Is a 172/182 for me

[datsunman]

Hi all, first post so be gentle with me....

I may have to replace my car so thinking of getting a 172/182. Im not sure that theyll meet my needs so thought id post here and see...

Things I need from the car:

MUST be a good handler as itll be doing the odd trackday or four. (Would a 172/182 with a decent set of shocks do the job?)
MUST have a good warranty.

Things Id like:

Sub £10k buy price
Average mpg when not caning it! (Doesnt matter too much as the car wont do many miles, maybe 6k a year)
Usual stuff, comfy, a/c, leather etc.

Dont want much do I.

The main thing for me is its got to hold its own on trackdays, theres nothing that annoys me more than Evos and such like leaving you for dead. Is it worth buying a 172/182 or just sticking to a cheap car and fast bike? (Cant get an Evo as Ive got no garage!)

 

[cliosportcraig]

For all of the above the 172/182 is more than sufficient !! Dont think youll find a 182 for under £10k at the moment though. You should be able to find a decent 172 for that sort of money and a 172 cup for even less. The cup is less equipped than the 172 but therefor is slightly faster, it has no ABS no climate control, it does have more track and a slightly different castor angle to aid it round a track. They both will do great things around a track as standard and even better things with suspension tweeks.

As for the warrenty its pretty decent, you get 3 years warrenty and most problems are sorted by renault.

The fuel economy on these cars is excellent, superior to any CTR or LCR. Many 172s will see more MPG than my 1.8 16v with a lot less performance !!

All in a very balanced car, very worth the money and will put a smile from ear to ear.

Craig

 

[cliosportcraig]

Oh and leather and climate control come as standard on a 172/182 just not the 172 cup !!

 

[ravo]

not gunna get a 182 under the 10k mark right now are ya.

 

[Daipac]

Well..... you can definitely get a MKII 172 for under £10k easily.

For a 2.0 16v they are amazingly good on fuel. They come with half leather, climate control, power steering, ABS, electric mirrors, 6 CD autochanger and 1 CD in-dash and the later MKII 172 models also come with cruise control and traction control and all this is as standard. They also come with a 3 year warranty so if you get an 03 model you will still have 2 years left and all the above features.

You could have a Cup which would be ideal for trackdays but then you lose the creature comforts like leather, etc.

As for trackdays, the 172 will give cars that cost a lot more a very hard time on track. You will not match an Evo, not many cars will but as for things like the Boxster, Elise, etc. then you will be up there with them I have been told. I am sure someone who has been on a trackday will confirm this and give you a better idea of what to expect.

Stick a set of Eibachs on the 172 and you have a great handling, quick car which makes you smile everytime you drive it ! This is what I did and I did my first trackday last week and the car felt great.

For sub £10k there are no better options IMHO. With a few good engine mods like an exhaust, induction kit and chip you can improve the car even more.

I am on my second MKII 172 now and I wouldnt change it for anything else around its price range.

Hope this helps !

Dai

 

[datsunman]

Thanks for the replies, most of the bits Ive seen answered in other posts, just wanted some re-assurance!

I know I wont get a 182 for sub £10k, but that isnt a problem *if* the 182 is the right car. Is the cup suspension purely a shock/spring upgrade?

I personally would want the cup but as the car will be primarily for the missus then its got to have the pimpy bits on it like the a/c, leather etc. So that rules out the cup. Pity, cos Ive seen some good deals on pre-regged 03s. Anyone here used Makro or Motorpoint before? Im presuming theyre imports as theyre selling 182s for £11k, warranty shouldnt be a problem if its UK spec should it?

Whats this steering problem Ive seen mentioned, anyone care to enlighten me?

Also, how quick the 172/82 is compared to an R32/RS Focus?

Cheers chaps.

 

[MAC30L]

Quote: Originally posted by datsunman on 12 April 2004


Things I need from the car:

MUST be a good handler as itll be doing the odd trackday or four. (Would a 172/182 with a decent set of shocks do the job?- Standard on these cars a good for track days
MUST have a good warranty - 3 years

Things Id like:

Sub £10k buy price - Some pre-reg Cup going around for £10999 if you can steatch to it.
Average mpg when not caning it! - On runs to and from work (not canning it ie. 55mph, my Cup will return 42 - 44mpg easy)

Usual stuff, comfy, a/c, leather etc. - All are comfy, Cup a bit rawer than the others and doesnt have leather or a/c.

 

[datsunman]

Quote: Originally posted by ukravo on 12 April 2004

not gunna get a 182 under the 10k mark right now are ya.

Nope, but that was only a nice to have werent it.

Thinking 02/03 172 and stick a decent set of shocks on it at the mo. Job done.

 

[cliosportcraig]

All imports HAVE to come with the 3 year renault warrenty !! Just ring renault UK and theyll sort it !! non UK spec just needs an alarm to make it pukka !! AFAIK there isnt much of a steering problem, the one problem is the 4K rattle, this is where something in the exhaust rattles at 4K RPM this is solved by buying a performance exhaust or getting it sorted under warrenty !!

They are not as quick as an R32 or Focus RS but then again cost no where near as much as either of those. With some modding they can be made to be as fast as a FRS or similar !

 

[MAC30L]

Quote: Originally posted by cliosportcraig on 12 April 2004


They are not as quick as an R32 or Focus RS but then again cost no where near as much as either of those. With some modding they can be made to be as fast as a FRS or similar !

but at the same time, the FRS and the R32 will not totally toast a Cup/172/182. I have had a blast from 30 - 110 against a FRS in my Cup and it only pulled about 1 - 2 car lengths on me. Not come up against a R32. These cars(FRS + R32) have a huge top end grunt, but up to the likes of a ton, not much in it.....

 

[datsunman]

Quote: Originally posted by MAC30L on 12 April 2004

but at the same time, the FRS and the R32 will not totally toast a Cup/172/182. I have had a blast from 30 - 110 against a FRS in my Cup and it only pulled about 1 - 2 car lengths on me. Not come up against a R32. These cars(FRS + R32) have a huge top end grunt, but up to the likes of a ton, not much in it.....

Thats an interesting point, Id say both of those cars *lack* top end grunt, especially the FRS.... Mind you, I suppose Im comparing them with the next class up (Evo, Scoob etc), but then again they dont really fit into the Clio/CTR mold either.

Where in the world are you MAC? I can give you the R32 comparison if youd like it......

If the Clio is as close as you say it looks like thats the motor for me. Time to find a test drive.

 

[admob]

Quote: Originally posted by datsunman on 12 April 2004
Quote: Originally posted by MAC30L on 12 April 2004

but at the same time, the FRS and the R32 will not totally toast a Cup/172/182. I have had a blast from 30 - 110 against a FRS in my Cup and it only pulled about 1 - 2 car lengths on me. Not come up against a R32. These cars(FRS + R32) have a huge top end grunt, but up to the likes of a ton, not much in it.....

[/QUOTE]

my m8 has a new R32 golf.. as much as I love my 172.. and the magazine figures dont seem a million miles apart.. on the road it feeld awsome with so much pull in each gear and it never runs out of steam,, massive low rev toqrqe.. no waiting for the VVT to kick in.. to me there seems no comparison but his did cost nearly 10k more!!!!!

 

[datsunman]

Quote: Originally posted by admob on 13 April 2004

my m8 has a new R32 golf.. as much as I love my 172.. and the magazine figures dont seem a million miles apart.. on the road it feeld awsome with so much pull in each gear and it never runs out of steam,, massive low rev toqrqe.. no waiting for the VVT to kick in.. to me there seems no comparison but his did cost nearly 10k more!!!!!

This is the thing I just cant get my head round, everyone raves about the R32 but I think its cr4p! Have you and your mate been head to head in your motors, is there really that much difference?

 

[Neil82]

Quote: Originally posted by MAC30L on 12 April 2004

Quote: Originally posted by cliosportcraig on 12 April 2004


They are not as quick as an R32 or Focus RS but then again cost no where near as much as either of those. With some modding they can be made to be as fast as a FRS or similar !

but at the same time, the FRS and the R32 will not totally toast a Cup/172/182. I have had a blast from 30 - 110 against a FRS in my Cup and it only pulled about 1 - 2 car lengths on me. Not come up against a R32. These cars(FRS + R32) have a huge top end grunt, but up to the likes of a ton, not much in it.....



Did it pull away more than I did?

 

[MAC30L]

Quote: Originally posted by Neil82cup on 14 April 2004

but at the same time, the FRS and the R32 will not totally toast a Cup/172/182. I have had a blast from 30 - 110 against a FRS in my Cup and it only pulled about 1 - 2 car lengths on me. Not come up against a R32. These cars(FRS + R32) have a huge top end grunt, but up to the likes of a ton, not much in it.....




Did it pull away more than I did?

About the same Neil. It was between Alloa and Stirling. It was fairly even from 2nd at 30 - 85/90 in 3rd. It was 4th the he started to pull the gap on my Cup. Saying that, it was my old Cup that had about 15k on it at the time.

 

[MAC30L]

Quote: Originally posted by datsunman on 12 April 2004


Where in the world are you MAC? I can give you the R32 comparison if youd like it......

If the Clio is as close as you say it looks like thats the motor for me. Time to find a test drive.

Central Scotland mate. More than welcome to have a shot of mine if you are close by.

Mac

 

[datsunman]

Quote: Originally posted by MAC30L on 15 April 2004

Quote: Originally posted by datsunman on 12 April 2004


Where in the world are you MAC? I can give you the R32 comparison if youd like it......

If the Clio is as close as you say it looks like thats the motor for me. Time to find a test drive.

Central Scotland mate. More than welcome to have a shot of mine if you are close by.

Mac

Im in Milton Keynes, bit too far away for a quick blast.

 

[MAC30L]

Yeah - only just!

Take it easy mate.

Mac