I've done it again! Renaultsport Clio 172

[samsul89]

After swearing off RS Clios upon selling my 172 Cup in October, unexpectedly I now find myself the owner of a standard 172. It's a 2003 car with 79k miles, FSH, air con, cruise control and xenons (all standard fit). The first two weeks of ownership have highlighted that fun, honest cars can still be had for very little cash in these heady days.

A bit of backstory. I bought a 110k mile 172 Cup last year. Loved it. Loathed it. Sold it. Swore off Clios for the sake of my sanity and my relationship (the girlfriend despised the Cup). I decided to look for something more reliable and had my eye on the EP3 Civic Type R. However, I thought I'd have a sneak peek at the Clio classifieds. You know, just in case.

Up popped this car within half a mile of my house. I HAD to go and view. It was too good, had had too much money spent on it, and was too close not to. Long story short, it took a bit of haggling and a 2 week wait before I picked the car up but I could not be happier with it.

The car is on Toyo Proxes T1Rs and feels pliant and responsive. The only mod to the car is a K-tec stainless exhaust. It is loud. Almost obnoxious from the outside and a bit boomy on a motorway run. On a quiet country road (of which we are lucky to have many in South Wales) the fart-can is a giggle, and the pops and bangs on the overrun add some histrionics. Silly, yes. Juvenile, yes. Fun, you betcha!

Anyway, enough waffle. To the pictures!

|https://thumbsnap.com/l8D505Lx[/url]





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[samsul89]

wjb said:

Like these OP, especially when kept standard.

Always fancied one, even though I'm way too old!

What did you end up paying? (Ballpark)

As AndrewGP says, there's no such thing as too old! They are affordable and, providing you get a good one, can be trouble free *crosses fingers*.

I paid in the region of a shed and a half, or one very big shed, whichever metric you prefer! I am aware that this is strong money for a 15 year old 172 and I might have paid a bit over the odds but for the sake of a few hundred pounds I wasn't going to argue. Especially so, given that the car was on my doorstep, had had 1800 GBP spent at a Renault main dealer in one service (where just about everything was either refreshed or replaced), and is the cleanest 172 I have seen.

Jaybmw said:

Akways toyed with the idea of swapping my R53 for one of these. Wonder what there like head to head. Better mpg I'd hazard straight away

I always liked the R53 minis. That supercharger whine is an exotic and incongruous sound in a little hatchback. Love it.

The MPG is an interesting one. I got 41 MPG on a 200 mile run to the NEC last weekend, which is a bit lower than the 44 MPG I managed in the Cup. Nevertheless, I would say that's not bad going for a fairly quick run. My commute, however, is 3 miles of stop-start traffic and it drags the average back down to around 27 MPG. So, in normal conditions, I think you should expect low to mid 30s.

egor110 said:

How does it compare to your old 172 cup ?

First off, I have to say that the Cup I had was a decent example but probably hadn't been cared for like this one has, so I may be comparing apples and oranges here. A few comparisons though:

1. The Cup was definitely a bit quicker in a straight line. I would put it in the region of around 5% quicker.

2. The Cup was more planted, probably down to the lowering springs and 100 fewer kilos (apples and oranges?).

3. The Cup looked better - something about the stance, the blue, and the Turinis just worked.

4. This is definitely an unfair comparison but the Cup had a 330mm Momo steering wheel and I swear the feedback was more intense. I actually Googled to see if the 172 and the Cup shared the same steering rack such is the difference in feel (FYI, they do!). I can wholeheartedly recommend a smaller wheel and am considering getting one on this car. Just need to figure out how to re-route the steering mounted controls.

5. This car is more useable. Much more useable. I like to think of myself as a bit of a purist, but I will admit that I have been seduced by the cruise control and air-con. I can munch miles on the way to a good road, then switch the cruise, air-con, and traction off and have a blast. Perfect.

Despite this list seeming to favour the Cup I would say that the 172 has 95% of the performance but 50% more usability, making it a bit of a no-brainer for my purposes (daily duty with the occasional quick run out). If you're after a fast road/track car, though, the Cup is the better choice.

AndrewGP said:

Looks great, very clean especially with 110k miles.

Loved my old 172, it was a 52 plate car that looked exactly the same as yours. I swapped the wheels for Turinis and kept it 5 years as my daily drive. It was super reliable and not once did it ever let me down. I’m now driving a mint 182 as my daily (after a brief fling with a Civic Type R) and that’s great too. 2 years in now with the 182 with no plans to sell, I absolutely love these cars

And to the poster above who says they’re too old, I’m 42 in a couple of weeks and care not that I’m driving an R.S. Clio day to day! Get one bought!

Edited by AndrewGP on Saturday 20th January 08:16

Thanks Andrew. I have been following your Elise and Clio threads for a while. Quite the pair!

This car is actually on 79k, although it feels like it has barely ticked over 40k. I would love to swap the wheels for Turinis but can't bring myself to spend 600 GBP on them just yet. I'll keep an eye out though. You know, just in case.

How did you find the EP3 in comparison to the 172 and the 182 FF?