Few little niggles with my 182

[Sparkyp23]

Basically cars been sat since I bought it as IV been trying to mirror my no claims and tax etc
Today was first day IV had a proper run since buying last week, but a few niggles I don't feel comfy with.

On start up it was fairly smokey out the exhausts and a slight petrol smell but seamed to clear ,but still made me have a doubt as if it's normal as on tick over seamed a little lumpy until it warmed up

The brakes are crap so will be getting new pads and disks

The last owner said he had just fitted new ball joints n stuff and knocked off a weight on the nearside wheel when taking it off, so there's a constant wobble on steering wheel, I knew this when buying but just hope that's all it is
As the car wants to go left but I'll get tracking looked at

Does not feel near as quick as my 172 cup, the cup was away as soon as you accelerated and up the rev range, the feels not as quick and at 5k pulls hard and the little green indicator flashes to change, can't remember my cup doing that at all

The boots a little moist as were the doors inside and I have wind deflectors so I'm guessing window seals or Tail light seals are leaking, I'm sure my cup done this aswell, that's my niggles so far anyway.

Anyone got advice on anything else to look out for on these cars issues problems etc
Cheers

 

[obcuz]

The 172 has much the same engine so you shouldn't need much advice on that, but lambda sensors, plugs and injectors - were some of the first things I needed to replace to get it to run 100%.
If the smoke is white - could be water in the exhaust - standard twin boxes have a large reservoir for accumulated water (2 litres came out of my old boxes when replaced), first time I opened it up, it left a frightening trail of white smoke behind!
Water inside two - scuttle drains, the one down behind the centre of the engine is the worst culprit, a little rubber flap which gets blocked with debris.

 

[Niall]

Presumably the smoke will be steam unless the smoke was blue?

Petrol smell, is it decatted? In which case it'll be that.

Lack of go, could be timed up wrong, maybe get somebody to check the timing? As well as the things mentioned above.

Shift light is just a feature of 182s, don't think the 172 cups had that.

 

[Sparkyp23]

The smoke seamed to disappear as the car heated up but I was thinking the worst, head gasket gone, something engine related, I gave the car a good kicking and the cat was stinking it's standard, I did feel it hesitant twice for a millisecond through the rev range so think it needs a little service
As soon as it hit 5k the needle just bounced to change gear there was nothing there pull wise till 2nd gear, but I'll try take it to a decent Renault specialist and see what they think of it

 

[Niall]

Yeah definitely steam then mate, they all do it, collects in the back boxes so when it starts to heat up it evaporates, plus just running richer on startup cold map.

If the head gasket had gone you can tell by if there's any milky type stuff under the oil cap.

Yeah anything else a Renault specialist will sort you out with.