calling all valver owners and RS owners...

[seb]

Ideally looking for people who have owned both vehicles.

i currently have a 182 but thought it would be nice to have a valver instead. just fancy a change really.

what i am concerned about is the reliability issue as although the 182 isn't without its faults i can always take it back under warranty.

are valvers hard on maintence and the eternal question would i miss the slightly lower performance unless i modifed it a bit?

does modding a vlver make it that much more unreliable?

i realise i am making some sweeping statments but i am really interested in peoples opinnons on onwnership.

the lack of air con is a major downer for me...

plus the valver would be getting track days as the 182 does so will it stand up to some track time nicely and not fall apart?

ta

 

[Jamie]

ive got a williams and had it for 6 months and nothing too bad has gone wrong with it really, starts first time etc. u just need to make sure u are buying a good one and u will be fine really, fsh etc etc. although i think that the things that will piss u off from going from a 182 will be the poor cold running, the lumpy idle etc. just one of them things though really, chopping in a 182 and saving a fair few grand im sure u will be prepared to have to put up with a few rough edges. u thought abt a williams either?

 

[seb]

yeah thought about a williams but i thought if i wanted to make it go faster i wouldn't want to mod a williams as it would probably affect the value of it?

a willy would be cool or am i barking up the wrong tree with my opininon on resale value?

whats the standard valver output aswell?

cheers

 

[edde]

The Williams is a great car I love driving it its just the little things that can be problems and no warently would put me off having one as an only car. If you get a good car then you can use them forever with no problems.
Personally I'd be tempted to look at a Willimas as so many people make Valvers into Williams during the modding either in 2.0 engine or in the wider track than getting the uprated car to start with maybe the better idea.
Performance wise there little in it a 182 is only as quick as a Williams. A 182 will be better at over 100 probably but then again its down to drivers ability.
Lack of air con isn't a problem personally unless you go abroad since I wouldn't use it much in the UK anyway.
Track day abuse is fine though I've tracked mine quite a bit and its never been a problem.

 

[edde]

It doesn't matter modifying a Williams personaly some will say it affects value I don't see it Ok selling one with big wheels and a huge exhaust won't help the value bit if its in good condition then thats much more important.

 

[Jamie]

not sure abt resale value mate. i dont think that it would make much difference to price (modding it) , just the fact that some ppl may not want to buy it off u due to the mods on it as they will just think that it has been thrashed, although the price of a mint williams is abt 3.5k now and thats cheap as chips, so even if u keep it for a year or two the resale value will only realisitcally be 2.5 anyway so i wouldnt worry abt the resale value unless u only want this car for a v short period of time. as for reliability....... all the williams clio fellas track theirs and as yet no one seems to have done a great deal of damage to theirs, all been fine. although if u want to track a valver just look at the amnt of valver owners who have plumped for a 2.0 convo with wide track......... also another thing id have a look at is a few hybrids, e.g tom16v/20v's, u could buy that kind of car for what 2.5? and that is track ready, extensive sh and v fast. just like i say its going to be rough around the edges from what u are used to.

 

[Jamie]

It doesn't matter modifying a Williams personaly some will say it affects value I don't see it Ok selling one with big wheels and a huge exhaust won't help the value bit if its in good condition then thats much more important.

concur with that, the only thing i looked for when buying a williams was mint bodywork and a relativley sound engine (as much as u can tell). my philosophy was..... u can change engine, but u cant change sills, and fixing arches is £$£

 

[Lucas]

Go for a 2.0 hybrid if you are worried about modding a Williams. These tend to be quite well looked after (or the ones on here are), and a lot of the components (driveshatfs, clutches, pumps etc.) are often changed when the engine is.

I switched to a 182 from a valver, and whilst I never had any serious problems in 3 years and 30k miles (74 - 95k), the 182 is much easier to live with every day. It's niggles like the constant battle with rust cropping up here and there, the heater never getting very warm, the heavy clutch in traffic and just general things associated with owning a 12 year old french hatch that I don't miss.

Even though it wasn't as fast, I still easily had as much fun in my valver, and really miss the little country lane blasts I had in it. If I could afford to keep two cars I would love to get another valver as a fun little project (or a 205 gti).

 

[seb]

cheers for the replies.

Is it really going to be that raw compared to the 182? is tom16v/20v's for sale at present?

will i get the same lift off oversteer that i get in the 182?

 

[Lucas]

cheers for the replies.

Is it really going to be that raw compared to the 182? is tom16v/20v's for sale at present?

will i get the same lift off oversteer that i get in the 182?

I had both at the same time for a bit and the the difference getting from one into the other was always massive. This could have been partially down to the fact that my 16v had a decat and lightly-silenced exhaust so was pretty loud, but really feels a lot rawer in terms of steering, clutch/gearchange....oh and the standard brakes are bad compared to the 182. A lot of fun though, like I said.

I never really worried about the back end on the valver, but in only 2months 182 ownership I've had a couple of heart-in mouth, "sh*t that felt light", back end moments. I might not be a very good driver though.

Oh....and it has to be said, much comfier seats in the 16v. Tom20v's isnt for sale any more afaik.

 

[Tim]

i had valver it was sweet as a nut , it had it's litle probs but all in all great to drive and stuck to the road like bostick glue and the sound was awesome . and then a young girl goes and shunts me from behind and rights it off . a real shame as it had just had a performance clutch on it . but the good thing was she wrote her's off and i got a big payout . and i would have another anytime ......

 

[seb]

its good getting the insight of valver owners. cheers everyone so far.

 

[jimmyt16v]

yer my valver is ok it does have its faults like the leaky sunroof etc but i just love the look of em to much to get rid of it! (and handling and power)

 

[Lucas]

Oh yeah, forgot about the leaky sunroof! Mine wasn't too bad luckily, better off getting one without IMO anyway. Sunroofs are for poofs!

 

[Rich_16v]

All valvers have sunroofs phase 1's have manual phase 2's electric, its only willy 1 & 2's that don't have sunroofs

Valvers are no worse than any car thats been around for 10 years

Each individual example is different all depends on how well its been looked after serviced and generally driven

172/182's will be in the same situation in a few years the badly treated / unserviced / constantly trashed examples will be total pills to own

 

[Scott]

get a hybrid if you want a bit more grunt but don't want to mod a williams. my valver has been faultless for the 6 months of ownership so far, touch wood nothing has gone wrong apart from a flat battery due to leaving the alarm on for 3 weeks whilst i was on holiday, worried about no air con put the window down or open the sunroof!! my sunroof doesn't leak, only niggles i have are the squeaks and rattles but you'll get them in any clio, the fun factor and noise it makes and the way it looks and handles make it all worth while. imo the pro's far outweigh the con's. its gonna be a fair bit different to the 182 as its a lot older, but its still a great car

 

[Lucas]

All valvers have sunroofs phase 1's have manual phase 2's electric, its only willy 1 & 2's that don't have sunroofs

Valvers are no worse than any car thats been around for 10 years

Each individual example is different all depends on how well its been looked after serviced and generally driven

172/182's will be in the same situation in a few years the badly treated / unserviced / constantly trashed examples will be total pills to own

I didn't realise they all had sunroofs - my bad! Mind you, mine was a phase 1 (92 K-plate) and has an electric one, so maybe this was an optional extra.

I would disagree however that they will be no worse than any 10 year old car. There are a lot of cars with much better build quality that are a lot less likely to have been thrashed.

Getting a well looked after one will reduce the chances of having serious trouble, but obviously can't guarantee it. It's worth the risk in my opinion though - great little cars!

 

[Dancliovalver]

Get A Williams!!!!!

 

[TheJesus]

cheers for the replies.

Is it really going to be that raw compared to the 182? is tom16v/20v's for sale at present?

will i get the same lift off oversteer that i get in the 182?

yes, the Willy is raw as f**k, get one a good one and not only will you not regret it, but you'll be pissed off you spent the money on the 182 in the first place.

No lift off oversteer, these cars will built properly

 

[Swervin_Mervin]

Just make sure you buy one that's mint. Get one with good bodywork more than anything as that's teh hardest bit to get right and will also point to a well maintained car in general.

They aren't that unreliable, if they're maintained correctly, and it's a big IF.

Raw-ness wise it will feel A LOT more raw. But I bet you'll like it. Brakes are actually very good, but most people think they're s**t since they don't have very much servo-assistance. This is something you'll get used to in no time and you'll notice that it allows you a greater level of adjustment and feel as a result of the reduced assistance.

I'd also say not to worry too much about going straight out and getting a 2L or willy tracked version. The 1.8 is still a very, very capable car and so adjustable on the limit that once you've got used to it you'll find you can use the throttle to control your lines as much as the brakes without fear of spinning off in to teh nearest ditch.

 

[White16valver]

I love my valver but it's the little niggly things that are a pain.

Leaky sunroof, catching the little bits of rust, waiting for the weak blower to demist in winter, pants headlights, constant nervousness about parking due to muppets denting the wafer thin doors and rear wings, lack of security compared to a 182 (disklok is a good plan)...

Plus points are that there is great steering feel and the clutch really isn't that heavy once you're used to it. It's only when you get in another car to drive it and put your foot through the bulkhead that you realise valvers require so much left-foot effort LoL

The way I think about it is this: if you own your 182 for 3 years, you're going to lose about 4k in depreciation most probably, maybe more. My valver has cost me about £1500 in the past year so will probably cost the same in coming years, maybe less as I upgrade parts as I go along so things last longer and are better. So it'll probably cost about the same to run the valver as it will the 182. In the end it might be worth less but then it's your money sitting there on the driveway in a 182, so you're no better off with a higher value car at the end of it really!

 

[seb]

again, cheers for the insight fellas.

 

[seb]

yes, the Willy is raw as f**k, get one a good one and not only will you not regret it, but you'll be pissed off you spent the money on the 182 in the first place.

No lift off oversteer, these cars will built properly

i like my lift off oversteer!