RE: Shed of the week
Friday 27th July 2007
Here’s a tidy Clio 16v in rare, almost standard trim. The fiery French fancy is often overshadowed by big-brother Williams, but delivers plenty of thrills itself.
SOTW: Clio 16v
Renault Clio 1.8 16v
Manual, 126,000 miles, This car is in very good condition for age and drives without fault, comes with kenwood Cd/Mp3 player, thatcham approved cat1 clifford alarm and immobiliser, full stainless steel exhaust system and performance air filter I also have the original air filter for the car. 10 months M.O.T, 3 months tax, I also have a folder full of old service history, receipts, old M.O.Ts etc. £900. o.v.n.o
Discussion
Brings back memories - my GF had one for 4 1/2 years then another one recently for a year.
It'd most certainly make a good rattle on startup as the tappets wear quickly on the F7P engines.
When they're regularly used they're fine, and generally reliable, but its the worst car I've ever had to work on in the engine bay department - the engine's just shoe-horned in. To change the oil filter I had to unbolt the radiator and tilt it forward just to get enough access to get my hand in...... (cant get to it from underneath either). The williams had the same block but internally it the stroke was increased from 1.8 to 2.0 so physically the engine looked the same, but made a surprising amount more torque.
Coolant leaks a problem and subsequent head gasket failure an issue. Rear arch rust always a problem and always comes back even after new tin welded in. Physically weak electric sunroof mechanisms break and seals leak. Gearbox's often weap oil from seals so need to be kept topped up. Clutch cables frequently snap as too close to manifold and routed badly.
Overall, not a particularly quick car but good handling, good MPG and usual poor french build quality !
Make a good shed if you have a GSF branch near you for frequent cheap parts!
It'd most certainly make a good rattle on startup as the tappets wear quickly on the F7P engines.
When they're regularly used they're fine, and generally reliable, but its the worst car I've ever had to work on in the engine bay department - the engine's just shoe-horned in. To change the oil filter I had to unbolt the radiator and tilt it forward just to get enough access to get my hand in...... (cant get to it from underneath either). The williams had the same block but internally it the stroke was increased from 1.8 to 2.0 so physically the engine looked the same, but made a surprising amount more torque.
Coolant leaks a problem and subsequent head gasket failure an issue. Rear arch rust always a problem and always comes back even after new tin welded in. Physically weak electric sunroof mechanisms break and seals leak. Gearbox's often weap oil from seals so need to be kept topped up. Clutch cables frequently snap as too close to manifold and routed badly.
Overall, not a particularly quick car but good handling, good MPG and usual poor french build quality !
Make a good shed if you have a GSF branch near you for frequent cheap parts!
joetait said:
Overall, not a particularly quick car but good handling, good MPG and usual poor french build quality !
Make a good shed if you have a GSF branch near you for frequent cheap parts!
This is a real shed, you could be lucky or you might have to open the bonnet 10 times in your first 100 miles of ownership.
I have one.
Bought it last year for £950 as a run about with 108,000 miles. Great fun. Needs to be revved for real pace but corners are such a laugh. Had a couple of lift-off moments on quiet roads (initially accidentally but since I just throw it in) where conditions permit.
I love it.
Bought it last year for £950 as a run about with 108,000 miles. Great fun. Needs to be revved for real pace but corners are such a laugh. Had a couple of lift-off moments on quiet roads (initially accidentally but since I just throw it in) where conditions permit.
I love it.
I like the alloys, they look similar to compomotive gravel motorsport wheels which rank somewhere up there with 205 1.9 speedlines and 106 Rallye steelies on my cool wall. Proper 90s hot hatch style!
But, as with all 90s hot hatches, reliability would be a big issue. And the clios never were quite as good as the pugs of the same era were they... (opens can of worms and retires
)
But, as with all 90s hot hatches, reliability would be a big issue. And the clios never were quite as good as the pugs of the same era were they... (opens can of worms and retires
)
... now I can afford to buy one I got no where to put it 
Last Renault i had was from that era ,had about 80k miles on it i think .Gave a bloke a lift in it once and he leaned over and looking at the milage sucked though his teeth and said "oh your living on borrowed time ". Two weeks later the cam belt snapped and broke several valves !!!! Last Renault i ever buy!!
I see from the pic that it still has wing mirrors, I shall therefore share this useful tip I was once shown by an experienced Renault owner. Far more stylish than the usual gaffer tape solution.
Wait for a rainy day and open the windows, remove the wing mirros and place each one in the toe end of a (French) nylon stocking (the ones with the frilly lace hold ups). Place the hold up end of the stocking through the open window. Re-afix the mirror to the car so that the attachment goes through the thin nylon. Now you will have to wait for a sunny day, as the window will have most likely broken in the open position. On the sunny day close the window, it will almost certainly then break in the up position thus securing the stocking end. If the windows are broken in the down position, the two stocking ends may be tied together with a knot in the centre of the dashboard.
Et Voila!, when the mirrors fall off, you collect them in the stockings, instead of smashing them to pieces on the M1. A similar approach has been developed for rear wipers by the Citroen owners club.
Wait for a rainy day and open the windows, remove the wing mirros and place each one in the toe end of a (French) nylon stocking (the ones with the frilly lace hold ups). Place the hold up end of the stocking through the open window. Re-afix the mirror to the car so that the attachment goes through the thin nylon. Now you will have to wait for a sunny day, as the window will have most likely broken in the open position. On the sunny day close the window, it will almost certainly then break in the up position thus securing the stocking end. If the windows are broken in the down position, the two stocking ends may be tied together with a knot in the centre of the dashboard.
Et Voila!, when the mirrors fall off, you collect them in the stockings, instead of smashing them to pieces on the M1. A similar approach has been developed for rear wipers by the Citroen owners club.
Edited by oagent on Monday 30th July 13:07
keith2007 said:
Can anyone tell me why Clio's bonnets open the wrong way??? :S
Safety probably... it can't come up in your windscreen when (!) the catch fails. Not at all unique to Clios though... Many small Fords opened this way too (Anglia 100E and 105E, Mk1 Fiesta) and earlier Renaults (Dauphine, R4, R5 and Super5, R9/R11 etc.... FIAT 127 too, I seem to remember.Gassing Station | French Bred | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff