how much to get a clio track ready??

[aaronboydefc]

I own a Bmw 335d which would b a good track car but unfortunatly at £350 a tyre and other high running costs im thinking of getting a track car until i get a bit better before taking the BMW on. Ideally i need a rear wheel drive car to learn in so i was thinking of a mazda mx5 as you can get a half decent one for 1k.
However ive been to track days with friends and have seen a few clios flying round the track and they look fun. I was just wondering if anybody could give me any advise to sway me and most importantly how much will it cost me roughly to get a clio sport 172 or 182 track ready.
My girlfriend needs a car so i could buy a clio and then she can use it exept when i need to thrash it round a track

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

There's no reason why you can't take one in full working order on track...

You don't need to spend £xk's to make it 'track ready'.

I saw someone in a Renault Modus + babyseat go round Brands once.

 

[aaronboydefc]

There's no reason why you can't take one in full working order on track...

You don't need to spend £xk's to make it 'track ready'.

I saw someone in a Renault Modus + babyseat go round Brands once.

are there any cheap basic suspension mods that would help to boost handling, what i lose in speed from the 335 id like to try and make up round the bends!!

 

[Tony Hunter]

I would just take a standard one out and have fun.You will be surprised at how good they are.

 

[Adam G]

As Tony says above. This was £1400 to buy, then uprated brakes only to get this=job done. All you will need honestly, was keeping up with Caterhams and other far more expensive cars. Thoroughly enjoyed it all day and returned 18mpg on track.

 

[johnny182]

If your going to spend money get a good cage and leave the rest it's a great car untouched.

 

[Laine_16v]

Imo get a standard 172, buy some uprated pads and maybe some 2nd hand R888's and job done go and have fun!

 

[Adam G]

If your going to spend money get a good cage and leave the rest it's a great car untouched.

So if your brakes fail and you end up rolling it, you might get out unscathed?:slap:

 

[aaronboydefc]

As Tony says above. This was £1400 to buy, then uprated brakes only to get this=job done. All you will need honestly, was keeping up with Caterhams and other far more expensive cars. Thoroughly enjoyed it all day and returned 18mpg on track.

how much for the brakes?

 

[aaronboydefc]

Imo get a standard 172, buy some uprated pads and maybe some 2nd hand R888's and job done go and have fun!

whats r888s??

 

[Adam G]

About £250 plus fitting for Brembo discs, Ferodo ds2500 pads, braided lines and dot5.1 fluid.
Toyo R888 track tyres.
Search some threads on here for track day projects, there's some serious money thrown at some. Give you some ideas but each to their own. Depends how far you want to go but mine is more than adequate for a bit of occassional track use. Further mods could be coilovers, whiteline arb, stripping out, etc.etc.

 

[johnny182]

So if your brakes fail and you end up rolling it, you might get out unscathed?:slap:

Just my view even if you upgrade your brakes they may still fail he might have a weak wheel bearing does that mean you have to go buying absolutely everything that may or may not go wrong with the car? A roll cage pays for itself if it goes wrong.

 

[Adam G]

See where you're coming from but it's for trackdays. More important things to consider first IMHO. Whilst things can fail and accidents can happen, thankfully they're very rare. So much better to do brakes, suspension, tyres and instruction first.

 

[warwickstingray]

People are obessed with roll cages. They still aren't a requirement in road going production classes in motorsport and the MSA are obssesed with safety. If your worried about getting hurt i'd worry about fire protection in case you get trapped in the car before anything else. Hence why the MSA has made us all get nomex overalls this year.

The driver is pretty much everything at track days. The scariest ride i've ever had was in a 1.0 12v corsa with a nutter at the wheel round combe. Any car can be fun it's about exploring the limits of your car in a safe enviroment not about proving how good a driver you are or how fast your car is. A 335d might be fun to muller people down the straight but it soon becomes tedious if the overall driving experience is uninvolving or tiring. This is why car mags always end up with such wide ranging lists when comparing drivers cars. My last drive in a CRX vtec at abingdon was one of my favourites because of the way the chassis responded to me playing with it and the joy of raping that unburstable B16A just didn't wear thin. I got overtaken a lot by faster stuff it's not that quick a car but that was irrelevant because i had the space i wanted to enjoy my car. I finished that day with a massive grin on my face!

As has been said brakes are usually a problem but i find that keeping sessions times down and remembering that it's a track day not a race (you don't have to brake at the absolute last second in to EVERY corner) means a road setup usually holds up well enough. Although tracks with fast downhill sections are a lot harder on brakes than airfield stuff. Usually catches people new to track days the first time it happens.

Get a clio sport, make sure it's fit and enjoy. It really is that easy. Balls to triple 8's etc. I've done track days on some nasty rubber it's just money that could be spend on more track time. If you need more turn in then learn how to tweak the chassis with your driving input before you run out and buy tyres.

 

[Laine_16v]

Balls to triple 8's etc. I've done track days on some nasty rubber it's just money that could be spend on more track time. If you need more turn in then learn how to tweak the chassis with your driving input before you run out and buy tyres.

Quite agree with all of what your saying apart from the last bit. In my instance i dont want to wreck my nice road tyres in a track day, so it pays off for me to buy a cheap (£100) set of second wheels, and considering you can buy second hand R888's (£100) for not much money, theres not a lot of reasons you wouldnt do it IMO.

 

[2Damnsly Andy]

My car cost me £650, and I have spent about £400 on it and its been tracked twice already and off to Donington again on the 11th. All in all most pound per smile driving I've had.

 

[warwickstingray]

Quite agree with all of what your saying apart from the last bit. In my instance i dont want to wreck my nice road tyres in a track day, so it pays off for me to buy a cheap (£100) set of second wheels, and considering you can buy second hand R888's (£100) for not much money, theres not a lot of reasons you wouldnt do it IMO.

Fair enough! Never been lucky enough to get second hand ones cheap (demand is high!) and as i'm running the 182 i would also have to get 15inch wheels to take advantage of the secondhand ones that do come up and i'd rather spend the money elsewhere. £200 as you've pointed out isn't loads but is 3 track days at some venues if you share a car. I also find that the track day tyres really give the other road parts on the car a harder workout and straight away that will lead to disappointment as the brakes start to fade, the car leans over more and starts to feel a bit strained. I usually do 1 lap to warm up, a harder lap, a nuts lap, see how i feel lap (Usually a second nuts lap) and then a cool down lap. Which means standard road stuff holds up quite well and it keeps the cost down but the fun is still there. You don't have to rant the car all day long. It is a road car after all.

A second set of wheels and tires is a sensible option but i just wanted to add an alternative view to triple 8's as some many people think they are a must to do track days.

 

[Šįk]

Good tyres, a good service and decent brakes. You can't go wrong!

 

[Martin_172]

if it was me id buy a nice standard 172/182 - make sure its running full health and enjoy it.

then at a later date some cheap mods - fresh set of genuine dampers, sportline springs, new track rods and ends, geometry setup, decent pads and a brake fluid change all of them will sharpen it up nicely and give loads of track fun!

 

[Sam@NP]

Thoroughly enjoyed it all day and returned 18mpg on track

I get 12.9 lol

 

[Adam G]

I get 12.9 lol

And you call yourself a GT driver pmsl?

 

[Knuckles]

if it was me id buy a nice standard trophy- make sure its running full health and enjoy it.

then at a later date some cheap mods - geometry setup, decent pads and a brake fluid change all of them will sharpen it up nicely and give loads of track fun!

cuts out the need for different suspension

 

[Chip-mk1]

Trophy is overpriced for a track car IMHO

172 cup makes most sense really. Or a non cup so his mrs has a more pleasant daily (nicer seats, aircon etc) and just fit new cup shocks and eibachs to sort the handling, and some ds2500 or pagid blues etc to sort the brakes.

 

[Sam@NP]

Trophy ftw, adjustable front dampers from super soft to bloody stiff, nice set of springs, camber bolts and whiteline. Dampers mean it can handle track rubber or road driving, nice seats, air con mean it can be driven daily then be hooned round track. Trophys are so much fun on track after about £300 spending on them. Silly to buy anything else unless you want a race car.

Disagree? Id happily take you out in mine and hunt down any 'track' clio going.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Trophy ftw, adjustable front dampers from super soft to bloody stiff, nice set of springs, camber bolts and whiteline. Dampers mean it can handle track rubber or road driving, nice seats, air con mean it can be driven daily then be hooned round track. Trophys are so much fun on track after about £300 spending on them. Silly to buy anything else unless you want a race car.

Disagree? Id happily take you out in mine and hunt down any 'track' clio going.

I disagree in it being the logical choice for a cheap trackday car, purely on the cost side of it, a trophy isnt enough better than a cup to justify the extra cost IMHO, unless you know somewhere knocking out good nick trophys at 2K ish, if so please PM me details, I'd like a few, lol

 

[Zmaster2k]

i would tend to go with laine and chip

trophy is a great car but its still expensive

 

[sbridgey]

Disagree? Id happily take you out in mine and hunt down any 'track' clio going.

Talent > mods

 

[Sam@NP]

I disagree

Looks like we are going for a drive then

If you want a car to commute, take to le mans, let the missus drive etc and do trackdays its the best car, purely trackday use then a cheap cup is the way forward ill concede to that.

 

[RDH]

£1000 on a PH1, strip it and away you go.

 

[sbridgey]

dont even need to do that, will still be great fun with the interior in.

 

[2Damnsly Andy]

Spent £650 on a pH1, oh and I got 11.7 mpg round Oulton Park, on Uniroyal rainsports and did a solid 45min session no issue on the tyres at all.

 

[Knuckles]

Trophy ftw, adjustable front dampers from super soft to bloody stiff, nice set of springs, camber bolts and whiteline. Dampers mean it can handle track rubber or road driving, nice seats, air con mean it can be driven daily then be hooned round track. Trophys are so much fun on track after about £300 spending on them. Silly to buy anything else unless you want a race car.

Disagree? Id happily take you out in mine and hunt down any 'track' clio going.

Trophies are all round s**t.


when are you picking me up?

 

[Cup_Phil]

Buy 172 cup - fit eibach sportlines - strip interior out except 2 front seats - have fun

 

[MarkCup]

As above, but forget the sportlines.

I did this 130k miles ago, and it's still going strong.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Looks like we are going for a drive then

Cool, the only "trackday clio" that springs to mind i'm likely to be near anytime soon is porkie at bedford so I look forward to me and you hunting him down in your trophy, lol

If you want a car to commute, take to le mans, let the missus drive etc and do trackdays its the best car, purely trackday use then a cheap cup is the way forward ill concede to that.

I think the normal 172 seats are more comfy than the trophy ones TBH (nowhere near as nice looking though) and also the xenon are great on a road car.
If they were the same price, I would take the trophy if the sachs were in good nick, but given the cost difference between the two to buy, I reckon you wouldnt go far wrong buying a 172, fitting a brand new set of unpinned sachs dampers (I know they dont bolt straight on, but its no big deal to fit them) and drive around most trophies which need a suspension rebuild anyway as the sachs gear is awesome performing but because its expensive tends to be neglected as a service item and it doesnt last forever.

Im sure we ALL agree that out of the box the trophy was the best car, but the price difference now makes it a less simple choice than it was when buying new, you're literally talking about 3 times the money for a tidy trophy versus a tidy 172.

 

[Sam@NP]

Cool, the only "trackday clio" that springs to mind i'm likely to be near anytime soon is porkie at bedford so I look forward to me and you hunting him down in your trophy, lol

ow I do love a good challenge.

I think the normal 172 seats are more comfy than the trophy ones TBH (nowhere near as nice looking though) and also the xenon are great on a road car.

its all about compromise and as a compromise between a seat that can do trackdays and commuting then Ill plumb for the Recaros especially with the addtion of a harness for track use. xenons are only for tarts anyway

I dont agree that the majority of Trophys need a damper refurb, all the cars we see that are in good nick (and the ones you'd actually want to buy) have had them done or they don't need doing, people often forget that coilover need refurbing just as often as the Sash do. As the Trophy is a later car it is more likely to be in a sounder mechanical state then a early 172. Also when you get bored of it, the Trophy will still have a higher resale value compared to a 172. These are merely my reasoning for plumbing for a T over any other 1*2. As a package I think it merges the needs of a fun daily car that can also handle track work very well and better then buying cheap for cheap sake.

Im not denying that other 1*2 are not fun on track or that they can't handle both daily and track fun but I think as an overall complete package the extra premium of a trophy makes more sense. Plus its the greatest clio ever to leave Diepe, we all know that

 

[Knuckles]

I reckon you wouldnt go far wrong buying a 172, fitting a brand new set of unpinned sachs dampers (I know they dont bolt straight on, but its no big deal to fit them)

Out of curiosity... what goes into fitting sachs to non cupped clios?

 

[Sam@NP]

when are you picking me up?

when you coming to BTM

The holes in the dampers need machining out or a hub swap that involves driveshaft swaps etc. iirc

 

[Chip-mk1]

ow I do love a good challenge.

Would be good to see

its all about compromise and as a compromise between a seat that can do trackdays and commuting then Ill plumb for the Recaros especially with the addtion of a harness for track use.

The standard seats arent terrible on track, but the trophy ones are definately better for that side of things, so it depends if its 90% a track car and 10% a daily or vice versa which way its better to compromise I guess.

xenons are only for tarts anyway

Xenons are great for going down country lanes quickly, they work a lot better than the non xenon lights, so they are for both tarts and rally drivers, lol

I dont agree that the majority of Trophys need a damper refurb, all the cars we see that are in good nick (and the ones you'd actually want to buy) have had them done or they don't need doing, people often forget that coilover need refurbing just as often as the Sash do.

I agree, any coilover should be look at every 3 years or 20K miles IMHO

As the Trophy is a later car it is more likely to be in a sounder mechanical state then a early 172.

True. Although if prepeared to compromise with cup dampers for the 172, they are under 100 quid for a front pair, so its very easy to get the dampers at least back to "better than new" condition in the case of a normal 172

Also when you get bored of it, the Trophy will still have a higher resale value compared to a 172.

Agreed, they only cost more in the long run if you crash them!

These are merely my reasoning for plumbing for a T over any other 1*2. As a package I think it merges the needs of a fun daily car that can also handle track work very well and better then buying cheap for cheap sake.

A fair point, but to some people they wouldnt want to risk 5K+ of car on track, a lot of people saying "cheap track car" really do mean sub 2k or they cant afford to risk it.

Im not denying that other 1*2 are not fun on track or that they can't handle both daily and track fun

Well you would have to be an idiot to do that, and im sure you are not one

but I think as an overall complete package the extra premium of a trophy makes more sense.

Again, i think it really does depend on the pocket depth of the person in question.

Plus its the greatest clio ever to leave Diepe, we all know that

Such an unbiased and objective appraisal, lol

 

[Chip-mk1]

when you coming to BTM

The holes in the dampers need machining out or a hub swap that involves driveshaft swaps etc. iirc

Hub swap and driveshaft swap being the much more pain in the arse, but better in the long run option, as at least your expensive dampers are still saleable easily if they arent modified, so if you want something you can fit for a while then put back to standard to sell on its a good route to go down (esp as you can sell the whole "172 conversion package" that way)