I did in some). If it breaks down, you've been unlucky, but I see nearly new BMWs on the Motorway hard shoulder from time to time - all the people saying "you'll never make it" probably never check their oil or tyres.
I would do it any day of the week. In fact I'd do it in any one of the various old sheds I've owned over the years (I did in some). If it breaks down, you've been unlucky, but I see nearly new BMWs on the Motorway hard shoulder from time to time - all the people saying "you'll never make it" probably never check their oil or tyres.
To be fair, this generation of Clio seem pretty solid. I'm just about to take ownership of one, a 1999 1.2 Grande, as my gran is giving up driving at the ripe old age of 94, so will make a lovely little runabout for the OH. As mentioned it's a 1999, with 19,000 (!!!) miles on the clock. Don't think it's ever been out of Stone in Staffordshire, and I also suspect 5th gear (and possibly 4th knowing the way my gran drives) has never been used.
However we went to look at it over Christmas - it had been sitting in the cold for 2 weeks unused, and it started up first time with no complaints at all. It then ran absolutely perfectly for the 5-10 miles we did in it, no knocks, smoke or other unpleasantness. It had the odd dent for the authentic Parisian look, but otherwise was perfect.
So as long as yours has been looked after there is no reason why it shouldn't make the journey - whether it will be comfortable is another question entirely....
However we went to look at it over Christmas - it had been sitting in the cold for 2 weeks unused, and it started up first time with no complaints at all. It then ran absolutely perfectly for the 5-10 miles we did in it, no knocks, smoke or other unpleasantness. It had the odd dent for the authentic Parisian look, but otherwise was perfect.
So as long as yours has been looked after there is no reason why it shouldn't make the journey - whether it will be comfortable is another question entirely....
If it can do 30 miles, there isn't much reason it can't do 100 miles, and if it can do 100 miles I can't see why it can't do 500. As long as it currently goes and stops, doesn't overheat and has no tire and suspension issues severe enough to wreck a tire over that distance, you'll make it.
You've got breakdown cover, right?
You've got breakdown cover, right?
I owned that mark of Clio. Mine was a 00 1.2 8v Grande. Family owned and had only 37k when i got it at 5 years old.
It fell apart on me.
Gearbox, both driveshafts, power steering pump, water pump failed and took the head gasket with it.
Wishbones, all springs, dampners, 3 electric window motors, 1 windscreen washer pump, exhaust rubber.
I was on first name terms with 2 RAC patrol guys, one of them knew my number so well he could answer by name.
Got rid at 8 years old and 60k as i had called time on it.
Now, mine may have been a Friday afternoon's apprentice's apprentice car. You may get lucky.
It fell apart on me.
Gearbox, both driveshafts, power steering pump, water pump failed and took the head gasket with it.
Wishbones, all springs, dampners, 3 electric window motors, 1 windscreen washer pump, exhaust rubber.
I was on first name terms with 2 RAC patrol guys, one of them knew my number so well he could answer by name.
Got rid at 8 years old and 60k as i had called time on it.
Now, mine may have been a Friday afternoon's apprentice's apprentice car. You may get lucky.
The car should be fine. There is always the chance with an old car that something will brake on any journey, but as long as it is working fine this will be less stress for the car than a week of normal driving.
The effect on you of doing 900 miles in a 16 year old Clio however may not be good. My old clio was hard work on the motorway, noisy, slow and tiering to drive, but it did the job.
The effect on you of doing 900 miles in a 16 year old Clio however may not be good. My old clio was hard work on the motorway, noisy, slow and tiering to drive, but it did the job.
crofty1984 said:
Once a car hits 10 years old, it can only manage drives of 150 miles max, then it explodes. If it has more than 100k on the clock, this is reduced to 125 miles.
This /\ . Quite obv you and all the nuns and kittens in the close prox will die a horrable flaming death.
FFS just drive the f
king thing and stay off the internet, it makes you sound like a plonker.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff