182 owners - dodgy handling

[Balders]

Hi all.

Im after some advice on how people think their 182s with cup suspension handle. Mine feels really unstable and nervous.

I expected more from the cup suspension and must say I am not impressed...

The car wanders quite badly. On bends it feels like the back end is going to slide out. It doesnt give me the confidence to take corners as fast as I feel I should be doing. Seems to have a lot of lift-off oversteer too...

Also (and this is what makes me suspect there is something up), the steering wheel seems to be slightly turned to the right when going straight and its not the camber of the road.

Basically, the car feels like it has a mind of its own. Anyone else experienced the same thing?

I dont think its simply down to the hard suspension or wide tyres... Im tempted to take it back to the dealers and have it checked over. I cant remember the demo car being this bad...

Cheers,

Balders.

 

[jonnyboy]

welcome to having near on 200 BHP in a front wheel drive hatch m8...my 172 is the same. Very scary braking into corners.

 

[matt the cat]

take it back mate, somethings amiss.

 

[Matt ATR]

The back end can feel twitchy when pushing on - especially if you lift off - but youve got to be really pushing it IMO

The one I test-drove had the s/wheel slightly turned to right (didnt buy yours from Nicholas Smiths did you?!) - which felt wierd, but luckily mines ok!

Matt

 

[Balders]

Jonnyboy, not convinced thats the problem mate. I can be tootling along, 30/40/50 - it wanders even when in a straight line...

Im used to driving silly cars - had an Exige previously (now that was a mad car!).

 

[172 Stu]

Cant say ive had the same experience balders, mine is absolutely spot on.

The 172 mk2 i had before cornered well, but i always felt that the chassis was working quite hard to get the results. The 182 corners like a go-kart and so far im well impressed.

stu 172 (now 182)..

 

[llamalover]

O/T but where do you get the name Balders from? I get called it, but its cos of my surname..

 

[Balders]

Been called it for years mate. Its a long story...

 

[welsh182]

Cant fault the handling on mine. Goes round roundabouts etc like its on rails and fast out of roundabouts 2nd gear, no understeer or wheelspin with the pedal flat. It just is fantastic in the dry.

Little bit more nervous in the wet, had that feeling where the back goes light but only on/off the throttle, still easy to control. Not trying to be clever but wherever possible, brake in a straight line and then drive round the corners and youll be fine.

says he who will end up off the road backwards sooner or later

Other thing is I think it masks the speed, you are usually going faster than you think.


[Edited by welsh182 on 12 May 2004 at 8:08pm]

 

[gazza182]

Hi all,

My 182 has the same nervous feeling, but its because the exalto tyres (Cup chassis pack) have a stiff side wall. The car moves about due to the tyres stiffness and the camber changes in the surface.

I had the same thing on my old Intergrale.

Gary.

 

[Andyman]

Get the tracking checked mate ....... just had mine done for the first time since I bought it 3 years ago ...... what a difference ........ The bloke were I got it done reckons some of the well known car companys dont even bother checking it including Reno !!



Mine was all over the place and the guy reckoned there was no way I could have done that with hitting a few kerbs not that I have you understand He He He

 

[Funkyjahooner]

I have standard suspension on mine and its ace.

I cant fault its handling at all and most of my driving is on country roads.I love it

 

[Turkish]

Quote: Originally posted by Balders on 12 May 2004


Been called it for years mate. Its a long story...





cunning plan ?

 

[Willliams]

Balders..

Just picked mine up today, handles great wit cup pack on. Had test drives in two others, no prob there either. It seems far more sure footed than my 172 which tramlined, and seemed a bit skittish in comparison to the 182. Id get yours looked at if it were mine mate. Be interested to hear what they say!

 

[Scutch]

Mine handles great too, although the steering wheel is slightly to the right too :\ Odd. Anyway, used to it now!

 

[matlow]

i picked mine up with cup pack today, i noticed it handles really well. does suffer from torque steer when accelerating hard, i like this though because its proper feedback and not damped out by the steering.

 

[Balders]

Thanks guys! Ill take back to the dealers and get them to check it out... It really is bad...

 

[NIN-172]

My 172 has the steering wheel is very slightly to the right as well. wierd...

Anyway I can chuck it round most corners at 40-50 without a prob & only ever had the lift off oversteer when I was taking it to the limit at about 70-80ish on a long bend. whoa that was a bit scary. anyway, could be tracking needs sorting. I think mine needs doing, but who to take it to... hmm. Some places have all the top equipment & dont know how to use it. I had a m8 who worked at kwik-fit & he could do an excellent job, but I wouldnt trust any of the others that worked there. It seems there is a fine art to tracking it up properly.

But back to the fact, of why is it out anyway. could have been test driven or parked into a kerb or something. Or maybe theyre not tracked up in the begining. Or maybe Renault dont know the fine art of tracking.

 

[D-CUP]

I remember a guy with a Cup on here who said he had a problem with the car darting about all over the place.

Mine is fine, but you do have to keep two hands on the wheel. I imagine it could catch you out badly if you hit a bump mid-bend.

 

[BaBOo]

my 172 feels nervous at the back when I had standard springs,

after changing to eibach ones, the car feels more planted and more stable through bumps & holes.


my 2c

 

[cup'id]

my cup had steering wheel set to right slightly. I took mine back to have it sorted. Had to argue the toss it should be FOC as they claimed that this is not covered under warranty, but as I had only had it a week when i called the dealer (reno wolves) they said they would fix it. They even cleaned it

Mine too goes a little way ward when going into corners and I dont have to be going that quick. I was much more confident in my Mini. All I can think of is its because of how lite the car is. When accellerating away I do get quite a bit of torque steer, but you get used to that.

 

[rich[182]]

balders

hope you havent got a bad car - feel bad as i recommended you get one !

my std 172 only issues are that on some surfaces when braking even from as low as 40mph the car tram lines slightly alternating from left-right-left for a few seconds, its not straight on but can be unerving

think std 172 suspension is a tad overrated, too much body roll in/out of roundabouts and corners, should have been -30mm & stiffer from factory

 

[RobFenn]

I dont think there is anything wrong with 172 suspension really, the amount of roll doesnt mean it handles badly in my view.

Maybe its worth driving another 182 balders?

-Rob