Finally given up on the clio

[daddycool]

Until this morning I was willing to persevere with my Clio and get it fixed up and perfect no matter what it cost, but having been out there this morning I've suddenly lost interest.

I missed a gear change the other day and its loosened something inside the gearbox. Its only a little play and changes fine but the box has been out twice since November and I don't think I have the energy to go through it again.

Its developed a very minor starting and running problem. No biggie, but again typical of my luck with the car.

Its had a problem with the handling and nearly everything has been replaced but its still there. Its had an alignment done on average once every two months since ive owned it. Its even had a new rack from renault. Its even been to a well known specialist on here who couldn't diagnose the problem.

It cost me £1950 a year ago and I've spent nearly £1500 on it excluding mods. At what point do u draw the line?

Thanks for listening

Sent from my ZTE-BLADE using Tapatalk

 

[mwn11]

Unlucky. Was it all straight before?

Going to try and sell it or break it for parts?

 

[imprezaworks]

Shame, although to be honest i would get rid. The problem is even if you do get it fixed it will allways be in your back of your mind, 'when is something else going to break' I love my car 99% of the time but if it started to cause me loads of hassle like yours i would get rid. Harsh but an honest opinion mate

Dan

 

[mwn11]

Shame, although to be honest i would get rid. The problem is even if you do get it fixed it will allways be in your back of your mind, 'when is something else going to break' I love my car 99% of the time but if it started to cause me loads of hassle like yours i would get rid. Harsh but an honest opinion mate

Dan

Especially when its something like a clio, If i was a rare or vintage car i could see the point as they will always hold their value. Or the car had significant sentimental value to you.

Chances are you could break it and either get enough for another or only have to put a little extra towards another.

 

[imprezaworks]

If i had an experience with an annoying car, be it a clio, honda, vauxhall etc it would put me off buying another. Strangely i work in the car trade and i have a renault lol. People in work thought i was mad ha ha.

Dan

 

[columbo]

Get rid, you'll never see your money back.

I love my 182 but if it starts to rape my wallet in repairs/replacement parts then I'll simply sell it.

There's plenty of good metal out there at bottom - book prices at the moment.

 

[Dunn]

well you wont sell it easily on here now

 

[imprezaworks]

Yep that's the problem. Forums are a great source of information etc, but in this occasion you will struggle for a buyer. Good luck in whatever you do mate, hope everything work out for you.

Dan.

 

[lee182RS]

I know the feeling with regards the handling, mine vibrates above 60mph and ive changed the driveshaft, lower arm, track rod ends, hub bearing, discs, multiple alignnments/balancing.. damper and strut tops are next.. what do you have in mind for your next car?

 

[rosskerr]

Same with my Clio tbh. Will be upgrading to something better as soon as I get a new job

 

[daddycool]

i would consider breaking it, but i'd have to get a replacement first if i went that route. how much do people tend to get when they break one of these? plenty of nearly new steering and suspension parts...

 

[Aluco]

Dibs on drivers side front arch liner !!

 

[daddycool]

i'll be using it for a while yet- we need to replace the wifes people carrier first, then worry about mine. i don't even know if it will be this side of christmas before i replace or break it!

 

[Cookson]

f**k selling it. You've ploughed loads in. Just nail it til the g/box breaks, then relace it and carry on. Smiles per miles............. you wont get much more fun

 

[domsclio182]

f**k selling it. You've ploughed loads in. Just nail it til the g/box breaks, then relace it and carry on. Smiles per miles............. you wont get much more fun

This

 

[daddycool]

gearbox with a little play i can live with. the handling problem is the thing that pisses me off.

 

[alex-avfc]

What is the nature of the handling problem?

 

[daddycool]

sometimes it pulls left, sometimes right, even worse when braking to a stop on uneven roads. everything has been changed.

 

[-J-]

Dont give up, Have faith....

I've been without my car for over 4 weeks now with an issue that was undiagnosable, finally managed to get to the bottom of the issue (Faulty Diff) and the new part (Supplied by RUK) has an issue.... Sods law, I'm guessing its going to be at least another 2 weeks :S

You dont even want to know the money i have ploughed into the car trying to sort this issue!

 

[Goodj]

Pouring money into ever-breaking French Hatch?
Sounds familiar.

Once house is sorted, next on the list is something Japanese to replace 172.

 

[pendulumx]

sometimes it pulls left, sometimes right, even worse when braking to a stop on uneven roads. everything has been changed.

After driving the car I bought yesterday, I'd say mine does that a bit too, but I put it down to fast acceleration and good brakes in a car so light, it's going to feel a bit twitchy, whereas a heavier car would feel more planted?

 

[daddycool]

i wish it was only torque steer

 

[ColinG]

my 1.2 dynamique has similar traits on rough roads, you can feel it wanting to wander all the time, very disconcerting!!

 

[jack_kemp]

sometimes it pulls left, sometimes right, even worse when braking to a stop on uneven roads. everything has been changed.

Did the 'trader' you mentioned agree that there was something wrong? Mine does that, but everything is fine as far as I know. Although the 15's made it track uneven surfaces more... Are you running standard wheels?

 

[daddycool]

Trader said everything checked out fine apart from the rack, which was replaced with genuine renault part but didn't cure the fault. They refused the opportunity to have another look.

Sent from my ZTE-BLADE using Tapatalk

 

[daddycool]

Wheels are correct size but not turinis

Sent from my ZTE-BLADE using Tapatalk

 

[pendulumx]

Have you driven other 172's for comparison?

 

[daddycool]

I've driven mine before it went wrong

Seemed to appear on the back of a gearbox change, but I'm not 100% on that

Sent from my ZTE-BLADE using Tapatalk

 

[Silent_Scone]

Wasn't the gearbox 'rebuilt' not that long ago?

Missing a gear at high RPM won't do any gearbox any good... you're giving up on a car because you wrecked it with a sloppy gear change, is that what I'm getting from this?

 

[daddycool]

twice!
i bought it in october as a an unused rebuild but it went wrong in december so it was rebuilt again in january

i didn't pay for the rebuild so it's not as bad as it sounds, and the second time i installed it with the help of budgie off this forum so it didn't cost much, just a pain in the backside

 

[mace¬]

Don't do it man.

Cars aren't like girlfriends you can't just replace them.

 

[Scrooge]

Have you checked the bolt holes where wishbones bolt on to the subframe?

 

[daddycool]

are you referring to those elongated holes that appear at the rear of the subframe?

 

[Scrooge]

Yep

 

[daddycool]

i thought it concluded that they were normal? i recall seeing a pic of a brand new subframe that had these holes. i think.

 

[Scrooge]

They are elongated as normal but if they wasn't tight they wasn't tightened at some part they can elongate more like my mates 1.2 did

 

[daveh-]

sometimes it pulls left, sometimes right, even worse when braking to a stop on uneven roads. everything has been changed.

mines the same... it was fine when i first had it.. ive replaced - tyres, track rod ends, top mount bearings, ball joints, engine mount, 4 new shocks all round,tracking.. only thing i havent replaced is anti roll bar and rack.. my handling is still all over the place.. going on a straight it just decides to wonder off left or right.. whichever it fancies.. and also its twitchy as f**k on the bends, doesn't feel stable at all!

 

[daddycool]

mine has improved over the course of time i've been replacing stuff, the biggest improvement seemed to come from fitting solid top mounts. you mention you have done the top mount bearings but how about the rubbers? i've replaced arb bushes on mine so don't worry about doing those.

problem is, like you i guess i don't want to spend time and money replacing items that may or may not fix it.

 

[daveh-]

mine has improved over the course of time i've been replacing stuff, the biggest improvement seemed to come from fitting solid top mounts. you mention you have done the top mount bearings but how about the rubbers? i've replaced arb bushes on mine so don't worry about doing those.

problem is, like you i guess i don't want to spend time and money replacing items that may or may not fix it.

yeah mine has improved aswell.. i was going to buy solid mounts but ktec was sold out so i baught genuine ones.. yea i replaces the top rubbers aswel.. they come as a kit. i actully have no idea what is wrong with mine.. its so twitchy its unreal.. feels like its just gunna slide all the time.. the only thing i can think of on mine is the arb or rack.. my rack is knackered tho.. it creaks every time i steer.. but i dont think replacing that will cure the problem.

 

[daddycool]

i got my top mounts from pure motorsport, £117 delivered http://www.pure-motorsport.co.uk/details.php?itemid=143

you may be able to test if the insides of your rack are too loose- you can tighten up the gear from underneath with an allen key.

it may be worth checking your rack bushes/clamps as well. as you face the car from the front, have a look at the rack clamp on the right and get someone to turn the steering wheel back and forth. you should be able to see if the rack is sliding back and forth under the clamp.