182... what upgrades would you fit to your perfect spec road car?

[Usr117063]

Gearbox mount, uprated dogbone mount and fresh standard engine mount is the best compromise. As soon as you uprate the engine mount it goes from mildly refined to world war 3

 

[frayz]

Gearbox mount, uprated dogbone mount and fresh standard engine mount is the best compromise. As soon as you uprate the engine mount it goes from mildly refined to world war 3

So get a VT gearbox mount?
Uprated DB I’ve ordered.
Is there any truth in the an OEM Kangoo upper mount being firmer that that of a stock Clio mount?

 

[Chris15]

This is a great thread! Perfect as I've come to path in my cars life where i would like to do some mods to the 172 to keep it "nice".

Group N timing sounds very interesting as I have to do belts shortly. Does anyone know anywhere south of London that does this or is a trip to EFI-Parts worth it?

 

[McGherkin]

The problem with this thread is everybody has different opinions on perfect. Some may think that a Clio is not complete without a socking great turbo, but others will say an OEM fresh one with new bushes etc is perfection.

Neither is wrong tbh. Also depends entirely on what you use it for.

 

[MrBlonde]

@Chris15

Group N timing sounds very interesting as I have to do belts shortly. Does anyone know anywhere south of London that does this or is a trip to EFI-Parts worth it?
[/QUOTE]

I would be interested in this also ??

 

[bloke]

Engine dynamics are nearer for you.

 

[Kosy]

All good feedback,
So the inspiration to this thread is that I've recently bought back my old 182 that I owned from almost new (8k miles).
Keen to make the car as focused and enjoyable as possible without ruining it. Its my daily drive, and I do 50 miles a day in it across b roads and country lanes.

Current changes are few:

Full BTM/Yozzasport exhaust
Eibach Sportlines
Braided hoses
16" Turinis
Snappy steering wheel
Alpine headunit

Since buying the car back I've bought the following new genuine Renault parts:
New Cup dampers
New topmounts
New lower arms
New inner & outer track rod ends
Full ARB bush kit
New dogbone mount


Tempted by Vibratechnics and a PMS shifter... but not sure yet.

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Very nice. Don’t suppose you are ‘frayz’ from Scoobynet (black bugeye STi)?

 

[Kosy]

Cup dampers - Check
Eibsch sportline springs - Check
M1144 front pads - Check
Good quality front discs - Brembo Check
Pilotsport3 tyres - Check
Smaller steering wheel - retrim as want OE

And the best mod for them, rstuner 98ron map (check)

Wow, I like your taste and you basically have outlined my 172 Cup.

Only extras I have are:

R3 airbox
Magnecor leads
Braided brake lines
Engine and dog bone mounts

Makes for a fantastic road car.

 

[frayz]

Very nice. Don’t suppose you are ‘frayz’ from Scoobynet (black bugeye STi)?

You mean this STI? ?
I am indeed that Frayz

 

[frayz]

Wow, I like your taste and you basically have outlined my 172 Cup.

Only extras I have are:

R3 airbox
Magnecor leads
Braided brake lines
Engine and dog bone mounts

Makes for a fantastic road car.

Sounds like a lovely car
Not sure im familiar with an R3 airbox?
Already have braided hoses as I fitted these on my first tenure of the car. Uprated dogbone mount has indeed been ordered and is on route.

 

[frayz]

The problem with this thread is everybody has different opinions on perfect. Some may think that a Clio is not complete without a socking great turbo, but others will say an OEM fresh one with new bushes etc is perfection.

Neither is wrong tbh. Also depends entirely on what you use it for.

This is very true, but seeing as I have another car and this is just my fun daily. I'd like to think you guys have a good idea of where I' coming from when I say perfect road car.
You know my history more than most so know the kind of thing im looking for

 

[McGherkin]

In that case it’s easy ?

 

[frayz]

LMAO (facepalm)

 

[Steven103]

Are 12k Ohlins TTX superior to KW V1s, of course they are but you can’t buy them for a Clio 2 and you are missing out on some brilliant value for money at the £6/7/800 price point if you’re assuming that nothing below 3k can improve ride without sacrificing handling or vice versa.

Especially if you were already considering spending £350 on lowering springs and OEM dampers, the Bilstein B14s are brilliant at impact harshness whilst the adjustable Gaz are a very cheap way of sorting out pitch.

As Volvo man says “perfect daily” depends on what you do every day! If you do mega mega miles then you might not want the hassle of rear coilovers with spherical bearings at the bottom...

 

[stu8v]

My daily 182.

Vibratechnics mounts.
Powerflex dog bone (soon to be changed to std).
Goodyear asymmetric tyres.
Eibach springs on std cup shocks.
Quick shift.
Stiffshift.
Scorpion exhaust system.
Braided hoses
Ferodo DS pads.

Not the quickest or the best at everything, but a great daily that isn't to harsh but still can put a smile on your face. ?

 

[frayz]

Are 12k Ohlins TTX superior to KW V1s, of course they are but you can’t buy them for a Clio 2 and you are missing out on some brilliant value for money at the £6/7/800 price point if you’re assuming that nothing below 3k can improve ride without sacrificing handling or vice versa.

Especially if you were already considering spending £350 on lowering springs and OEM dampers, the Bilstein B14s are brilliant at impact harshness whilst the adjustable Gaz are a very cheap way of sorting out pitch.

As Volvo man says “perfect daily” depends on what you do every day! If you do mega mega miles then you might not want the hassle of rear coilovers with spherical bearings at the bottom...

In fairness I was probably quite harsh by saying that nothing short of £500 per corner was worth looking at, however I do think that budget coilovers are absolute pants, and in my experience and not worth the agro of owning or fitting. Often they make the car worse both to drive and live with.
Admittedly my first experience with Gaz dampers was over 15 years ago and they were awful, adjustment was poor, build quality was poor and a total waste of money.
As they're local, 4 years ago I revisited Gaz for some spherical bearing top-mounts for a Mini GP, again their quality was absolutely awful. They were poorly manufactured with cheap bearings and rattled like crazy, lesson learned there.
In perspective I had Noltec Race top-mounts on my Impreza for over 20k miles and they were silent from start to finish.

I'd be happy with some KW Variant 3s or Clubsports if they were available but seemingly for they're not for the Clio mk2.
I've already got a Cup chassis car with Eibachs fitted, so the cost of £130 for 4x new Cup dampers makes for a very very cheap freshen up of the handling. I did this at 75k miles and am about to renew the dampers again at 113K miles.

My daily commute is approx. 50 miles of country lanes, B roads and small section of A road, so a nice mix. I doubt I'll track it much these days as ive another car id rather be on track in, but having said that. The Clio is so much fun on track, its hard to ignore haha.

 

[frayz]

My daily 182.

Vibratechnics mounts.
Powerflex dog bone (soon to be changed to std).
Goodyear asymmetric tyres.
Eibach springs on std cup shocks.
Quick shift.
Stiffshift.
Scorpion exhaust system.
Braided hoses
Ferodo DS pads.

Not the quickest or the best at everything, but a great daily that isn't to harsh but still can put a smile on your face. ?

How do you find the VT mounts day to day?

 

[stu8v]

How do you find the VT mounts day to day?

They're harsher for sure but how much of that's the dogbone? Hence the change to a std one for a trial.
They're a massive improvement over std though, little drive train movement like the oe ones.

 

[Kosy]

You mean this STI? ?
I am indeed that Frayz

Thought it might have been you. Loved that Bug, probably my favourite car on SNet. Hope you still have it.

Joined there in 2001, had a P1 which was my pride and joy till mortgages, kids and life reduced my car budget. My 172 Cup is a constant source of joy though and to be fair, bang for buck WAY better than the P1 was.

I think this is a really good thread and one that sits well with me, now doing 350 miles a week in the Clio.

For me, mine sits at a level that feels raw and fun but is liveable. I wouldn’t want it to be any more focused than it is now for what I need it for.

I don’t track it but enjoy a good B road.

 

[frayz]

Thought it might have been you. Loved that Bug, probably my favourite car on SNet. Hope you still have it.

Joined there in 2001, had a P1 which was my pride and joy till mortgages, kids and life reduced my car budget. My 172 Cup is a constant source of joy though and to be fair, bang for buck WAY better than the P1 was.

View attachment 1425747

I think this is a really good thread and one that sits well with me, now doing 350 miles a week in the Clio.

For me, mine sits at a level that feels raw and fun but is liveable. I wouldn’t want it to be any more focused than it is now for what I need it for.

I don’t track it but enjoy a good B road.

Without wishing to digress the thread too much. When I first owned the Clio it was along side my Impreza and I can honestly say hand on heart that I had every bit as much fun in the 182 as I did in the Impreza dispite being a whole 400bhp short.
I still own the Impreza although I’m breaking the project for parts.

To me the 1*2 is the ultimate drivers hot hatch and has chassis feedback and steering feel that many modern and far more expensive cars could only dream of replicating. Hustling one on a B road or country lane to me is up there with my driving Nirvana.

 

[DanMateX]

One of the first things I done to my cup way before it went on track was a 330mm sparco flat steering wheel and it made all the difference to feel as I find the stock wheel a bit bus like

 

[Christopher.]

Where iv got my PB to at the moment is pretty spot on imo. All standard(ish) handling components that had recently been refreshed. Engine mods to help it along and keeping reliability. And a Quaife Diff.

It's a long list !

Engine
- 172 Engine
- RS2 Inlet
- 197 Injectors
- Forge Motorsport hose kit
- Magnecor Leads
- Ktec Solid Engine Mounts
- KTR Ultra Performance exhaust
- Mocal Oil Catch Tank
- PMS Breather Plate
- Fully custom build brackets with heat shielding
- Oddessy 25 battery
- New Coolant and Power Steering fluid bottles
- Zinc plated bolts
- Mapped by EFI Parts. 200.6bhp/150.2lbft

Transmission
- Rebuilt Gearbox
- Quaife Differential
- PH1 gear shifter

Handling
- Standard shocks
- Grams Racing springs front and rear
- 172 Cup Wishbones
- PowerFlex Black series Wishbone Bushes
- PowerFlex Inner + Outer ARB Bushes
- PMS Top Mounts and Strut Brace
- Whiteline ARB
- 2x Set Turinis. Bridgstone Potenza/Federal RSR-RS
- 5mm spacer (front)

Braking
- Brembo 4 pots, Un-painted
- Custom HEL braided lines
- PMS 300mm conversion Brackets
- Brembo Pads/Feroodo DS11.1
- 300mm Brembo HCs (Front)
- Renault OEM Discs (Rear)
- ATE Super Blue Racing brake fluid

Interior
- Recaro Sportster seats
- Custom JonFoz frames
- Connects 2 3.5mm jack install

Exterior
- Skoda Splitter
- 197 Renault Sport badge
- 3/4 Plate

 

[Coops Mk1]

My daily is a 182 FF and after 7 years its about perfect for my use as just a road car (its done one trackday under my ownership and was still very capable). I've gone too far with it a couple of times and ended up going back to more standard spec to make it better for just cranking the daily grind.

- kept the climate control - a must for me
- H&R Springs on cup dampers
- janspeed exhaust (extremely quiet)
- 15" wheels (cheaper for tyres for a car i do a lot of miles in)
- Recaro Trendlines
- snappy wheel

that's it really apart from cosmetic touches but they don't really do anything for the driving experience so irrelavent to this thread, i have had it stripped out, smaller wheel, pms shifter, solid engine mounts, coilovers, every exhaust under the sun and a multitude of other 'mods' and found them all too much for a daily driver that i don't always want to 'focus' drive on a B road.

so mine to me is the perfect spec, honed to perfection over 7 years and 90k miles of use.

 

[frayz]

My daily is a 182 FF and after 7 years its about perfect for my use as just a road car (its done one trackday under my ownership and was still very capable). I've gone too far with it a couple of times and ended up going back to more standard spec to make it better for just cranking the daily grind.

- kept the climate control - a must for me
- H&R Springs on cup dampers
- janspeed exhaust (extremely quiet)
- 15" wheels (cheaper for tyres for a car i do a lot of miles in)
- Recaro Trendlines
- snappy wheel

that's it really apart from cosmetic touches but they don't really do anything for the driving experience so irrelavent to this thread, i have had it stripped out, smaller wheel, pms shifter, solid engine mounts, coilovers, every exhaust under the sun and a multitude of other 'mods' and found them all too much for a daily driver that i don't always want to 'focus' drive on a B road.

so mine to me is the perfect spec, honed to perfection over 7 years and 90k miles of use.

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This is exactly the kind of reply I stated this thread for. The guys that have modded and then actually gone back to OE or a less extreme version of the upgrade in some instances.
Cars that have been honed for the owners perfect idea of their road car.

 

[Coops Mk1]

@frayz its all personal preference at the end of the day, there is no right or wrong answer. But my experience has seen me go too far (i have a dedicated track car anyway for the vibrationy goodness if i feel the need) and as such reign it back in again for just a usable, easily and cheaply maintainable, daily car.

 

[Coops Mk1]

oh and I've swapped stereo out for a an alpine with parrot for hands free phone and ipod connector on it too. plus added and upgraded speakers and popped a small under seat sub in.

 

[frayz]

@frayz its all personal preference at the end of the day, there is no right or wrong answer. But my experience has seen me go too far (i have a dedicated track car anyway for the vibrationy goodness if i feel the need) and as such reign it back in again for just a usable, easily and cheaply maintainable, daily car.

Agree there’s no definitive answer, however there is certainly a trend of well balanced components that make for a perfectly useable and comfortable but well focused road car.
I’ve an alpine with Bluetooth and full speed iPod too. It’s essential for a road car imo.

You say you’ve gone too far previously.. out of interest, what did you do that you later thought was too much and what did you swap back to?

 

[Coops Mk1]

As mentioned briefly in the first post i made chap its changed back and forth a lot over the years!

- Vibratec engine mounts which annoyed me at traffic lights and idling with the vibration - back to stock
- Coilovers which i found pound for pound not really viable - onto cup shocks and H&R springs
- Smaller wheel but that annoyed me when maneuvering at sainsbury's - back to snappy refurbished original wheel
- More track focused tyres but the ride wasn't as compliant and winter driving was sketchy in torrential rain and snow etc - onto Michelin PS3
- Whiteline RARB on it, but made it too twitch again usually in adverse weather - binned off completely
- PMS shifter on it but the rattles annoyed me - back to stock
- Miltek, Yozza, BTM, and scorpion exhaust systems on it but were all too loud or droney - Janspeed silenced with original cat
- Stripped the rear out but was too loud and not practical for shop runs etc - back to stock
- Ktec induction kit on it, again too loud and booming - back to stock

That's all i can think of at mo, may of had other bits!

if it wasn't a daily car, i would perhaps aim it a bit more clubsport and put some of those above back, but i have other cars for that fix so thats why those above mods all came and went over the years.

 

[frayz]

In my mind I fancy a proper drivers seat, a PMS shifter and Vibratechnic mounts. Just to get the feel and control of the car as it is now. As to be honets, as it is, its pretty sweet in terms of ride/handling. Some reduced body roll would be nice, but not sure I can achieve that without going to coilovers. Does anyone do a set of uprated front/rear matched ARBs?

 

[mart.z.s]

In my mind I fancy a proper drivers seat, a PMS shifter and Vibratechnic mounts. Just to get the feel and control of the car as it is now. As to be honets, as it is, its pretty sweet in terms of ride/handling. Some reduced body roll would be nice, but not sure I can achieve that without going to coilovers. Does anyone do a set of uprated front/rear matched ARBs?

I’ve literally been contemplating going back to stock passenger seat and then a bucket seat for the drivers side and selling my trendlines this afternoon lol. Just think it would add further to the car but then again mines now a daily. I’m also scared of marking the trendlines. Lol.

 

[frayz]

I’ve literally been contemplating going back to stock passenger seat and then a bucket seat for the drivers side and selling my trendlines this afternoon lol. Just think it would add further to the car but then again mines now a daily. I’m also scared of marking the trendlines. Lol.

If I were to do it I think id get a single Pole Position or similar. Personally I've never been a fan of Trendlines at all both in appearance or comfort.
I've got a carbon Prodrive Sparco from the Impreza i'm tempted to put in, but its bolsters are too high for a daily and it wouldn't suit the car anyway.

 

[mart.z.s]

If I were to do it I think id get a single Pole Position or similar. Personally I've never been a fan of Trendlines at all both in appearance or comfort.
I've got a carbon Prodrive Sparco from the Impreza i'm tempted to put in, but its bolsters are too high for a daily and it wouldn't suit the car anyway.

Great minds. Was searching for pole position earlier although a nice sparco pro2000 would do the job I think aswell.
By the way the Impreza is ?

 

[Daz...]

My car had trendlines when I bought it, was one of the few that had them specced from new.

They were getting battered by my kids, the bases needed replacing and the leather started to split. They got sold and replaced with a low mileage standard interior. Sooo much more comfortable.

 

[Kev@KAM]

Worst things about the Clio as standard is the natural understeer, the gearchange and the unexciting VVT
I personally like an engine to come on cam and then excite. All easily addressed.
LSD, some cup shocks and lowering springs (Grams of course) PMS 19mm ARB and a Pure Motorsport Gearlinkage.
Maybe a turbo to give the engine a buzz though really the standard engine was more than capable for 99% of road driving
If i'd done that to my car I'd still have it

Bucket list car. K20 engine and gearbox, throttlebodies, Tractive adaptive suspension. Two bucket seats and some track time.

 

[PhillipM]

Some track pads, book lots of trackdays, and fill the boot with as many spare tyres as you can.

 

[Kev@KAM]

Some track pads, book lots of trackdays, and fill the boot with as many spare tyres as you can.

weirdo!

 

[PhillipM]

weirdo!

You know me, I don't like having the car in a garage for years fitting loads of shiny parts and never driving it....oh wait.

 

[Kev@KAM]

You know me, I don't like having the car in a garage for years fitting loads of shiny parts and never driving it....oh wait.

Touche!
I've actually been buying non-shiny fibreglass parts lately...

 

[frayz]

Following on from this thread that i started.
I've added a ITG Maxogen intake, hopefully have a new gearbox with Quaife ATB diff coming my way and ordered some Recaro Pole Positions.
Slowly progressing my ultimate daily road car with the best upgrades i can.

 

[Krarl]

I've got vibra mounts and a solid dogbone

If you like dashboard rattle and hate your teeth then buy them!