Just bought EK05 OAC + A little purchase history (pics).

[IceBerg182]

Hi Everyone,

Many appologies if I am jumping the gun by posting in here first. I just wanted to see if anyone on here knows my "new" car. Please delete/move where needed.

I had been lusting after a 2 litre Clio of some description for years. The opportunaty to get my hands on one finally presented itself in December. I was the very proud owner of an Mk2.5 Mx5. Until just before christmas when my ownership was ended by an elderly lady in a Peugeot 306 zooming onto a roundabout into the side of my "correctly proceeding vehicle", whilst looking down to light a cigarette. On that dark December morning while we were exchanging our insurance details, I remember feeling a twinge of excitement and thinking great stuff, now I can buy that Renaultsport!".

[/URL][/IMG]

Very honorably the 306 driver admitted full liability, and I was issued with a rather nice hire car to potter about in for 2 months while the insurance companies got their acts together.

[/URL][/IMG]

Finally got paid out and went shopping. Found this 182: 69k with all the toys and just down the road from me in Leicester. Cambelt done , some other service history, 4 new tyres and 6 months T+T. £2790 was handed over and I drove home a very happy boy yesterday afternoon.

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

She is currently sitting in the garage after a freshen up with Mahle filters and Halfrauds 540 fully chip fat. I have bought some cheap (but supposedly correct) Bosche plugs and was wondering if these will be ok to use? I havnt been able to face whipping the inlet manifold off yet, she can wait till next weekend for that.

First impressions are very good. I have to say I prefer it to the Mx5. It's faster, with more grip, changes direction better and, dare I say it, is even more fun to drive.

I would be facinated to speak to any previous owners (I think there are 2). That is unless you have wrapped it round a tree and put sand in the engine, in which case please keep quiet lol.

And finally a gratuitous shot of my dads little Twingo Silverstone in the snow.

[/URL][/IMG]

I would love to become a paid up member but cant use paypall for various reasons. Is there another way I can pay?

Thanks for a great forum, it has been a great source of advice for me when looking for this car.

James.

 

[gti6steve]

Do not use those Bosch plugs in your car mate only Ngk ones they don't like Bosch plugs at all

 

[IceBerg182]

Thanks for the advice mate, they are going back then. Got them from Halfrauds for £21.99, I guess I'll have to fork out the extra for the NGK ones.

 

[gti6steve]

Yes it will be worth it mate

 

[IceBerg182]

Just been having a bit more of a poke round and found a couple of issues.



I can fit the blade of a large screwdriver in front of the engine mount. Could someone kindly tell me if this is normal and if not, where is the best place to get a new one? The mount between the engine and geabox under the car looks brand new so must have been changed at some point.



One front CV boot has a little pinhole in and has leaked all of its juices onto the ABS ring which I have de-grimed with a small screwdriver. I have done these in the past with the stretchy type boots that you have to heat in boiling water and then slide on over a lubricated cone. Is this possible with the clio? Can you just have the drive-shaft popped out of the splines in the hub and do it this way? Maybe just whip the anti-roll bar bolts and bottom pinch bolt off perhaps?

One thing I wasnt quite clear on was the timing belt history, the only evidence was a sticker under the bonnet from A1 Motors of Oxford, stating that this had been carried out at 60k back in Feb 2011. I peeled back the inner wing cover and cranked her over with an 18mm crank spanner and was greeted by the happy sight of a fairly new looking Gates PowerGrip label on the timing belt coming into view through the little gap in the bottom cover. A Gates aux belt has also been fitted.



The plastic clips on the gear knob gaiter have snapped. I found a nice new one in a Renault parts bag hidden in the glove box, presumably by the previous owner who either never got round to fitting it or couldnt get the gear knob off. Does anyone have any tips about doing this without knackering the gear knob? Can the whole shaft be remove perhaps?



Next weekend will be quite busy for me, also gunna change both TRE's, they dont have any real play as such but their balls are not really tight in their sockets if you know what I mean. And one final question; do I need any gasket sets or any other sundries when removing the intake manifold to get at the spark plugs, and are there any other jobs I should be doing while I have it removed?

Any advice would be greatfully recieved.

James.