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

[frayz]

Hmm i was looking on the PMS site the other day & thinking maybe going solid top mounts also or PMS rear arb 🤔

Rear ARB is a nice addition with no trade off IMO.
I'm only fitting the top-mounts to accompany my other suspension bits and they came up at the right money?

 

[MrBlonde]

Rear Arb then maybe solid top mounts when i need new top mounts or just fit the poly mounts.Im Booked in for my remap tho mate so 👍🏻 @frayz

 

[frayz]

Sweet. When’s that dude?
Can I have a go after, just to see 😁😘

 

[David James]

I wouldn't use a clio as a daily at all! Il take my e320 cdi sport, far far nicer place to be and the clio wouldn't know what way it went.

 

[frayz]

Okay so keeping this thread up to date, my “road car” now has the following parts.

Inferno Clio 182 FF & Cup Packs

Engine:
ITG Maxogen air intake
BTM/Yozzasport cat back exhaust
PMS cat derestriction
PhilM exhaust mounts /stainless mount bracket holders.

Transmission:
Quaife ATB diff
PMS motorsport shifter

Suspension:
AST5100 coilovers - specifically valved & sprung for road
PMS topmounts & brace
PhilM dogbone bushes
PMS 19mm Rear ARB
Whiteline rear beam bushes
PFlex Black steering rack bushes
PFlex Black front wishbone bushes
NorthloopCup Roll Centre / bump steer correction hubs.

Braking:
Hel Performance stainless brake hoses
Motul RBF 600
Brembo HC discs
PFC 097 pads

Wheels/tyres:
16” Speedline Turini - Gloss black
Michelin Pilot Sport 3
15” Speedline 2118 - Anthracite
Toyo R888
PMS Spacers +16mm front / +10mm rear
Stud/nut kit

Exterior:
2019 Fiesta stubby aerial.
Genuine Cup washer blanks
Phillips Xtreme Gen2 lighting
197 RS boot emblem
Fabia front splitter

Interior:
Momo Prototipo Classic Steering Wheel
Works Bell rapfix 2
Volantech cruise button panel
Recaro Pole Position ABE seats /JonFoz XL bases
Steering column dropped 8mm.
Alpine 178BT headunit.

Without doubt the most impressive changes have been the dampers, diff, RC hubs and tyres.
Bushes are nice changes that make incremental improvements, but the aforementioned items alone make such dramatic changes to the little Clios capability. None of them have any detrimental trade off either. None of them have increased NVH or have shown any ill side effects. In fact, none of the spherical bearings or bushes have increased NVH either which is a usual side effect. Perhaps the lack of adverse vibrations is because I’m using new OEM engine/gearbox mounts and these obviously transfer no noise to the cabin. Only the dogbone is uprated with the PhilM item and that also transfers no extra NVH.

The hubs require regular and careful maintenance, however that’s a trade off I can live with for the improvement in steering response and stability. The seats have made a huge improvement in driver position and feeling like you’re sat in the car rather than on it. Easily the most usable fixed back bucket seat out there, but they are more work to get in and out than the OEM seats.
So far my “worst/most detrimental” change has been the PMS shifter. Yes the feel and height are a huge improvement, but it’s taken a great number of hours and messing about in order to keep vibrations to a livable level. The BMS/Scenic shifter I found doesn’t have the correct control weight and feels too light. But obviously offers no increase in NVH inside the car.
Perhaps this is an item I maybe wouldn’t buy again and instead buy a brand new OEM item and swap out the lower bushes to brass items.
Tyres are also pretty noisy for road use but I’m no stranger to this and will suffer the increase in tyre noise for the offset in performance.

I absolutely adore this as my idea of an ultimate “road” Clio and will continue to update this and be 100% transparent with my experience. 🙂

 

[green]

@frayz.. great write up and super spec on the Clio

 

[MrBlonde]

Average Spec mate

Haha just kidding,its SuperDuper Spec its...

 

[frayz]

Lol 😅

I should also add that the addition of the Recaros means the rear seats are just for decoration now as you cannot get anyone In there now.
Nobody else ever rides in my car so this isn’t an issue for me. But there aren’t any tilting seats i like anyway.

 

[Greeny.]

Worst “Ive got the best road spec Clio” thread ever

 

[imprezaworks]

Tidy.

 

[frayz]

Worst “Ive got the best road spec Clio” thread ever

Haha. Well Dan you can at least see where this thread started and you’re probably the only person here that witnessed it as a totally standard car on track too. 😂

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Haha. Well Dan you can at least see where this thread started and you’re probably the only person here that witnessed it as a totally standard car on track too. 😂

Here it was at Snett in 2013..

 

[frayz]

Here it was at Snett in 2013..

Oh wow, I’d forgotten you were there that day too Rob.
And there are those fabled RX8s. @Greeny and I were talking about this just the other day. Those fellas made me open the bonnet to prove the car was stock 🤣

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Was it @Greeny. next door then ?




Only had my UWA lense for some reason, so no decent tracking shots. And it was bloody cold too... Don't think your OH got out the car all day

 

[Clio_fool]

And after all those upgrades would it be faster down a Welsh b road than a guy in a £1500 1*2 who doesn't have as much to lose? Yeah I know it's a discussion as old as can be but it's a valid question.

 

[Darren61]

Yeah it definitely would...

My experience on track Vs standard 1*2’s tells me this

 

[Louis]

Yeah it definitely would...

My experience on track Vs standard 1*2’s tells me this

But Paul means you're more conscious of crashing your expensive 182 down a country road than someone who has picked one up for £500.

 

[MLB]

Still, a 500 pound clio will need new everything, suspension wise which might make it handle like a milkshake. Doesn't give any confidence.

Besides, most expensive upgrades on a Clio like an lsd and most of the suspension can be taken off a car even if you bin it. Unless it catches fire..

 

[frayz]

And after all those upgrades would it be faster down a Welsh b road than a guy in a £1500 1*2 who doesn't have as much to lose? Yeah I know it's a discussion as old as can be but it's a valid question.

Honestly.
Probably not by a great deal if at all. However it’s my interpretation of what I want from a road going focused road car.

See the mods on the car as I’m sure you can see are all changes that can be enjoyed at all speeds. They’re all designed enhance everything we already love about the Clio. Handling, feedback, response, feel and all out driving enjoyment.

I’ve had a 600bhp road car, and I didn’t enjoy it anymore than I do this. So take from that what you will. 😅

 

[Twingo 1??]

Handling, feedback, response, feel and all out driving enjoyment.

This is exactly what driving is all about for me, straight line speed is boring as f**k to me but then again I have a Twingo so don't know what speed is lol

 

[Clio_fool]

Honestly.
Probably not by a great deal if at all. However it’s my interpretation of what I want from a road going focused road car.

See the mods on the car as I’m sure you can see are all changes that can be enjoyed at all speeds. They’re all designed enhance everything we already love about the Clio. Handling, feedback, response, feel and all out driving enjoyment.

I’ve had a 600bhp road car, and I didn’t enjoy it anymore than I do this. So take from that what you will. 😅

And that's the best thing about the 1*2, you don't need to be going stupid fast to enjoy the drive.

 

[Darren61]

But Paul means you're more conscious of crashing your expensive 182 down a country road than someone who has picked one up for £500.

Totally depends on the maniac behind the wheel imo

 

[Greeny.]

Was it @Greeny. next door then ?




Only had my UWA lense for some reason, so no decent tracking shots. And it was bloody cold too... Don't think your OH got out the car all day

think that was me yeh, silver 172 that some muppet wrote off on here after I sold it but I’m not allowed to talk about it coz he’s a area rep or used to be or something, class A r****d though.

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

Oh wow, I’d forgotten you were there that day too Rob.
And there are those fabled RX8s. @Greeny and I were talking about this just the other day. Those fellas made me open the bonnet to prove the car was stock 🤣

I had a smiliar conversation with an RX8 owner at snetterton. He was convinced all the clios on track had been boosted/tuned.


I really want to get back on the track.

 

[Mcaff]

NMB/Minebea bearing just arrived @frayz
View attachment 1444395

Interestingly you mentioned your PTFE bearing couldn't hardly be moved by hand however this one is relatively easy/smooth to move the ball around.

I think i will still try to remove the preload with a press anyway as i don't really want to be faffing with stripping the shifter too many times to play with the bearing.

Should be fitting tomorrow so i'll keep my fingers crossed and report back how it goes.

Im waiting on a second hand PMS shifter coming and as its going into a road car I had been looking into replacing the bearing with one of these.

As ive not yet stripped the one I have my question is, when I strip the old shifter down to replace the bearing it looks like the PMS bearing that is for sale on their website is retained by a circlip that goes into a grove in the bearing. would this be correct?

If I was to install this bearing you have would it still be held in with the circlip?

 

[frayz]

Im waiting on a second hand PMS shifter coming and as its going into a road car I had been looking into replacing the bearing with one of these.

As ive not yet stripped the one I have my question is, when I strip the old shifter down to replace the bearing it looks like the PMS bearing that is for sale on their website is retained by a circlip that goes into a grove in the bearing. would this be correct?

If I was to install this bearing you have would it still be held in with the circlip?

Yep, circlip out, bearing out and new one in followed by the circlip. It’s literally like for like. 👍🏼

 

[Mcaff]

Yep, circlip out, bearing out and new one in followed by the circlip. It’s literally like for like. 👍🏼

Thank you very much appreciated, is there anything else that is recommended to do the shifter to be a little more road friendly or is it just a case of faffing about with adjusting it.

 

[bozothenutter]

Erm......this started out as 'road car ' right?.......
🤣🤣🤣

 

[frayz]

Thank you very much appreciated, is there anything else that is recommended to do the shifter to be a little more road friendly or is it just a case of faffing about with adjusting it.

There’s numerous threads about it but basically it’s s**t in a road car that you want to be anywhere near being nice to be in.
Add a preloaded NMB bearing, fill the shifter tube with lead shot, fill the linkage/gearbox boot with the heaviest grease you can find and buy some earplugs. 😅

 

[frayz]

Erm......this started out as 'road car ' right?.......
🤣🤣🤣

Still is 100% road car, daily, all weather driver. 😎👍🏼

 

[Coops Mk1]

I just lean my leg against it while cruising, fixed

 

[Mcaff]

There’s numerous threads about it but basically it’s s**t in a road car that you want to be anywhere near being nice to be in.
Add a preloaded NMB bearing, fill the shifter tube with lead shot, fill the linkage/gearbox boot with the heaviest grease you can find and buy some earplugs. 😅

Haha fair enough, I say road car and use the term loosely its road legal fair weather car.

 

[botfch]

Good thread currently planning out what I’m going to do with my 172.
It’s going to be purely a summer road car/toy but will be doing various road trip holidays to France & Italy

Engine:
Megane key pulley
182 Manifold
custom exhaust
Ktr intake

Transmission:
Quaife diff
Something to improve the feel of the standard gear change setup not decided yet.

Suspension:
Proline springs
PMS strut brace
16mm front, 5mm rear spacers.

Brakes:
197 Brembos & master cylinder.

Exterior:
Washer blanks
Stubby Aerial
Cup spoiler and splitter
197 badge

Interior:
Snappy steering wheel
Recaro sportsters
Bluetooth with the original oem stereo.
Better speakers
None sticky dash bits

 

[Coops Mk1]

Plans sound good, sportsters are mega but every day having to up and over into them would be a pain. Ideal for a toy though

 

[frayz]

If you wanna do some enjoyable road trips I’d say get a new shifter from Renault and add some brass bushes to the bottom pivot Bush.

 

[Usr117063]

My ideal clio 182 would be one thats not falling apart, doesnt create new knocks and creaks every drive and has fault proof wiring. Of course, this would never happen

 

[frayz]

My ideal clio 182 would be one thats not falling apart, doesnt create new knocks and creaks every drive and has fault proof wiring. Of course, this would never happen

Leave it alone then! 🤣

 

[Usr117063]

Leave it alone then! 🤣

I will, just a complete overhaul couple more things to do first.

 

[Usr117063]

@frayz I have a gut feeling that something needs looking at with my asts. Rears were sent for refurb and re valve to higher springs not long ago, but one of the casings had to be replaced and its a shorter body than the other one. I think somethings happened I dont know, loads of new clunks from all shocks. They like other parts on the car are high performance parts and these things happen, its just its a minimum of 430 ish to send them off, if they replace the casing on the other one thats more, they can set the valving on the fronts to what I have in mind though so theyd return even better. Cant afford it all, Im saving up for an E90 😮

 

[frayz]

@frayz I have a gut feeling that something needs looking at with my asts. Rears were sent for refurb and re valve to higher springs not long ago, but one of the casings had to be replaced and its a shorter body than the other one. I think somethings happened I dont know, loads of new clunks from all shocks. They like other parts on the car are high performance parts and these things happen, its just its a minimum of 430 ish to send them off, if they replace the casing on the other one thats more, they can set the valving on the fronts to what I have in mind though so theyd return even better. Cant afford it all, Im saving up for an E90 😮

It’s all expensive stuff mate, but it sounds like lots was changed at the same time and you end up chasing your tail with some of this stuff.
I can’t abide knocks or rattles. You’re a smart chap so maybe start methodically and work your way through.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.