Looking to buy a 172 to start doing trackdays - buying advice please

[hondafatboy]

Hi All

A newbie to the site, so unsure of protocols etc.

I'm looking into buying a Clio to start doing a few trackdays.

I have done bike days for the past 7 or 8 years and ended up spending way too much £ on stuff!!! culminating in buying a race prepped GSXR600 and a crate load os spares/fairings/exhausts etc which had way more capability than my ability.

I am now looking at car options as a replacement (had a road crash on bike in 2012 and sold/stopped riding - knees shot to bits now) but only have basic mechanical skills (ie can do oil/filter changes, bolt on/bolt off stuff, but never got into pad changes/suspension changes etc) for now.

After reading through here, I get that a basic fluids, brakes (discs and pads?), tyres (suggestions?) are a must when starting out on the track.

But first I need to source the car.

What should I look out for from the 172 when viewing/buying a used one?

I know every car has it's inherent achiles heel.......what is/are the Cliosports that I need to be aware of and take into consideration when budgeting?

I was ideally looking to buy car, get basic prep work/tyres etc all sorted for under £2K

I looked briefly into the 182, but is seemed to have slower 0-60 times, so didn't quite get why it was made!

Your advice/suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.

HFB

 

[Fantom]

They are all pretty much the same. Early phase 1 like mine had cable throttles which some people prefer.
The advice I see most on here is to go with a cup model rather than a 182. This will already be 89kgs lighter and have the aircon removed.
All depends on how hardcore you intend to go though.
All 172/182/cup etc will be good fun on track with a few basic mods like better discs pads & fluid.

 

[daz-88]

From what you've said i would go for a 172 cup as mentioned but by one that's already been track prepared. Trust me it works out much cheaper this way. The Clios are solid little motors, biggest achilles heal on them i would say is the cambelt/dephaser pulley, check that this has been done or be prepared to spend around £500 to have it done in a garage. My advice for starters is buy one stripped, uprated discs/pads and coil overs, but then saying that mine was completely standard when i started and it soon got me hooked. Tyre wise you cant go wrong with a track day tyre, R888 or AD048.

 

[182jwilliams]

Get a 172 cup, grab some decent tyres (RSR's imo), braided lines, discs, pads and some decent fluid and you'll be well away