Thursday 4th June 2015

Renault Clio 182 Trophy: PH Fleet

First track outing for Ben and the Trophy and it's in at the deep end!

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It's been six weeks since I bought my Trophy and I've already clocked up over 3,000 miles. Crikey. What was that about preserving value? Driving it to Spa Francorchamps and back last weekend won't have helped, but I've never been one for clock watching really.

Looking good...

I remain infatuated with the little Trophy, and an invitation to a Renaultsport Spa track day seemed the perfect opportunity to discover more about KN55 HWX. It's worth stating now that I have very little track experience so, before you can say it, I will admit your grandmother probably could lap Spa faster. With excuses done for being slowest on the day (bar a very careful Clio V6 owner) I shall continue.

The Clio needed some attention before heading out, especially as it was running a complete mismatch of tyres from the previous owner. It didn't really help that one of the rear dampers failed the weekend before either! The rubber issue was resolved using PistonHeads Tyres with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 3s; it seemed right to stick with the original fitment tyre supplier and they could be fitted just round the corner from PHHQ.

Sunday couldn't come soon enough - I was about to drive one of the world's greatest circuits with a mate in my Clio Trophy! Freshly serviced the car felt tip-top and heading out on the Eurotunnel both of us inside were like a couple of kids on Christmas morning. After a good night's kip in the swanky Hotel de la Source, we joined the stream of Clios and Meganes on Monday morning heading for the pearly gates. I don't wish to sound effusive but the next few hours can only be described as one of the best days of my life.

... nailed it. Video to follow!

Surrounded by like-minded Renaultsport owners we started the first session. With my heart racing and my hands sweating, Eau Rouge loomed in the windscreen; it really is as steep as it looks! After two sighting laps the nerves were eased, the Trophy was on top form with warm tyres and we were ready for the day ahead.

Where my Clio lacked the additional torque and power of the turbocharged Meganes that were hurtling past me, it quickly made up for it in the corners thanks to those fabled Sachs remote-reservoir dampers. Well it felt that way to me. Being front-wheel drive, my uneducated expectation was a whole lot of understeer... Fool. In fact, the only place I experienced any slight push was at the Bus Stop chicane and that was probably only down to driver error. The suspension set-up and steering is heavenly, feeling compliant and predictable as I pushed harder throughout the day as my confidence grew. The 182's engine really punches above 5,000rpm which you can exploit at Spa with its huge straights and long corners like Pouhon and Blanchimont. Only the brakes let the Clio down as the pedal went soft very quickly. Hitting the pedal a little sooner ensured the brakes weren't overworked, but a decent set of pads are a must for my next circuit outing.

The love affair continues

Cliched though it may sound, what made the trip for me was sharing the experience with a friend. Without wanting to sound all philosophical, I think the best moments in life are much more enjoyable when you share them with other people. Driving Spa Francorchamps in a hot hatch legend is certainly one of those. So next time you go for a long drive or plan your next track day, make sure you ask a mate to get involved and tell us all about it, because I can assure you that you'll enjoy it so much more than if you're solo.

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FACT SHEET
Car: 2005 Renault Clio 182 Trophy
Run by: Ben Lowden
Bought: April 2015
Mileage: 77,749
Purchase price: £4,250
Last month at a glance: Where better for a first track outing than Spa-Francorchamps?

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Previous reports:
Cheerio diesel Skoda, hello limited edition Renault hero!

[Feirny]

Glad to see you're enjoying the car, Ben!

A healthy amount of miles in the first weeks! Must be love.

[anonymous-user]

I really would love a little Clio 182.
Not sure what is putting me off though, image problem? I don't know.

[Krikkit]

Having just bought a 172 and being mightily impressed by the thing I can only imagine how much better a Trophy is! Cracking cars, if you can cope with the driving position.

[anonymous-user]

Driving position can be fixed, more or less, with either an aftermarket steering wheel or a spacer and dropping the seat a bit by removing the vibration dampers.

I'm totally besotted with my 182, it's just a grin a minute.

[BlackCup]

Was a brilliant day wasn't it, I was there in my 250rs oyster grey with PH smileys on, wore out my pads by lunch chasing lap times but boy some of those owners are mad. Semi slick Tyres and heated tyre bags everywhere! I just rocked up and had a blast, highly recommend it to anyone!
Unfortunately local Renault dealers didn't have front pads in stock so had to make do with rears only which were the worst ones anyway, the fronts were ok to get us home thank God lol
The 'Ring's only 1hr30mins away so it would've been rude to not go lol, that was Sunday's trip.

Matt

[Speed Badger]

Sounds like a great experiance. I did a Renaultsport day at Brands Hatch a couple of years ago in my 172 which again was very good.

I don't know what it is about the Clio, I have just sold my White Megane RS250 and bought an Arctic Blue Clio 182. I almost bought a Trophy but I really just don't like red! That's the only reason I didn't get one. Still, bar the Sachs dampers, alloys and lovely Recaros it's the same car and it's brilliant.

During my Megane ownership, wonderful car that it was, I didn't spend anything on it bar the usuals, yet I've had the 182 for about 3 weeks and I have already bought some interior floor mats, new number plates (old ones were a tad manky), a cat back Scorpion exhaust system, ITG panel filter and random other trinkets and baubels. It's very strange and I'm not a 'modded' person, just trying to make it the best it can be. For some reason

Edited by Speed Badger on Thursday 4th June 13:46

Edited by Speed Badger on Thursday 4th June 13:49

Edited by Speed Badger on Thursday 4th June 13:50

[tomvcarter]

I ran a 182 Cup along side a 997 GT3, the Clio was my daily driver, the GT3 for weekends. The GT3 cost me 30 x more than the Clio and i can honestly say it was just as fun to drive! You could absolutely thrash it all day long, it loved it.

Family commitments have ended my days in a GT3 and i doubt i will be able to afford anything like it for a very long time, but as I'm desperate to stay on track. I am really considering getting back in a 182 or a 200. Maybe the 182 Cup is the perfect option?

[AlexIT]

charltjr said:

dropping the seat a bit by removing the vibration dampers.

Please elaborate...

I'm in the process of (slowing) putting back my 172 on the road and this sounds VERY interesting!

[Krikkit]

AlexIT said:

charltjr said:

dropping the seat a bit by removing the vibration dampers.

Please elaborate...

I'm in the process of (slowing) putting back my 172 on the road and this sounds VERY interesting!

With a bit of google-fu it looks like there are some rubber dampers between the seat runners and the floor which add an inch or two. To remove you need to unbolt the seats (access below the car) and ideally replace with some 8mm washers so the runners don't catch on the carpets. There's a thread on Cliosport for it, can't find the link now!

[AlexIT]

Krikkit said:

With a bit of google-fu it looks like there are some rubber dampers between the seat runners and the floor which add an inch or two. To remove you need to unbolt the seats (access below the car) and ideally replace with some 8mm washers so the runners don't catch on the carpets. There's a thread on Cliosport for it, can't find the link now!

Cheers, I will search for it, don't worry. Thanks for the tip, I didn't know this, despite owning the car for ehmmm... since 2000

[lockup]

"...a decent set of pads are a must for my next circuit outing"

As the car's new to you it wouldn't be silly to change the brake fluid as well, otherwise you may find the costs of a set of pads and another track day are somewhat wasted.
</personal-experience>

[anonymous-user]

Krikkit said:

With a bit of google-fu it looks like there are some rubber dampers between the seat runners and the floor which add an inch or two. To remove you need to unbolt the seats (access below the car) and ideally replace with some 8mm washers so the runners don't catch on the carpets. There's a thread on Cliosport for it, can't find the link now!

Yep exactly that. Even if you don't put the washers in the seat will still move on the runners with a bit of effort. It's only an inch or so of a drop at most, but it does help.

[Rawhide]

tomvcarter said:

I ran a 182 Cup along side a 997 GT3, the Clio was my daily driver, the GT3 for weekends. The GT3 cost me 30 x more than the Clio and i can honestly say it was just as fun to drive! You could absolutely thrash it all day long, it loved it.

Family commitments have ended my days in a GT3 and i doubt i will be able to afford anything like it for a very long time, but as I'm desperate to stay on track. I am really considering getting back in a 182 or a 200. Maybe the 182 Cup is the perfect option?

I ran a Trophy alongside a 997 C2S last year. I did my first trackday in the C2S and there was another guy there in a Trophy. At lunchtime I decided to swap my cars around and I had way more fun in the Trophy.

Whilst a GT3 is something of a dream car for me I really don't feel the draw anymore without an excess of funds to run it. I sold my Porsche 3 months ago and bought a 182 with cup packs. It was so cheap it's almost disposable. Certainly cheaper than an excess on an insurance policy for using the Porsche on track.

I am loving the 182. I can work on it myself and modify it cheaply. I'm fitting Bilstein coilovers this evening to get it to similar handling to my Trophy

[Pingman]

making me want one!

[Gandahar]

But it's not very good looking and what would the neighbours think ??




You cannot beat a FWD good spanking whilst the RWD guys look how much their car has gone up it value this week.....

[Tickle]

Great write up, cracking cars. One of the best cars I have owned.

[cailean]

Stoooppp it....I'm trying to decide whether to sell my Clio 200 and this isn't helping...

[BenLowden]

GravelMachineGun said:

I really would love a little Clio 182.
Not sure what is putting me off though, image problem? I don't know.

Just do it, it's the best value for money car I've ever owned. There's only one way the price of these cars is going to go, so grab one quick! Let me help... http://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-buying-guid...

[BenLowden]

BlackCup said:

Was a brilliant day wasn't it, I was there in my 250rs oyster grey with PH smileys on, wore out my pads by lunch chasing lap times but boy some of those owners are mad. Semi slick Tyres and heated tyre bags everywhere! I just rocked up and had a blast, highly recommend it to anyone!
Unfortunately local Renault dealers didn't have front pads in stock so had to make do with rears only which were the worst ones anyway, the fronts were ok to get us home thank God lol
The 'Ring's only 1hr30mins away so it would've been rude to not go lol, that was Sunday's trip.

Matt

It certainly was, we were very lucky with the weather! We can't have been in the same group, otherwise I would have spotted the smileys when you would have passed me... Unfortunately didn't have time to make it to the 'Ring as well, that'll have to be a trip for next year! Sounds like I wasn't the only one struggling with brakes then too.

[BenLowden]

Speed Badger said:

I don't know what it is about the Clio, I have just sold my White Megane RS250 and bought an Arctic Blue Clio 182. I almost bought a Trophy but I really just don't like red! That's the only reason I didn't get one. Still, bar the Sachs dampers, alloys and lovely Recaros it's the same car and it's brilliant.

Very interesting to hear you've gone from a newer RS250 back to the little old 182. Proves that power doesn't always triumph! A little tip and something to add to your wish list – apparently the Honda Integra uses the same Recaros as the Trophy but just in a slightly different trim. May need some modification on the runners, but a darn sight cheaper than the £800+ that the Trophy seats are fetching. Here's an example: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-Accord-Type-R-inte...