bought a 172 to go to the nurburgring!

[seabass859]

Right guys I've just bought a phase 2 172 to take to the ring,

I'm just wanting your opinions on what would be a good cheap mod to improve handling/power.

I've read rear strut braces fix the lift off oversteer and are a fair price.

Your responses are much appreciated

 

[Darryl_1983]

Full suspension refresh I'd guess would be the best place to start. ie:

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?707646-Group-Buy-Suspension-refresh

No point working around old worn parts.

 

[seabass859]

Many thanks darryl I'm not really looking to spend that much but perhaps Later in the year

 

[Kelv]

I wouldn't waste money on a rear strut brace, it will make little or no difference in the slightest on the clio.

as above, make sure everything is in good workibg order before wasting money on little bolt on bits.
the clio with standard decent suspension is good anyhow.

 

[not normal dan]

Suspension refresh, eibach or cooksport springs on cup dampers and a good service and some ferodo ds2500 and brembo h/c's. And a good service.

Be a good little car then and more then capable. As said don't bother to much with bolt bits or hunting for power. I maybe would stretch to a whiteline rear arb kit too.

 

[Capstankid]

It depends how mechanically minded you are?
Personally I would go for
Strut braces front and back
Coilovers or harder springs
Set of good tyres
K&N panel filtter
Strip the body e.g rear seats, sound deadening
De cat exhaust or do the full system!
They are pretty quick and good handling cars anyways especially if your going to travel all that way.
Joe

 

[Cub.]

Unless it's the Pure Motorsport front strut brace kit, including top mounts, it will do nothing other than add weight.

Rear strut brace - unless welded onto the top mounts, again will do nothing other than add weight.

Not Normal Dan has summed it up, with the addition of tyres. Decent tyres.

 

[not normal dan]

It depends how mechanically minded you are?
Personally I would go for
Strut braces front and back
Coilovers or harder springs
Set of good tyres
K&N panel filtter
Strip the body e.g rear seats, sound deadening
De cat exhaust or do the full system!
They are pretty quick and good handling cars anyways especially if your going to travel all that way.
Joe

Personally unless its going to be used as an out and out track car adtwrwards I wouldn't go to the trouble of stripping. As for exhaust and filter the gains are usually minimal so depends if you can put up with the noise for 500 miles lol

 

[AlexW]

Stripping it out will make it louder, not exactly ideal for the long trip.

 

[JoshOm3]

Stripping it out will make it louder, not exactly ideal for the long trip.

Ear plugs? Worked a treat for me.

Most of what I would mention has been said above. Good new quality items along with very good tyres and you should be more than fine.

 

[Capstankid]

Just Man up it's a cheap mod

 

[imprezaworks]

Im guessing the op bought the car to 'use' at the ring, cheap motoring etc? Cant see that spending a fair few pounds on stuff like coilovers is justified. Decent tyres, brakes, make sure nothing is going to fall off, and just have fun.

 

[imprezaworks]

Just Man up it's a cheap mod

Ive owned a stripped out clio, cage etc and the thought of travelling anywhere out this country would have made me cringe lol. Ask Danith im sure he will back me up

 

[Danith]

Yeah sod that. I bought the stripped clio off imprezaworks and it killed me driving from Chester to Manchester.
Taking my type r in July now. It's a long drive and even longer in an uncomfortable car! Belgian roads are DULL.

 

[Danith]

You don't need a hardcore track beast to enjoy the nurburgring. Get some spare wheels with track tyres on to put on when you get there and make sure you've got all 3 mirrors!

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

Yeah sod that. I bought the stripped clio off imprezaworks and it killed me driving from Chester to Manchester.
Taking my type r in July now. It's a long drive and even longer in an uncomfortable car! Belgian roads are DULL.

fly over and rent there, loads easier lol I can't be arsed with the drive over there anymore, bores me to death!

 

[Kelv]

Or do as I do, drive down in a comfy car with the fully stripped clio on the trailer behind you

 

[imprezaworks]

Because hi roller ^^^^

 

[Danith]

Minted

 

[Kelv]

Because hi roller ^^^^

If only

 

[sonny172cup]

Just make sure the car is in sound condition, i.e recently serviced, condition of belts and that you have checked everything over. Remember the car needs to make it there and back...I.v driven it many times and have broken down 3 times en-route to and from the Ring, as well as having the odd trouble at the Ring with chassis and engine related problems, this is with numerous car makes.

How long have you owned the car and are you familiar with Clio's?

Personally I would, check the car over, esp checking all serviceable parts
Get car serviced
Uprated Brake pads and fluid

Then, I would look into suspension, many kits on here and a few good kits mentioned above.

Make sure you you're car is legal to drive in Europe, i.e first aid packs etc

Have you been to the 'Ring' before?

p.s strut braces are least of your worry (at this stage). Sorry don't mean to sound pesimistic

 

[Danith]

Yeah good point. Take a spare coil pack! Mine died on the border of Germany/Belgium on the way home. Just out of pure luck I had one spare at home and chucked it in just in case. THANK GOD.

No problems at all with the Honda

 

[sonny172cup]

Yeah good point. Take a spare coil pack! Mine died on the border of Germany/Belgium on the way home. Just out of pure luck I had one spare at home and chucked it in just in case. THANK GOD.

No problems at all with the Honda

Funnily enough it was a injector that failed on mine en-route to the Ring, but this is now a slippery slope...how many spares do you take, in the end you will be carrying boxes of spares for spares lol But it is good practice if you're ''in to' track days.

 

[Kelv]

An injector failed on Chip last year en route to the ring, luckily Porkie was leaving a day later and took a spare along.

i now keep a complete spare fuel rail aswell as coil pack and many other spares, they always get loaded in the car when going on a trackday, for what space they take up it's hardly worth leaving them at home.

 

[George@RTR_Parts]

To echo the good advice in here.

Make sure it's in good working order before spending money on rear strut braces etc

Decent matching tyres and good quality brakes

No point adding bits on if rolling on ditch finder tyres or mis matched tyres and brakes which are poor/hardly any meat left on them

 

[Danith]

shameless plug.

Only jokin. I'll need some decent fluid, front discs and DS2500 or similar pads in a month or 2 for my EP3 buddy. Can you pm me what you can do for me?

 

[andy-reid]

all of the above have fun and take a spare key we all know clio keys fail when you could do without it!!!

 

[George@RTR_Parts]

I'll need some decent fluid, front discs and DS2500 or similar pads in a month or 2 for my EP3 buddy. Can you pm me what you can do for me?

Sorry, just seen this mate! No worries, got them before for the EP3 CTR's will PM you now

 

[Chip-mk1]

Right guys I've just bought a phase 2 172 to take to the ring,

I'm just wanting your opinions on what would be a good cheap mod to improve handling/power.

I've read rear strut braces fix the lift off oversteer and are a fair price.

Your responses are much appreciated

Rear strut braces do NOTHING on a clio


Best things to get the handling back to how it should be are the front steering and suspesnion joints, track rod ends etc.

In terms of upgrades without spending too much money, some cup shocks and cooksport or eibach springs are a good option.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Rear strut brace - unless welded onto the top mounts, again will do nothing other than add weight.

It still wont do anything, as the rear struts arent part of what controls the rear suspension geometry, its entirely done by the beam!

 

[Cub.]

It still wont do anything, as the rear struts arent part of what controls the rear suspension geometry, its entirely done by the beam!

Lol. Even more useless then. I have one. It keeps my shopping from sliding around in the boot. No one likes broken eggs.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Lol. Even more useless then. I have one. It keeps my shopping from sliding around in the boot. No one likes broken eggs.

Yeah they are handy for using as an anchor point, just not any use for controlling rear geo.

 

[Advikaz]

Sort the brakes.

 

[klm182]

am thinking of going, never been before.. found this site..www.nurburgring.org.uk/beginners.php

 

[Danith]

I just been looking at the calendar, there's not a lot of touristfahrten days this summer!!?

 

[Chip-mk1]

I just been looking at the calendar, there's not a lot of touristfahrten days this summer!!?

Its only released up till about June so far isnt it?


Does seem to be less than usual though.

Im kinda hoping for a decent number in early septeber to tie in with a spa trip I would like to do, but looking on the list of events, I think I am going to be out of luck as its busy a lot of those dates already with other things.

 

[Danith]

Its only released up till about June so far isnt it?


Does seem to be less than usual though.

Im kinda hoping for a decent number in early septeber to tie in with a spa trip I would like to do, but looking on the list of events, I think I am going to be out of luck as its busy a lot of those dates already with other things.

Yeah hoping it's just not published yet but they'll open some around the 14th July?! Think I'm gonna book on the track day then but would be nice to do a TF day while there.
Yeah wanted to tie in with a spa day too but they're rare as frig!

 

[Scottycup182]

Hi guys new to this site , have just bought a clio 182 ff to do same trip , have booked to go on the 9-11 may then on to spa with the MLR on the 12 May can't wait .!!!!

 

[jon_r]

Does seem to be less than usual though.

All down to the selling process. It's all a bit unknown at the moment.

I hope everyone's insured! /broken record.