'Loosening up' vs 'over the hill'

[stu182]

Was just wondering people's opinions on when 172/182/197's stop 'loosening up' and performance actually starts to decrease due to age / mileage.

Reason I ask is that I've just bought a brand new CTR and got 800 miles on the clock, but already feels MUCH faster than my 05 182 I PX'd (had both cup packs and about 49k miles). 182 was always run on super unleaded, serviced every 12k, tyre pressures checked regularly. [CTR book 0-60 is 6.6 vs 182 of 7.1, so didn't expect to notice a big difference]

I realise that part of the effect could be a placebo with the new car, but I really don't think it is - just pushes me back into the seat once the VTEC kicks in much more than my Clio did over the last few months, although I remember getting a similar buzz from that over 5k rpm once I'd run it in and started pushing it.

Please note that I'm not looking for people to tell me my CTR's great / s**t / whatever, just wondering if anyone else with highish mileage on their 1*2 has noticed performance dropping off, or whether I was just imagining it!

Cheers!

 

[White16valver]

Engines do seem to pick up a bit as they get older, and I think it's 2live who says that he always canes his williams from cold as it loosens it up and gets even quicker, but personally I have too much mechanical sympathy lol

Mine's on almost 140k miles and still pulling strong

Be aware on yours that the vtec 'kick' might be more pronounced than on the clio, therefore feel faster, but not actually have a quicker 0-whatever as it might be slower up to the vtec kicking in!

 

[stu182]

Good point...! Entirely likely that, due to newness and fatness, my CTR's slower 0-5000ish rpm. Still loads of fun though! So to summarise, I'm a tool!

Anyone had Clio / anything rolling road tested a few times over a long period (without mods)? Still interested to know at what point over a car's life performance does start to drop off...

 

[deanf06]

well imo it would have to be around 70k? Just a guess mind

 

[fUbAr]

my old 172 felt stronger and faster than ever when I traded it in at 60k

 

[Ollie82.]

Mines on 44k nearly and it still kicks as hard as ever....if not more so than it did 12k ago.

Best thing for it is frequent oil changes...no reason for it to drop off if you have good mechanical sympathy and keep it maintained.

 

[Vish]

Engines do seem to pick up a bit as they get older, and I think it's 2live who says that he always canes his williams from cold as it loosens it up and gets even quicker, but personally I have too much mechanical sympathy lol

Mine's on almost 140k miles and still pulling strong

Be aware on yours that the vtec 'kick' might be more pronounced than on the clio, therefore feel faster, but not actually have a quicker 0-whatever as it might be slower up to the vtec kicking in!

I blew a honda engine doing that for 7 months, I don't do it anymore.

If looked after and given a good thrashing at least now and again, why would an engine lose its touch?

When I bought my clio which had spent most of its life in London, it felt slow and unresponsive. After 6 months of high revving when fully warmed up, it seemed to much better to drive. More responsive and did feel a bit faster.

I'd assume its the V-TEC kick as well tho mate, plus the change of car might give speed a slightly different feel. Like when driving big cars they don't seem as fast as little cars until you look at the speedo.

 

[makavelli]

as previously said its probably just the different power curve with the ctr

ctrs and 182 are pretty much on par up to triple figures with the ctr slightly pulling above that point

the combination of the different drive and the fact its a new car probably makes it feel quicker

most 1*2's loosen up and just seem to get quicker if properly maintained

anyway how you enjoying the ctr i take it its the spaceship model and not the breadvan? get some piccies up :approve:

 

[Fletcher]

well imo it would have to be around 70k? Just a guess mind

My mk2 172 is now on over 83k, and running well, quicker then ever

I do have oil changes/ services every 6k now, to try and maintain it.

 

[Christophe]

ye it'll be vtec kicking in making it feel quicker but overall they about the same with 172/182's. I've played with a few ctr's and its equal.

 

[Rob669]

It's an interesting point. My 172 on 85k feels fine engine wise, but suspension needs replacing probably. I wonder why V8s seem to lose power with age whereas the sort of engines in RS Clios do not?

 

[-Leigh-]

I swapped a 172 with 48k for a 182 with 25k and they felt similar.

I have noticed though, that after doing the southwest run, and doing 280 "spirited" miles, it seems to be so much quicker than before?!

 

[Diesel_Power]

When im in my brothers ctr i think it feels quicker, when hes in my 182, he thinks mine is quicker. I think its down to expecting your power delivery and with low down torque of the clio you dont expect is as a civic driver vs the vtec from a clio driver.

As for thrashing it from cold, i cant see any reason whatsoever why that would help a car to become faster.

 

[Russ_16v]

mines 113k now and runs and pulls just as well as my mates whyich is on 38k

 

[Mark One]

mines 40 and pulls well

 

[Goders172]

Bought mine with 34K on it. Its now on 41K and pulls alot better than when i first got it especially lower down.

 

[Timmay]

mine seems to pull a bit better now - got it on 21k now its got 26

 

[Dan 172]

My 172 lossened up around 30k for sure, most will say that a 172 cup with 60k on the clock will feel the most lively.

You should have about 20bhp there in the civic, so it should fell quicker, but there's only about 0.2sec to 60 in it and not really noticable on the road.

It's probably just the Vtec.

 

[Ali]

Shame everything other than the motor in the CTR is SH ITE!

 

[Ian_182]

I had a full fat 172 and sold it with 22k on the clock,it went well and when i got my new 05 with 7 miles on the clock it fealt slower.Over 5k in the 182 and i would say they fealt the same

 

[Diesel_Power]

Shame everything other than the motor in the CTR is SH ITE!

Brakes are sharp, not sure but aren't they bigger discs than a 182? Good chassis and the imports have an LSD as standard. The interior is a nicer place too with decent bucket seats. Not too shabby.

 

[Ali]

Shame everything other than the motor in the CTR is SH ITE!

Brakes are sharp, not sure but aren't they bigger discs than a 182? Good chassis and the imports have an LSD as standard. The interior is a nicer place too with decent bucket seats. Not too shabby.

Good chassis mayb...But terrible suspension for the road! Did you not see the review on topgear...Granted thats not gospel...

Interior...if you like that kind of thing...Looks a bit like arcade racing machine..

 

[GabrielKnight]

Interesting. This debate is similar to ones about speakers in audiophile forums. There is a definate shiteness when testing a brand new speaker, but after 20 - 30 hours of hard useage, the speaker loosens up and performs to its best for a long time, eventually dying off.

I bought my mk1 at 64,000 miles and it runs so smoothly I can't believe it was ever better, even when new.

 

[Rich]

Shame everything other than the motor in the CTR is SH ITE!

Gearbox seemed good as well, needs to be the amount you have to use it !

 

[MarkCup]

Anyone had Clio / anything rolling road tested a few times over a long period (without mods)? Still interested to know at what point over a car's life performance does start to drop off...

My car mode wise is the same now at 97k, as it was when I had it on the rollers at both 75k, and 60k.

No change between 60k and 75k, and on 8th March I'll find out if a life of continual abuse and 7,750 limiter action has harmed it any.

If anything, I think it's got better. Although that maybe because it feels quicker due to no interior now. Time will tell.

 

[John D]

I have noticed though, that after doing the southwest run, and doing 280 "spirited" miles, it seems to be so much quicker than before?!

I've noticed that before too. Can never tell if its in my head or not though!

On the way home from a weekend hooning in Wales last year (probably the longest period of hard driving its ever had) it absolutely flew in 4th gear, mid range felt great.

 

[stu182]

Guess I had times even recently where I got in the 182 after work (often cold outside which obviously helps) and thought it was feeling REALLY lively...!

Cheers MarkCup - guess I'm definitely a mental! Be really interested to see the results of your next rolling road!

CTR is the training shoe. Cheers for any comments, even the 'Clarkson said it's cr*p so it must be' type - know it's an acquired taste, but wanted one for years - test drove the breadvan but just couldn't justify spending the extra over the 182 (cos it felt slower if anything), but now I've got one I think it's awesome, and even looking at the key fob makes me smile like a pig in sh*t.

I do realise that makes me sound like a total sad b*stard, but on this sort of forum I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one! Oh, ok, maybe I am...!