Crash! My return to the clio world!

[jamesC172]

The prod owner of a 172, i fell in love with the car, i had just started spending my money on it and getting my hands dirty then,
January 27th 2015, I'm out for a drive, the usual country roads i know like the back of my hand. National speed limit road, as i enter a corner, a car is oncoming in the middle of the road, before i knew it this Range Rover had forced me into the kerb, i mount the grass verge and the car flips over onto its side, slams into a tree, knocking me back into the road onto my roof (from what i remember and the police reports)
What felt like hours later, which was in-fact just a few minutes emergency services arrive.
5 days later I'm released with 7 fractured spinal vertebra, a fractured hip and punctured lung, but I'm alive.
6 months wearing a back brace and I'm almost fully recovered, minus the daily pain i will now live with all my life.

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So that time came where i couldn't help but start thinking about another Clio, as much as i wanted to hate the car and all my friends and family told me i should hate the car, Realistically it wasn't the cars fault and I'm sure some cars would have come off worse. 3 weeks ago i bought a 182.

It does need some work

Cracked windscreen
Broken alternator housing
Knocking form the front drivers side (top mount i now know it to be)
Rear seats are incorrect
Gear gator plastic housing is snapped
2nd gear syncro is gone
Air bag light on
A few age related dinks here and there
Headlights need restoring
Gay purple center cap badges need painting (all the wheels infact, previous paint is flakey)
Engine bay needs a tidy up
Some bushes looking overally worn
Exhaust bushes gone and centre pipe blowing

BUT for £1100 pound at 86,000 miles with almost all the service history and two owners, I'm going to smile and have fun getting this thing back to scratch.
Not sure on what plans i have for this, never did get to finish any plans i had for the 172, so will make double the effort with this one!

thanks for reading!

 

[AdDaMan]

Did the RR driver get caught?!

 

[jamesC172]

Nope! Got a partial plate from cctv on a pub just down the road. But never caught, had to claim on my own insurance due to the length of time off work, had no choice, which sucks

 

[LeeRS]

Glad your on the mend and back in a Clio.
Just don't break this one

 

[Chris_Beer]

The first ones front tyres don't look that great? And are they DRL's of some description?

Enough of the moaning, good on you for fighting the recovery, well done, just keep the 182 in good shape and the family may trust you ha

 

[Typhoon]

Glad you're alright mate.

 

[Waite_87]

Glad your okay mate and back in a Clio

 

[realnumber 1]

So that time came where i couldn't help but start thinking about another Clio, as much as i wanted to hate the car and all my friends and family told me i should hate the car, Realistically it wasn't the cars fault and I'm sure some cars would have come off worse. 3 weeks ago i bought a 182.

Sounds like the car held up well. No one should hate them that....

 

[Sir_Dave]

Might i suggest a full roll cage is the first thing you add to the new one lol

 

[jamesC172]

Thanks for all the good wishes mate, I do love the sense of community on here! Chris-beer- the tyres were fairly new, probably a mixture all the crud stuck in them from my little off road adventure up the grass verge and a heavy foot. Either way, they wouldn't have saved me from the wa***r Range Rover driver.
I was thinking to roll cage it, but I want it box fresh, think sometimes w cage can spoil that look. And touch wood, what's the chances of hitting a tree with my roof a 2nd time?
Oh and also Chris, first point of call was new tyres all round, and brembo discs and pads. Fitted the weekend just gone. Brakes still don't feel like my 172's did though!​

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

Thanks for all the good wishes mate, I do love the sense of community on here! Chris-beer- the tyres were fairly new, probably a mixture all the crud stuck in them from my little off road adventure up the grass verge and a heavy foot. Either way, they wouldn't have saved me from the wa***r Range Rover driver.
I was thinking to roll cage it, but I want it box fresh, think sometimes w cage can spoil that look. And touch wood, what's the chances of hitting a tree with my roof a 2nd time?
Oh and also Chris, first point of call was new tyres all round, and brembo discs and pads. Fitted the weekend just gone. Brakes still don't feel like my 172's did though!​

Glad you're ok mate! Looks like you had a lucky escape!

Notice that you're from Chingford. That's my old stomping ground. I grew up in Walthamstow. Whereabouts did the accident happen?

And make sure you come to some of our summer meets! We have fairly regular breakfast meets up at North Weald when the weather warms up a bit.

 

[jamesC172]

I sure did!
I live in Highams Park, the crash was in abridge.
I defo will be up for that, never managed to get to a meet in the previous Clio

 

[Philip.]

The main thing is you're okay and able to buy another car!
Your first one's a right mess. :neutral:

 

[jamesC172]

Insurance pay-out has funded the new clio :wink:

 

[Goodj]

The thing about roads you know like the back of your hand....

..you don't know who else is using them at the time.

Pretty sure @Sash and @Sunglasses_Ron would agree

 

[jamesC172]

I can now totally relate to what your saying goodj,
disgusts me how many people just drove past me

 

[Paul.M]

In a weird way I'm glad I read this, I had a rubbish day yesterday and was in a foul mood, this has just made me realise I have nothing to be in a foul mood about and it doesn't really matter compared to what has probably happened to others.

Glad you are okay and all the best with the plans for the new car!

 

[jamesC172]

In a weird way I'm glad I read this, I had a rubbish day yesterday and was in a foul mood, this has just made me realise I have nothing to be in a foul mood about and it doesn't really matter compared to what has probably happened to others.

Glad you are okay and all the best with the plans for the new car! :smile:

Thanks buddy, don't worry, we all have those days!
il update this weekend on some of the work done so far!

 

[Goodj]

disgusts me how many people just drove past me

Essex.

 

[JamesBryan]

The first ones front tyres don't look that great? And are they DRL's of some description?

Enough of the moaning, good on you for fighting the recovery, well done, just keep the 182 in good shape and the family may trust you ha

They look to be flashing led's behind the grill.

 

[jamesC172]

They look to be flashing led's behind the grill.

I do not know what your talking about! ha,
I was working for a surveyor's firm at the time, on site had to have orange strobes, so went stealth on it as it was my daily
not so stealthy without a grille and bumber

 

[jamesC172]

bumper*

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

I sure did!
I live in Highams Park, the crash was in abridge.
I defo will be up for that, never managed to get to a meet in the previous Clio

I know Hyams Park really well. I used to live just off Wood street in Walthamstow.

Keep an eye on the local meets section and stick your name in the Essex members thread so that you get tagged into any meets that get organised.

And also check out the ClioSport Festival 16 thread :up:

 

[jamesC172]

@Sunglasses_Ron put my name in again just to be sure and yeah, I know! need to get booked. Also need to actually find another budding clio owner to go with!

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

@Sunglasses_Ron put my name in again just to be sure and yeah, I know! need to get booked. Also need to actually find another budding clio owner to go with!

Get to a local meet this summer and you'll be able to get to know some of the south east lot. They're already organising a convoy up to CSF. @RyG

 

[Inequality Street]

They're already organising a convoy up to CSF. @RyG

Thats early! (I cant find the thread FYI )

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

Thats early! (I cant find the thread FYI :tongueout

I guess you better start one? :tonguewink:

 

[jamesC172]

So, Friday the fun begins. Gear box is coming out and being sent off for a refurb.
Once its off the front end will be getting a bit of a overhaul, I will update this weekend with progress.
Any tips for me anyone?

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

So, Friday the fun begins. Gear box is coming out and being sent off for a refurb.
Once its off the front end will be getting a bit of a overhaul, I will update this weekend with progress.
Any tips for me anyone?

Looking forward to seeing this project progress! :up:

 

[jamesC172]

So, car has had new ignition leads, new ignition coil, new plus, new maf sensor, ive cleaned the plug under the fusebox and just about every other electrical connection under the bonnet ecu or engine related and I have cleaned the throttle. BUT.... time and time again, the car will be driving fine, then suddenly starts running s**t, then eventually the engine dies, sometimes with a electiral fault light, sometimes without.
Normally ignition off and back on fixes it. I have a suspision one of the problems is the loom/plug that goes onto the throttle (clip is snapped) but plug feels secure. The engine/power only dies when trying to acclerate/engines under strain.
Toxic fume light is on (possibly due to decat) but i assume a new sensor and spacing it out will fix this?
and i have a exhaust leak at the centre pipe/down pipe gasket. Which i am also due to sort this weekend.
But i dont think either of these two would create the problems i am having.
What does the grey sensor on the top right side of the inlet manifold do? it seems very wobbly but there dosent seem to be a air leak or any kind from it.
Might just pay renault to do a diagnoses on the car if i cant figure this out soon.
Car is off the road as of tomorrow whilst the gearbox gets reconditioned, so i have a week, or longer if it takes that to fix and clean as much as i can.
Any suggestions for me i will greatly appreciate

 

[krappy]

Grey sensor is the inlet air temp sensor.
Might be worth checking the loom for any damage/chafed wires? If you can get an RSTuner or Clip from someone it will probably give you some error code/s which may help narrow down the possibilities

 

[jamesC172]

Thanks mate! Front hub nut size anyone? 30mm? before I go and buy it lol

 

[jamesC172]

Never touching a gearbox again, all was going well until the nuts in the chassis for the subframe all broke there welds. So box didn't actually come out today as planned. Two subframe bolts left to go, then the box is almost out! Any tips?

 

[CKNOBoy]

Front hub nut is a 30mm mate

 

[jamesC172]

Pictures going up this weekend.
New exhaust mounts fitted, new centre pipe gasket, new lamba's, wishbone, arb and engine bushes all replaced, new track rod ends and links, new ball joints, new subframe and arb nuts and bolts. new wheel arch liners. Uprated dog bone bush, gearbox has been totally rebuilt, new thermostat, seal and temp sensor. New abs sensors all round, new battery, engine bay clean and tidy up too.
gearbox is going in this weekend. Its been a rough journey but I have learnt a lot and cant wait to get it back on the road and feel the difference!

 

[jamesC172]

yet again, still pictures to be uploaded...
map sensor gone haywire bringing up STOP lights and killing all power, so currently unplugged until I get my hands on a new genuine one, tried a bosch from work but the cars having none of it.
also side project from the box, interior roof has gone suede and all plastics grey to black.
Will try and find the time to get some pictures up!

 

[_Tom]

Ouch. Could have been worse I guess. Were those front tyres even legal?

 

[jamesC172]

Ouch. Could have been worse I guess. Were those front tyres even legal?

they were indeed, had is mot just few days before lol

 

[jamesC172]

So box removal day started like this

A bit on the cold side,

Wheels and hub nuts off,

Much swearing later and broken subframe captive nuts, me and a friend finally have it off!

By the end of the day the box is out, thankfully!
Next day box is taken off to be fully refurbed so I find myself some other bits to sort out whilst the car is in the air.

Little engine bay clean up,

Old broken exhaust brackets off, every bolt was bloody seized!

Next up, through boredom waiting for my box, went off to dunelm mill, bought myself some suede and done my roof lining.
Box was returned to me and refitted, a lot easier to fit with new lubed nuts and bolts! More pictures to follow

 

[jamesC172]

Out with the old,

In with the new.

Old spring not in the best of shapes!

New top mounts, bearings, cup shocks (genuine, new) and lowering springs, oh and a good clean...