172 performance better with age

[SHORTY]

172 performance better with age
mine has 39k on the clock and seems to go lot better, i thought it was a myth when people say the engines get better with age
it pulls like a pit bull now, loads and people say oh thats high mileage 39k
but i look at it this way
0-10k engine is brand new and tight
20-30k just getting bedded in
30-40 kicking ass time the engine has worn in and cooking on full gas
gonna keep my 172 till the end and looking forward to a lot of good miles in the beast

shorty

 

[Viv172]

so whats mine doing? at 11000miles? Do agree tho, it does seem to be getting better, or could it be me getting more confident and getting past the oooo dont wanna break it stage??

BTW, how long has it taken you to do 39k??

 

[Turkish]

thought it was going for a "better" ctr and that your 172 was "rattly" and sh*t etc ?

i cant keep up mate you seem to change your mind every five minutes, glad you are happy with your 172 again just hope it stays that way

 

[SHORTY]

i do agree i change my mind but i think we all have our bad days where you dont like the car you drive , and then you do get the good days
i will try not to post to many of the bad things


vivj hi mate

i bought the car on 29k and i have had it a year now so i think iam on average miles, but like i said i dont realy care about miles just as long as the car i s in good condition and inside and out,

its going great now, it pulls like a mad one
on my way home the other night from work this cavi 2000 gsi things come right up the rear
i had him , i was well cuffed with the power off the roudabout and onto the next straight

 

[cerbera4.5]

my mk1 172 only on 15500 k boo hoo ,but i do 300 miles a week!, easy,roll on 39k,if its loosening up now,i cant wait till its in full flow!!!

def keep mine till it dies i think,speed,comfort,reasonable insurance 25+,mpg37-38 what a machine!

 

[Ian P]

Mines on 34.5k and in the prime of its life. Never better.

 

[Lee]

Ive only covered just clear of 3k but its feeling a hell of a lot better than it did. I think the cold weather is helping too, it just seems to rev a lot easier. Shame the roads are so wet, but at least it puts its power down a hell of a lot better than most powerful FWD cars.

Still making me grin

 

[SHORTY]

wait until it has more miles on it then you will tell the difference

cerbera4.5 yes mate nice to have a low mileage car in one sense but yes when they wear in they go loads better
well thats what i have found any way

ian p nice to hear from another mk1 owner with 30k+ on the clock
how the car going what colour is the car

 

[Ian P]

The first silver, whatever that was... Titanium?? Or is it Iceberg?? I know I should know it...

Car is fine - minimal rattles (if any) just clutch judder which its booked in for next Thursday.

 

[cerbera4.5]

thats the only thing i noticed moving from the pug 306 xsi to clio the initial bite when you bring the clutch up,judders slightly, and a lot sharper,nothing major.

 

[SHORTY]

my rear shocks have started to leak but that is also booked in and i managed to fiddle it under warranty
which is nice

but apart from that eveythings cool i have a set of clio cup alloys on the car
with conti tyres which seem to be going down quite quick

 

[cerbera4.5]

cup alloys v.nice best bit about the car,look wicked!

 

[Ian P]

Im still on the Michelin Exalto which refuse to wear away. 25k and counting...

Ive had the judder looked at on a Service before but was told theres nothing wrong with it. Im not convinced though, but it may just be a feature of Mk1 172.

 

[SHORTY]

yea got a good deal on em
they do make the mk1 look well nice

 

[SHORTY]

the standard oz are also well nice sold mine for good money

 

[® Andy]

Just made 25k on my Mk1. Loads of rattles but I just turn the stereo up and smile cause performance wise its a screamer. Dont know if the engine is suppose to sound like it does cause it aint smooth but hey ... Used the little digital camcorder I bought my kids the other week to do a performance test on it. Straight, level, slightly damp bit of road, engine not quite warmed up but still managed ...

0-30 in under 2.7s

0-40 in under 4.0s

0-60 in under 6.5s

0-8x in under 10.6s

 

[Simon172]

Hey im nearly in the 30,000 mile club at 29,700 !

Just had my third gearbox installed and a new clutch. Gearbox was again under warranty and they put the clutch in because they told me it was juddering! i only had to pay £80 for the clutch fitting and price of the clutch. Its a 11 hour job apparently (clutch) as they have to remove gearbox - a wise idea in case anyone has to get their gearbox replaced - get a clutch stuffed in there at the same time.

I just want to check something out - what revs are you guys reading on your dials at 100 mph in 5th gear? it seems different - this gearbox - i swear its higher than my last one.....

 

[Sawa]

Another one to join the over 30k club!!! Mines done 36k and shes flying well!

Can honestly no car has ever made me smile so much, especially when people seem to think that I am driving "just a clio" and then I let her off the lease

 

[Ian P]

Agree Sawa172... had a guy in a GTI 2.0 golf up my ass today on M3. Pulled over, let him past then pulled out again.... man, I was practically pushing him along. When he pulled over and I went past his face was a picture. Hilarious.

GTi - I sh*t em.

 

[Sandro]

@Simon: An 11 hour job to remove the gearbox and fit a new clutch? What were they? Drunk? Not even with no hands it would that long... Good to hear that they sorted it under warranty, though...

Cheers
Sandro

 

[Ben H]

If an engine is well looked after, then it will perform as well (if not better given BenJs 16v example) at 130k miles than at 30k miles.

 

[viceroy]

I got mine with 13k on the clock and wasnt too impressed coming from a 1.4 16V but now Ive got 21k on the clock and Ive gotta say that the car is much more responsive.

It might also be me but Ive also started noticing that if I drive normally (barely get the revs to 4.5k and sit at about 3k in 4th or 5th) then the car is not that responsive, if I suddenly start driving a little more enthuesiastically (sp), but if I drive with the revs averaging around 3.5-4.5 and changing above 5k, but not really gunning it, it seems more responsive when I do gun it.

I dunno if anyone gets what Im saying.

 

[asty]

Quote: Originally posted by viceroy on 23 May 2003


It might also be me but Ive also started noticing that if I drive normally (barely get the revs to 4.5k and sit at about 3k in 4th or 5th) then the car is not that responsive

Dont the extra valves kick in about 4,000rpm? I notice the engine note changes at about 4,500rpm

 

[Paul16V]

Thats true I think too. The engines gotta loosen up. Thats why older cars are so much faster When they get over ten years old they get more mature hehe.

 

[viceroy]

Yep, the car definately performs better above 4,500rpm but what I was saying, is that if I drive the car like a gran, even when its warm, and then start booting it, its not as responsive as when I drive enthuesiastically and then boot it.

The whole car seems smoother if I drive with more right foot

 

[SHORTY]

sawa what you say is spot on mate, i to have had loads of sales reps flashing for me to get out of the way , doing the speed limit mind you
then when you put your down they dont seem to flash anymore just disapear, hmm strange, guess they must think that little clios are slow

WRONG

Cheers lads for posting all your comments, by the looks we all seem happy to be putting miles on our clios and not worrying

Cheers shorty

 

[Danny...]

35.5k on the Clock of my 2001 Mk1 Yellow beast and its definately a LOT faster than when i first got her!



Whoops most of cars with ease now!



We should start our own 30000 mile plus club!

 

[SHORTY]

good idea mate or have our own part of the forum
for the 30000 miles + club



shorty