Clio or Renter...

[John Gordon]

Came on here to get some others opinions.

For some reason I am scared of taking my Clio around the Ring. Mostly for fear of binning it or the engine/box going bang.

I think its on about 240,000 KM at the moment. Engine seems ok. Gearbox crunches in 4th, perhaps 1 shift in every 30 will crunch. Apart from this she's been pretty reliable. Although I still have a knock on the front suspension and a slightly weird instability on long sweeping corners.

I rented a Suzuki swift last year. This year I want a beach holiday too, so cant really afford the trackday and a renter.

Bin off the Ring for this year? Or stop being a pussy and use my Clio?

 

[gez 172]

juding by the '"instability on long sweeping bends" id leave it at home lol.

 

[John Gordon]

juding by the '"instability on long sweeping bends" id leave it at home lol.

Hahaha, yeah. Its weird, it feels like when i turn the steering wheel the car turns, then it turns a little bit more on its own then settles, very strange.

 

[Addicted]

Hahaha, yeah. Its weird, it feels like when i turn the steering wheel the car turns, then it turns a little bit more on its own then settles, very strange.

What tyres?

I get a similar thing with new Hankooks - there's a 1 second or so delay compared to turning of the wheel, then the car turns (and then feels like it corrects as well after that) - similar to what you're saying!

Rented sounds even more dodgy though - what if you bin it?

 

[RDH]

Fix your own car? :|

 

[John Gordon]

What tyres?

I get a similar thing with new Hankooks - there's a 1 second or so delay compared to turning of the wheel, then the car turns (and then feels like it corrects as well after that) - similar to what you're saying!

Rented sounds even more dodgy though - what if you bin it?

Sounds exactly like what you describe. I have a set of Toyo TR1's at the moment. The fronts are very second hand. Almost full tread in the middle and almost to the canvas on the outer edge (Trackdays)

The renting debate is also another factor. I never quite took the swift by the scruff of the neck because you always remember in the back of your mind that its not your car.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Hahaha, yeah. Its weird, it feels like when i turn the steering wheel the car turns, then it turns a little bit more on its own then settles, very strange.

Sounds like rack bushes.

 

[John Gordon]

Fix your own car? :|

Replaced every part of the front suspension. I have no idea whats causing the knocking noise or the instability. Everything will be checked for tightness, a quick geo setup and a new set of tyres.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Insure your car so you can enjoy it knowing there is a ceiling on cost, but obviously fix it first!

 

[John Gordon]

Sounds like rack bushes.

These were done. May check to see if they are still tight, or if the rubbers have settled?

 

[Chip-mk1]

These were done. May check to see if they are still tight, or if the rubbers have settled?

Get someone else to turn the wheel left and right on the spot while you look at the rack, soon see if its moving.

 

[FuzzyDuck]

The insurance Excess on those rentals are pretty hefty.

 

[mikeh]

As Fuzzy said.

Insurance excess on the ring rentals is something like 2500EUR at a minimum isn't it?

That's probably more than your Clio would cost to replace, surely?

I say take the Clio.

 

[Chip-mk1]

What excess does his clio have though?

Replacing the car is the easy bit, clearing up a 100K bill cause you are deemed to have caused a porsche to crash is the expensive bit.

 

[John Gordon]

What excess does his clio have though?

Replacing the car is the easy bit, clearing up a 100K bill cause you are deemed to have caused a porsche to crash is the expensive bit.

This. Crashing is pretty irrelevant really. If I crash the Clio or the rental... its going to cost money.

I think I am more scared of the Clio coming to the end of its fairly abusive life. The poor thing is one of the runts that has been hammered from day 1, its still seems eager and quick... yet I can't help feeling that one of these days its going to expire, a lot of the Ring is flat in the Clio, this will be its third trip with me.

 

[hilldawg172]

Get it on a ramp or axle stands then get under it with a rubber hammer and stand bashing stuff lol. Will soon find out where knocking is coming from. Then get it to the ring! It's only a clio at the end of the day, just drive to your ability and if you do lose it just avoid contact with other cars at all costs lol.

 

[Chip-mk1]

This. Crashing is pretty irrelevant really. If I crash the Clio or the rental... its going to cost money.

I think I am more scared of the Clio coming to the end of its fairly abusive life. The poor thing is one of the runts that has been hammered from day 1, its still seems eager and quick... yet I can't help feeling that one of these days its going to expire, a lot of the Ring is flat in the Clio, this will be its third trip with me.

They arent hard to find new engines and boxes for etc, just use it