Phase 1 Clio 172
Discussion
In a few months time I will have the opportunity to acquire an absolute peach of a 2001 Ph1 Clio 172 which a customer of mine is trading in to the dealer I work at. My mates are falling over each other to buy the car as being a trade in I can get it at the cost price (we wouldn't retail it)
Now my problem is, I really want to keep it. And I reckon I could sell it at a tidy profit down the line as theses are surely fast approaching classic status. So before I take the plunge a) tell me how much fun it will be and b) what should i expect from 172 ownership? It wont be daily driven and can live in the shed with my Impreza. The car has 68,000 miles and a full service history including a recent cambelt change. All suspension bushes replaced 3 years ago. 1 owner car. I've not even seen another Irish registered one, certainly not locally anyway.
Basically I want to know is it worth taking on another car or will I just sell it to one of my mates who will be grabbing an absolute bargain.
I've plenty on my plate with the Impreza but if I can gain more satisfaction from it than the potential work I've to put in down the line then I may run it for a year. It's a proper minter and fits into the new Shed price range so I think it's going to be hard to leave it go and not at least get a year out of it.
Now my problem is, I really want to keep it. And I reckon I could sell it at a tidy profit down the line as theses are surely fast approaching classic status. So before I take the plunge a) tell me how much fun it will be and b) what should i expect from 172 ownership? It wont be daily driven and can live in the shed with my Impreza. The car has 68,000 miles and a full service history including a recent cambelt change. All suspension bushes replaced 3 years ago. 1 owner car. I've not even seen another Irish registered one, certainly not locally anyway.
Basically I want to know is it worth taking on another car or will I just sell it to one of my mates who will be grabbing an absolute bargain.
I've plenty on my plate with the Impreza but if I can gain more satisfaction from it than the potential work I've to put in down the line then I may run it for a year. It's a proper minter and fits into the new Shed price range so I think it's going to be hard to leave it go and not at least get a year out of it.
Good ones are getting hard to find now. I'd definitely be keeping it, if it was me. I've never driven a PH1 but they are supposed to be better to drive than the PH2. They also have the light aluminium bonnet, i believe. A lad i know ran one until over 160k miles and it was still going strong without any serious issues. The engines are tough units when looked after.
Usual Renault Sport Clio checks really. Rust plagues the PH1's, so i'd give it a good check over, especially in the sills. Make sure the clutch is not on it's way out (another expensive job) and ensure that the gearbox is smooth and not crunching when shifting. Anything else are usually minor and inexpensive fixes and just the general used car checks really.
Buy it!
Usual Renault Sport Clio checks really. Rust plagues the PH1's, so i'd give it a good check over, especially in the sills. Make sure the clutch is not on it's way out (another expensive job) and ensure that the gearbox is smooth and not crunching when shifting. Anything else are usually minor and inexpensive fixes and just the general used car checks really.
Buy it!
Edited by culpz on Tuesday 30th January 10:24
Just get it! Tidy Ph1s are getting very rare now, and a few years down the line it will be worth a lot more I reckon. I drove a Ph1 172 a few years ago, and currently daily drive a Ph2 172. They're absolutely amazing cars, and the Ph1 with its mechanical throttle linkage is a riot.
Don't expect much from the interior and check that the dephaser and the aux belt have been changed together with the timing belt. Clios in general suffer from dodgy coil packs, so check that it maintains a steady idle speed. They all idle like pigs, but should maintain a steady 800-ish rpm when warm. If it doesn't start first time the crank sensor could be on its way out. When test-driving it pay attention to any gear lever movement under acceleration, as the dogbone mount is made out of cheese and can deteriorate. Check that the exhaust is not saggy, the backbox mount is also a bit prone to disintegrating. But apart from these small niggles, there isn't much else to worry about. And if you're not daily driving it and using it just for fun, then it's a no-brainer really!
Don't expect much from the interior and check that the dephaser and the aux belt have been changed together with the timing belt. Clios in general suffer from dodgy coil packs, so check that it maintains a steady idle speed. They all idle like pigs, but should maintain a steady 800-ish rpm when warm. If it doesn't start first time the crank sensor could be on its way out. When test-driving it pay attention to any gear lever movement under acceleration, as the dogbone mount is made out of cheese and can deteriorate. Check that the exhaust is not saggy, the backbox mount is also a bit prone to disintegrating. But apart from these small niggles, there isn't much else to worry about. And if you're not daily driving it and using it just for fun, then it's a no-brainer really!
Great stuff, exactly what I wanted to hear. Luckily rust shouldn't be a problem (or at least not a major issue) as its been in Ireland all its life. It will have a new clutch before it arrives and has just gotten a fresh NCT (MOT) so its just a get in and drive car by all accounts!!
I'll post up pics and a bit of a blurb if/when I take ownership.
I'll post up pics and a bit of a blurb if/when I take ownership.
Do it!
They're even great as a daily driver, 30+ mpg however you drive it!
Picked mine up last summer and had quite a few niggles but now it runs lovely.
aluminum molecular formula
They're even great as a daily driver, 30+ mpg however you drive it!
Picked mine up last summer and had quite a few niggles but now it runs lovely.
aluminum molecular formula
Ran a bone stock Ph1 172 as a daily for 3 years along with a few Silverstone trackdays.Good fun to drive,very capable even straight out of the box on track and getting very difficult to find a clean low mileage unabused example nowdays.Downsides for me,it was noisey on long motorway stints and never felt like it had 172bhp,more like 150bhp,probally would'nt have another but fond memories all the same! 
evojam said:
Ran a bone stock Ph1 172 as a daily for 3 years along with a few Silverstone trackdays.Good fun to drive,very capable even straight out of the box on track and getting very difficult to find a clean low mileage unabused example nowdays.Downsides for me,it was noisey on long motorway stints and never felt like it had 172bhp,more like 150bhp,probally would'nt have another but fond memories all the same!
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